Tanzanian Saints Visit Nairobi Kenya Temple Open House

There is a new temple in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa, and the saints here have been anxiously awaiting its completion. The nearest temple to these faithful members has been in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), approximately 3500 km (2150 miles) away, and out of reach for most of the saints in Kenya.  Understandably, the Nairobi, Kenya, temple open house is a reason for great joy for the members in the area.

But what about the saints living in Tanzania, Africa, located directly south of Kenya? Although this new temple is much closer to them than the Kinshasa temple, it is still well beyond what most have the ability or means to travel to, a seemingly impossible journey.   Or is it?  Enter one Brenda Angle, who has spent many years doing humanitarian work in Tanzania and Kenya and who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Brenda is well used to taking on challenges and she didn’t shy away from this one. Brenda knew that most of these Tanzanian saints had never seen a temple or thought it would ever be possible to do so.  She felt that if they were able to experience the spirit of the Lord there, it would inspire them to eventually receive their endowments and have their families sealed together forever.

Brenda offered to facilitate the trip with the help of her associates Alan Jackson, and his wife Tish, expecting to get about 25-50 participants.  Elder Boyd and Sister Deborah Luke, senior missionaries serving in Arusha, wanted to include the saints in their area and they extended their mission to be able to assist.  The invitation also went out to those investigating the church to join in the excursion, making it clear this was not a church sponsored activity.  The registrations started pouring in and soon the estimate of participants rose to 150-200.  

Brenda began her fundraising effort and received a very generous response.  She was also invited to be on a podcast in the United States and received $25,000 in just a week to assist these saints in getting to the temple.  Now she went to work in earnest to make this trip happen. Just days before their departure date another 100 people signed up to participate. Her team was scrambling to get more buses, food, and hotel rooms lined up. A cut-off date was set as the participants were required to get emergency passports and yellow fever cards to cross the border, which took several days for approval. 

As the big day finally arrived, Brenda, the Jacksons, and the Lukes, all split up and went to different locations where participants were to meet and load onto the buses, with local young missionaries helping to make sure all the correct documentation was in place.  This proved an enormous task, and while Brenda was busy in another area, an additional 50 people showed up and, with great anticipation, put themselves on the buses.  Room was made, and the scene was one of great excitement with old and young, couples and families, even moms with babies on both hips, all with big smiles of gratitude. 

Getting through customs proved to be a challenge and took many hours to complete, yet Brenda never heard a child cry or saw children running around.  She states, “These beautiful people have a sense of peace that just emanates from them”.

After finally arriving in Nairobi the entire group was housed in 2 hotels, rented out for this purpose.  Everyone disappeared quietly to their rooms, emerging for a buffet breakfast the next morning, dressed in their Sunday best, and proceeded to pile their plates high with, what Brenda describes as, “delicious food most have never seen or experienced”. 

At this point Brenda’s group was joined by 2 more buses from Kenya, one with Dr. Charles Mully and some of his adopted children from Ndalani, and another with 101 orphans from an orphanage in Nairobi that Brenda’s organization has been trying to assist.  All 15 buses were loaded, and Brenda had the privilege of escorting 537 men, women, and children to a temple of The Lord for the first time in most of their lives. 

Brenda states, “Being at the house of The Lord was a time of heaven on earth for these beautiful people.  Their gratitude, their love for God radiated through the temple grounds.”  Mercedes, one of the attendees, stated “I get something emotional when I enter the temple.  I felt more spirit, especially in celestial room.  I was getting something special.  I never seen it before.”

On April 23^trd, 2025, the impossible became a reality and the Nairobi, Kenya, temple grounds were filled with happy, grateful, Tanzanian saints who never imagined they would get to walk through this sacred building.  On the bus ride home members said they never dreamed they could get their endowments in this life and are preparing to go back as soon as possible, knowing now that it is a goal within reach.  As Brenda states, “Youth will never forget how they felt.  Some will welcome the missionaries to teach them the gospel.  This trip will accelerate the growth in the church in Tanzania.  Getting priesthood holders to the temple and families united for eternity will bless the Arusha and Moshi area. It was a privilege for us to participate in helping to gather Israel and an experience we will never forget.”