The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
As Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles prepared to dedicate the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple, he was inspired by the vision of it serving as a “gathering oasis” in the hearts of members in west Africa’s Republic of Côte d‘Ivoire.
Referencing President Russell M. Nelson‘s 2018 landmark address, “Hope of Israel‚” which calls Latter-day Saint youth to join the Lord’s battalion in gathering Israel through missionary efforts and temple and family history work, Elder Rasband commended members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Ivory Coast for their exemplary faithfulness.
They are gathering through missionary work. In only a few decades, Church membership has surpassed 67,000 members and the temple district includes 38 stakes across several west African countries.
The Saints are also actively gathering names for the temple. Since the dedication of the Accra Ghana Temple in 2004, Ivorian Saints have shown exceptional dedication to temple and family history work.
“Ivory Coast — Côte d‘Ivoire — is a gathering oasis,” Elder Rasband said. “Of all the people I have been around in the world, they understand the gathering here.”
Elder Rasband dedicated the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple — the Church’s 205th operating house of the Lord and the country’s first — in one session on Sunday, May 25, one decade after it was announced in 2015.
The session was broadcast to all units in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Senegal — as well as two branches in the Gambia.
The temple will serve members in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania and Western Sahara.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
