“In Lagos, Nigeria,” For the Strength of Youth, June 2022.
How We Worship
In Lagos, Nigeria
Photograph from Getty Images
Hi! My name is Mosiah O.
I live in Lagos, Nigeria, with my mum, my dad, and my beautiful seven-year-old sister, Harriet. My sister and I like to write together. My parents come from different tribes—my dad is from the Yoruba tribe and my mum is from the Edo tribe. So I speak English, but I also speak Yoruba. We love living here in Lagos. There are beautiful beaches and buildings.
Nigerian Food and Fun!
I love Africa because of all the different food dishes we have. Who doesn’t love food? I love to cook and I practice making new dishes at home. Nigerian food is so colorful. One of my favorite dishes to make is Epkang Nkukwo, a soup made from the cocoyam plant, similar to taro root. I also like to make black soup with ekó (or agidi) which is a pudding made from corn flour.
I feel that eating healthy has helped me become more fit and ready for personal revelation. I know the Lord loves us and is mindful of the things we eat as well. He wants us to be healthy and anxiously engaged in His work.
My favorite hobbies are listening to music, writing songs, writing poems, and reading wholesome books. I love learning how to play the guitar and keyboard. My mum is teaching me how to play hymns. We also have a rabbit farm. Taking care of 13 bunnies has been a great opportunity for me—and quite the adventure!
Fitting in at Seminary
One of my favorite parts of being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is making new friends. I love the opportunity to meet new people of my faith. I love going to seminary, but when I first started, I felt left out. I was the youngest student, and everyone else knew each other. They didn’t speak to me very often. I was secretly battling low self-esteem, but I prayed, and I really felt God’s love for me. I made a goal to get to know the other students better, and I actually came to know how much they cared about me. I know that God wants us to grow and have meaningful relationships. He has provided ways for us to do that through the programs of the Church.
Help from the Holy Ghost
Sometimes, God just wants us to persevere. Doctrine and Covenants 58:4 says, “After much tribulation come the blessings.” If things aren’t going well and you’re not feeling so good, just hang in there and you’ll see the blessings pretty soon. Sometimes all we have to do is endure to the end and follow the Holy Ghost. When I’m humble, I can feel the Spirit help me and tell me what I need to do to fix the problems in my life. I know doing this will help me feel more confident in the presence of God.