Democratic Republic of the Congo: Chronology

September 1970 • Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoA small group of Saints from abroad living in Kinshasa began holding Church meetings.

1970s–80s • Outside ZaïreCongolese citizens began joining the Church while living abroad, including in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.

1970s–80s • ZaïreCongolese Saints who had returned to their country as well as prospective Church members began writing Church leaders, requesting information, missionaries, and other Church support.

August–September 1979 • ZaïrePresident Spencer W. Kimball sent Oscar McConkie Jr. to Zaïre on a fact-finding visit. This was the first of several trips between 1979 and 1986 to try to establish the Church there.

1980s • Kinshasa and Shaba Province, ZaïreUnofficial congregations using the name of the Church formed and began corresponding with Church headquarters.

February 1986 • KinshasaThe first missionaries to Zaïre, Ralph and Jean Hutchings, arrived.

April 1986 • ZaïreAfter seven years of work to establish the Church in the country, the Church was granted legal recognition in Zaïre.

June 1, 1986 • KinshasaJunior Mucioko Banza and Philippe Banza became the first people baptized in Zaïre. Their parents, Mucioko Wa Mutombo Banza and Régine Mbuyi Banza had joined the Church in Switzerland in 1979.

September 1986 • KinshasaThe Kinshasa Branch was organized. Michael C. Bowcutt was called as branch president with Mucioko Wa Mutombo Banza and Mbuyi Nkitabungi as counselors and Régine Mbuyi Banza as Relief Society president.

1986 • KinshasaAs membership increased, Church meetings moved from Mbuyi Nkitabungi’s home to a building in Limete.

February 1987 • Lubumbashi, ZaïreRoger and Simone Dock, senior missionaries, became the first missionaries to be assigned to Lubumbashi.

June 1987 • KinshasaThe Zaïre Kinshasa Mission was officially organized.

July 25, 1987 • LubumbashiThe Lubumbashi Branch was organized, with Clement Mubalamate Kavuala as president.

August 30, 1987 • Kinshasa

Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated Zaïre for the preaching of the gospel.

August 1988 • Salt Lake City, UtahSelections of the Book of Mormon were published in Lingala. The Book of Mormon in whole was published in Lingala in 2004.

September 18, 1988 • KinshasaThe Kinshasa Zaïre District was organized.

December 1989 • LubumbashiThe first district Young Women conference in Zaïre was held.

January–February 1991 • ZaïreJunior Mucioko Banza, Ngalamulume Diamany, Thomas Nkadi Mutombo, and Kanda Malu-Malu were called as the first Congolese missionaries to serve in the Zaïre Kinshasa Mission.

April 1991 • ZaïreZaïre’s National Congress established freedom of religion.

September 13, 1991 • ZaïreThe seminary program was introduced in Zaïre, with Kabwika Natambwe as its director.

1991–94 • Kinshasa, Zaïre, and Brazzaville, Republic of the CongoCivil unrest disrupted the operations of mission headquarters, which moved from Kinshasa to Brazzaville in 1991 and briefly closed in 1993–94.

July 1996 • Johannesburg, South AfricaThe first group of Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo traveled to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple to receive temple ordinances.

November 3, 1996 • KinshasaThe first stake in Zaïre, the Zaïre Kinshasa Stake, was organized, with Wa Musithi Jacques Muliele called as president. The following May, Ekezi Imbale Baenda Ise’Ekungola Liyanzi became the country’s first stake patriarch.

August 12, 1997 • Democratic Republic of the CongoAfter the country changed its name, the mission name was changed to Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission.

September 7, 1997 • LubumbashiThe Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake was organized, with Nzembelenge Milambo as president.

2000 • Salt Lake CityThe Book of Mormon was published in Swahili.

January 2005 • Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Church’s employment program, career workshops, and Perpetual Education Fund were implemented. Through the Church’s humanitarian aid program, donated eyeglasses were distributed.

September 9, 2006 • KinshasaThe youth from the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Masina Stake organized a national day of service, cleaning public areas in the community.

May 1, 2007 • Democratic Republic of the CongoDaniel Tusey Kola was called as the first Congolese Area Seventy.

May 22, 2011 • Kananga, Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Kananga Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake was organized, with Christophe Kawaya as president.

July 23 and 30, 2011 • KinshasaThe first two youth conferences in the country were held, with more than 1,200 attending.

October 1, 2011 • Salt Lake CityChurch President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple would be built in Kinshasa.

July 2014 • BrazzavilleElie Kyungu Monga and Vianney Mwenze Monga were called to preside over the Republic of Congo Brazzaville Mission.

February 12, 2016 • KinshasaElder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple.

April 24, 2016 • Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Mbuji-Mayi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake, the 15th stake in the country, was organized, with N’sumbu Jean-Pierre Kalonji as president.

August 2016 • KinshasaThe Church reached an agreement with the government to digitize over 20 million family history records. Church members Richard Dadzie and Thierry Mutombo met with Jean Claude Mabaya, the secretary of the Minister of Interior, to sign the contract.

2016 • Democratic Republic of the CongoChurch membership surpassed 50,000.

October 9, 2017 • Salt Lake CityThe Church announced plans to translate the Book of Mormon in Tshiluba and to give members access to draft portions before the publication of the final translation.

April 14, 2019 • Kinshasa

The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple was dedicated.