October 2010: The Dedication of Angola

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve formally dedicated the country of Angola for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ on 20 October 2010.

Early in the morning of that day, a small group of Church leaders and members gathered at the base of a very old, very large baobab tree on a quiet hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Elder Christofferson offered the dedicatory prayer in Portuguese, remembering the more than two centuries of slave trade and a 25-year civil war that had ravaged the country. He prayed that the suffering and conflicts of the past would end, that the yokes of poverty and ignorance would be removed, and that “religious liberty would endure and become a foundation for future strength and stability as the gospel is preached without hindrance and the kingdom of God goes forth to bless individuals, families, and the entire country.”

Since the country’s dedication, the Luanda Angola District was created (2011), the Angola Luanda Mission opened (2013), and the district grew into the Luanda Angola Stake (2018). Angola is now home to almost 3,800 Church members—and growing.