Area Leadership Message
Becoming Disciples, Building the Kingdom
The world is facing great challenges. But the Lord’s kingdom has never been stronger than in our day. In April 2018, in his first general conference address, President Russell M. Nelson declared, “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory.”1
And so it is. In the October 2023 general conference, the Church announced the construction of 20 new temples. That is more temples announced in one day than were announced and built in the first 150 years of the Church’s history! A few weeks later, on November 1, the Church announced the creation of 36 new missions. That is as many missions as existed in the Church after its first 100 years of existence. The number of temples announced, under construction and operating is now 335. The number of missions worldwide is now 450. These are some of the mighty works that the Lord is performing in His kingdom in our day.
The Africa Central Area is in the heart of both the world’s challenges and the miracles that are happening in the Lord’s kingdom. Missions are being created and many friends are joining the Church. New temples have been announced and some are under construction.
Members in Africa ask, “How can I overcome my personal challenges?”, or “How can I help the Church to grow and be strengthened?” As we approached 2024, the Africa Central Area Presidency considered what we could do to help members with those questions. We determined to develop an Area focus and priorities to guide us as members and leaders as we face the challenges in our lives and work to strengthen the kingdom of God in Central Africa.
I would like to share the Area focus and priorities and discuss how each of us can increase our faith and receive the blessings we seek by incorporating the focus into our personal lives and Church service during 2024.
Area Focus
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. After His Resurrection, Jesus asked the Nephite leaders, “have [ye] not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name?...”
“Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the Church for my sake (3 Nephi 27:5, 7).”
All that we do in the Church is done in Jesus’s name, for His glory and by His power. President Nelson concluded his April 2023 general conference remarks testifying, “Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him!”2
President Nelson’s words are a call to deepen our discipleship. The focus of our Area plan is to deepen our faith and discipleship in the Son of God. Like Mormon of old, we each can declare, “Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (3 Nephi 5:13)” and work to demonstrate that in our life each day. That is the focus of the Africa Central Area.
Priorities
As each of us works to become better disciples, there are areas of our lives that need to be improved. As the Area Presidency considered some of the aspects that require personal and collective improvement in our Area we identified three things.
Make and Keep Sacred Covenants
The first is make and keep sacred covenants. A covenant is an agreement between God and man formalized by participation in an ordinance. For example, we formalize our decision and commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to keep His commandments by participating in the ordinance of baptism. Covenants are a way to strengthen our relationship with God and His Son.
In the world, we use formal agreements to create and strengthen relationships. Signing a contract with someone to buy or sell goods creates a legal relationship stronger than a simple verbal exchange. Being married according to the law creates a stronger commitment and responsibility than simply living with someone.
God has designed a path of covenants and ordinances for His children. Each covenant we enter into with God is designed to strengthen our relationship with Him and to progress toward entering into His presence in a future day. This covenant path begins with baptism. Baptism leads to confirmation. Other more sacred covenants—the endowment and sealing—are entered into in the house of the Lord. Men are required to make a priesthood covenant to receive covenants in the temple.
The purpose of all of these covenants is to provide each of us with the power and strength to endure our trials and challenges in this life. We renew the power of our covenants each week by preparing for and partaking of the emblems of Christ’s death through the ordinance of the sacrament. The sacrament makes it possible to become clean and to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to lead us closer to God.
This year, we invite all Church members and leaders to enter into covenants that we have not yet entered into with God and more faithfully keep the commitments we have made as part of our covenants. A worthy goal could include a goal to receive temple ordinances or to be more diligent in partaking of the sacrament each week.
Self-Reliance
Heavenly Father wants each of His children to become self-reliant. “Self-reliance is the ability, commitment, and effort to provide the spiritual and temporal necessities of life for self and family.3”
We become more self-reliant by learning and living the principles of self-reliance in our everyday lives. We gain spiritual self-reliance as we pray, study the scriptures, fast, live the commandments and serve others. We become temporally self-reliant by getting an education, working for what we receive, budgeting our resources, paying tithes and offerings, and helping others. Think of a goal that you could set to become more self-reliant this year. Make a plan to help you achieve that goal.
Love, Share and Invite
There are thousands around us seeking the blessings that come through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our neighbors, friends, colleagues and others we meet each day are each precious daughters and sons of God who are looking for and need God’s blessings. The Lord asks those who have received these blessings to help others learn of His love for them. We can do this as we think of normal and natural ways to invite others to join in family and Church activities with us, attend Church or to have the missionaries teach them. If we ask for God’s help each day, He will provide us with opportunities to love share and invite others to enter God’s fold through baptism.
Conclusion
I testify that by strengthening our faith in Jesus Christ and working on these three priorities we will be blessed and strengthened in our personal lives and the kingdom will continue to grow. And we will see more miracles in the days ahead.