Elder Dale G. Renlund Ministers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

From October 24-29, 2024, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of The Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints visited The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for a series of spiritual meetings, accompanied by his wife, Ruth. Their teachings inspired leaders and members to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ and their commitment to their covenants.

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Leadership Meeting

On Saturday, October 26, Elder Renlund presided over a special meeting for leaders from French-speaking countries in the Africa Central Area. He was accompanied by Elder José A. Teixeira of the Presidency of Seventy and Bishop L. Todd Budge of the Presiding Bishopric. In attendance were the Area Seventies, mission presidents, the president of the Kinshasa Temple, stake presidents and district presidents.

In his address Elder Renlund emphasized the importance of establishing a strong spiritual foundation to support the rapid growth of the Church in the DRC, which now has over 130,000 Church members.

Members Conference

On Sunday, October 27, Elder Renlund presided at and addressed Church members in a multi-Stake  Conference in Kinshasa, DRC.  His message was one of humility and faith as he expressed gratitude to Church members in the DRC. “You are remarkable in every way. I am here to bear witness of Jesus Christ.” Elder Renlund reminded them that the Savior is an inexhaustible source of support and comfort. He invited members to strengthen their personal relationship with Jesus Christ through five essential markers:

1. Knowing who we are.
2. Knowing that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
3. Knowing that the Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ.
4. Making and keeping covenants with God.
5. Doing the will of the Father.

Sister Renlund shared a personal experience from a safari in Africa where she learned the importance of following safety rules. “The first law of heaven is obedience,” she said as she invited members to keep the commandments to ensure their spiritual safety.

To conclude the meeting, Elder Renlund offered a special blessing to the assembly, for their health, prosperity and strength. “If you walk with Christ, you will find joy in your life,” he promised.

Young Single Adults Devotional

Sunday afternoon, Elder and Sister Renlund held a devotional with over 1,000 young single adults. In this gathering, they shared messages addressing the spiritual and personal challenges of the young single adults.

Sister Renlund told a personal anecdote about learning. “I didn’t like math and never put in the effort, so I never mastered it. The same goes for any knowledge. We must make an effort if we want to understand spiritual things.” She then shared her experience of learning French and the effort she put in to master it.  After many years without speaking French, however, she ended up forgetting it all. “Similarly, if we do not regularly remember spiritual knowledge, we will end up forgetting it,” she said.

In his message, Elder Renlund shared advice to help young people progress in their spiritual lives and overcome obstacles in the path to God:

• Ignore mockery.
• Renew your covenants through the sacrament.
• Multiply your talents.
• Use your talents for the glory of God.

Conclusion

Elder Renlund’s visit to The Democratic Republic of the Congo, accompanied by Elder Teixeira, Bishop Budge and their wives had a profound impact on members in Kinshasa. Through messages of humility, faith and fidelity, they reminded everyone of the importance of Jesus Christ as a solid foundation in their lives and the blessings of following God’s commandments. Elder Renlund invited each of them to strengthen their faith and walk with Christ, promising joy and peace despite life’s challenges.