September 7th, 2025, 2am MDT
An extraordinary scene unfolded on the morning of August 23rd in the far corner of the West African jungle. That day, 120 men, women and children entered the sea of baptism in Moriba town, Sierra Leone.
President Scott L. Wyatt, president of Sierra Leone Bo Mission, described the incident as nothing more than a miracle. “This place is on fire,” he said: “I would like to say that this is the epicenter of the Israeli gathering.”
Amazing Days in the Town of Moriba
The combined baptism service brought together members and missionaries from the Sierra Leone district of Moriba town. Candidates for one branch in the town of Moriba and three nearby branches had been preparing for this sacred day for several months. “It was an audacity sight from the stand where Kathy and I sat,” recalls President Wyatt, who was present with his wife, Cathy Wyatt.
At Sierra Leone, most investigators are referred rather than breeding to the front door. “I think everyone, 80-90% of them were introduced by their members,” explained Elder Tsilihery Tsifanay, a missionary in Madagascar. Elder Mason Kea of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, added that the focus of their mission is not necessarily to baptize as much as possible. It is to “help people come to Christ.”
Careful preparation
Missionaries have been teaching families for weeks. In many cases, there are over 20 lessons before baptism. Some people need time to quit smoking or getting married. “Being baptized is a big decision,” President Wyatt said. “They don’t just join the church. They’re repenting and changing lives.”
Before the baptism, the young missionary leaders had conducted dozens of interviews to ensure preparation for each candidate.
Elder Care explained that he learned, “We don’t need to hurry them up – just be patient and follow the prompts of the Holy Spirit.”
Elder Tsifanay added, “When I asked people, do you feel like you have repented of your past sins?” They told me, “I left something bad.” They could truly repent and feel willing to follow God and Jesus Christ. ”
Sewing for the soul
A unique challenge was clothing. There were few white baptismal costumes as there were 120 people expected. The senior missionary, who is found on 210 yards of white cotton fabric at BO Marketplace, sent to the town of Moriba.
Senior missionary elder and sister Shelley Hansen from Leeds, Utah, worked with local tailors to sew dozens of baptismal suits using pedal-powered machines. One tailor from Mokanji even hired help to meet the deadline. Elder Hansen saw him later bringing home £110 of rice (his family food), which he would likely be paid on orders for baptism.
A miracle with the weather
During the rainy season, dirt roads are often allowed to pass through. The missionaries prayed for the rain to stop, so that the candidates could travel safely from outside the village. It was “one miracle,” President Wyatt said. The rain stopped two days ago, the roads were dry and a fierce storm returned shortly after the baptism was concluded.
Baptism service
Before the service, White candidates gathered for group photos. All seats were filled in in the chapel. One dating at a time took candidates into the font and baptized them one by one. Each of them was then identified as a member of the Church and received the Holy Spirit. Service lasted for 2 hours.
“It was truly a sacred sight to see their acceptance of the love our heavenly Father has for all these individuals and obeying the Savior,” Elder Care said. “When I see them standing on white with a smile on their face, my testimony that the Savior can live and change the person who follows him.”
District President Samuel Murai expressed his gratitude to the church’s African newsroom. “We are deeply grateful and delighted to the new converts who have recently joined us, and the missionaries are working diligently to not only strengthen the district, but also to contribute to the progress of the entire mission.
Growth and retention
Missionaries and members will immediately follow up on new members’ lessons and friendships. “We’ve been really committed to helping these people have friends before we’re baptized,” Elder Care said. The result was a strong retention.
“The sacramental attendance in our mission is growing faster than baptism,” President Wyatt said. In the town of Moriba, the congregations are so full that one branch is quickly split into five. Over the entire mission, the number of mission branches increased from 8 to 21 over a year. Over the past three months, over 1,200 people have joined the church across the mission.
Baptism is not the end of the road. Also, many converts take part in missionary efforts quickly. “Even after a week of baptism, some of them are breeding with missionaries,” Elder Tsifanay said. Many individuals continue their covenant paths by entering the temple or preparing to offer missions as soon as they reach a church for a year.
Elder Kear explained their enthusiasm. “It not only helps them prepare for missions, but it also grows their testimony. It’s really cool to see how pleased they are.”
Preparation for the Second Coming
Elder Zifhanai recalls the recent teachings of President Russell M. Nelson preparing for the Second Coming.
Elder Care agreed. “The Lord is rushing to his work here in Sierra Leone. He is preparing these people when the Savior comes again.”
President Wyatt, along with missionaries throughout the mission, says, “When missionaries say, ‘I want to tell you about Jesus,’ no one will turn them down. This is a truly amazing place and a really great time,” he said.
The gathering continues
For those who participated, the day of a massive baptism in the town of Moriba will never be forgotten. President Wyatt shared that even if they were happy at the moment, it was clear that this was not the endpoint of their efforts. It was a new beginning. After two hours of service, when everyone returned home before the afternoon storm, a group of full-time missionaries gathered at a nearby home for a quick lunch provided by a couple of senior missionaries.
“They were exhausted but happy,” he said. Missionaries shared stories and expressions of gratitude for the miracles they witnessed.
However, just a few minutes later, one of the dating members rose to their feet, grabbing their bags and announced they were teaching them an appointment to reach them. They thanked the senior couple for their meals and now returned to pouring rain. As President Wyatt said, there was “more souls to save.”
