Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reflected on members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Africa and said their faith inspired him to want to be a better disciple himself.
Elder Gilbert recently met with the Church’s Africa West Area Presidency to discuss the growth of the Church, the impact of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, and the power of seminary in the lives of youth.
Elder Gilbert wrote in a video posted to his social media channels that the meeting reaffirmed his gratitude for witnessing “the beauty of this moment in the growth of the Church.”
The Area Presidency consists of Elder Alfred Küng as president, Elders Adinka A. Ojediran and Elder Isaac K. Morrison as counselors, and all Seventy General Authorities. Elder Kyung is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elder Ojediran is from Nigeria, and Elder Morrison is from Ghana.
The region includes the countries of Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
“This region of West Africa is growing so rapidly that what we are witnessing is truly incredible,” Elder Kyong said.
He noted that during his time as area president, he had created 15 stakes and seven missions. These new missions will launch this July.
Growth comes with challenges and opportunities. Elder Gyong said they are trying to figure out “how to support that growth.” One focus was on developing strong leaders.
Elder Gilbert and Elder Ojediran spoke about how one way to develop future leaders and build a strong foundation for the Church in the region is through education, particularly through BYU-Pathway Worldwide, an affordable online higher education platform supported by the Church.
Earlier this year, Elder Gilbert and Elder Ojediran traveled to Nigeria to study the impact of the BYU Pathway on Latter-day Saints.
Elder Ojediran said that approximately one-third of the world’s BYU Pathway enrollments occur in the Church’s Africa West region and that the educational program is an “amazing blessing” to the lives of Church members.
“Membership is increasing and more people are joining the church. The good thing is that it is helping members become spiritually and temporarily self-reliant as disciples of Jesus Christ,” Elder Ojediran said.
Elder Morrison, on the other hand, is an example of the seminary’s great success. He was invited to attend seminary when he was not a member of the church.
“When I got there, I felt like I belonged. I felt loved by my people,” Elder Morrison said. “The seminary is a great blessing to West Africa.”
Elder Morrison explained that seminary enrollment in the Africa West region exceeds 60,000, demonstrating how youth are heeding the call and invitation of the prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, to attend seminaries and institutes regularly.
The Office of the President spoke with Elder Gilbert while everyone was in Salt Lake City. He thanked them for their time and service and said: “More than anything, I know the Lord loves me so much that I get to serve alongside you in an area of the church that I love so much.”
Watch the entire conversation on Elder Gilbert’s YouTube channel.
african church
There are more than 1 million members of the Church on the African continent. As Church News recently reported, in the first six months of 2025, conversions increased by more than 20% year-over-year in Africa.
Besides the Africa West region, headquartered in Accra, Ghana, the continent also has the Africa Central region, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. Africa South region headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The missionaries arrived in South Africa in April 1853. In Nigeria and Ghana, independent congregations accepted the Church’s teachings and laid the foundation for Church growth. Latter-day Saints who lived abroad and joined the Church also introduced the gospel to their home countries.
Africa’s first stake, the Transvaal Stake, was organized in South Africa in 1970. The first Abba Nigeria Stake in what is now the Africa West region was organized in 1988, and the first stake in what is now the Africa Central region was organized in 2001 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Twenty-nine temples have been dedicated, under construction, or announced on the continent. The first temple was the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, dedicated in 1985. Temples were also built and dedicated in South Africa, Cape Verde, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.
Temples have been announced or are under construction in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Uganda.
