Mormon leader Nelson to visit Kenya amid talk of temple

Prophet Russell M. Nelson, the new global leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, arrives in Kenya on Monday on his first international tour as the president of Mormons.

A renowned heart surgeon, Dr Nelson took the reins in January following the death of Thomas S. Monson.

He is the 17th leader of the church that was established in 1830 by Joseph Smith.

Dr Nelson, 93, kicked off his eight-country ministry tour in London on Thursday then travelled to Jerusalem.

He is also expected to visit Zimbabwe, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and Hawaii.

BIBLE
During his one-day visit to the country, the prophet will meet members of the church at Bomas of Kenya on Monday for two hours, starting 5pm.

The Church of Jesus Christ insists that it follows biblical teachings, though they use the Book of Mormon alongside the Bible.

That book was held dear by the founder who claimed an angel directed him to a buried book written on golden plates.

The prophet translated and later published what he said were the writings on the plates on March 1830.

That publication is today known as the Book of Mormon, named after Mormon, the ancient prophet-cum-historian who compiled the book.

Dr Evelyn Jepkemei, the church’s director of public affairs in Kenya and Tanzania, explains that while Mormons ascribe to neither Catholic nor Protestant faith, they are strong believers in God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost.

“Our main difference from the two is that we believe in open Canon of scripture whereby we rely, not only on the Bible, but also the book of Mormons as part of the scriptures,” she told the Sunday Nation on Thursday.

DISCRIMINATE
Many see the church as an elitist entity for the rich and the well-educated. But Dr Jepkemei disagrees.

“There is a lot of emphasis on learning because there is a lot of teaching. But it doesn’t mean that if you are illiterate you can’t join the church,” she said.

“It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ, we hope that everybody can come in and partake of the gospel.

"Even in this building we have people who work for a cleaning company, who are members of the church, so we do not discriminate.”

The church, whose headquarters are in Salt Lake City in the American State of Utah, has more than 15,000 members and more than 30 chapels across Kenya.

It arrived in Kenya in 1979 after two Kenyans, Elizaphan and Ebisiba Osaka, got baptised and joined the church.

TEMPLE
In Nairobi, chapels are in Upper Hill, Buruburu, Lang'ata, Athi River and Mountain View on Waiyaki Way.

While currently there is no temple in Kenya, the late President Thomas Monson announced a temple to be built in Nairobi.

According to Mr George Munene, the president of the Nairobi West stake (diocese), temple worship is highly valued among their members.

“If the construction of the temple is commissioned it means that members of the church in Kenya won’t have to travel to South Africa or Ghana for temple worship,” he noted.

The church has 159 temples worldwide. Three of them are in Africa — in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.

“Our tenet of spreading the gospel is not to advertise ourselves, but to invite people to come to understand the gospel. We prefer engaging people one-on-one because for us it is about affecting the life of one person at a time,” explained Mr Munene.

HEALTH
Mormons also follow what they call the Lord’s law of health, which prohibits the consumption of tea, coffee or alcohol.

Members also take animal products such as meat sparingly.

Unlike other churches, the Mormons confer priesthood on all male members of the church aged 12 years and above as long as they are “worthy”.

Members of the church hold a strong belief in family and the fact that families can be sealed together by the power of priesthood.

“We believe that sealed couples will rise as husband and wife after death and will also be reunited with their children,” Dr Jepkemei says.

POLYGAMY

While Smith, who founded the church, is known for introducing the ancient practice of polygamy, the church no longer condones polygamous marriages.

“Those who practice it polygamy risk being ex-communicated from the church. Only the breakaway group known as the fundamentalists still practise polygamy,” Sister LilyWhite, a Church of Jesus Christ missionary in the country, says.

Dr Nelson for many years served as the president of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — the second-highest governing body of the church.

He will be accompanied by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.

The church’s membership worldwide is estimated at more than 15 million.