Throughout their 10-day ministry in the Africa West Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, expressed their love to youth, young single adults, women, missionaries and more.

In devotionals, training meetings and ministering visits, the two women leaders testified of the Savior Jesus Christ.

“The Lord will show up and stand by you, and He will bless you where you are standing,” President Freeman told young single adults in a devotional originating from the Lagos Nigeria Ikeja Stake Center on Nov. 12. “He will meet you where you are, but He won’t leave you there. He will bring you to a better place, a place of happiness and joy.”

She invited the young single adults to remember their identity: “Can you say that ‘I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents’?” she asked, quoting from the Young Women theme. “Take the time to discover whose daughter you really are.”

Sister Dennis shared in her devotional remarks that when Peter kept his eyes on the Savior, he could walk on water.

“If your focus is on your fears and uncertainties, you will feel lost. Focus on the Savior and He will walk with you, strengthen you and lead you to safety,” she said. “Faith will always be a choice. There will never be enough proof to give you faith. You must choose to move forward with faith. If you are struggling with your testimony, choose to put your focus on Christ.”

Over 400 young single adults attended the devotional in person, while others from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Gambia gathered in their local meetinghouses.

President Freeman and Sister Dennis were accompanied during the ministry by their husbands, Brother Gregory G. Freeman and Brother Jorge Dennis. 

They were also joined by Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Africa West Area, as well as his counselors — Elder Jörg Klebingat and Elder Alfred Kyungu, both General Authority Seventies.

During the YSA devotional in Nigeria, Elder Klebingat noted the incredible growth of the Church in that country and told the young adults that they would be a major part of that continued growth.

“Everything is just beginning in Nigeria. With the addition of missions and the announcements of temples, you may already see this. But this is just the start,” he said.

Meeting with missionaries, children, youth and women in West Africa

The Church leaders met with missionaries in the Lagos Nigeria Mission, the Freetown Sierra Leone Mission and the Ghana Missionary Training Center in Accra, Ghana, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.  

While speaking to missionaries at the Ghana Missionary Training Center on Nov. 14, President Freeman quoted from Ezra 7:10 and encouraged the missionaries to seek the word of the Lord: “Open your mind to inspiration. Then you can know the answers to your own questions and those of the people that you teach.”

She added, “Through your diligence, you will be successful missionaries and bless the lives of those you serve.”

More than 1,500 youth gathered at the Accra Ghana Christiansborg Stake Center in Accra, Ghana, for a youth devotional on Nov. 19. Thousands joined online from throughout the Africa West Area to hear messages from President Freeman and Sister Dennis.

“You are part of a rising generation,” Sister Dennis said in her remarks. “The Lord has saved you for these last days because you are some of his greatest warriors.” 

Sister Dennis also spoke about the importance of strengthening children’s testimonies of the gospel while attending the La Ward in the same stake earlier that day.

“One hour per week is not enough, we need to be teaching our children in the home, mothers, fathers, grandparents and other friends and relatives, all working together,” she said.

Besides the devotionals, trainings and meetings, the women also visited members’ homes for personal ministering visits.

Meeting with the president of Sierra Leone

On Nov. 17, President Freeman and Sister Dennis met with the Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, and the first lady, Fatima Jabbe-Bio, at the State House in Freetown.

They also met visiting dignitaries from Nigeria and Angola who were there to commemorate the United Nations World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence.  

The first lady invited the Church leaders to join her for the commemoration. President Freeman had the opportunity to speak and expressed gratitude to the first lady for her efforts.

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s Africa West Area, said it was an honor to meet the first lady.

“Her Excellency is bringing awareness to the serious problem of abuse to women and children,” Elder Nielsen said. “That is a significant focus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We will support this cause in Sierra Leone and throughout the Africa West Area.”

The visiting Church leaders presented a family statuette as a gift to the first family.

President Freeman and Sister Dennis visited the grounds of the Freetown Sierra Leone Temple and the newly announced site of the Lagos Nigeria Temple and were invited to tour the Ghana National Mosque in Accra, Ghana.

Also in Freetown, Sister Dennis and Elder Nielsen learned more about how the Child Nutrition Program pilot is going in that country that was developed by the Relief Society. The program provides malnutrition screening and monitoring as well as education and training for parents.

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