The story of Jesus Christ in Ghana is a testament to the enduring power of faith and the resilience of believers. From the initial seeds of belief sown through shared literature to the establishment of thriving congregations and a dedicated temple, the journey of Christianity in Ghana is both inspiring and unique.
Accra Ghana Temple
Early Beginnings and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Ghana initially received the restored gospel in the 1960s when Ghanaians discovered literature about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), believed the doctrines they found, and began sharing their new faith. They petitioned the Church to send missionaries so they could be baptized, and the first missionaries arrived in 1978.
In 1962, the LDS Church came to Ghana through a convert, Raphael Abraham Frank Mensah. He published a public plea for support in his religious efforts and a woman living in England read them. The woman was not a member of the LDS Church but sent material she received from the church's missionaries to Mensah in Ghana. Upon reading the material, Mensah organized his own informal congregation in Accra.
In 1964, he gave Joseph William Billy Johnson a copy of the Book of Mormon. Johnson converted and became an industrious leader. He organized branches and converted many people, despite persecution from others in his country. Without any official recognition from church headquarters, leaders established a primary school called the Brigham Young Educational Institute and congregations in Cape Coast.
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The Revelation on Priesthood and Official Recognition
By 1978, Johnson led the church in Ghana. He led seven congregations with somewhere between 500 and 1,000 total members. That same year, church president Spencer W. Kimball announced Official Declaration 2 which extended the priesthood to all worthy male members of the church regardless of race. In gratitude, Johnson sent a letter to Kimball, explaining that God had prepared the people in Ghana, and asked him to send missionaries to the members.
Four months later, on September 27, 1978, the first official missionaries were called to serve in Ghana and Nigeria. Rendell N. Mabey and Rachel Mabey were the first assigned to the area; they joined Edwin Q. Cannon and Janath R. Cannon. Upon arrival, they were welcomed by excited congregation members who had been waiting many years. They fixed the registry documentation that did not coincide with church policy and resubmitted the paperwork. It was accepted and the church was established. They baptized and confirmed 125 people in a secluded part of the ocean on December 9, 1978.
Anticipating the arrival of the missionaries, members had raised money to build new churches for worship. The missionaries organized congregations and set up new leadership for them. By the end of 1979, there were 1,723 members of the church. This rapid growth made some nervous, as there were many members, but not experienced leaders.
Challenges and the "Freeze"
Ghana's government was also becoming increasingly unstable. Missionaries were temporarily expelled in 1979 because of this concern. A few things needed to be changed, as the membership in Ghana began without any official handbooks. These changes included removing women who were leading congregations, like Rebecca Mould, who members called "the Mormon Prophetess." Sacrament meetings that included dancing, drums, and clapping also ceased. The changes upset some Ghanaian members, who stopped going to church.
In the mid-1980s, Ghana was seeking political stability through their leader, Jerry J. Rawlings. He believed Ghana was too dependent on the West. An increased fear of American CIA operatives heightened tensions and caused worries about "the Mormons", as well as other foreign organizations like the Peace Corps and the International Catholic Youth Federation. On June 14, 1989, the LDS Church was called to stop functioning in Ghana.
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Amidst the discontent, church member and prominent schoolteacher, Stephen Abu, was called to step down from his position teaching at a Presbyterian middle school. Police officers took control of the church meetinghouse, looking for evidence that the LDS Church was against the state of Ghana. They also seized the church-owned farmland and auctioned off their chickens.
During this time, the church functioned very differently in Ghana. Foreign missionaries had to quickly withdraw from the country, including the acting mission president. To make it through the angry crowds, the church's name was rubbed off vehicles. Kissi was called as the acting president of the Ghana Accra Mission. Members held sacrament meetings in homes on a family basis, instead of at formal meetinghouses. Those who had an ecclesiastical calling kept the leadership position throughout the Freeze.
The Thaw and Continued Growth
Government officials started warming up to the religion after a series of interactions with LDS Church officials who dispelled false rumors on doctrine and offered to donate some of the property they owned to the state. On November 30, 1990, after a period of 18 months, the Freeze was lifted and the church was allowed to continue functioning as it had before.
On April 21, 1991, the first two stakes were organized in Ghana. Following this, the first African mission president, Christopher N. Chukwurah, was called. The church put effort into building meetinghouses to support the growing number of members. Membership grew rapidly, with 8,970 members in 1990, up to 22,164 by 2002.
The Accra Ghana Temple
In 1993, church president Gordon B. Hinckley visited Ghana for the first time and announced a new temple. He visited again in 1998 to find the property upon which the temple would be built. Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony held on November 16, 2001, with Russell M. Nelson presiding. The Accra Ghana Temple was dedicated in 2004.
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The intent to build the Kumasi Ghana Temple was announced on April 4, 2021, by church president Russell M. Nelson.
Interior of the Accra Ghana Temple
Humanitarian Efforts and the Missionary Training Center
The LDS Church has an extensive humanitarian program in Ghana. The projects have included drilling wells, building schools, working in orphanages, and distributing wheelchairs. They have also built health clinics and provided computers. Local members have organized projects painting streets and buildings. They have donated books to local schools and aided in clean water projects. The church's Benson Institute teaches self-sufficiency skills to families.
Ghana is home to one of the church's 10 MTCs, which are facilities for training missionaries for a period between 3 and 12 weeks before they go out into the field. The Ghana MTC is one of two in Africa but serves much of Africa because of its high capacity compared to the smallest MTC in the world, located in South Africa. The Ghana MTC in Tema was the first to be built in Africa and was dedicated on May 17, 2002.
As of 2024, the LDS Church reported 113,470 members in 387 congregations in Ghana, making it the second largest body of LDS Church members in Africa, behind Nigeria.
Principles of Self Reliance Embraced by Latter-day Saints in Accra, Ghana
Personal Ministry in Ghana
Ministry in Ghana is difficult. One individual shared their experience, stating, "I am recognized as the head of the evangelism team in my local church, and now I am known as an Evangelist and I like it because that is the work that I do most. In some few years to come, I will be made the youth pastor in my local church. My family including my sweet wife helps me in prayers and encourages me in my calling."
Since graduating from University in 2012, this individual decided not to work for any organization which will take most of their time from working for Jesus Christ but rather do their own business so they can have time for the work of Jesus Christ. They expressed gratitude for receiving a Christian Basic Certificate in studying the Bible free of charge.
Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana
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