Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Temple

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world were delighted when President Thomas S. Monson announced plans for the Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple at the opening session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church. Kinshasa, the country’s capital and largest city, will house the first Mormon temple built in the nation and in Central Africa. The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Temple will be the fourth Mormon temple built on the African continent. The other three temples in Africa are in [Johannesburg South Africa Temple|Johannesburg, South Africa] (dedicated in 1985); [Accra Ghana Temple|Accra, Ghana] (2004); and [Aba Nigeria Temple|Aba, Nigeria] (2005).

This temple and another new temple announced that day for Durban, South Africa, will be the fourth and fifth LDS temples dedicated in Africa. The other three temples in Africa are in South Africa, Ghana and Nigeria. Congolese members currently travel more than 2,000 miles to Johannesburg, South Africa, to enjoy temple worship and work. This new Kinshasa Temple will serve over 23,000 church members in the region.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced rapid membership growth since the first stake of the Church in Kinshasa was created in 1996. There are currently 9 stakes in the combined conurbation of Kinshasa-Brazzaville with a total of 15 stakes and 4 districts in the countries of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. The Saints of this region, where long-distance travel is exceptionally difficult, live over 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) away from their assigned temple in Johannesburg, South Africa. The temple will be a tremendous blessing to the thousands of Church members spread throughout the vast region of Central Africa.

Kinshasa’s first LDS missionaries arrived in February 1986. Church services were organized in members’ homes until September of that year when the remodeled villa the Church purchased was ready to accommodate its 208 members. Nine years after the Zaire Kinshasa Mission was established, a stake (or group of local congregations) was organized.

The groundbreaking for the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is scheduled for Friday, February 12, 2016. Attendance at the ceremony is by invitation only, with the general public invited to view the proceedings live from local meetinghouses.