Nigeria Then and Now by Lynne Hansen

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Nigeria Then and Now

Aba 1966 Image:Aba 1966.jpg
Aba 2015 Image:Aba 2015.jpg

Invitation to teach in Nigeria

LDS mission in Austria 1961-63 Image:LDS mission Austria.jpg BYU Hawaii A.A. 1961 BYU Provo B.A. 1965 Image:Graduation Picture.jpg Image:Peace Corps Invite.jpg

Peace Corps journey to Nigeria
Image:Peace Corps Group.jpg

Teaching English to boys in Aba

We organized a school library Image:School Library.jpg
My house near school (Phillip Benjamin, houseboy, in doorway) Image:House near School.jpg

Unbelievable sign in front of an Aba house Image:Aba 1966.jpg

Met women of great faith in Aba Image:Women of Faith.jpg

Unbaptized “Mormons” in Aba, 1966 Image:Unbaptized Mormons.jpg

THEN in broader perspective

1950s:
Letters from West Africa to Church headquarters requesting literature and missionaries
1960s:
More letters from West Africa than from the rest of the world combined. Missionary visas unavailable.
LaMar Williams got temporary visas in 1961, 1963 and 1965; visited 30 groups, 16,000 converts in Nigeria and Ghana (most were unaware of other groups); none were baptized.

Image:LDS Centers SE Nigeria.jpg

Many conversions through dreams and spiritual experiences

Image:March of the Mormons.jpg
Anthony Obinna Image:Anthony Obinna.jpg
When Obinna came upon the September 1958 Readers Digest he said, “There was an article entitled ‘The March of the Mormons’ with a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. It was exactly the same building I had seen in my dreams.”

Obinna and his 1971 congregation

Image:1971 Congregation.jpg

Obinna baptism

First baptism in Nigeria 1978 Image:First Baptism.jpg
Temple in Logan, Utah 1997 Image:Logan Temple.jpg

Events leading to the LDS Church NOW in Nigeria

1978
June: Church President announced revelation extending priesthood to all worthy males.
November: two couples (Mabey, Cannon) got resident visas; first missionaries to Nigeria.
1979
1,700 had been baptized in 35 branches
1988
First Nigerian stake created, in Aba
2005
First Nigerian temple dedicated, in Aba

First LDS Baptisms in West Africa September 1978

Image:LDS Baptisms.jpg

Aba temple - 2005

Image:Aba Temple 2005.jpg

LDS Church statistics THEN and NOW
Image:LDS Statistics.jpg

Joseph Sitati: First African General Authority

Sitatis with Apostle Nelson, wife Image:Sitatis2.jpg
Elder Sitati at General Conference Image:Elder Sitati2.jpg

Humanitarian Work

Annual neonatal resuscitation training in Nigeria Image:Baby.jpg Image:Neonatal Resuscitation.jpg

Helping Hands in Nigeria

Aba Image:Aba.jpg
Port Harcourt Image:Port Harcourt.jpg
Lagos Image:Lagos.jpg
Bwari Market, Abuja Image:Abuja.jpg

Church sponsors Law and Religion Conference and Course Held in Lagos Image:Law & Religion.jpg

Nigerian youth empowered by mentors Image:Mentoring Youth.jpg

Largest source of family history in Nigeria is in Oral History held by Village Elders Image:Family History.jpg

Digitizing Family History Records

2015 Church starts digitization of Nigerian historical records
100,000,000 documents (Births, Deaths, and Marriages)
Over 100 locations across Nigeria
20 cameras for 12 years
Church has 46 Family History Centers

Book of Mormon in African languages

Image:Book of Mormon in African Languages.jpg
“And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people.” D.&C. 133:37

Aba stake choir at interdenominational concert at Aba temple: December 2014

Image:Aba Stake Choir.jpg

For information on Mormons in Nigeria NOW, see http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/facts-and-statistics/country/nigeria

Image:Aba Temple with Crowd.jpg
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