At a time when the world is awash with conflicting messages, discouragement and falling morals, the youth in Africa have been blessed to hear an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ teach them about the principles that will help strengthen their faith and make wise choices.
Elder Dale G. Renlund, a member of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, accompanied by his wife Ruth, delivered a historic Africa Face to Face event on August 5, 2017 from Accra, Ghana.
Youth from across the continent asked questions and received prophetic answers. Their questions touched on a range of issues, from The Book of Mormon, to faith, to missionary work, to tithing and to the Word of Wisdom.
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Elder and Sister Renlund begun the event by expressing their appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the young people in Africa. They also conveyed the love of President Thomas S. Monson, our prophet.
Throughout the event which was broadcast over the Internet on social media and Church channels, the spirit bore witness to the truthfulness of the principles and the gospel insights that Elder and Sister Renlund were prompted to share during this special event.
The first question asked at the event came from South Africa, and it related to how do we approach someone about the gospel? Elder Renlund answered by outlining the Plan of Salvation, saying that Heavenly Father has given each one of us the opportunity to be a part of bringing salvation to all his children.
“The way to first think about how we approach our friends with the gospel is to really understand, why we should,” said Elder Renlund.
“What’s important is that Heavenly Father loves even your friends who aren’t members of the Church as much as He loves you. He wants to invite them home too. He gives all of us who are members of the Church the opportunity to help in that process,” he told the youth.
Elder Renlund said we must live our lives “like a disciple of Christ, the way you know you should live your life.”
He said, “as you do that, you are a light to the world. You are a beacon to the world. And that would attract questions and invite further discussion. Another reason is that when the opportunity comes to talk to your friends you will be genuine, authentic, there will be no hypocrisy in anything you are saying.”
The Holy Ghost will also attend you in the conversations about the gospel, Elder and Sister Renlund taught.
“Sharing the gospel does not have to be scary, and does not have to take a lot of preparation,” Sister Renlund said, adding that what was required was to accurately report all that we do in our lives.
The reassuring words from Elder and Sister Renlund provided a prophetic foundation from which the youth could build their faith.
Elder and Sister Renlund also addressed a question about how we should listen to the Holy Ghost. Elder Renlund told the youth that in his experience, the Holy Ghost spoke to him “with short, clear directives, something like go, do, don’t, say.”
Sister Renlund said the Holy Ghost “would always prompt you to do good”, a principle taught so powerfully in the Book of Mormon. Elder Renlund read from the book of Moroni Chapter 7, verses 16-17 to reinforce this principle.
Elder and Sister Renlund also taught so eloquently about the law of chastity. He said that failure to live it was akin to driving a car in reverse over the edge of a cliff at full speed whilst looking only in the rear-view mirror. “It’s not going to turn out well,” he said.
Elder Renlund said God’s commandments were like the road-signs that help us to stay on the road so that we can get to where we have to be. “As we follow these road-signs that we call commandments,” Elder Renlund said, “we then have a chance to get to where we want to be and receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has.”
Click here to watch the English broadcast of this historic event held on August 5, 2017.
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