A new Branch in Kasumbalesa

Soon after we arrived here in September 2009, we went to visit a group in Kasumbalesa, a town about an hour and a half away. Groups are congregations of members who are too small or too remotely located to be official units of the church and get church services. They are often allowed to have meetings and pass the sacrament if they have priesthood leaders.

We met with 45 members in a small schoolroom and fell in love with this group of people who faithfully and without official church support meet weekly. We excitedly told the mission president about them. He told us that they were too far away and that we would not able to help them. We were very sad because this group is strong and wonderful. They hold Sunday school, primary and sacrament meeting every Sunday and do it just as well as any ward at home.

Primary Childeren and the Young Women of Kasumbalesa

Relief Society Sisters meet every Wednesday

They have a very special spirit in this little group and we love being with them. Since our first visit to Kasumbalesa they have been on our minds and weighed heavily on our hearts and we have prayed for them often.

Last week when the mission president was here, he got word that eight people had been taught by the group missionaries and wanted to be baptized. This peaked his interest and he suggested that we go there, interview the baptismal candidates, meet with group leaders and consider the possibility of making them a mission branch. We immediately made plans to go there the next Sunday. When Brent called the leader of the group to tell them we were coming and our purpose in doing so, he told Brent that he had just that moment risen from his knees where he pleaded in prayer to the Lord concerning the subject of becoming a branch.

This is the group leader and a member who is the director of the school where the group meets. They have 1,000 students in this small school who meet in a few rooms like the one the members meet in. They have double sessions to get them all in every day.

When we visited on Sunday, we took the Assistants to help interview the eight baptismal candidates. The people were all well prepared and ready to be baptized. These young elders are fabulous. Elder Mbambu served in Lubumbashi when we arrived, so it was very fun to see him again. He's an artist and this time he gave me a drawing of a little old women who he said was me. His work is awesome, except that he didn't take off a single wrinkle or grey hairs.

Elders Benababu & Mbambu

We were so excited to go to Kasumbalesa! Becoming a branch will allow them to have the support of the church and will make a huge difference for them. It will be one more step to having missionaries there and then we will really see the church grow. Again, as we visited we felt a wonderful spirit. The two elders, Brent and I were the speakers in the meeting. When Brent spoke he told them that we had been blessed several times to be in the conference center for general conference, with thousands of members and the general authorities in attendance, but the spirit there was no stronger than it is in this small schoolroom in Kasumbalesa. This faithful little band of saints is making progress and we are pleased to start the paperwork to request that they become a mission branch. It was a wonderful experience to be with them. Now, we pray that soon there will be a church Branch in Kasumbalesa.