Our First Sacrament Meeting in Burundi

Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010 was our first sacrament meeting in Burundi. Since we arrived a day late, we were really hoping that the landlord and the member couple, the Malabis, had been working hard. We were not disappointed. By 2:00 Sat. we had the keys to the chapel and every necessary thing was ready. Not every detail was perfect, but we had a clean, freshly painted place to meet and 50 plastic chairs, which was more than the room would hold. We had called people to speak and we had heard that members and others who are not baptized, but are hoping to be, were coming.

On Sat. we took the chairs, which had been cleaned and readied by the elders, loaded them into a rented truck and headed to the meeting house to unload and set up for Sunday.

With the help of the elders and the wonderful landlord,who even brought us a table from her own home to use for the sacrament table, all was prepared.

We had no idea what to expect the next day. We had 6 young elders, two senior couples, a US embassy employee and twelve other members, a group of 30 who live an hour away and 10-15 other people who live farther, who had told us they were coming. We also had about 10 people from around town who, as we met them during the week, said they would like to come. But we didn't really know if we would have 10 or 60 people come.

We wanted to make a final check of the chapel, so we arrived at 8:30 for our 10:00 meeting. We wanted o put up signs to point the way to the church and just take in this historic moment.

As we entered the walkway into the small plaza where the church is located, we saw a man with a white shirt and tie. It was Moise, who had come from Uvira, Congo, across Lake Tanganyika (a half hour away) and had already arrived and was waiting patiently for church to start.

From there on this is how it went....

By 8:45 we had about 10 more people. Then before 9:00 another 15-20 people arrived.

By 9:15 most of chairs in the room were filled and we missionaries gave away our seats.

By 9:45 We had every seat filled, the missionaries and those who arrived after 9:30 were standing in the rooms behind the main room, all the children were on the laps of their parents or sitting on the floor and everybody was quietly waiting as we made last minute preparations.

WE HAD OVER 70 PEOPLE THERE.

We were overwhelmed by just the numbers of people who came to this first meeting.

The meeting was wonderful. Ann Marie Malabi, a young adult member, and Elder Kizimbou spoke. Then Brent, who presided as the counselor in the mission presidency, was the last speaker. We were surprised that the people knew the hymns. We found out later that they have translated 50 of them into Swahili so they could sing them in their meetings. People listened with real intent and many took notes and recorded scriptures for later study.

When the sacrament was passed, Elder Frogley explained that the sacrament was for members and done as a way to renew our baptismal covenants, but if someone felt it was something they wanted to do as a token of their devotion to the Savoir they could do so. Everyone took the sacrament, although we knew that most were not baptized members. They took it with a reverence and sincerity that was palpable. Many had waited for years for this opportunity and they would not be denied. This was a group made up largely of people who have been studying the Book of Mormon, learning all they could about the gospel and living it on their own, without any official support or direction. It was one of the most tender moments of our lives as we watched them savor this first experience with the the sacred emblems of the sacrament.

After the meeting we invited them to stay and talk to the missionaries. We divided them into groups by the areas where they live. As we started to talk to them, the really amazing things about this day began to be shared with us as we heard their stories. There is a group from Uvira, Congo, (half hour away) who have rented a small hall for $10 a month. They meet every Sunday, Monday and Thursday in that place. There are over 50 of them and about 25 were in our meeting.

When Brent asked them what they did those three nights when they meet, they said that they studied the Book of Mormon, the Bible and other scripture, and an old institute manual that someone had been given. They don't have the Doctine and Covenants or the Pearl of Great Price, but knew about them and asked how they could get them. When asked about Monday night they gave Brent a puzzled look and answered "we have family home evening." Most of these people have been waiting for 15 years for the Church to come to Burundi. Sadly, because of the distance they live they will probably have to wait a little longer, since we don't yet have permission to go out of Bujumbura. But they are just waiting for the day when they can be baptized. This is a pricture of the people from these three different cities across the river in the DR Congo, along with us and the missionaries.

The sisters met in one room with Sister Malabi since they mostly only spoke Swahili. I was happy that they asked Sister Frogley and me to talk to them. I had been thinking so much about my ancestors as I heard the stories of these African people. My ancestors waited for three years for missionaries to come back and baptize them. Come of these women have waited 15 years. For some it's more than half of their lives. But I told them how my ancestors had, by their devotion and patience, blessed 8 generations of their family. I told them how blessed I was that my ancestors had found the gospel and embarrassed it. I told them that they are like our ancestors. Their love of the gospel and their faith and patience will bless many generations of their posterity and will bring great good to their lands. I feel a very strong kinship with them and love them already.

Another group of about 15 people had come from Baraka, Congo, which is 9 hours way and Fizi, which is even farther. Brent met with them and was most impressed with their sincerity. It had taken them three days to get to Bujumbura and would take another three to get home. When asked how many would come back next Sunday, every hand went up. We think that the cost will probably prevent them from coming, but they were eager to be in church and we will not be surprised to see them again.

Other people were there in church who we had seen on the streets and in the markets. They had accepted our invitation to come to see the church. The elders collected names and made appointments to teach. Early Monday morning the elders called to get the church keys for their first teaching appointments. One man met our member, who works for the embassy, in the man's church last week, and felt the desire to come. The missionaries have his name and will deliver a Book of Mormon to him.

This is the Lord's time for Burundi. We feel it every time we meet with people and hear their stories. It will be a trial of their patience to wait so that things can be done in order and following the direction and pattern of the priesthood, but it will happen. We are thrilled!