Conference in Masina June 2012-Thierry's Call

The Renlunds arrived on the plane that the Claytons took back to South Africa.  So, it was a quick change of bedding and towels and the party continued.
The Renlunds were with us for eight days and it was a delight to spend time with them.  They are amazing leaders and have become dear friends. It feels like members of the family have come to stay when they visit.
The weekend they were here Elder Renlund presided over Masina Stake Conference. Masina is located in one of the most challenging parts of town. It's crowded and busy and hard to navigate. It's worthy of a picture a second.  

 
                                                              

 

The stake center is located just around the corner from this police signal.  It's a nice stake center that is located in a residential neighborhood.

 It's also one of the stakes where baptisms come the most frequently and where a well-functioning, strong stake is located.
Since a new Stake President was to be called, there were many interviews and this conference weekend was very full of activities.  President Mabaya was released because he had been called as an Area Seventy.  It was no surprise to anybody when his counselor, our own Thierry Mutombo, was called as the new stake president.  He's our office manager and there isn't a finer man in the world than Thierry. He's only 36 years old, but has the wisdom of someone much older.  He'll be a great leader, who really sees the whole picture of the gospel and the church and he will bless the Masina Stake. Someday his goodness and talents will reach far beyond Masina stake to bless many more people.  Knowing Thierry is one of the greatest blessings of our mission. He has three little children and a wonderful supportive wife. He is a second generation member of the church. We had the great pleasure of meeting his parents, some of the first members of the church in Kinshasa. 

  

We were invited to the setting apart and were happy to share this with Thierry and his family.

Below are Elders Kyungu and Mabaya, Area Seventies, the Stake Presidency and Elder Renlund.

The Masina stake center was filled beyond capacity for the stake conference.  Besides the filled chapel, cultural hall and stage, all the halls and several classrooms were filled to capacity. Wires were strung all over inside and outside the building to facilitate the transmission by TV to all the locations in the building.  It's interesting that little children, except for babes in arms, were seated together in the hallways rather than in the chapel with their parents.  I remember when I was a teen and a great emphasis was put on families sitting together in church. Families are still learning this message.in Africa. It's not happening  in this part of the world yet.   Many couples were sitting together in this stake conference. That's progress.  Things keep improving.....little by little! 

 

After the meeting many of our missionaries and RM's were there and as always, picture taking was the top activity for all of them.

 

The sister missionaries in the stake got pictures.   Elders got in a picture with Elder Renlund, who was given a Congolese shirt by the stake leaders and was good-natured enough to wear it after the meetings. Here they are in their great bannana/hotdog fabric.

 

Some of our RM's from Lubumbashi were there.  We also met Elder Nsimba's, a Kinshasa RM, fiancee.
It was a great Stake Conference and the people of the Masina stake are in good hands with Thierry leading them.