The organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (mistakenly referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others) is in its infant stages. The Church of Jesus Christ was organized in the early 1990s, and since its inception, nearly 7,000 people in this East African nation have embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ, and are now members of the global faith.
“Missionaries are baptizing [new members] almost every Sunday,” said Ugandan Jimmy Carter Okot, President of the Kampala Uganda Stake (a stake is similar to a Catholic diocese). “The Church is growing rapidly and the members are very faithful.” [1]
“People are looking for a solid anchor in a world of shifting values,” said Gordon B. Hinckley, former Church president. “They are welcomed as new converts and are made to feel at home. They feel the warmth of the fellowship of the Saints.” [1]
President Okot, with the assistance of other Stake leaders, spend their time teaching congregational leaders how to care for those of whom they have immediate stewardship, as well as, how to reach out to friends and neighbors that are not of the LDS faith. Their task is to help the young leadership to first understand the scope of their responsibilities, and then to have them go forth and perform those duties. They teach how to strengthen members of the Relief Society, the women’s organization, and to provide guidance to youth in the Young Men and Young Women programs and to children ages 18 months to 11 years in what is called Primary.
President Okot has only been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ for the past decade, and has said that his path to membership began the day he walked past the construction of a new church building. There he noticed a sign that read: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Visitors Welcome.” Yearning to know more, he listened intently as the full-time missionaries taught about Jesus Christ.
He later spoke with two Sister missionaries who expressed their fervent belief in the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ. He gained strength from their powerful, heartfelt testimonies. He recalls, “When they shared their feelings about the Book of Mormon, immediately I had a very strong and powerful feeling.” [1] He continued with the missionary lessons and was baptized the next week.
A decade later, President Okot has matured as a leader of the LDS Church. He has served a full-time Mormon mission. He has also served as a lay leader of multiple congregations and is now serving as the Stake President of the Kampala Uganda Stake. “I’m grateful to witness the Church flourishing; everyone has a part to play,” explained President Okot. “As a stake, we are able to solve our own challenges.” [1]
Latter-day Saints in Uganda attend six wards (congregations) and five branches (a smaller congregation) in the villages and communities of Kajjansi, Mengo, Mutungo, Ntinda, Seeta, Entebbe, Kabowa, Kololo, Makindye, Mukono and Nsambya. The six wards comprise the Kampala Uganda Stake, the first Stake in Uganda, created in January 2010.
The organization of The Church of Jesus Christ and its leadership in Uganda operate the same as any other congregation of Latter-day Saints around the world. If a person were to attend worship services on any given Sunday in the United States, Italy, Japan, or even the nation of Africa, he will find congregations singing sacred hymns, offering gratitude through prayer, partaking of the sacrament of bread and water in remembrance of the Savior’s sacrifice and sharing their beliefs.
The Church in Uganda has come a long way, President Okot concluded. As the leadership understands the doctrine of the Church and gains experience, they are strengthened. “The Lord is blessing us; He hasn’t left us alone.” [1]