September 27, 2011
Going to the temple—from the DR Congo
In the April, 2011 General Conference, President Monson admonished us to “make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and to have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes.” Few sacrifices are greater than those from the faithful Saints who live in remote and impoverished locales, many of whom lack the means to attend a temple even once in their lifetimes. In the DR Congo, Nestor’s faith is an inspiration to all of them.
I met Nestor Ilunga at a small cassava processing facility deep in the interior of the DR Congo. He spoke a little English; I spoke no French or Swahili. But Nestor was able to tell me of his plans to take his family of nine to the Johannesburg, South Africa Temple.
For the faithful saints who live in remote and impoverished locales, many lack the means to attend a temple even once in their lifetimes. Most live off the land and have little outside income. For families that travel to the temple for the first time from regions as remote as the DR Congo, the Church has established the Temple Patron Assistance Fund. This fund provides financial assistance to those who otherwise could not afford to attend a temple and participate in the sacred blessings available only in the House of the Lord.
Even with the assistance of the Temple Patron Assistance Fund, members are asked to pay a portion of their expenses--often equal to an entire months' income--for each personal traveling. For Nestor and Sombodi Illunga and their seven children, that meant saving money for several years.
Nestor told me later, through an interpreter, that he had only been able to save enough to take four of their seven children. The oldest and the two youngest, all boys, would go later. "They will be endowed when they go to the temple at the start of their missions," said Nestor. With the youngest only two years old, this was quite an expression of faith. That faith was rewarded, however, when a way was discovered to take all of the children.
Nestor is one of the faithful saints in the DR Congo. Unlike more than 80 percent of the Congolese, he is employed, albeit only temporarily. He has been the site supervisor during the development of the cassava project in Luputa where hundreds of Latter-day Saint families have planted - and harvested - an improved variety of the starchy root.
To date, only one family in the Luputa district has been sealed in the temple: the district president and his wife. Full-time missionaries called from the district have also been to the temple. Following the pioneering spirit of Nestor and his family, others are preparing to go.
I also discovered that saving money was only part of the sacrifice that members in the interior of the DR Congo must make. When the Ilungas have obtained their passports, they will ride 5-7 hours in the back of a transport truck to Mbuji-Mayi, board a plane for the capital city of Kinshasa, then fly 1,730 miles to South Africa, where they will be sealed as a family. They understand the significance of their sacrifice - and are extremely grateful to those who sacrifice for them to be able to take this journey as well.
For the complete text of President Monson's article, click here."
