An apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently met with the president of Sierra Leone.
His Excellency Julius Maada Wonie Bio, president of Sierra Leone, and his wife Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, the first lady of Sierra Leone, met with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in their home on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Accompanying Elder Christofferson was his wife, Kathy. Also accompanying him were Elder Michael T. Ringwood from the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Rosalie; Elder Alfred Kyungu, Africa West Area President, and his wife, Lucie, as well as other local leaders of the Church.
The first lady described the meeting as a "return match of Salt Lake versus Freetown," referencing her hometown of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, and her recent visit to Salt Lake City.
"I had a lasting, lasting impression of the kindness of you people, and I just couldn't stop telling His Excellency about how you spoiled me rotten. And I said, 'Elder Christofferson is coming, and I'm going to pay him back,’” she said.
Echoing her welcome, her husband said, "It's good to have you here in this part of Africa. We're truly happy to receive you."
Elder Christofferson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to visit and acknowledged their support of religious freedom and their great example to the rest of the world.
"I think that's an admirable example for the world,” Elder Christofferson said. “We are grateful for religious liberty and how people [of different faiths] live together. You have set a nice model for what should be everywhere in the world."
The president commented on Sierra Leone's tolerance of different religions, relating an event where Christians and Muslims shared a pulpit, where Christians quoted from the Quran and Muslims quoted from the Bible. He then commented that religious tolerance is the country's greatest export.
Elder Christofferson noted that because of religious tolerance, the Church is growing in Sierra Leone and is building a temple in their capital.
"We're happy that we have a temple, our most special and sacred building, being constructed here in Freetown, and we're anxious to see it," he said. "That's where our most sacred ordinances or religious rites take place, especially marriage. When the time comes and it's completed, we'll have an open house to welcome anyone who'd like to come and see inside before it's dedicated, and we'll have a special invitation for you."
Elder Christofferson expressed the Church's ambition to be good collaborators and citizens with the people of Sierra Leone. He expressed a wish to "contribute any way we can in the country and society besides the individual contributions of our people. We have been happy to participate in some humanitarian projects here over the years."
Some of these projects, he noted, include providing clean water to communities, sanitary facilities for schools, nutrition programs, and education programs.
At the end of their meeting, the president and the first lady invited their guests to a meal in their home, where they exchanged gifts. Elder Christofferson presented His Excellency with a replica of the Christus statue and a copy of the Book of Mormon, which he described as the Church's treasure. He pointed out the story of the Savior's visit to the Americas, told in 3 Nephi, but reminded the president that he was "free to read the whole book," which brought smiles to everyone.
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