Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has been in South Africa for the last 10 days meeting with members, missionaries, and local kings and queens.
“And even though I’ve been with two kings, today I had the strong impression that we were here to worship and honor the King of Kings,” Elder Rasband said.
The Durban South Africa Temple was dedicated on Sunday, February 16, 2020, by Elder Rasband. Church News covered the events of the dedication.
The Durban South Africa Temple is the 168th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will serve members in South Africa, Lesotho, and Mozambique. The membership is diverse, but Elder Rasband said the Church has a great way of minimizing the differences and creating a gospel culture.
“What you saw outside was how the doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ unite us, and I felt very at one as a people today. Regardless of how they look, regardless of how they dressed, we were one people today—the people of the Church of Jesus Christ,” Elder Rasband said according to Church News.
Accompanying Elder Rasband was Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy. It was not Elder Cook's first time in South Africa nor was it his first time at the temple site. Elder Cook lived in South Africa when he served in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency and presided at the groundbreaking of the Durban temple in 2016.
“There was a feeling of awe as we sat on that empty hillside,” Elder Cook said. “We looked out over the valley and out to the ocean and realized that in a few short years, a temple would rise up on that ground. To have the sacred privilege of returning for the dedication of the Durban temple that has been built up to the Lord is very humbling. I am filled with joy.”
READ THE FULL STORY AT Church News.
