News Release

Bringing the Church Out of Obscurity in Kenya

“Bringing friends and neighbors to meetings, especially Stake Conferences is a very good way to familiarize other faiths with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” said Evelyn Jepkemei, Director of Kenya’s Coordinating Council of Public Affairs.  In February 2018 she did just that---brought a friend, Ted Malanda, Associate Editor of the Standard Group News in Nairobi, Kenya, to Nairobi West Stake Conference at Upper Hill Chapel.

 

Malanda said he enjoyed the meeting and a few days later an article appeared in the most read newspaper, The Nairobian. He mentioned the reverence of the meeting and spiritual music. His headline read, Mormons: A look at church Kenyans crucify for ‘devil worshipping’. It might have been a confusing title and no one knows how many people read the two-page article that Malanda wrote a few days after attending the meeting, but Silas Obyekha read it.

                   

After Silas read the article he had to have some explanations so he went to Upper Hill Chapel to find some answers. He met the missionaries. He said he had never heard of this church before and he liked many things that he had read. After many questions and listening to all the missionary lessons taught by Sister Nakami from Uganda and her companion, Silas wanted to join the Church.

On June 17, 2018, Silas Obyekha was baptized—by himself, as there are no group baptisms in the Church. Every baptism is an individual decision to pledge commitment to Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer. At the baptism, Steven Kiwaya, Counselor in the Elders Quorum conducted and with a short message he cited a metaphor—that upon baptism, one is dipped into the water he goes with Christ as he died and he is lifted out of the water with Christ as he rose from death.

A friend, Benson Arudo performed the ordinance. Silas was told that he was about to go on an exciting and challenging journey that would change his life in many ways. He could rely on his new family—the members at Zimmerman Ward to support and help him with questions.

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