The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kenya
For over a decade, Benson Kasue and others in Kenya worshipped quietly, studying, praying, and waiting, without permission to worship openly. In 1991, the Church was finally recognized. What had been hidden could be lived in the open.
What if you had to hide your religion and couldn't worship freely? A young man in Kenya named Benson Kasouer was introduced to the church and given a pamphlet about Joseph Smith and a Book of Mormon. As he read Joseph Smith's story, he felt a powerful confirmation that it was true. But Benson didn't stop there. He went to the library and looked up the word Mormon. The definition focused heavily on the church's early practice of polygamy and painted it in a very negative light.
Benson was confused. Polygamy was legal in Kenya. He didn't know why this was such a problem. Anyway, he asked questions and as he learned the church's history, that same powerful, undeniable confirming feeling returned. Benson shared what he learned with his family and friends. And many believed they wanted to be baptized. But there was a problem. At the time, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not registered in Kenya and could not perform baptisms, organize branches, or hold regular public meetings.
The Kasawa family sought the advice of the attorney general of Kenya, who was also a member of their Ka tribe. They were told that there was no law against practicing their faith, including baptism, as long as it was done in private. As the group grew, local authorities tried to stop their meetings. New converts had to hide their faith in public even though they wanted so badly to share the gospel.
This became a severe trial. So they fasted, they prayed, they met quietly, not for weeks. For more than a decade, they petitioned the government for the simple right to worship openly. Finally, in February 1991, the church was officially registered in Kenya. Later that year, a district was organized in Nairobi. And today there are more than 21,000 members in Kenya. What had once been hidden could finally be lived in the open.
This is the church around the world. Different cultures, different problems, the same faith. Never take for granted the freedom you have to worship freely.
