Abuja, Nigeria

As expected, our Liberian elections have gone into a runoff-election because the top two candidates were tied at 44% each. Campaigning has continued, and the new election date is November 14^th. We’re still hoping for a peaceful outcome, but we are well prepared if there is any craziness.

In late October, Nancy and were all set to travel to Abuja, Nigeria for a leadership conference with the area presidency. Abuja is the capital and is safer than most other parts of Nigeria. (Nigeria has about 230 million people, but it is only the size of California, Nevada and Utah combined.) The day before our departure, the Travel Office informed us of a mix-up, and they had not acquired the necessary visas. Nancy and I were disappointed, but such unexpected events are the norm in Africa. The next morning, the travel team had us visit the Nigerian Embassy in Liberia, and with special contacts they were able to get us our visas by evening. The following morning we were on route to Nigeria.

On the layover at the Lomé airport in Togo, we were unexpectedly intercepted by our dear friend and area seventy, Elder Solomon Aliché. He was traveling from Kenya to Abuja. He is over many of the temporal affairs teams in West Africa, and he informed us he told them to do whatever it takes to get us to this leadership conference. We told him that he was very kind to help this happen, but we assured him we were not offended if we didn’t make it. He then responded, “No. This is very important. This is an opportunity for you to receive revelation from the Lord for you and your missionaries.” 

Elder Aliché knows how to say things that resonate with me. I’ve thought a lot about his comment of being present for “revelation,” and God’s willingness to communicate with us. It has always made sense to me that if our Creator took the time to place us in this world, he would be interested in how we are doing, and he would not just leave us alone. I’ve often reflected and studied about how we recognize revelation. If interested, there is an excellent book I read last year by David A. Bednar, The Spirit of Revelation. He teaches ten principles of revelation and then shares personal examples from his own family, which were so insightful.

Boyd K.Packer once said this truth, “If all you know is what you see with your natural eyes and hear with your natural ears, you won’t know very much.” Like our physical senses, through impressions and feelings, we can know from our Father in Heaven what is right, good and true, and what is wrong, bad and false. To me, it really is that simple. Revelation is given to us as we seek it and are in tune.

When I was in the Southeast of Liberia last January, I was walking with two of our missionaries down an old war-torn but semi-rebuilt street. It was a steamy afternoon, and a middle-aged man sitting on his porch hollered for us to come over. He then asked, “What church are you and how is your church different than other churches.” I’ll never forget Elder Sankoh’s gentle reply. From Sierra Leone, Elder Sankoh had been here 20 months. In his soft-spoken English, Elder Sankoh quoted perfectly Matthew 16:13-20, where Jesus asked his disciples who the people thought he was. His chosen disciples told him that most people thought he was John the Baptist or one of the other prophets. Then Jesus asked them, “But whom say ye that I am? and Simon Peter answered and said, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'” Elder Sankoh continued quoting the scripture and then pointed out that Jesus taught Peter his knowledge had not come from from man, but that it had come to him through personal revelation…and he than added this important truth: that upon the principle of revelation, Christ would build His church. That is a key message we are sharing, that the Lord is directing his church, the Church of Jesus Christ, on the earth — through revelation to authorized leaders (i.e., prophets and apostles who hold the necessary keys authority. Additionally, through our own study and efforts, we all can receive personal revelation to know truth for ourselves.

I’ve always been grateful for our direct connection we each have with God. Many in the world think revelation is seeing some vision of angels or hearing voices. While that has happened to some in rare circumstances, to me, revelation is found in the still, small inner voice that brings feelings of peace and comfort, even in dark times. I’ve tried to be attuned to this spirit of revelation, and I am grateful whenever I feel this guidance in life. Yet I often wonder what I miss because I am distracted or not in tune at times.

In Abuja, Nigeria, at the Mission Leadership Conference, both Nancy and I received strong impressions of what we needed to focus on with our missionaries for the coming months. As we returned to Liberia and began a marathon week of travel, training and hundreds of interviews with all of our missionaries, we were amazed at the relevance of the personal revelation we received. It was powerful to us. Thanks Elder Aliché and others for helping us get to Abuja.

Footnote – Elder Aliché informed us he’s taking a new assignment in Nairobi, Kenya with his family for the next three years. We won’t see him as often, but he said he’d love to have us come for a visit when we complete our assignment! Below are some recent photos, including Elder Aliché with the area president, Elder Gifford Nielsen. Some of these photos are from Nancy or our senior couples who shared them with me. I thought you’d enjoy seeing these recent pics. Such beautiful and amazing people in this country. (If you are on the website, you can click to see larger images.)