PART TWO

A Day of Celebration
A Photo Essay

Text by: Maurine Jensen Proctor
Photography by: Scot Facer Proctor

click photos to enlarge

During October conference, 2003, President Hinckley asked to meet with members of the Area Presidency of the West Africa region.  In that meeting President Hinckley told President Sheldon H. Child and First Counselor H. Ross Workman that he wanted a day of celebration attached to this temple dedication so that the youth would have special involvement.  He hoped that activities could be attached to the dedication that were joyous, fun and an acknowledgement of the people’s African heritage.

In Old Testament times, feasts and celebration surrounded the dedication of the temple.  One of the Psalms reads: “Let them praise his name in the dance:  let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp” (Psalm 149: 3)

Pulling off a day of celebration was a tall order in the time frame.  October to the first week in January is not a long time to accomplish a major program in a country where communication is easy, but in Ghana, it is nearly impossible. Calls were made to West Africa to get the ball rolling even before the Area Presidency returned.  Sister Joyce Wall, wife of President Richard Wall, first counselor in the MTC presidency, was called to research and write a program and word had to be passed immediately to youth groups in stakes and districts to begin to create dances.

Just how do you do that where many groups cannot be reached by phone?  You travel, in some cases five hours, one way, over pitted or dirt roads to spread the word.  The Prophet is coming, the temple is being dedicated and we are going to dance!

Each stake was assigned the dance of a particular region of the country to perform and the fun began.

The idea that the youth of Ghana should have fun is a bit novel.  They don’t have the easy, entertainment-filled lives of their counterparts in more developed countries. 

Sister Carol Dee Christensen said, for instance, how surprising the Christmas party was in the branch where they serve.  The people came to together, ate fu fu, had seltzer water and then were mightily pleased to each have a little cup of orange punch.  Her husband, Elder H. Glade Christensen, had been asked to give a little talk that morning—and was surprised to find out that he was the only entertainment.

Click here to go to Part 3 of A Day of Celebration