Chronology: Republic of the Congo

1980s • Europe and Republic of the CongoCongolese members living in Europe joined the Church. Some wrote letters to Church headquarters requesting that missionaries be sent to their native land. Some moved back to the Republic of the Congo and scattered throughout the country.

January 20, 1991 • Brazzaville, Republic of the CongoHyacinthe Massamba-Sita, who had joined the Church in France, was called as the group leader in Brazzaville and authorized to hold sacrament meetings and search out other Church members.

April 1991 • Republic of the CongoGeorge and Emily Burningham, missionaries serving in the Zaire Kinshasa Mission, arrived and met Hyacinthe and Veronique Massamba-Sita and their family.

first baptisms in the Republic of the Congo

June 8, 1991 • Brazzaville

Hyacinthe Massamba-Sita baptized the first 14 members of the Church in the Republic of the Congo, including his wife, Veronique.

June 9, 1991 • BrazzavilleThe Makelekele Branch was organized, with Jean Patrice Milembolo as president.

October 15, 1991 • Republic of the CongoThe Church was officially recognized by the Congolese government.

February 23, 1992 • BrazzavilleThe Brazzaville Republic of the Congo District was organized, with Louis Madzela as president.

June 13, 1992 • Pointe-Noire, Republic of the CongoThe first baptisms in Pointe-Noire were performed in the Ngwambussi River.

August 24, 1992 • BrazzavilleElder Richard G. Scott and Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles became the first Apostles to visit the country. Elder Scott dedicated the Republic of the Congo for the preaching of the gospel.

1993–94 • BrazzavilleCivil unrest in the Republic of the Congo and Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) disrupted missionary work by full-time missionaries.

1993–95 • BrazzavilleMarc Antoine Nganga became the first member from the Republic of the Congo called to serve a full-time mission. He served in the Côte d’Ivoire Abidjan mission.

September 1997 • Pointe-NoireThe Pointe-Noire Branch was organized, with Sebastien Nganga as president.

1997–99 • Republic of the CongoDuring Congo’s civil war, members sacrificed to care for each other and to continue to preach the gospel. In some cases, Saints left their homes and sought refuge together.

March 2002 • BrazzavilleCongolese Saints were again among those displaced as a result of civil unrest in the region.

October 19, 2003 • BrazzavilleThe Brazzaville Republic of Congo Stake was organized with Jean Patrice Milembolo as president.

2003 • Republic of the CongoChurch membership surpassed 3,000.

June 25, 2014 • BrazzavilleThe Republic of Congo Brazzaville Mission was created, with Elie Kyungu Monga as mission president.

August 31, 2014 • BrazzavilleThe Makelekele Republic of Congo Stake was organized, with Albert Yengo as president.

first baptisms in the Republic of the Congo

August 25, 2015 • Brazzaville

Members from the Brazzaville area participated in the Mormon Helping Hands project to clean the area around the Alphonse Massamba Debát stadium in preparation for the upcoming 11th African Games.

April 14, 2019 • Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple was dedicated, bringing a temple closer to members in the Republic of the Congo.