Elder and Sister Watson, of the Area Presidency here, visited the MTC Sunday meetings and talked to the missionaries this past Sunday. Elder Watson told about some members in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) that are incredible. They live in a village in the bush North of Kolwezi called Kinkondja. Somehow they learned about the Church and were baptized. There are about 20 members and 20 investigators who all attend Church on Sunday. There are 30 tithe payers. Interesting. . . . There are three men who take the tithing from the village every 6 months when they go to District Conference. These people do not have the full programs of the Church. They hold Sunday School and study from the scriptures. They have not even been given permission to administer the sacrament, but they are totally faithful Saints.

For District Conference some of them go to Kolwezi twice a year. In the dry season 10-20 people will go, but if it's the rainy season, not as many go because it rains almost every day and makes traveling harder. Sometimes they go for a week or so in order to go to a regular church meeting to take the sacrament.

Now this is the most interesting part. . . . The village they live in is 520 km from Kolwezi. That's roughly 300 miles and they WALK all the way! Either there are no transports that go that far or they can't afford to pay for them. So they WALK 300 miles to attend District Conference. It takes them about 2 weeks. That's 20 miles a day. They will stay for a week or so and then WALK another 300 miles home. On the way home they will carry boxes on their head containing copies of the Book of Mormon that they requested.

This makes one think about the many in our world who think that Stake Conference is a vacation weekend in the Church. There are just no words to express the commitment of these African Saints. They are unlike any I have ever seen.