Government of Gabon Recognizes the LDS Church

Missionaries serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission report that the government of Gabon granted official recognition to the Church and that the Church may send full-time proselytizing missionaries and participate in any of its religious practices in the country.  The Church has attempted to establish an official presence for several years but was unable to receive the necessary government permissions to do so.  Mission leaders report that a small group of members in Libreville were just authorized to hold sacrament meeting services and invite others to join church services.  It is unclear when the Church will assign its first proselytizing missionaries, but based on the recent establishment of the Church in Burundi two years ago it appears feasible for the Church to assign missionaries for the first time sometime within the next six months.