C. Kenneth Powrie vividly remembers the first Church service he attended in 1950 in Krugersdorp, South Africa. There were six people in attendance, and two were missionaries. Later that year, he and his wife, Philippa, who were baptized on Sept. 10, attended a district conference in Johannesburg. There were 50 in attendance.
In his first calling, as clerk of the Krugersdorp Branch, he was excited to see 25 people attending a branch meeting.
"Thus started a new life in a Church which, in its temporal appointments, showed very little sign of being the one and only Church of Jesus Christ, for we met in dingy halls and other humble surroundings in limited numbers and with very inadequate facilities," said Brother Powrie, a stake patriarch and recently released president of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. "However, the true, sweet Spirit was there to guide us as we, like infants, crawled, then toddled, then stood upright and walked with our heads high, yet humbled by the testimonies which we felt growing within our hearts."
In many ways, now-82-year-old Brother Powrie's growth in the gospel has mirrored the growth of the Church in this southern African country — and the birthplace of the Church on this continent.
It has been 150 years now since Elders Jesse Haven, Leonard L. Smith and William H. Walker arrived by ship in Cape Town to begin missionary work in South Africa. They set foot on land on April 19, 1853, and officially organized the Church in the Cape of Good Hope on May 23. Less than three months later, on Aug. 16, the first branch of the Church was organized in Mowbray, four miles from Cape Town. By 1855, the Church in the Cape of Good Hope (South African Mission) consisted of three conferences, six branches and 126 members. (Please see the Deseret News 2003 Church Almanac.)
Today, there are some 35,000 members — more than 50 percent of whom are black — in 10 stakes and three missions, the South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Johannesburg and South Africa Durban missions.
In recent months, members have commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Church in South Africa with activities and service projects, beginning with a gathering of 91 members of the Cape Town South Africa Stake on Signal Hill above the city on April 19. Leslie W. Powrie, assistant stake clerk, related how the members arrived at sunrise to share testimonies and hear remarks from President Mervyn C. Giddey, second counselor in the stake presidency.
"This was an occasion to remember as we recalled the history of the Church, and as we contributed to the history that, hopefully, others will appreciate in time to come."
In the Bedfordview Ward, Bedfordview South Africa Stake, members took up a challenge to perform 150 hours of service on April 26 at the Alex/Tara Clinic, which serves families, children and the elderly affected by HIV/AIDS, in nearby Alexandra. Relief Society sisters helped pack 53 food parcels for needy families. The priesthood quorums prepared a piece of ground to become a vegetable garden, and missionaries, youth and Primary children hosted an Easter egg hunt.
This service project lasted through July, as more parcels for families were packed and the vegetable garden was tended.
Among several other activities, some directed at youth, members of what is now the Mowbray Ward celebrated its 150th milestone in August with a lunch and birthday cake.
"The future is bright," said Elder Steven E. Snow of the Seventy and president of the Africa Southeast Area. "We are seeing a lot of good people of all races converting to the Church. The majority of converts are black, but we're seeing solid growth in all areas. The gospel will be a great influence throughout the continent, and to think it began with [the efforts] of three elders is just amazing to me.
"If you read the journals of these early missionaries, it was really tough. A lot of persecution and challenges. They started something that is really quite incredible."
Elder Snow also describes South Africa as a "most interesting country to study. They have such an interesting history."
Located on the southern tip of Africa, South Africa has weathered political strife and a change in government. The first free elections, Elder Snow said, were held in 1994. "Just in the last 10 or 15 years, it's been an exciting time. It's wonderful to see them forging through the challenges they have through the past decade and see peace prevail. It's wonderful to see the influence of the gospel here."
And in a country with 11 officials languages, including nine tribal languages, that influence has forged unity among members of both European and African lineage. With the 1978 priesthood revelation, the growth of the Church here "just exploded," said Elder Snow.
The foundation was laid after World War I, he explained, when member families began staying in the country and building up the Church, rather than emigrating to the United States. Many members today are descended from those early families, he said.
"They have been in the Church for three or four generations, which adds a sense of maturity and experience with our leadership which is helpful, especially where in much of Africa [members] are first generation. The experience of these early families has been a great resource for us."
Lorraine Bibb, 82, is from one of those early families. At the age of 8, she was baptized in Mowbray at "Cumorah," the property which included the mission home at the time. She recalled tennis courts on the property, and the dormitory for missionaries. Attached to the mission home was a small chapel with a baptismal font.
She remembers Church baseball teams for boys and softball teams for girls and drama performances. "In 1947, we had a centennial program to celebrate the arrival of pioneers in Salt Lake. This went on for a week, with each auxiliary putting on an entertainment."
C. Kenneth Powrie, the father of Leslie Powrie, today lives in Johannesburg working in the temple with his wife, Anna, whom he married after Philippa died in 1992. All three of his sons and his two daughters have served missions for the Church. Brother Powrie has served as president of the Transvaal District, as stake patriarch in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. From 1977-1979, he served as a counselor in the South African Mission presidency. He was released in 2001 after serving three years as temple president.
As the Church here celebrates 150 years, he looks back. He recalls the 1978 visit of President Spencer W. Kimball to his country and the announcement that year of the revelation on the priesthood. "This opened the floodgates for Church growth in Africa, and has brought many wonderful people into the fold."
He also reflects on the dedication of the Johannesburg temple in 1985.
But he doesn't forget the cozy "family" feeling when six people came to that first branch meeting more than 50 years ago.
Elder Ferrin Orton, Sister Peggy Orton and Sister Gillene Laney contributed to this article.
E-mail: julied@desnews.com
