Dear Editor,
The public affairs office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would like to compliment the Guyanese media outlets for being careful to distinguish between the 13-million-member international church and a small polygamous sect, which was raided by Texas state officers a few weeks ago.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve said that Latter-day Saints are still offended when elementary mistakes are made in the news media or when printed or posted photographs fail to make the distinction between the church and the polygamous groups. There are many splinter groups, which broke away from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and they are not to be confused with the mainstream church. The fundamental doctrine of the church is, and always has been that the true church of the Jesus Christ is led by the direction revelation of God to his living prophet, who at this time is, President Thomas S Monson.
With a membership population of over 13 million worldwide, more than half of which are outside North America, there continues to be suspicions as to the purpose of the church due chiefly to its focus on missionary work, and the teaching of the gospel to every person in every nook and cranny of the world, including areas where the older, traditional churches have not been found.
There are over 52,000 missionaries of the church throughout the world, six of whom are of Guyanese origin. The Lord’s true church must be a missionary church as pointed out in Matthew 28: 19-20.
Missionaries do not select the missions where they will proselyte, but they go willingly wherever they are called, even if it’s a country where the language spoken is different to that of their native tongue.
The church was established in Guyana, officially in 1989 and has sent over 35 missionaries, all non-Caucasian, to geographically dispersed areas as the USA, Canada, South Africa, Venezuela, the UK, Nigeria and within the Caribbean. At present, there are eight branches within the Georgetown Guyana District and five branches within the Canje Guyana District. These districts report to the West Indies Mission.
Let us focus on the rebuilding of the spiritual lives of all those who are in Guyana, being mindful of each other’s goals and being sensitive to our individual needs and our collective purpose. Let us not be distracted in this life of probation.
Yours faithfully,
Wayne W Barrow
President
Georgetown Guyana District
