The Africa Southeast Area office of Public Affairs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has hosted Kagiso Calvin Thutlwe, the Mayor of Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
His Excellency, Mayor Thutlwe visited the administrative offices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 14, 2017. His visit began with the tour of the Missionary Training Centre in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.
Thutlwe, 33, was welcomed by Elder S. Mark Palmer, second counselor in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency of the Church. Elder Palmer provided the Mayor with an overview of the area and shared the importance of families in building strong communities.
Mayor Thutlwe said he was pleased to visit the Church so that he could learn more about its mission.
“We are looking for partners who can help us build the society that we are leading. I want to understand the voice of the Church because the voice of the Church must be heard in the city of Gaborone,” said Mayor Thutlwe in his introductory remarks.
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He also met young missionaries from Botswana and from as far afield as the United States and Uganda. “I am glad I am meeting young people who are going to bring peace to our world,” he said.
Mayor Thutlwe said he was keen to partner with the local leaders of the Church in Botswana to drive social upliftment and development initiatives, especially those that focus on young people.
“After today, we can speak more boldly to other leaders and our peers that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a church that we can partner with.”
Mayor Thutlwe was accompanied by Kebaneilwe Ramaphane of the Gaborone City Council’s office of social development. They also toured the departments of the church and the grounds of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple.