- Billy Johnson (Mormon)
Joseph William Billy Johnson (born
1934-12-17 ) was one of the first converts toThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) inGhana . Prior to hisbaptism , he had worked for many years to spread the doctrines of the LDS Church to many of his fellow countrymen.Johnson was born in
Lagos ,Nigeria . He grew up in theRoman Catholic faith. In 1964, Johnson learned about theBook of Mormon from Frank A. Mensah. Although he was not able to be baptized at this time, Johnson did receive support and encouragement in sharing the faith with others fromLatter-day Saint expatriate s who occasionally lived in or visited Ghana, such asMerrill J. Bateman .After sharing the message of
Mormonism with many inAccra , Johnson moved toCape Coast, Ghana , where he set up at least ten congregations there and in the surrounding areas. Johnson was finally baptized into the LDS Church onDecember 9 ,1978 a few months afterSpencer W. Kimball received his revelation that allowedblack people of African descent to hold the priesthood.Johnson was the first
branch president of the LDS Church in Ghana. Later he served as a district president. In 1990, when the Ghananian government decided to suspend the activities of the LDS Church in the country, Johnson and his wife were serving as missionaries. They were the only missionaries who served from then until mid-1991, a period known in the church as "the freeze".After the end of the freeze, stakes were organized in Accra and Cape Coast, and Johnson became the first stake patriarch in Ghana. In 2004, the
Accra Ghana Temple was completed, the second LDS Church temple to be built inAfrica .ources
*Johnson, Joseph William Billy, "We Felt the Spirit of the Pioneers", in E. Dale LeBaron (ed.) "All are Alike unto God": Fascinating conversion stories of African Saints" (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1990) pp. 13–23.
*Kissi, Emmanuel Abu. "Walking in the Sand: A History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana" (Provo, Utah:Brigham Young University Press , 2004).
*LeBaron, E. Dale "Joseph W. B. Johnson" in Garr, Arnold K.,Donald Q. Cannon andRichard O. Cowan , ed. "Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History" (Salt Lake City, Utah:Deseret Book , 2000) pp. 577–578.
*Morrison, Alexander B., "The Dawning of a Brighter Day: The Church in Black Africa" (Salt Lake City, Utah:Deseret Book , 1990) pp. 104–118.Eternal links
*E. Dale LeBaron, [http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/daily/history/blacks/lebaron_africa.htm "African Converts Without Baptism: A Unique and Inspiring Chapter in Church History"] ,
1998-11-03 .
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