A group of participants
Young single adults of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered in Accra for a special screening of the fourth episode of Dedicate, a six-part global video series exploring faith in Jesus Christ.
The screening was held at the Christiansborg Stake Center at the Accra Ghana Temple in North Ridge, drawing hundreds of attendees.
Dedicate follows seven young adults from Brazil, France, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and the United States as they explore the renovated Salt Lake Temple in Utah and reflect on the role of faith in their lives.
Ghana is represented by Favour Onyinyechukwu Okeke from the Greater Accra Region.
Ms. Okeke, who volunteered to share her personal story after prospective participants were invited, said representing Africa was a privilege.
“It’s honestly a great privilege. It’s an honour, and I feel very humble to represent Africa in this series, because my life is showing what the life of an average young single adult in this area is all about,” she said.
She described the production as emotional and faith-strengthening. “I learnt so much, and throughout the journey it’s added to my testimony,” she said.
The fourth episode takes viewers inside the Salt Lake Temple during its extensive renovation, where between 700 and 800 workers are on site daily. With the help of YouTuber Zack Nelson and his wife Cambry, the participants examine models of the temple on an earthquake simulator to understand why the 19th-Century structure required reinforcement.
The episode draws parallels between structural resilience and Christian faith, with base isolators representing Jesus Christ as a source of stability and cables symbolising daily prayer, scripture study and temple worship.
The participants also meet senior Church leaders, including Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
“In our lives, we have our own earthquakes and points where we shake and we might have cracks. But if we want to strengthen that foundation, Christ can help us,” Ms. Okeke said. “We are never too far from the reach of God.”
For audience members, the collective viewing offered a different experience. Nana Yaa Agyeiwaa, a Church member in Accra, said she had previously followed the series on YouTube while driving to work.
“Having to sit with my friends and watch it, it just felt different, because I was able to see the reactions from other people. It made it better,” she said.
A Daily Guide Report