Emmanuel A. Kissi
Encyclopedia
Emanuel Abu Kissi is a Ghanaian
medical doctor, founder of a medical clinic, and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is one of only a few black Africans to have served as area authority seventies in the church. He was the official head of the LDS Church in Ghana during its "freeze" in 1989–90, and has worked extensively to increase interfaith relationships in Ghana.
on December 2, 1938. He studied medicine in England. In 1979, while completing training in surgery in London
, he joined the LDS Church.
After his return to Ghana, Kissi and his wife Elizabeth, who is a nurse, established a medical clinic in Accra
which they named Deseret Hospital. The hospital at times has been aided by groups of LDS Church members from the USA. He has also been involved with trying to coordinate humanitarian medical care by other doctors in Ghana. Kissi was among those featured in the film Lives of Service about Latter-day Saints of African descent.
Initially after his return to Ghana, Kissi was a professor at Legon University Medical school and was working as a general surgeon at Korle Bu Hospital.
The first Latter-day Saint he met in Ghana was Priscilla Sampson-Davis who was reading the Doctrine and Covenants
while waiting for treatment at the hospital.
, and in the late 1980s he was a counselor in the presidency of the Ghana Accra Mission
. Then in June 1989, the government of Ghana suspended all meetings of the LDS Church and expelled all foreign church representatives. Kissi was designated as the official head of the church in Ghana, a position he held until "The Freeze" was over in November 1990. At the same time, from 1989 to 1991, he was president
of the Ghana Accra Mission.
After this Kissi served the church as a Regional Representative of the Twelve
, then as a counselor in the mission presidency. Kissi was serving as patriarch of the Accra Ghana Lartebiokorshie Stake before being called as an area authority seventy from 2002 to 2007. In 2004, he spoke at Brigham Young University
on the growth of the LDS Church in West Africa
.
Kissi was present at the dedication of the Accra Ghana Temple
in 2001.
in 2004. It was reviewed by William Olsen. Elder Kissi also has written a book review of Black and Mormon for BYU Studies
.
An article by Kissi was published in the Ensign in 2007.
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
medical doctor, founder of a medical clinic, and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is one of only a few black Africans to have served as area authority seventies in the church. He was the official head of the LDS Church in Ghana during its "freeze" in 1989–90, and has worked extensively to increase interfaith relationships in Ghana.
Biography
Kissi was born in Abomosu, GhanaAbomosu, Ghana
Abomusa is a city in central Ghana's Atiwa District, an area dominated by the production of cocoa. It is just north of the Birim River.- External links :* : Atiwa District Assembly, 2006.*...
on December 2, 1938. He studied medicine in England. In 1979, while completing training in surgery in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he joined the LDS Church.
After his return to Ghana, Kissi and his wife Elizabeth, who is a nurse, established a medical clinic in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
which they named Deseret Hospital. The hospital at times has been aided by groups of LDS Church members from the USA. He has also been involved with trying to coordinate humanitarian medical care by other doctors in Ghana. Kissi was among those featured in the film Lives of Service about Latter-day Saints of African descent.
Initially after his return to Ghana, Kissi was a professor at Legon University Medical school and was working as a general surgeon at Korle Bu Hospital.
The first Latter-day Saint he met in Ghana was Priscilla Sampson-Davis who was reading the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
while waiting for treatment at the hospital.
Church leadership
By 1982 Kissi was serving the LDS Church as a district president in Ghana. He had also been a branch presidentBranch President
A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, the branch president presides over a branch...
, and in the late 1980s he was a counselor in the presidency of the Ghana Accra Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. Then in June 1989, the government of Ghana suspended all meetings of the LDS Church and expelled all foreign church representatives. Kissi was designated as the official head of the church in Ghana, a position he held until "The Freeze" was over in November 1990. At the same time, from 1989 to 1991, he was president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Ghana Accra Mission.
After this Kissi served the church as a Regional Representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve, commonly shorted to regional representative or regional rep, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1968 and 1995...
, then as a counselor in the mission presidency. Kissi was serving as patriarch of the Accra Ghana Lartebiokorshie Stake before being called as an area authority seventy from 2002 to 2007. In 2004, he spoke at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
on the growth of the LDS Church in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
.
Kissi was present at the dedication of the Accra Ghana Temple
Accra Ghana Temple
The Accra Ghana Temple is the 117th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .The building of the Accra Ghana Temple was announced on February 16, 1998. Years before the temple was announced President of the LDS Church Gordon B. Hinckley had promised members in the area...
in 2001.
Publications
Kissi wrote Walking in the Sand: A History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana which was edited by Matthew K. Heiss and published Brigham Young University PressBrigham Young University Press
Brigham Young University Press is the university press of Brigham Young University .-History:Brigham Young University Press was formed in 1967 through the consolidation of BYU's various publishing activities into one central organization....
in 2004. It was reviewed by William Olsen. Elder Kissi also has written a book review of Black and Mormon for BYU Studies
BYU Studies
BYU Studies is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing articles on a broad array of topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
An article by Kissi was published in the Ensign in 2007.