His Excellency Ebrahim Rasool, South African Ambassador to USA, and his wife Roseida Shabodien were welcomed warmly to Salt Lake City on a special diplomatic visit to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("The Mormons") head quarters in the Rocky Mountains of mid–west America, on 11 October 2012.
At a special dinner held in his favour, in a room overlooking the Salt Lake Temple, time was taken to explain the significance of the Temple in the lives of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Ambassador Rasool commented on how his visit had “dispelled the incorrect caricature of Mormons."
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
During his visit he was able to give a lecture at the Church’s Brigham Young University as well as tour Temple Square and the Humanitarian Centre.
Talking points of his visit focused on the traditional family, the importance of teaching children core values in the home, and religious freedom and tolerance.
The Church’s International Children’s Choir, bearing the South African flag, sang the South African National Anthem and entertained the visitors in the shadow of the Temple during the dinner. The visit was a “wonderful and most enjoyable experience," commented Ambassador Rasool.
The Ambassador was given a copy of The Proclamation to the Family, which empasises that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman and that children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and should be reared by a father and a mother who honour marital vows. Members of the Church are found in over 170 countries.