The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Puerto Rico

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Puerto Rico reported 23,395 members in 5 stakes, and 39 congregations (27 wards[1] and 12 branches[1]), 2 missions in Puerto Rico, as of December 31, 2019.[2] There is one temple under construction in San Juan.

History
Membership In Puerto Rico
YearMembership
1975 832
1980 1,546
1989* 16,000
1999 23,223
2009 20,386
2019 23,395
1989 membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Puerto Rico, Windall J. Ashton[2]

In 1945, Donald Brown and Bryon C. Wheeler, employees of Pan American Airways and returned missionaries from Argentina, began working in Puerto Rico and were the first known members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to live in the country and hold their own Sunday School services.[3]

Church meetings were held in Guajataca starting in 1947. For the first few years, those who attended the meetings were Latter-day Saint servicemen. Later, other members moved to Puerto Rico, including Morris Burk, Sr. and Heber Haws, whose wives were Puerto Rican. On 7 October 1959, these spouses Cristina Burk and Irma Haws, and Cristina's son Morris, became the first native Puerto Ricans baptized in the country.[4]

The first missionaries, Verl Tolbert and Dwight K. Hunter, arrived in Puerto Rico in January 1964. They visited several branches in the Caribbean District, which had been organized earlier for military personnel. The first Spanish-speaking missionaries, Steven Johnson and Craig Van Tassell, arrived on the island in May 1969.[3]

The first Spanish-speaking branch was organized in 1970. On March 8 of that year the first meetinghouse in the Caribbean District of the Florida Mission was dedicated in San Juan by Sterling W. Sill of the First Quorum of the Seventy. On October 17 home seminary was started. The Spanish branch became an independent branch the next year (1971). The first stake was created in San Juan on 14 December 1980 by Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the Quorum of the Twelve. New stakes were also created in 1982, 1984 and 1985.[4]

In December 1993, the four stakes were discontinued due to the continual emigration of members to the continental United States and eight districts were formed by L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve. Between 1996 and 1998, the four stakes were reinstated.[4]

Missions

When missionaries first arrived in Puerto Rico in 1963, the island was part of the Florida Ft Lauderdale Mission. On July 7, 1979 the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission was organized.[5]

San Juan Puerto Rico Temple
Main article: San Juan Puerto Rico Temple

Groundbreaking for the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple was on May 4, 2019 by Walter F. González.

177. San Juan Puerto Rico (Under Construction)

Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
 Notes:

San Juan, Puerto Rico
7 October 2018
4 May 2019 by Walter F. González
Announced by Russell M. Nelson on October 7, 2018[6][7]

See also

References
  1. LDS Meetinghouse Locator.Nearby Congregations (Wards and Branches).
  2. "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Puerto Rico", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 2021-01-15
  3. David R. Crockett, History of the Church in Puerto Rico, retrieved 2021-01-30
  4. Deseret News 2012 Church Almanac. Jim M. Wall. p. 549. ISBN 978-1-60907-002-1.
  5. Deseret News 2001-2002 Church Almanac. Jim M. Wall. p. 441. ISBN 978-1573459334.
  6. "Twelve Temples Announced as October 2018 General Conference Closes: Number of temples operating, announced or under construction now above 200", Newsroom, LDS Church, 7 October 2018
  7. LDS Church announces plans to build 12 new temples worldwide, pioneer generation temples will be renovated, KSTU Fox 13, 7 October 2018
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