The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ecuador
(Logo in Spanish)
An LDS temple in Guayaquil, Ecuador
AreaSouth America Northwest
Members261,767 (2022)[1]
Stakes42
Districts5
Wards263
Branches54
Total Congregations[2]317
Missions6
Temples2
Family History Centers57[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ecuador refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Ecuador. The first missionaries arrived on October 31, 1965. Since then, the LDS Church in Ecuador has grown to more than 250,000 members in more than 300 congregations.[1] Ecuador ranks as having the 5th most members of the LDS Church in South America and 9th worldwide[4]

History

Membership in Ecuador
YearMembership
1970*1,000
197923,332
1989*70,000
1999146,420
2009185,663
2019253,781
*Membership was published as an estimate.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Ecuador[1]

The first Mormon missionaries from the Andes Mission arrived in Quito, Ecuador in October 1965 was Elder Spencer W. Kimball, one of the Twelve Apostles of the Quorum. Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles believes that teaching descendants of ancient Andean Indians will serve the purpose of fulfilling God's promise to bring the Book of Mormon to the Lamanites. Over the next few years, Kimball visited Ecuador a few times for preaching gospel. The church established a strong presence in Quito, Guayaquil, and among indigenous Otavalans.

In January 1966,[5] Missionaries held the very first sacrament meeting in Guayaquil and they arrived Otavalo in March 1966. Within weeks of their arrival, printed notices were surrounded among nearby Ibarra warning the local residents to avoid Latter-day Saints and a few other proselytizing sects.

The inaugural branch meeting was held in March, attended by the missionaries and Manuel Macías Caseras in Otavalo. Within the year, the branch grew to more than 18 members.

On August 1, 1999, the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple was dedicated by church president Gordon B. Hinckley.[6] On April 3, 2016 a second temple was announced to be built in Quito.

Stakes and districts

Stake/District Organized Mission Temple District
Ambato Ecuador Stake10 Dec 1995Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Babahoyo Ecuador Stake15 May 2005Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Cuenca Ecuador Stake23 Nov 1997Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Durán Ecuador North Stake16 Mar 1980Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Durán Ecuador South Stake31 May 1992Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
El Triunfo Ecuador District17 Nov 2002Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Esmeraldas Ecuador Stake22 Oct 1995Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Alborada Stake26 Feb 2023Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Centenario Stake18 Aug 1991Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador El Cisne Stake11 Feb 1996Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador El Salado Stake4 Jun 1978Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Fortin Stake3 Sep 2017Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Garcia Moreno Stake30 Apr 1989Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Huancavilca Stake6 Dec 1992Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Juan Montalvo Stake18 May 2014Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Kennedy Stake11 Feb 1996Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador La Pradera Stake2 Sep 2007Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Las Orquideas Stake18 Aug 1991Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Prosperina Stake16 Mar 1980Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Puerto Liza Stake7 Sep 1997Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Puerto Nuevo Stake4 Mar 1979Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Ecuador Via Daule Stake8 Jun 1997Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Libertad Ecuador Stake13 Jun 2004Ecuador Guayaquil WestGuayaquil Ecuador
Loja Ecuador District7 May 1991Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Los Chillos Ecuador Stake31 May 2009Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Los Chillos Ecuador San Rafael Stake3 Sep 2017Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Machala Ecuador Puerto Bolívar Stake23 Sep 2018Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Machala Ecuador Stake22 Mar 1992Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Manta Ecuador Stake25 Feb 1996Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Milagro Ecuador Stake5 May 1991Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Otavalo Ecuador Stake6 Dec 1981Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Otavalo Ecuador Imbabura Stake19 Jan 1997Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Otavalo Ecuador Imbaya Stake9 Oct 2016Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Portoviejo Ecuador Stake13 Jan 1981Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Quevedo Ecuador North Stake26 Apr 1981Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Quevedo Ecuador South Stake7 Sep 1997Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador
Quito Ecuador Stake22 Aug 1979Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Quito Ecuador Calderón Stake19 Apr 1998Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Quito Ecuador Chillogallo Stake21 May 1995Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Quito Ecuador Colón Stake10 Jan 1981Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Quito Ecuador La Ofelia Stake25 Jan 1998Ecuador Quito NorthQuito Ecuador
Quito Ecuador Turubamba Stake20 Oct 2013Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Riobamba Ecuador Stake9 Jun 1992Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Samborondón Ecuador Stake19 Aug 2018Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Santa Rosa Ecuador Stake19 Sep 1994Ecuador Guayaquil SouthGuayaquil Ecuador
Santo Domingo Ecuador Stake3 Sep 1995Ecuador QuitoQuito Ecuador
Ventanas Ecuador District9 Nov 1994Ecuador Guayaquil EastGuayaquil Ecuador
Vinces Ecuador District21 Oct 1992Ecuador Guayaquil NorthGuayaquil Ecuador

Missions

Mission Organized
Ecuador Guayaquil East 29 Jun 2020
Ecuador Guayaquil North 1 Jul 1991
Ecuador Guayaquil South 1 Jul 1978
Ecuador Guayaquil West 1 Jul 2013
Ecuador Quito 1 Aug 1970
Ecuador Quito North 1 Jul 2013
Ecuador Quito West Announced

Temples

Temples in Ecuador ()
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:		 Guayaquil, Ecuador
31 March 1982 by Spencer W. Kimball
10 August 1996 by Richard G. Scott
1 August 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley
45,000 sq ft (4,200 m2) on a 6.2-acre (2.5 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Rafael Velez Calisto, Architects & Consultants and Church A&E Services
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:		 Quito, Ecuador
3 April 2016 by Thomas S. Monson
11 May 2019 by Enrique R. Falabella
20 November 2022 by Quentin L. Cook[7]
36,780 sq ft (3,417 m2) on a 3.96-acre (1.60 ha) site

See also

References


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