The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile
(Logo in Spanish)
AreaSouth America South
Members604,302 (2022)[1]
Stakes74
Districts16
Wards416
Branches157
Total Congregations[2]573
Missions10
Temples2 Operating
1 Under Construction
1 Announced
4 Total
Family History Centers103[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Chile. The first small branch was established in 1956. Since then, the LDS Church in Chile has grown to more than 600,000 members in 573 congregations. Chile ranks as having the 3rd most members of the LDS Church in South America and the 6th worldwide. The LDS Church in Chile has more members per capita than the United States and is the second largest denomination in Chile behind the Roman Catholic Church. Chile has more LDS Church members per capita than any country outside of the Pacific Islands.[4]

History

Membership in Chile
YearMembers
1960 614
1970 9,416
1980 63,658
1989 266,000
1999 502,153
2009 561,920
2019 602,373
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Chile[1]

The LDS Church has been established in Chile for over sixty years. The church experienced some periods of rapid expansion during that time, becoming, by some estimates, the second largest church in the country.

Early apostle Parley P. Pratt was among the first Mormon missionaries to preach in Chile, landing in Valparaiso in November, 1851, along with Elder Rufus Allen and Phoebe Sopher, one of Pratt's wives, who was pregnant at the time. The mission party was impressed by the Chilean countryside and people. Pratt wrote that the people he met in Chile were "a neat, plain, loving and sociable people; very friendly, frank, and easy to become acquainted with," but the mission trip met with tragedy when the Pratt's month-old son died in January 1852.[5] Hampered by language difficulties and a lack of literature in the Spanish language (selections of the Book of Mormon were not translated into Spanish until 1875)[6] the missionaries left Chile after four months without having a successful baptism.[5] Pratt used his experience in South America to advise Brigham Young that the success of future missionary efforts would be based on translations of the Mormon scriptures.[7] Another difficulty was that, at the time of Pratt's visit, the Chilean constitution did not permit the public practice of any religion besides Catholicism.[8]

Missionary work in Chile began in earnest in 1956, when the country was made part of the Argentine mission and the first small branch was formed.[9] By 1961, the country had 1,100 members and the Chilean mission was organized. The following three decades saw explosive growth in church membership, with the church membership doubling every two years at its peak.[5] The growth sparked a building boom during these decades. Hundreds of LDS meetinghouses were constructed, capped by the dedication of the Santiago Temple in 1983. Church growth continued in the 1990s, with the country having the greatest growth in LDS membership in South America during the decade. Between 1994 and 1996, 26 new stakes were dedicated in the country.[9]

The period of rapid expansion in membership was followed by a sharp contraction. The church is now retrenching after its period of high growth and hundreds of units have been decommissioned since 1998.[10] In 2002, the church sent Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to remain in Chile for a year to train leadership and minister to the church,[11] a role typically held by members of the quorums of the seventy. Due to high levels of member inactivity, 37% of the stakes created in Chile have since been discontinued.[12]

Although an average of 12,000 people were baptized annually between 1961 and 1990, membership growth has now cooled and the church has a large number of inactive members. According to census data, 0.9% of the population claims to be Mormon, based upon those aged 15 and over who identify themselves as Mormon. The church itself reports that it has 595,526 members in Chile, which is equal to about 3.3% of the population. If accurate, these numbers makes the LDS Church the single largest denomination in Chile after Catholicism.[13] LDS statistics counts everyone baptized, including children age eight or older as well as inactive members. Using unofficial sources, the Cumorah Project website estimates that 20% of Chilean members actively attend church services.[10]

Jorge F. Zeballos, a former civil engineer, is a Chilean-born LDS general authority. He was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in April, 2008.[14] Zeballos is the second Chilean to serve as a general authority. He followed Eduardo Ayala, who served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1990 to 1995.

A second temple, in Concepción, was announced in 2009. The groundbreaking for this temple occurred on October 17, 2015,[15] and it was later dedicated on October 28, 2018.[16]

In April 2019, church president Russell M. Nelson announced a third Chilean temple to be built in Antofagasta.[17]

A fourth Temple was announced in 2021 to be built in Santiago, the second in the capital.

In the October 2023 General Conference, President Russel M. Nelson announced the plans to build a fifth Temple in the city of Viña del Mar.

Church schools in Chile

When the Chilean Mission was organized in 1961, A. Delbert Palmer was its mission president.[18]:99–100 Church leaders considered communism to be an "evil force" and area authority Theodore Tuttle encouraged Palmer to create a school to protect students from communism.[18]:101 Local members requested schooling for their children, especially after some were expelled from Catholic schools for joining the LDS Church.[18]:102 In 1963, Tuttle and Palmer started preparing two elementary schools in La Cisterna and Vina del Mar. They reported directly to the first presidency rather than to the CES board of education. Dale Harding's position as superintendent was both a professional and religious position.[18]:103 The schools opened in March 1964.[18]:106

In the 1960s in Chile, educational reforms gave children more opportunities for education, but there still existed a large divide between public and private schools, both of which were supported by the government. Because of the educational situation, parents were very interested in private LDS schools for their children.[18]:108–109 After the first year, all the children passed their government-administered end-of-year exams, with many performing very well.[18]:110–111 A large earthquake in March 1965 greatly damaged both schools, but the schools continued despite this setback. Rather than use the traditional lecture-exam format, teachers varied their teaching methods to include group work and in-service training.[18]:111–112 In 1967, Lyle J. Loosle became the new superintendent. Under his leadership, volunteers supported new elementary schools in Nunoa and Talcahuano.[18]:114–115

In 1970, the Church Board of Education approved the purchase of a Catholic school near Santiago.[18]:117 Later that year, Salvador Allende, a Marxist, was elected as president, and Church members were uncertain about the future of the LDS Church and Church schools.[18]:118 Middle-class citizens of various kinds opposed a National Unified School system. The minister of education requested using a church building for another session of schooling.[18]:120 In response, Loosle increased enrollment to ensure that the schools were always operating at full capacity. Kindergartens operated in LDS chapels in Arica, Inquique, and La Calera to keep them from being used by the government for other purposes.[18]:121 After Allende was overthrown, the kindergartens closed.[18]:129

Seminary teacher Richard Brimhall visited the schools in 1972 and felt alarmed at how many faculty were Marxists. That year, Jorge Rojas, from Mexico, became the next superintendent. He felt that the Church schools ought to be closed because of their Marxist leanings, and made this recommendation to Church officials.[18]:123 After Rojas dismissed two non-member teachers, other teachers formed a union to protest new policies. Loosle was asked to return after Church headquarters reassigned Rojas to a school in Mexico. Loosle dismissed teacher's union leaders when they refused to resign.[18]:124 The union leaders demanded reinstatement.[18]:125 Loosle asked teachers to repent of their unionization; some union members left the school, while others left the union. Loosle rehired some of the union leaders.[18]:125 In 1973, Beningno Pantoja Arratia became the new superintendent, and he instituted several reforms, including ecclesiastical interviews.[18]:129 In 1970, Neal A. Maxwell became the Church Commissioner of Education, a new position overseeing Church schools, seminaries, and institutes.[18]:129 A 1971 policy from Maxwell stated that non-religious education should only be provided by the Church when "other educational systems are nonexistent, seriously deficient or inaccessible to our members."[18]:130 Chilean church schools started to close in 1977, with the Church's growth and adequate public schools given as reasons for closure.[18]:130 By 1981, Church schools had completely closed in Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Paraguay.[18]:131

Stakes and districts

Stake/District Organized Mission Temple
Aconcagua Chile Stake4 Jul 1993Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Alto Hospicio Chile District16 Oct 2005Chile AntofagastaArequipa Peru
Angol Chile Stake18 Dec 1994Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Antofagasta Chile La Portada Stake5 Sep 1993Chile AntofagastaSantiago Chile
Antofagasta Chile Stake10 Aug 1980Chile AntofagastaSantiago Chile
Arauco Chile Stake17 Nov 2002Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Arica Chile Costanera Stake29 Jan 1980Chile AntofagastaArequipa Peru
Arica Chile Los Olivos Stake12 Mar 1995Chile AntofagastaArequipa Peru
Buín Chile Stake10 Feb 1984Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Calama Chile Stake17 Mar 1985Chile AntofagastaSantiago Chile
Chillán Chile Ñuble Stake24 Nov 1996Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Chillán Chile Stake13 Feb 1983Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Chiloe Chile District13 Dec 1983Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Colina Chile Stake2 Oct 1994Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Concepción Chile Andalién Stake28 Oct 1979Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Concepción Chile Chiguayante Stake18 Dec 1994Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Concepción Chile Stake30 Jan 1977Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Copiapó Chile Stake11 Apr 1993Chile AntofagastaSantiago Chile
Coquimbo Chile Stake1 Dec 2002Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Coronel Chile District17 Nov 2002Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Coyhaique Chile District17 Aug 2003Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Curicó Chile Stake10 May 1981Chile RancaguaSantiago Chile
El Belloto Chile Stake11 Apr 1993Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Hualpén Chile Stake15 Jun 1980Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Illapel Chile District23 Nov 1986Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Iquique Chile Stake14 Dec 1986Chile AntofagastaArequipa Peru
La Serena Chile Stake23 Oct 1988Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Linares Chile Stake24 Nov 2002Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Los Ángeles Chile North Stake1 Jun 1986Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Los Ángeles Chile South Stake1 Dec 1996Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Nueva Toltén Chile District13 May 2001Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Osorno Chile Rahue Stake25 May 1997Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Osorno Chile Stake17 May 1981Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Ovalle Chile District24 Nov 2002Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Peñaflor Chile Stake10 Dec 1981Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Penco Chile Stake24 May 1981Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Puerto Montt Chile Stake25 Apr 1982Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Punta Arenas Chile Stake10 Jun 1984Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Quillota Chile Stake7 Jun 1981Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Quilpué Chile Stake28 Nov 1976Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Rancagua Chile Stake26 Aug 1981Chile RancaguaSantiago Chile
Rancagua Chile Tupahue Stake11 Apr 1993Chile RancaguaSantiago Chile
San Antonio Chile Stake2 Jul 1989Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
San Fernando Chile District30 Jun 2002Chile RancaguaSantiago Chile
San Pedro Chile Stake30 Aug 1981Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Santa Cruz Chile District8 Oct 1981Chile RancaguaSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Alicahue Stake20 Aug 1995Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Cinco de Abril Stake10 Jun 1979Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Conchalí Stake4 Nov 1979Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Cordillera Stake19 Mar 1995Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Gabriela Stake8 Dec 1996Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Huelén Stake19 Nov 1972Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Independencia Stake6 May 1979Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Javiera Carrera Stake20 Sep 1992Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile La Cisterna Stake8 Dec 1974Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile La Florida Stake10 Jun 1979Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile La Reina Stake27 Jun 1993Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Las Condes Stake12 Mar 1983Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Los Alerces Stake9 Jul 1995Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Los Aviadores Stake14 Dec 1980Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Los Cerrillos Stake30 Jul 1995Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Maipú Stake6 Dec 1992Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Ñuñoa Stake28 Nov 1976Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Ochagavía Stake19 Nov 1995Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Olimpo Stake22 Nov 1998Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Puente Alto Stake18 Aug 1985Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Quilicura Stake9 Nov 1980Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Renca Stake16 Sep 1984Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile República Stake18 Apr 1976Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile San Bernardo Stake25 Feb 1979Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile San Miguel Stake18 Aug 1985Chile Santiago SouthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile San Pablo Stake13 Mar 1983Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Vicuña Mackenna Stake21 Mar 1993Chile Santiago EastSantiago Chile
Santiago Chile Zapadores Stake14 Nov 1982Chile Santiago NorthSantiago Chile
Talagante Chile Stake10 Nov 2002Chile Santiago WestSantiago Chile
Talca Chile Stake18 Nov 1979Chile RancaguaConcepción Chile
Talcahuano Chile North Stake16 Oct 1977Chile ConcepciónConcepción Chile
Temuco Chile Cautín Stake26 Nov 1995Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Temuco Chile Ñielol Stake18 Mar 1981Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Valdivia Chile Calle Calle Stake23 Nov 1997Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Valdivia Chile Stake10 Jan 1988Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Vallenar Chile District29 Oct 1981Chile AntofagastaSantiago Chile
Valparaíso Chile Stake20 Nov 1977Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Valparaíso Chile West Stake20 Jun 2002Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Victoria Chile District26 May 1983Chile Concepción SouthConcepción Chile
Villa Alemana Chile Stake8 Jun 1979Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Villa Alemana Chile West Stake14 Jul 1996Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Villarrica Chile District26 May 1983Chile Puerto MonttConcepción Chile
Viña del Mar Chile Achupallas Stake28 Oct 1984Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile
Viña del Mar Chile Stake5 Dec 1974Chile Viña del MarSantiago Chile

Missions

Mission Organized
Chile Antofagasta 1 Jul 1988
Chile Concepción 1 Jul 1975
Chile Concepción South 1 Jul 2003
Chile Puerto Montt 1 Jul 1977
Chile Rancagua 8 Oct 1961
Chile Santiago East 1 Jul 1997
Chile Santiago North 1 Jan 1977
Chile Santiago South 1 Jul 2013
Chile Santiago West 1 Jul 1995
Chile Viña del Mar 1 Jul 1979

Temples

Temples in Chile ()
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Rededicated:
Size:
Santiago, Chile
2 April 1980 by Spencer W. Kimball
30 May 1981 by Spencer W. Kimball
15 September 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
12 March 2006 by Gordon B. Hinckley
20,831 sq ft (1,935.3 m2) on a 2.61-acre (1.06 ha) site - designed by Emil B. Fetzer
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Concepción, Chile
3 October 2009 by Thomas S. Monson[19][20]
17 October 2015 by Walter F. González[21]
28 October 2018 by Russell M. Nelson[22]
23,095 sq ft (2,145.6 m2) on a 4.06-acre (1.64 ha) site
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Size:
Antofagasta, Chile
7 April 2019 by Russell M. Nelson[23]
27 November 2020 by Juan Pablo Villar
23,000 sq ft (2,100 m2) on a 2.2-acre (0.89 ha) site
Location:
Announced:
Size:
Santiago, Chile
3 October 2021 by Russell M. Nelson[24][25]
12,500 sq ft (1,160 m2) on a 2.4-acre (0.97 ha) site
Location:
Announced:
Size:
between 3rd North Street and 4th North Street near 4 ½ West, Viña del Mar, Valparaiso, Chile
1 October 2023 by Russell M. Nelson[26][27]
30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) on a 1.87-acre (0.76 ha) site

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Chile", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 31 May 2023
  2. Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches.
  3. Category:Chile Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved August 18, 2022
  4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics
  5. 1 2 3 "The Biggest Little Mormon Country in the World - VQR Online". www.vqronline.org. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  6. Stocks, Hugh G. (1992), "Book of Mormon Translations", in Ludlow, Daniel H (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism, New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 213–214, ISBN 978-0-02-879602-4, OCLC 24502140
  7. | Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt.
  8. "Chile: Virtual Jewish History tour". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Chile". newsroom.lds.org. Archived from the original on 2010-06-18. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  10. 1 2 "International Resources for Latter-day Saints". Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  11. "Country information: Chile". 28 January 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  12. Martinich, Matt. "Discontinued Stakes Worldwide". Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  13. "LDS News - Mormon News - Official Newsroom of the Church". www.mormonnewsroom.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  14. "LDS Church News - A Living Record of the Restoration". LDS Church News. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  15. Swenson, Jason. "Ground broken for future temple in Concepción". thechurchnews.com. Deseret News. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  16. Weaver, Sarah Jane. "President Nelson calls Chile temple dedication 'heavenly crescendo' for 5-nation tour". Deseret News. Deseret News. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  17. "Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at April 2019 General Conference". Mormon Newsroom. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Griffiths, Casey Paul; Esplin, Scott C. (2014). ""Colegias Chilenes de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias": The History of Latter-day Saint Schools in Chile". Journal of Mormon History. 40 (1): 97–134.
  19. "President Thomas S. Monson: 'Welcome to Conference'", Deseret News, October 3, 2009, retrieved 2012-11-06.
  20. Talor, Scott (October 4, 2009), "Brigham City among five new locales for LDS temples", Deseret News, retrieved 2012-11-06.
  21. "Ground Broken for Temples in Chile and the U.S." Newsroom. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 17 October 2015.
  22. "President Nelson Dedicates Concepción Chile Temple: Latter-day Saint prophet completes South America ministry tour". Newsroom. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. 28 October 2017.
  23. "Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at April 2019 General Conference", Newsroom, LDS Church, 7 April 2019
  24. "13 new temple locations announced by President Nelson as conference closes", Church News, Deseret News, 3 Oct 2021
  25. "At the October 2021 General Conference, the Prophet Says the Church Will Build 13 More Temples", Newsroom, LDS Church, 3 Oct 2021
  26. Where the 20 new Latter-day Saint temples will be built as Russell Nelson’s record tally continues to rise, Salt Lake Tribune, 1 October 2023
  27. "The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 20 New Temples", Newsroom, LDS Church, 1 October 2023

References

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