South Africa Information

South Africa Information
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AT A GLANCE    

  • First Church presence in South Africa:   1853
  • Dedicated for missionary work: 1979
  • Church membership: 61,221
  • Congregations: 159
  • Number of Temples: 1

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA

1853 :  First missionaries arrive in South Africa, and first convert (Henry Stringer) baptism perfomed. Two congregations  organised, first one in Mowbray Cape Town, and second one in Newlands (just outside of Cape Town)

1925 : First church meeting house built in Johannesburg, called Ramah Chapel

1940 : All missionaries called back home due to World War II, Richard E. Folland remains to teach the local members how to run the church

1951 : Afrikaans Book of Mormon translation begins and  is finished and introduced by 1972            

1954 : David O. McKay is the first General Authority to visit South Africa and the African Continent

1966: First South African missionary serves outside his homeland

1972: Seminaries and Institutes commenced

1979: President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated South Africa for missionary work  

1985: First temple in Africa built and opened in Johannesburg