Colombia
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215,331
Total Church Membership
31
Stakes
256
Congregations
72
FamilySearch Centers
2
Temples
5
Missions |
History
In May 1966, Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a small group of missionaries traveled to Bogotá, where Elder Kimball dedicated Colombia for the preaching of the gospel and organized the first branch in the country. The gospel spread quickly from there; within months missionaries had begun preaching in Cali, Medellín, Pereira, and Bucaramanga. Colombians accepted the gospel so readily that a mission was organized in Colombia in 1971.
Church growth after the creation of the mission accelerated even more quickly. By 1977, when the first stake in Colombia was created in Bogotá, nearly 12,000 members were living in the country. In April 1984, Colombian Saints celebrated the announcement of a temple in the country. However, ongoing difficulty with land acquisition and construction delayed the project. In the meantime, many Colombian Saints made significant sacrifices to attend the temple in other countries. In April 1999, 15 years after the temple was announced, it was finally dedicated. On the first day the temple was open, Saints participated in ordinances around the clock. A second temple, in Barranquilla, was dedicated in 2018.
Colombian Saints have frequently reached out in love and kindness to their neighbors and exemplified true servants of Christ by doing “the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). In 2016, to celebrate the Church’s 50th anniversary in Colombia, Saints from all over the country participated in service projects, blood drives, family history exhibitions, and interfaith dialogues across the country.
For Journalist Use Only
Guillermo Estrugo N.
Office: +511-3177045
Mobile: 51-998477530
E-Mail
Africa
Total Church Membership
849,568
Members
2,721
Congregations
Missions
45Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
6Temples
Asia
Total Church Membership
1,298,181
Members
2,113
Congregations
Missions
45Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
10Temples
Europe
Total Church Membership
507,748
Members
1,296
Congregations
Missions
35Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
14Temples
North America
Total Church Membership
9,637,503
Members
18,423
Congregations
Missions
175Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
120Temples
Oceania (Pacific)
Total Church Membership
599,065
Members
1,308
Congregations
Missions
17Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
11Temples
South America
Total Church Membership
4,320,129
Members
5,629
Congregations