Suriname
1,848
Total Church Membership
6
Congregations
3
FamilySearch Centers
History
The Jay and Shirley Bills family lived in Suriname from 1969 to 1972 and held their own Church services. Their daughter Lisa Bills was baptized at age 8 in August 1967 in a river outside Paramaribo, the first known baptism in the country.
Former Netherlands Amsterdam Mission President John Limburg and his wife, Beverly, were called to begin missionary work in Suriname. The Limburgs arrived in Paramaribo in October 1988. By the beginning of 1989, approximately 16 people were attending services. On Easter Sunday, March 26, 1989, August Marengo and two sisters, Eleni and Maudi Treonosimitoe, became the first converts baptized.
A month later Iwan Nathaniel and Philly Denswel were baptized. Denswel’s extended family lived in Lelydorp, which led the Limburgs to begin holding worship services there in December 1989. Membership had increased in Paramaribo so that in November 1989 a branch (a small congregation) was formally organized. By 1990, attendance at the branch averaged about 100 people.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve (the second highest governing body of the Church) visited in February 1990. Four men saw in the newspaper an announcement of Elder Ballard’s coming to Suriname and attended the meeting. All four joined the Church, including Stanley Cooman, who became the first native branch president. In 1990, don and Lorna Rapier received copies of pre-recorded radio broadcasts about gospel principles from missionaries in Holland and arranged for broadcasts on a local Dutch-speaking radio program. Irena Manakavera heard one of the broadcasts and was later baptized. She was influential in bringing 28 people into the Church, including several members from a local Carib Indian tribe.
In 2001, there were 495 members in Suriname. The Paramaribo chapel was dedicated in July 2001 and, due to membership growth, the Paramaribo Branch was divided in September 2002 to form the Wanica Branch.
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National Director of Communication
(597) 884-7296
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