The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Guatemala. The first convert in Guatemala was baptized in 1948. As of December 31, 2021, there were 287,475 members in 439 congregations in Guatemala.[1] Guatemala ranks as having the 4th most members of the LDS Church in North America and 8th worldwide.[4]


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Guatemala
An LDS meetinghouse in Guatemala
AreaCentral America
Members290,068 (2023)[1]
Stakes51
Districts12
Wards297
Branches142
Total Congregations[2]439
Missions7
Temples
  • 3 Operating
  • 1 Under Construction
  • 2 Announced
  • 6 Total
FamilySearch Centers127[3]

History

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Membership in Guatemala
YearMembership
19484
195062
19601,807
197014,361
197917,973
1989*99,000
1999174,784
2009215,186
2019281,465
2022287,475
*Membership was published as an estimate.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Guatemala[1]

The first missionaries arrived in Guatemala in 1947. The first convert in Guatemala was baptized in 1948. The Central American Mission headquartered in Guatemala City was organized in 1952. The church obtained official recognition in Guatemala in 1966. Guatemala's first stake was formed in 1967 in Guatemala City.[5][1]

In October 2019, the Coban Guatemala Temple was announced by church president Russell M. Nelson. The temple was dedicated in June 2024 by Dale G. Renlund and is the church's third temple in the country.[6]

Stakes and districts

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Stake/District Organized Mission Temple
Amatitlán Guatemala Stake 28 Jun 1998 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala Stake 5 May 2013 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Cuilapa Guatemala District 15 Dec 1984 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Chimaltenango Guatemala Stake 26 Oct 1986 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Chiquimula Guatemala South District 26 Mar 2023 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Chulac Guatemala Stake 15 Nov 1992 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
Coatepeque Guatemala Stake 10 Dec 1989 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Coban Guatemala Stake 29 Oct 1995 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
Escuintla Guatemala Stake 12 Jun 1994 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Stake 21 May 1967 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Atlántico Stake 7 Dec 1986 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Bosques de San Nicolás Stake 15 Oct 1995 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Central Stake 7 Dec 1986 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Don Justo Stake 18 Jun 2017 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City El Molino Stake 19 Aug 1990 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Florida Stake 7 Dec 1986 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City La Esperanza Stake 30 Jan 1999 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City La Laguna Stake 27 Nov 1988 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Las Victorias Stake 31 Oct 1976 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Mariscal Stake 10 Jun 1979 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Milagro Stake 15 Apr 1990 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Montserrat Stake 15 Oct 1995 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Nimajuyu Stake 9 Jul 1989 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Palmita Stake 15 Jan 1995 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City San Cristóbal Stake 5 Jun 2016 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Utatlán Stake 8 Jun 1975 Guatemala Guatemala City Guatemala City Guatemala
Guatemala City Villa Hermosa Stake 30 Apr 1995 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Guazacapan Guatemala District 22 Jan 1990 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Huehuetenango Guatemala Calvario Stake 19 Jun 1994 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Huehuetenango Guatemala Central Stake 6 Jul 2014 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Huehuetenango Guatemala Zaculeu Stake 4 Dec 1988 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Jalapa Guatemala Stake 9 May 1993 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Linda Vista Guatemala Stake 21 Feb 2016 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Malacatán Guatemala Stake 9 May 1993 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Mazatenango Guatemala Stake 10 Dec 1989 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Mazatenango Guatemala Las Flores Stake 11 Jun 2023 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Momostenango Guatemala Stake 12 May 1996 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Momostenango Guatemala West District 26 Sep 1993 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Motagua Guatemala District 17 Apr 1994 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Patzicia Guatemala Stake 10 Nov 1996 Guatemala Antigua Guatemala City Guatemala
Paxajtup Guatemala District 31 Oct 2010 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Puerto Barrios Guatemala District 27 Mar 1990 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala
Quetzaltenango Guatemala Stake 19 Oct 1975 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Quetzaltenango Guatemala El Bosque Stake 6 Nov 1994 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Quetzaltenango Guatemala Santa Fé Stake 19 Mar 2017 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Quetzaltenango Guatemala West Stake 24 Oct 1984 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Retalhuleu Guatemala Las Palmas Stake 28 Feb 1999 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Retalhuleu Guatemala Stake 17 Aug 1980 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Sacsuha Guatemala District 5 Mar 1990 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
Salama Guatemala District 27 Sep 1992 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
San Benito Guatemala Stake 15 Dec 1984 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
San Felipe Guatemala Stake 19 Sep 1993 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
San Marcos Guatemala Stake 24 Oct 1984 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
San Pedro Guatemala Stake 24 May 1998 Guatemala Retalhuleu Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Santa Cruz del Quiche Guatemala District 2 Dec 1986 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa Guatemala Stake 12 Jun 1994 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Senahu Guatemala Stake 5 Mar 1990 Guatemala Cobán Cobán Guatemala
Solola Guatemala Stake 12 Jul 1979 Guatemala Antigua Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Totonicapán Guatemala Stake 13 Sep 2009 Guatemala Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Villa Nueva Guatemala Stake 27 Jan 1991 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Villa Nueva Guatemala El Frutal Stake 4 Nov 2012 Guatemala Guatemala City Central Guatemala City Guatemala
Zacapa Guatemala Stake 14 Jan 1996 Guatemala Guatemala City East Guatemala City Guatemala

Missions

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As of February 2023, Guatemala had the following missions:

Mission Organized
Guatemala Antigua 1 Jul 2019
Guatemala Cobán 1 Jul 2013
Guatemala Guatemala City 29 Mar 1988
Guatemala Guatemala City Central 1 Jul 1993
Guatemala Guatemala City East 1 Aug 1965
Guatemala Quetzaltenango 1 Jul 1977
Guatemala Retalhuleu 30 Jun 2010

Temples

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Temples in and near Guatemala (edit)
  = Operating
  = Under construction
  = Announced
  = Temporarily Closed

Temples in Guatemala Department
Red = Operating
Blue = Under construction
Yellow = Announced
Black = Closed for renovations
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:
Guatemala City, Guatemala
1 April 1981 by Spencer W. Kimball
12 September 1982 by Richard G. Scott
14 December 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley
11,610 sq ft (1,079 m2) on a 1.4-acre (0.57 ha) site
Modern adaptation of six-spire design - designed by Church A&E Services and Jose Asturias
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Notes:
Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
17 December 2006 by Gordon B. Hinckley[9]
14 March 2009 by Don R. Clarke
11 December 2011 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
21,085 sq ft (1,958.9 m2) on a 6.47-acre (2.62 ha) site - designed by Naylor Wentworth Lund Architects
Announced by Gordon B. Hinckley at the groundbreaking of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple,[7] and dedicated by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.[8]
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Cobán, Guatemala
5 October 2019 by Russell M. Nelson[10]
14 November 2020 by Brian K. Taylor
9 June 2024 by Dale G. Renlund
8,772 sq ft (814.9 m2) on a 2.1-acre (0.85 ha) site
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Size:
Guatemala City, Guatemala
4 October 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[11]
3 December 2022 by Patricio M. Giuffra[13]
30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) on a 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) site
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Location:
Announced:
Size:
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
2 October 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[14][15]
10,787 sq ft (1,002.1 m2) on a 3.4-acre (1.4 ha) site
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Location:
Announced:
Retalhuleu, Guatemala
2 April 2023 by Russell M. Nelson[16][17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Guatemala", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 29 May 2023
  2. ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
  3. ^ Category:Guatemala Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved August 18, 2022
  4. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics
  5. ^ "Country information: Guatemala", Church News Online Almanac, Deseret News, January 29, 2010, retrieved 2012-10-18
  6. ^ Toone, Trent. "8 new Latter-day Saint temples announced by President Nelson at women's session". Deseret News. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  7. ^ Moore, Carrie A. (December 17, 2006), "Ground broken for LDS temple", Deseret Morning News, retrieved 2012-10-15
  8. ^ Swensen, Jason (December 11, 2011), "Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple: 'This temple will bring eternal families to this place and country'", Church News, retrieved 2012-10-15
  9. ^ Moore, Carrie A. (December 17, 2006), "Ground broken for LDS temple", Deseret Morning News, retrieved 2012-10-15
  10. ^ "President Nelson Announces Eight New Temples at October 2019 General Conference", Newsroom, LDS Church, 5 October 2019
  11. ^ "Prophet Announces Six New Temples at October 2020 General Conference", Newsroom, LDS Church, 4 October 2020
  12. ^ "Temple Site Locations Announced in Four Latin American Countries", Newsroom, LDS Church, 23 September 2021, retrieved 20 October 2022
  13. ^ "Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala", Página del Área de Centroamérica, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3 December 2022, retrieved 3 December 2022
  14. ^ "President Nelson announces 18 new temples, including 4 near Mexico City, as conference closes", Deseret News, Deseret News, 2 October 2022
  15. ^ "The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 18 New Houses of the Lord", Newsroom, LDS Church, 2 October 2022
  16. ^ Full summary of Sunday’s LDS General Conference: Nelson urges members to be peacemakers, announces 15 new temples, Salt Lake Tribune, 2 April 2023
  17. ^ "The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 15 New Houses of the Lord", Newsroom, LDS Church, 2 April 2023
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