The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ecuador refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Ecuador. The first missionaries arrived on October 31, 1965. Since then, the LDS Church in Ecuador has grown to more than 250,000 members in more than 300 congregations.[1] Ecuador ranks as having the 5th most members of the LDS Church in South America and 9th worldwide[4]
History
Membership in Ecuador
Year
Membership
1970*
1,000
1979
23,332
1989*
70,000
1999
146,420
2009
185,663
2019
253,781
*Membership was published as an estimate. Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Ecuador[1]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2021)
The first Mormon missionaries from the Andes Mission arrived in Quito, Ecuador in October 1965.
Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles believes that teaching descendants of ancient Andean Indians will serve the purpose of fulfilling God's promise to bring the Book of Mormon to the Lamanites. Over the next few years, Kimball visited Ecuador a few times for preaching gospel. The church established a strong presence in Quito, Guayaquil, and among indigenous Otavalans.
In January 1966,[5] Missionaries held the very first sacrament meeting in Guayaquil and they arrived Otavalo in March 1966. Within weeks of their arrival, printed notices were surrounded among nearby Ibarra warning the local residents to avoid Latter-day Saints and a few other proselytizing sects.
The inaugural branch meeting was held in March, attended by the missionaries and Manuel Macías Caseras in Otavalo. Within the year, the branch grew to more than 18 members.
Guayaquil, Ecuador 31 March 1982 by Spencer W. Kimball 10 August 1996 by Richard G. Scott 1 August 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m2) on a 6.2-acre (2.5 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Rafael Velez Calisto, Architects & Consultants and Church A&E Services
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