The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong
A meetinghouse in Hong Kong.
AreaAsia
Members24,611 (2022)[1]
Stakes4
Districts1
Wards21
Branches5
Total Congregations[2]26
Missions1
Temples
  • 1 Operating
FamilySearch Centers5[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Hong Kong refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Hong Kong. In 2021, Hong Kong had the third most LDS Church members per capita in Asia behind the Philippines and Mongolia.[4]

History

Membership in Hong Kong
YearMembers
1950 3
1960 346
1970 3,085
1980 6,193
1989* 17,000
1999 20,256
2009 23,223
2019 25,083
*Membership was published as an estimated or rounded number.
Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Hong Kong[1]

The LDS Church has had a presence in Hong Kong since 1949 when church president George Albert Smith sent missionaries to China to preach.[5]

Stakes & district

Wan Chai Chapel

As of July 2023, the LDS Church had 6 stakes and one district in Hong Kong:

Stake/District Organized Wards Branches
Hong Kong China District (English/Mandarin) 17 May 1998 5
Hong Kong China Kowloon Stake 20 Mar 1994 6
Hong Kong China New Territories Stake 11 Nov 1984 5
Hong Kong China Tolo Harbour Stake 11 Nov 1984 5
Hong Kong China Victoria Harbour Stake 25 Apr 1976 5

Missions

The China Hong Kong Mission is the only one in the region and its geographical administrative area includes all of China. There are missionaries in Macau but as of 2007, there are none preaching within mainland China, although there are some service missionaries.

Temples

Hong Kong China Temple Location
Red = Operating
Blue = Under Construction
Yellow = Announced
Black = Closed for Renovations

The Hong Kong China Temple was built in 1996 and is located at 2 Cornwall Street, Kowloon Tong. When it was completed it served also as a meetinghouse for a local congregation. The offices of the China Hong Kong Mission were also located in the building, as were living quarters for the temple president, mission president, and others. In 2005, with the completion of a new administration building in Wan Chai, the headquarters for the church moved there. In June 2010, with the completion of a new chapel across the street (street address: 18 Dorset Crescent), the meetinghouse and mission offices were relocated there. The living quarters for the temple president, mission president, and six missionaries are still located in the temple building.

In January 2019, the LDS Church announced that the Hong Kong China Temple would close on July 8, 2019, for extensive renovations.[6] The temple was reopened in June 2022.

edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Rededicated:
Size:
Style:
Kowloon City, Hong Kong, China
3 October 1992 by Ezra Taft Benson
22 January 1994 by John K. Carmack
26 May 1996 by Gordon B. Hinckley
19 June 2022 by Gerrit W. Gong
51,921 sq ft (4,823.6 m2) on a 0.31-acre (0.13 ha) site
Hong Kong colonial, single-spire design - designed by Liang Peddle Thorpe Architects

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Hong Kong", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 4 June 2023
  2. ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
  3. ^ Hong Kong Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved August 21, 2022
  4. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics
  5. ^ Church News (Hong Kong)
  6. ^ "Asia Temple Will Close for Renovation". Mormon Newsroom. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 4 April 2019.