The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ivory Coast
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ivory Coast refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Ivory Coast. At year-end 1989, there were fewer than 200 members in Ivory Coast. In 2023, there were 63,058 members in 262 congregations.
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ivory Coast | |
|---|---|
 (Logo in French) | |
 | |
| Area | Africa West |
| Members | 63,058 (2023)[1] |
| Stakes | 20 |
| Districts | 12 |
| Wards | 154 |
| Branches | 108 |
| Total Congregations[2] | 262 |
| Missions | 4 |
| Temples | 1 under construction |
| FamilySearch Centers | 27[3] |
History
edit| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1989* | 200 |
| 1995* | 2,800 |
| 1999 | 5,402 |
| 2004 | 9,345 |
| 2009 | 13,245 |
| 2012 | 16,248 |
| 2017 | 43,895 |
| 2019 | 52,241 |
| 2022 | 60,162 |
| *Membership was published as a rounded number. | |
Mormon missionaries first preached in Ivory Coast in 1988. Earlier the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been established by Philippe and Annelies Assard and Lucien and Agathe Affoue. The Affoue family joined the church while studying in France. Philippe Assard joined the Church while studying in Germany, where he married Annelies who was a native of Germany. After they returned to Ivroy Coast in the mid 1980s they got in contact with each other and began holding Church meetings.
The first LDS stake was organized in the late 1990s. During the civil war in the 2000s the number of missionaries in the country was reduced and some areas saw missionaries withdrawn. As of 2018 most full-time LDS missionaries in the country were from either the Congo or countries in West Africa, but there were a very few from other areas.
Plans to build a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Abidjan were announced in 2015. As of 2018 the country had three LDS missions, although two of them also covered Church operations in Senegal and Mali.
Stakes and Districts
edit| Stake/District | Organized | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Abengourou Cote d'Ivoire District | 30 Oct 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon Central Stake | 3 Dec 2017 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon North Stake | 7 Feb 2010 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon South Stake | 1 Jun 2014 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Selmer Stake | 1 Mar 2020 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Toit Rouge Stake | 17 Aug 1997 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Yopougon Attie Stake | 6 Sep 2015 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West |
| Abobo Cote d'Ivoire East Stake | 9 Nov 2014 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Abobo Cote d'Ivoire West Stake | 27 Aug 2000 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Aboisso Cote d'Ivoire District | 14 Feb 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Adzope Cote d'Ivoire District | 21 Feb 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Agboville Cote d'Ivoire District | 26 Jun 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Akoupé Cote d'Ivoire District | 23 Apr 2017 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Alepe Cote d'Ivoire District | 14 May 2017 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Anonkoua Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 10 Sep 2017 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North |
| Bouafle Cote d'Ivoire District | 27 Nov 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Bouake Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 5 Jun 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Cocody Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 20 Aug 2006 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Daloa Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 12 Apr 2015 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Dokui Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 11 Sep 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Duekoue Cote d'Ivoire District | 24 Feb 2019 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Gagnoa Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 30 Mar 2014 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Grand-Bassam Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 12 Jun 2016 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Issia Cote d'Ivoire District | 21 Jul 2019 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Koumassi Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 15 Nov 2020 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Man Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 27 Jan 2019 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Port-Bouet Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 23 Sep 2012 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| Quatre Etages Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 29 May 2022 | Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East |
| San Pedro Cote d'Ivoire District | 16 Mar 2014 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Sinfra Cote d'Ivoire District | 27 Oct 2019 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Soubre Cote d'Ivoire District | 29 Nov 2015 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
| Yamoussoukro Cote d'Ivoire Stake | 24 May 2009 | Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro |
Missions
editThe Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan North Mission was created in July 2023 by dividing the east mission and adjoining portions of the west mission.[5]
| Mission | Organized |
|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan East Mission | 1 Jul 1992 |
| Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan North Mission | 1 Jul 2023 |
| Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission | 1 Jul 2014 |
| Côte d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission | 28 Jun 2018 |
Guinea
editThe Conakry Branch was created on June 18, 2017.[6] Initially it became part of the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission but later came under the Côte d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission. The LDS church reported 61 members in 2018.[7]
Mali
editMali has a single congregation, the Bamako Branch, which was created on July 9, 2017.[8] The LDS Church was granted official status in January 2019.[9] The LDS Church reported 50 Latter-day Saint families in Mali that same year and recognition allows missionaries in the country.[10] The branch is administered by the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East Mission as of August 2024, and membership was estimated to be 100 in 2021.[11]
Senegal
editIn 2016, the first missionaries, humanitarian service missionaries, arrived in Senegal, and on February 20, 2018, the LDS Church received official recognition from the Government.[12] On February 13, 2022, the Dakar Senegal District was created with three branches in the Dakar Area (Dakar, Ouakam, Parcelles) as well as a branch in Saint-Louis.[13] There was 108 members in Senegal in 2018 and is assigned to the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission.[14]
The Gambia
editOn February 23, 2022, Elder D. Todd Christofferson along with other Church leaders dedicated the Gambia for the Church's preaching. [15] On June 10, 2022, the Banjul Branch was created. The branch at that time consisted of 26 members and two full-time missionaries from the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission.[16]
Temples
editPlans to build a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Abidjan were announced in 2015. On Nov. 8, 2018 Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the 12 of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presided at the ground breaking for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple. Andersen both spoke and gave the dedicatory prayer in French. During his remarks Anderson shared testimonies of the restored gospel from the Assard family.[17]
|
|
edit | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Open House: Dedicated: |
Abidjan, Ivory Coast 5 April 2015 by Thomas S. Monson[18] 8 November 2018 by Neil L. Andersen[19][20] 1-17 May 2025 scheduled for 1 May 2025 on a 0.55-acre (0.22 ha) site | ||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Cote d'Ivoire", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 10 June 2023
- ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
- ^ Category:Ivory Coast Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved 6 June 2021
- ^ Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Ivory Coast
- ^ Swenson, Madison (Nov 23, 2022), "Church Opening Six New Missions in 2023", KSL TV 5, retrieved January 13, 2023
- ^ "Church Creates Conakry Branch – First Congregation in Guinea", Newsroom, LDS Church, 23 June 2017, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Country Resources:Guinea", cummorah.com, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Meetinghouse Locator", LDS Church, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "2019 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mali", US Department of State, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Church Thanks Mali Government for Formal Recognition", Newsroom, LDS Church, 12 September 2019, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "2021 Report on International Religious Freedom: Mali", US Department of State, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ Senegal: Chronology, LDS Church, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Meetinghouse Locator", LDS Church, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Country Resources:Senegal", cummorah.com, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ MacKimm, Danielle (Feb 26, 2022), "LDS Church leaders dedicate The Gambia to their preaching's", KTVX ABC Channel 4, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ "Church Leaders Meet With First Lady of The Gambia", Newsroom, LDS Church, 18 August 2022, retrieved February 24, 2023
- ^ article on groundbreaking for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple
- ^ Walch, Tad (5 April 2015). "3 new LDS temples to be built in Ivory Coast, Haiti and Thailand, President Monson announces". Deseret News. Retrieved 2015-04-05..
- ^ "Groundbreaking Announced for Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Temple". Newsroom. LDS Church. 4 October 2018.
- ^ "Elder Andersen Presides at the Groundbreaking of Abidjan Cȏte d'Ivoire Temple: Sunny day of gladness". Newsroom. LDS Church. 8 November 2018.
- ^ reference
External links
edit- Newsroom (Côte d'Ivoire) Facts and Statistics
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official Site
- ComeUntoChrist.org Visitors Site