Malta
244
Total Church Membership
1
Congregations
1
FamilySearch Centers
History
In February 1852, Apostle Lorenzo Snow and Jabez Woodard arrived on Malta and began to preach the gospel. That May, Ferndinanda Seiapati and Jean Alais Frouche were the first people baptized on the island. The following June, a branch (a small congregation) was organized. Most of the converts were British military personnel. Opposition surfaced, however, and many converts were threatened by military officials with loss of rank or punishment for their involvement in the Church. Many remained faithful, but others fell away.
In 1854, many branch members left Malta to serve in the Crimean War. Four mobile branches were organized to serve the members at war from the original branch in Malta. By 1856, however, the main branch was dissolved.
Thereafter, there is no known Church presence on Malta until the 1960s when Latter-day Saints, primarily with the British military, came to Malta. Most lived there temporarily, but by December 1968 an informal group was meeting, with meetings continuing until at least 1972.
Mission president Lino P. Gambarotto with Church legal counsel David Farnsworth went to Malta in September 1979. They met with government officials and learned that missionaries were welcome but that getting them permission to stay over extended periods of time would be difficult. The government of Malta granted permission for the Church to have missionaries there in January 1980.
Missionary work progressed and in December 1988 a branch (a small congregation) was organized. In early 1991, missionary work was interrupted due to anti-American demonstrations and the branch was discontinued, reopening in October 1991 with Emanuele D’Emanuele as the first native president. Missionaries returned in June 1993.
Contact
Communication Director
Remo Sicardi
Phone: +39 351 710 3192
Email
Africa
Total Church Membership
791,837
Members
2,559
Congregations
Missions
40Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
6Temples
Asia
Total Church Membership
1,281,560
Members
2,103
Congregations
Missions
45Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
8Temples
Europe
Total Church Membership
503,692
Members
1,318
Congregations
Missions
36Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
14Temples
North America
Total Church Membership
9,551,107
Members
18,426
Congregations
Missions
175Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
113Temples
Oceania (Pacific)
Total Church Membership
591,950
Members
1,308
Congregations
Missions
18Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
11Temples
South America
Total Church Membership
4,269,273
Members
5,616
Congregations