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    Tonga Click here for the Pacific Newsroom

    68,404

    Total Church Membership

    1-in-

    21

    Stakes

    1010

    175

    Congregations

    140 Wards
    35 Branches

    21

    FamilySearch Centers

    21

    1

    Temples

    1

    Missions | 2 Districts

    History

    On July 15, 1891, Brigham Smoot and Alva Butler, the first Latter-day Saint missionaries in Tonga, arrived in Nuku‘alofa. News of their arrival spread quickly, and the following day they found audience with King George Tupou I. The king graciously listened as the missionaries’ translator read the Articles of Faith in Tongan. Despite having recently created the Free Church of Tonga, the king granted the missionaries permission to preach in the country. With little success, however, the mission closed in 1897, having baptized fewer than 15 people.

    Ten years later, missionaries organized a school in Neiafu, where one member lived, and began preaching throughout the islands. In the century since then, the Church has organized dozens of schools throughout Tonga. Today, seven of those schools (five middle schools and two high schools) continue to operate. Generations of Latter-day Saints have shared both skills from their education and the message of the restored gospel in their communities, and many thousands of Tongans have joined the Church. Today, more than half the population of Tonga are members of the Church.

    Saints in Tonga have shown exceptional faith and diligence in living the gospel, exemplifying the scriptural call to “cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; … to see the salvation of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:17). The history of the Church in Tonga is filled with faithful members who have trusted in God, accepted His commands, and worked faithfully to build the Church in their homeland.

    For Journalist Use Only

    Richard Hunter
    New Zealand
    Phone:  64(9)488-5572
    Mobile: 64-21-240-7804

    E-mail

    Africa

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    849,568

    Members

    2,721

    Congregations

    Missions

    45Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    423

    Temples

    6Temples

    Asia

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    1,298,181

    Members

    2,113

    Congregations

    Missions

    45Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    402

    Temples

    10Temples

    Europe

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    507,748

    Members

    1,296

    Congregations

    Missions

    35Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    663

    Temples

    14Temples

    North America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    9,637,503

    Members

    18,423

    Congregations

    Missions

    175Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    3,054

    Temples

    120Temples

    Oceania (Pacific)

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    599,065

    Members

    1,308

    Congregations

    Missions

    17Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    318

    Temples

    11Temples

    South America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    4,320,129

    Members

    5,629

    Congregations

    Missions

    97Missions

    FamilySearch Centers

    1,355

    Temples

    25Temples