Zimbabwe
Click here for the Zimbabwe Mormon Newsroom
36,152
Total Church Membership
Population vs. Church Members
8
Stakes
91
Congregations
18
FamilySearch Centers
2
Missions |
History
Missionary work began in what was then Southern Rhodesia in the early 1930s, but soon slowed. It was continued only by short visits by missionaries from South Africa. In 1950, eight missionaries were sent to Salisbury and Bulawayo, and the first convert was baptized in February 1951.
On April 17, 1951 missionaries distributed 3,000 handbills and a fairly large crowd attended an introductory meeting. The first services were held in a preschool building, and prospective members sat on tiny chairs. Later they met in the cloak room of a primary school.
In 1980 the government changed and the nation of Zimbabwe was formed. A new mission was established in Zimbabwe. At that time, membership was a little more than 1,000. Missionary work increased as local missionaries began serving full-time missions.
Since 1988 the Church has had an ongoing humanitarian project in Zimbabwe that has included the donation of funds, a mill for grinding grain, gardening materials, a dam near Masvingo, and two large shipments of new textbooks for Zimbabwe's school children.
In January 1997 there were 6,360 members in Zimbabwe, and by October the Church had grown to 7,100 members, an increase of 11.5 percent in less than nine months.
President Gordon B. Hinckley visited Zimbabwe and spoke to members on February 18, 1998 during a five-country tour of Africa.
For Journalist Use Only
Wellington Mubaiwa
Zimbabwe
Phone: 400 263 91 290 077
Africa
Total Church Membership
736,701
Members
2,476
Congregations
Missions
39Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
5Temples
Asia
Total Church Membership
1,259,094
Members
2,110
Congregations
Missions
45Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
8Temples
Europe
Total Church Membership
500,239
Members
1,350
Congregations
Missions
34Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
14Temples
North America
Total Church Membership
9,489,479
Members
18,476
Congregations
Missions
174Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
112Temples
Oceania (Pacific)
Total Church Membership
587,462
Members
1,301
Congregations
Missions
18Missions
FamilySearch Centers
Temples
10Temples
South America
Total Church Membership
4,232,425
Members
5,602
Congregations