The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas

1844 consideration for Latter Day Saint settlement

Increased persecution around Nauvoo in 1844 led Joseph Smith to consider relocating the church outside the borders of the United States. The Republic of Texas, along with other areas in the western United states, were considered by Smith as a place where the church members would be able to peacefully practice their religion. That year, Smith started negotiations with Sam Houston, president of the Republic of Texas, for the southern and western portions of Texas to be the future home of the Latter Day Saints.^[7] Smith sent Lucien Woodworth to Austin to meet with Houston.^[8]

After Smith's death, negotiations with Houston were abandoned.^[9]

2008 Hurricane Ike

In response to Hurricane Ike in 2008, members of the LDS Church across Texas and other parts of the country volunteered relief and service.

Total LDS Church response to Hurricane Ike included:

• 80,640 hygiene kits (six truckloads).
• 8.064 cleaning kits (four truckloads).
• 4 truckloads of water.
• 11,520 blankets (two truckloads).
• 4,800 food boxes (four truckloads) which included rice, vegetable oil, peanut butter, fruit drink mix, and assorted canned goods. Each food box could feed a family of four for a week to 10 days.
• Food, water, generators, sleeping bags, tools, chain saws, tarps and other items.^[10]

In addition to this aid, thousands of church members came into the area as volunteers to assist in clean up efforts.

Stakes and Districts

As of December 2025, Texas had the following stakes:

A few congregations in Southern Texas are not part of a stake or district. These congregations are the Raymondville Branch, Rio Grande City Branch, Roma Branch, and Zapata Branch and are directly administered by the Texas McAllen Mission and part of the McAllen Texas Temple District.

Missions

Responsibility for Texas has been shared by several different missions. Originally in the Southern States Mission, it was transferred to the Indian Territory Mission, which later changed its name to the Southwestern States Mission and, in 1904, it became the Central States Mission. Texas remained in the Central States Mission until the Texas Mission was organized in 1931. Texas and Louisiana were combined to form the Texas-Louisiana Mission in 1945. Texas was part of the Gulf States Mission from 1955 to 1960.

In 1961, a new Texas Mission was organized. This became the Texas Dallas Mission in 1974. As the church grew, other missions in Texas were organized.