The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican Republic
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican Republic refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Dominican Republic. The LDS Church has had a presence in the Dominican Republic since 1978. With 153,000 members in 202 congregations, Dominican Republic has the largest body of LDS Church members in the Caribbean. It also has the highest members per capita rate in the Caribbean.
History
On 7 December 1978, the Dominican Republic was dedicated for the preaching of the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints by Apostle M. Russell Ballard.[5] The first person baptized in the country was Rodolfo N. Bodden.[5] Bodden had been introduced to the LDS Church by his friends Eddie and Mercedes Amparo, Dominican Mormons who had joined the LDS Church in New York City and had since returned to their home country, and John and Nancy Rappleye, an expatriate American couple from Utah.[5] After his baptism, Bodden held several leadership callings in LDS Church in the Dominican Republic. He was a counselor to the country's first branch president and Bodden was the first district president in the Dominican Republic.[5]
The first mission of the church in the Dominican Republic—the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mission—was created in 1981 when there were 2500 members in the country.[5] By 1986, there were 11,000 members and the first stake of the church in the Dominican Republic was organized in Santo Domingo, with Bodden as the country's first stake patriarch.[5] The second mission in the Dominican Republic was organized in Santiago on 1 July 1987.[5]
Stakes and Districts
| Stake | Organized | Mission |
|---|---|---|
| Azua DR District | 13 Oct 1983 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Bani DR District | 2 Mar 1993 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Barahona DR District | 9 Apr 1991 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Bonao DR District | 1 Nov 2009 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| Cotui DR District | 1 Nov 2009 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| Havana Cuba District | 18 Jun 2017 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| La Romana DR Stake | 11 Dec 2005 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| La Vega DR Stake | 21 Jun 1998 | DR Santiago |
| Los Alcarrizos DR Stake | 13 Mar 2005 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| Monte Cristi DR District | 31 Jan 1995 | DR Santiago |
| Monte Plata DR District | 5 Nov 2023 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Navarrete DR Stake | 22 Apr 1986 | DR Santiago |
| Puerto Plata DR Stake | 13 Feb 2005 | DR Santiago |
| San Cristóbal DR Stake | 25 May 1997 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| San Francisco de Macoris DR Stake | 26 May 1991 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| San Juan DR District | 11 Feb 1992 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| San Pedro DR District | 13 Oct 1983 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Santiago DR East Stake | 21 May 2006 | DR Santiago |
| Santiago DR North Stake | 8 Jan 1995 | DR Santiago |
| Santiago DR South Stake | 17 Feb 1991 | DR Santiago |
| Santo Domingo DR Central Stake | 18 Oct 1992 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Santo Domingo DR Duarte Stake | 9 Jun 2019 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| Santo Domingo DR El Almirante Stake | 13 Apr 2008 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Santo Domingo DR Independencia Stake | 18 May 2014 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Santo Domingo DR Las Americas Stake | 13 Apr 2008 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Santo Domingo DR Las Caobas Stake | 2 Nov 2003 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Santo Domingo DR Los Restauradores Stake | 31 Aug 2008 | DR Santo Domingo North |
| Santo Domingo DR Oriental Stake | 5 Nov 1989 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Santo Domingo DR Ozama Stake | 2 Feb 1992 | DR Santo Domingo East |
| Santo Domingo DR San Gerónimo Stake | 16 Oct 1988 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Santo Domingo DR Stake | 23 Mar 1986 | DR Santo Domingo West |
| Santo Domingo DR Villa Mella Stake | 17 Mar 1996 | DR Santo Domingo North |
Missions
| Mission | Organized |
|---|---|
| Dominican Republic Santiago Mission | 1 Jul 1987 |
| Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission | 1 Jul 1991 |
| Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North Mission | June 2024 |
| Dominican Republic Santo Domingo West Mission | 1 Jan 1981 |
Cuba
The Cuba District is directly administered by the Caribbean Area. It includes all of Cuba with exception of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. In 2018, it had 357 members in five congregations. There were three congregations in and around Havana (Cotorro Branch, Havana Branch, and La Portada Branch), one in Holguin (Holguin Branch), and one that serves members and families not in proximity to a meetinghouse (Havana Cuba District Branch). As of 2023, Cuba was administered through the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission, however no missionaries are assigned to the country.[6] in February 2026, there were ten branches in two districts, namely:
Havana Cuba District
- Cotorro Branch
- Guanabacoa Branch
- Havana Branch
- Havana Cuba District Branch
- La Portada Branch
Holguin Cuba District
- Buenaventura Branch
- Cabezo Branch
- Guaramanao Branch
- Holguín 1st Branch
- Holguín 2nd Branch
Temples
Red = Operating
Blue = Under Construction
Yellow = announced
Black = Closed for Renovations
On 16 November 1993, the LDS Church announced that it would construct a temple in Santo Domingo.[7] On 17 September 2000, church president Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple; it was the church's 99th operating temple and the first temple built in a Caribbean country.[7]
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| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Size: Style: |
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic November 16, 1993 by Gordon B. Hinckley August 18, 1996 by Richard G. Scott September 17, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley 67,000 sq ft (6,200 m2) on a 6.42-acre (2.60 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Scott Partnership and Church A&E Services | |||||
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| Location: Announced: |
Santiago de los Caballeros 6 October 2024 by Russell M. Nelson[8][9] | |||||
