AT A GLANCE
- First Church presence in South Africa: 1853
- Dedicated for missionary work: 1979
- Church membership: 61,221
- Congregations: 159
- Number of Temples: 1
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN SOUTH AFRICA
1853 : First missionaries arrive in South Africa, and first convert (Henry Stringer) baptism perfomed. Two congregations organised, first one in Mowbray Cape Town, and second one in Newlands (just outside of Cape Town)
1925 : First church meeting house built in Johannesburg, called Ramah Chapel
1940 : All missionaries called back home due to World War II, Richard E. Folland remains to teach the local members how to run the church
1951 : Afrikaans Book of Mormon translation begins and is finished and introduced by 1972
1954 : David O. McKay is the first General Authority to visit South Africa and the African Continent
1966: First South African missionary serves outside his homeland
1972: Seminaries and Institutes commenced
1979: President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated South Africa for missionary work
1985: First temple in Africa built and opened in Johannesburg