Facts and Statistics

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    Nova Scotia

    5 118

    Total Church Membership

    0.53% 1-in-190

    Population vs. Church Members

    1

    Stakes

    12

    Congregations

    6 Wards
    6 Branches

    7

    Family History Centers

    7

    1

    Temples

    History

    Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began proselyting in the Maritime Provinces in 1833 when they arrived in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 1843, missionaries were again sent to Nova Scotia by Joseph Smith, the first President of the Church. The Halifax Branch (a small congregation) was created 14 November 1843, and smaller branches began in Preston, Popes Harbour, and Onslow.

    Members of the Church in the Maritimes joined other Church members to migrate to the western United States during late 1840's to the mid 1850's. A group of 50 Church members (most of the Halifax Branch) traveled aboard the ship Barque Halifax, which departed 12 May 1855 and traveled around Cape Horn to San Francisco. This exodus ended organized branches of the Church in the Maritimes until proselyting was resumed by the Canadian Mission in 1920. Membership in the area was often depleted when converts moved to be closer to the established Church.

    As missionary work resumed in the Maritimes, missionaries presided over congregations in Halifax, Windsor, and New Glasgow. The Halifax Branch was again organized in 1947. Construction of a meetinghouse began was completed in 1959. In 1959, several converts were baptized in Bridgewater. A branch in Bridgewater was created in 1961 and grew to 135 members by 1967. A branch in Sydney was created in 1958. In 1974, membership in the Halifax and Dartmouth branches grew to about 750.

    Church membership in Nova Scotia grew dramatically during the later 1900's. The Dartmouth Nova Scotia Stake (similar to a diocese) was created in 1985.

    The Dartmouth/Halifax area in Nova Scotia continues to serve as the center of Church activity in the Maritimes.

    A temple was dedicated in Dartmouth in November 1999.

     

     

    Canada

    203 339

    Total Church Membership

    1-in-

    53

    Stakes

    1010101010

    489

    Congregations

    347 Wards
    142 Branches

    152

    Family History Centers

    152

    9

    Temples

    6

    Missions | 4 Districts

    History

    Joseph Smith, Sr. and his son Don Carlos — the father and brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. — preached in several Canadian towns and hamlets north of the St. Lawrence River in September 1830. The Canadian settlements were only a day or two’s journey from Palmyra, New York, and Kirtland, Ohio, and several converts were eager to share their new religion with relatives north of the border.

    Between 1830 and 1850, some 2,500 Canadians joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, mostly in Upper Canada (modern-day southern Ontario and the watershed areas of Northern Ontario along the Ottawa River and Lakes Huron and Superior) but also in the southern English-speaking townships of Lower Canada (southern portion of current-day Quebec and the Labrador region), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

    The first known Latter-day Saints to enter what is now Alberta were Simeon F. Allen and his son Heber S. Allen of Hyrum, Utah, who contracted work in 1883 on the Canadian Pacific Railroad between Medicine Hat and Calgary. They were joined by other Later-day Saints from Utah working on the contract.

    A few years later in 1886, Cache Stake President Charles O. Card received permission from Church President John Taylor to investigate colonizing opportunities in southwestern Canada.

    Today, more than 190,000 Latter-day Saints are spread throughout 496 congregations in Canada.

    Africa

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    849 568

    Members

    2 721

    Congregations

    Missions

    45Missions

    Family History Centers

    423

    Temples

    6Temples

    Asia

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    1 298 181

    Members

    2 113

    Congregations

    Missions

    45Missions

    Family History Centers

    402

    Temples

    10Temples

    Europe

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    507 748

    Members

    1 296

    Congregations

    Missions

    35Missions

    Family History Centers

    663

    Temples

    14Temples

    North America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    9 637 503

    Members

    18 423

    Congregations

    Missions

    175Missions

    Family History Centers

    3 054

    Temples

    120Temples

    Oceania (Pacific)

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    599 065

    Members

    1 308

    Congregations

    Missions

    17Missions

    Family History Centers

    318

    Temples

    11Temples

    South America

    Total Church Membership

    Members
    Congregations

    4 320 129

    Members

    5 629

    Congregations

    Missions

    97Missions

    Family History Centers

    1 355

    Temples

    25Temples