The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints started with just six members in the United States in April 6, 1830. Presently, it boasts of 16 million members located in different parts of the world, and is still growing with more people joining the Church every year. Take a peek at some additional information and gain more knowledge about the growth of the Church and its operations worldwide.
Church Growth Facts and Figures
The numbers attest to the emerging growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout its history. There are more than 30,000 congregations around the world where members of the Church get to meet, worship God and learn about His gospel. In fulfilling their voluntary obligations, over 65,000 full-time missionaries are working in more than 400 distinct missions around the world.
Regular worship is held every Sunday in numerous chapels located globally. But aside from this, temples also serve as venues for worship. The number of temples built to accommodate the worldwide growth of the Church has increased tremendously the last several decades. The recorded number of operating temples has jumped significantly from 19 during the middle part of 1981 to 100 by the end of the year 2000. In 2018, a total of 170 temples were either announced, being constructed or presently in use.
Here in the Philippines, there are more than 785,000 Latter-day Saints spread out in 1,227 congregations. The Manila and Cebu temples are currently in use while the construction of the Urdaneta temple is underway. Temples have also been announced for the Greater Manila Area, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.
World-wide Humanitarian Service
The Church has been actively participating in providing humanitarian aid to 189 countries since 1985; this includes giving relief to disaster-stricken areas and shelters for refugees. It also acted as sponsors for welfare initiatives worldwide such as donating wheelchairs to those in need and supporting immunization programs. The missionaries of the Church render their voluntary service for welfare and humanitarian causes around the world.
The number of missions which the Church has accomplished was dutifully recorded. By the year 2017, emergency-response projects totalled 111; help in vision care for 97,000 people in 40 countries were provided; training and seminars were given to 34,600 caregivers in 38 countries so they can assist in taking care of mothers and their newborns. Furthermore, the Church has initiated actions towards clear water and sanitation for people in 76 countries since 2002, and has provided routine immunizations in 45 countries since 2003.
Espousing Education and Family History
One of the topmost priorities for the Church is education. This is why it manages four universities and colleges, and founded a seminary program for the youth where more than 400,000 high school students are enrolled. The Church puts emphasis on family history or genealogy. It operates 5,100 family history centers in 140 countries, where guests can find information about their ancestors as they research on their family trees. These facilities are open to both Church members and non-members.
Why is it important for the Church?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been engaging itself in various missions and activities worldwide primarily to provide qualified but voluntary services with a goal to make communities better places to live. Congregations are growing rapidly, and chances are you can find one in your community or anywhere in the world. The Church is a thriving global religion, working hard to spread the love and compassion of Christ through sharing and offering itself in the service of mankind. If you’re interested in learning more facts about the Church and its members, you can visit ComeuntoChrist.org to chat with missionaries. ◼︎
Additional Resources:
Click here to learn more about temples
Click here to learn more about the Church’s humanitarian efforts