Mormonism in Haiti

Introduction

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) was first officially established in Haiti in 1980. Albeit extremely small in comparison to the national population, the Church in Haiti has developed a strong core of local church leadership. The Church in few countries in the Caribbean exhibits the level of self-sufficiency in church leadership and administration as the Church in Haiti. Nevertheless, the Church has reported modest growth rates over the past three decades.

History

The first known Haitian Latter-day Saint joined the Church in 1977 in Florida. This member traveled from Haiti to Florida in order to be taught and baptized and later returned to Haiti. Twenty-two converts joined the Church near Port-au-Prince in 1978 where the first convert baptisms were performed. However, official proselytism did not begin until 1980 when the Church assigned Haiti to the newly organized West Indies Mission and organized the first official branch in Port-au-Prince....