Mormonism in Jamaica

Introduction

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) was first officially established in Jamaica in approximately 1970. Although growth has generally been slow, the Church has developed a strong core of Jamaican leadership that administers the Church today. Most parishes in the country currently have at least one LDS congregation.

History

The first LDS missionaries intermittently proselytized in Jamaica during the 1840s and 1850s. However, these early missionaries reported little success and heavy persecution. As a result, no official LDS presence operated during the nineteenth century.

Latter-day Saint families from other nations moved to Jamaica in the 1960s and established the Church. The first official branch opened in March 1970. LDS apostle Elder M. Russell Ballard officially dedicated Jamaica for missionary work in 1979. There were 85 members and 1 branch in 1980 (Stewart and Martinich 2013).

Significant growth occurred during the 1980s. This growth...