The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicaragua

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicaragua refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Nicaragua. The first convert was baptized in 1954 and the first Nicaraguan mission opened in 1989. It has since grown to more than 100,000 members in more than 100 congregations in Nicaragua.

History

The first missionaries entered the country in 1953. The first Nicaraguan convert, José de Guzman, was baptized on April 11, 1954, a year after the first missionaries arrived in the country. These missionaries, Elders Manuel Arias and Archie R. Mortensen, were serving in the Central American Mission, which Elder Spencer W. Kimball organized in 1952. In 1959, the first Nicaraguan district was formed. The first stake (the Managua Stake) was created in March 1981 and reorganized in June 1998. Several natural disasters and political crises, including an earthquake that devastated Managua in 1972 and a civil war that began in the late 1970s, slowed missionary work throughout the 1970s and '80s. Foreign missionaries were removed from the country in 1980, and locals continued the work until full-time missionaries returned about ten years later. The first Nicaraguan members entered the temple in Guatemala City in 1987. The Nicaragua Managua Mission opened in October 1989.

In April 2018, church president Russell M. Nelson announced the first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be built in Nicaragua. The Managua Nicaragua Temple was announced at the same time as six other temples. In May 2018, a church spokesman announced that all missionaries would be removed from Nicaragua until further notice.

A brief history can be found at LDS Newsroom (Nicaragua) or Deseret News 2010 Church Almanac (Nicaragua).

Stakes and Districts As of May 2025, Nicaragua had the following stakes and districts:

StakeOrganized MissionChinandega Nicaragua Stake25 Jun 2000Nicaragua Managua NorthChinandega Nicaragua West Stake14 Jun 2009Nicaragua Managua NorthEsteli Nicaragua District25 Jun 2006Nicaragua Managua NorthGranada Nicaragua District11 Jun 1991Nicaragua Managua SouthJinotepe Nicaragua Stake9 May 2004Nicaragua Managua SouthJuigalpa Nicaragua District12 Nov 2006Nicaragua Managua SouthLeon Nicaragua Stake25 Feb 2007Nicaragua Managua NorthManagua Nicaragua Stake22 Mar 1981Nicaragua Managua SouthManagua Nicaragua Bello Horizonte Stake8 May 2005Nicaragua Managua NorthManagua Nicaragua Las Américas Stake21 Nov 2004Nicaragua Managua NorthManagua Nicaragua Universitaria Stake30 Jan 2005Nicaragua Managua SouthManagua Nicaragua Villa Flor Stake30 May 2004Nicaragua Managua NorthMasatepe Nicaragua Stake9 Jul 2017Nicaragua Managua SouthMasaya Nicaragua Stake20 Feb 2005Nicaragua Managua SouthMatagalpa Nicaragua Stake2 Oct 1990Nicaragua Managua NorthPuerto Cabezas Nicaragua District24 Oct 2010Nicaragua Managua North

Missions Mission OrganizedNicaragua Managua North30 Jun 2010Nicaragua Managua South15 Oct 1989

Temples

References

External links

Church News and Events - Nicaragua The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official Site ComeUntoChrist.org Latter-day Saints Visitor site