AI tools

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

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the second-largest religious denomination in Arizona, behind the Roman Catholic Church.[3] In 2022, the church reported 439,411 members in Arizona, about 6% of the state's population. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, roughly 5% of Arizonans self-identify most closely with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4]

Quick Facts Area, Members ...

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arizona
Thumb
Christmas Lights at the Mesa Arizona Temple
AreaNA Southwest
Members439,411 (2022)[1]
Stakes116
Wards844
Branches86
Total Congregations930
Missions6
Temples6 Operating
3 Announced
9 Total
Family History Centers74[2]
Close

History

Summarize
Perspective
More information Year, Membership ...
Membership in Arizona
YearMembership
192014,813
193018,732
194025,272
195033,937
196060,457
197094,249
1980171,880
*1989241,000
1999305,034
2009374,830
2019436,521
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Arizona[1]
Close

Mormon Battalion

Further information: Mormon Battalion § Battle of the Bulls, and Mormon Battalion § Capture of Tucson

The first presence of Latter-day Saints in Arizona was the Mormon Battalion. They marched through what is now southern Arizona in 1846 on the way to California as part of the Mexican–American War. They encountered wild cattle bulls and killed several of them in defense. They passed through Tucson (then a town of 400–500 inhabitants) causing an attachment of Mexican Forces to flee. They camped at the mouth of the Gila River before entering California.

Northern Arizona settlements

The next time Latter-day Saints entered the area was in 1858 and 1859, when Jacob Hamblin and his companions camped at Pipe Spring in the northwestern part of present-day Arizona. They did this while journeying to and from their missions among the Moqui (Hopi) Indians east of the Colorado River.

During the 1860s and 1870s, LDS parties explored portions of the area searching for possible settlement sites. Also during this period, isolated ranches and small Mormon settlements were established at Short Creek (now Colorado City), Pipe Spring, Beaver Dam and neighboring Littlefield, and Lee's Ferry, all in the area between the Utah border and the Grand Canyon known as the Arizona Strip.

The first effort at large-scale LDS colonization came in March 1873 when a group of Latter-day Saints was sent from Utah to the Little Colorado River drainage under the direction of Horton D. Height. The colonizers turned back, discouraged by the poor prospects, but a few returned the following year and began farming among the Native Americans at Moencopi. Local hostilities forced the colonists to leave again after a month. A year later, James S. Brown led another small colonizing group that successfully settled at Moencopi, then began exploring the surrounding area. Following these explorations, a large group of settlers, led by Lot Smith, arrived in the spring of 1876 and established four settlements on the Little Colorado, which they called Ballenger's Camp (later renamed Brigham City), Sunset, Obed and Allen City (later renamed St. Joseph, and then Joseph City), along with a support settlement near Mormon Lake with a sawmill, dairy and tannery.[5][6]

Central and southern Arizona settlements

Thumb
The former Maricopa Stake Tabernacle (1896–1967), in Mesa

Daniel W. Jones was commissioned by Brigham Young to start a Mormon colony within the Salt River Valley of the Arizona Territory. The settlement party arrived at what would become Lehi, Arizona in March 1877. Jones' invitation to local Native Americans to live with them became a point of controversy, and half of the initial colony left, moving on to found St. David, Arizona.[7] In February 1878 the First Mesa Company arrived in Lehi. Rather than accepting an invitation to settle at Jones' settlement, they moved to the top of the mesa, and founded Mesa, Arizona. They dug irrigation canals, incorporating the original Hohokam canals in some places, and within a couple of months water was flowing through them.[8]

Pima was founded in 1879 by Mormon settlers relocating from Forrest Dale, after that location was declared to be on tribal land. Originally named Smithville, it was unlike other Mormon settlements of the era, not being planned by the leaders of the church.[9] Joseph K. Rogers was the first branch president at Pima, being appointed to this office before the settlers arrived. The branch was organized into a ward in 1880. In 1930 the total population of Pima was 980, 666 of whom were LDS, and a total of 1,260 people resided within the Pima ward boundaries.[10]

County Statistics

Thumb
A meetinghouse for the LDS Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

List of LDS Church adherents in each county as of 2010 according to the Association of Religion Data Archives:[11] Note: Each county adherent count reflects meetinghouse location of congregation and not by location of residence. The census count reflects location of residence, which may skew percent of population where adherents reside in a different county as their congregational meetinghouse.

More information County, Congregations ...
County Congregations Adherents  % of Population
Apache 27 14,950 20.90
Cochise 17 7,933 6.04
Coconino 32 16,633 12.37
Gila 12 4,719 8.81
Graham 29 11,766 31.61
Greenlee 3 1,221 14.47
La Paz 3 991 4.84
Maricopa 503 242,732 6.36
Mohave 12 8,147 4.07
Navajo 53 24,301 22.62
Pima 53 28,659 2.92
Pinal 31 14,082 3.75
Santa Cruz 1 876 1.85
Yavapai 22 9,608 4.55
Yuma 13 6,300 3.22
Close

Stakes

Summarize
Perspective

As of November 2024, the following stakes were located in Arizona:

More information Stake, Organized ...
Stake Organized Mission Temple
Buckeye Arizona Stake13 Dec 1987Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Casa Grande Arizona Stake13 Oct 1991Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Centennial Arizona Stake13 Nov 2016Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Chandler Arizona East Stake17 Sep 2006Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Chandler Arizona South Stake28 Feb 2016Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Chandler Arizona Stake3 Dec 1978Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Chandler Arizona West Stake20 Oct 1996Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Chinle Arizona Stake30 Sep 1990New Mexico FarmingtonSnowflake Arizona
Cottonwood Arizona Stake22 Jan 1978Arizona FlagstaffPhoenix Arizona
Duncan Arizona Stake24 Sep 1978Arizona TucsonGila Valley
Eagar Arizona Stake25 Jan 1987Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Flagstaff Arizona East Stake7 May 2017Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Flagstaff Arizona West Stake23 Sep 1956Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Gateway Stake17 Apr 2016Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Greenfield Stake24 Aug 1975Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Highland East Stake24 Nov 1996Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Highland West Stake20 May 2012Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Higley Stake31 Oct 2004Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona San Tan Stake3 Dec 2000Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Seville Stake17 Feb 2008Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Stake18 May 1997Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Stapley Stake11 Oct 1981Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Superstition Springs Stake12 Nov 2017Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Val Vista Stake22 Nov 1987Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona Williams Field Stake28 Apr 2013Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Gilbert Arizona YSA Stake10 Jun 2012Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Glendale Arizona North Stake15 Feb 1981Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Glendale Arizona Stake6 May 1973Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Globe Arizona Stake16 Jun 1974Arizona MesaGilbert Arizona
Goodyear Arizona Stake9 Dec 2007Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Holbrook Arizona Stake22 Nov 1970Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Kanab Utah Kaibab Stake[a]3 May 1987Utah St GeorgeSt. George Utah
Kingman Arizona North Stake29 Sep 2024Nevada HendersonLas Vegas Nevada
Kingman Arizona South Stake21 Aug 1983Nevada HendersonLas Vegas Nevada
Kirtland New Mexico Stake[a]19 Sep 1982New Mexico FarmingtonAlbuquerque New Mexico
Lake Havasu City Arizona Stake14 Mar 1976Nevada HendersonLas Vegas Nevada
Marana Arizona Stake25 Oct 2015Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Maricopa Arizona Stake9 Dec 2007Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Mesa Arizona Alma Stake10 Oct 1971Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Mesa Arizona Alta Mesa Stake14 Mar 1999Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Boulder Creek Stake5 Dec 1999Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Mesa Arizona Central Stake10 May 1981Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Citrus Heights Stake20 Sep 1992Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Clearview Stake12 Jun 2016Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Desert Ridge Stake18 Jan 2004Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Mesa Arizona East Stake20 Nov 1955Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Eastmark Stake11 Jan 2015Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Mesa Arizona Flatiron Stake1 May 2016Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Hermosa Vista Stake21 Oct 2007Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Kimball East Stake14 Jan 1990Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Kimball Stake25 Nov 1979Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Lehi Stake6 May 1979Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Maricopa North Stake27 Feb 2000Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Maricopa Stake10 Dec 1882Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Mountain View Stake25 Jan 1987Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona North Stake7 Nov 1971Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Red Mountain Stake6 Mar 2016Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Salt River Stake15 Feb 1976Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Skyline Stake3 Jun 2001Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona South Stake18 Nov 1962Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona Stake8 Dec 1946Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona YSA East Stake10 Jun 2012Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Mesa Arizona YSA West Stake10 Jun 2012Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Mesquite Nevada East Stake[a]13 Feb 1994Utah St GeorgeSt. George Utah
Page Arizona Stake10 Mar 1974New Mexico FarmingtonSnowflake Arizona
Paradise Valley Arizona Stake9 Sep 1979Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Payson Arizona Stake9 Apr 2000Arizona FlagstaffMesa Arizona
Peoria Arizona North Stake27 Feb 2000Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Peoria Arizona Stake22 Feb 1987Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Peralta Trail Arizona Stake16 Nov 1986Arizona MesaMesa Arizona
Phoenix Arizona Deer Valley Stake8 Feb 1981Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona Desert Hills Stake16 Oct 2016Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona East Stake28 Mar 1954Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Phoenix Arizona North Stake19 Jan 1958Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona South Mountain Stake21 Aug 2016Arizona TempePhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona Stake27 Feb 1938Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona Thunderbird Park Stake9 Oct 2016Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona West Maricopa Stake5 Mar 1978Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Phoenix Arizona YSA Stake10 Jun 2012Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Pima Arizona Stake17 Nov 1991Arizona TucsonGila Valley
Prescott Arizona Stake7 Jun 1970Arizona FlagstaffPhoenix Arizona
Prescott Valley Arizona Stake13 Mar 2011Arizona FlagstaffPhoenix Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona Central Stake10 Apr 2016Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona East Stake31 Oct 2004Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona Empire Stake29 Jan 2023Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona Heritage Stake13 Sep 2020Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona North Stake17 Feb 2008Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona Ocotillo Stake14 Jan 2018Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona South Stake30 Oct 2005Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona Stake27 Oct 2002Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Queen Creek Arizona West Stake21 Sep 2014Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Safford Arizona Stake20 Feb 1938Arizona TucsonGila Valley
Sahuarita Arizona Stake21 Jun 2009Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
San Tan Valley Arizona North Stake21 Aug 2016Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
San Tan Valley Arizona Stake16 Mar 2014Arizona GilbertGilbert Arizona
Scottsdale Arizona Camelback Stake22 Mar 1981Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Scottsdale Arizona North Stake9 Dec 1962Arizona PhoenixMesa Arizona
Show Low Arizona Stake24 Nov 1974Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Sierra Vista Arizona Stake6 Jun 1982Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Silver Creek Arizona Stake30 Nov 1980Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Snowflake Arizona Stake18 Dec 1887Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
St David Arizona Stake2 Mar 1941Arizona TucsonGila Valley
St Johns Arizona Stake23 Jul 1887Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Surprise Arizona North Stake16 Aug 2009Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Surprise Arizona Stake16 Jan 2005Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Surprise Arizona West Stake11 Dec 2016Arizona PhoenixPhoenix Arizona
Tempe Arizona South Stake18 Jan 1976Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Tempe Arizona Stake2 Feb 1964Arizona TempeMesa Arizona
Tempe Arizona West Stake8 Jan 1989Arizona TempeGilbert Arizona
Tempe Arizona YSA Stake12 Dec 1971Arizona TempeMesa Arizona
Thatcher Arizona Stake25 Feb 1883Arizona TucsonGila Valley
Tuba City Arizona Stake25 Jun 1995New Mexico FarmingtonSnowflake Arizona
Tucson Arizona East Stake6 Nov 1977Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Tucson Arizona North Stake2 Feb 1969Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Tucson Arizona Rincon Stake3 Mar 1985Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Tucson Arizona South Stake6 Dec 2015Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Tucson Arizona Stake2 Dec 1956Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
Tucson Arizona West Stake24 Nov 1996Arizona TucsonTucson Arizona
White Mountain Arizona Stake26 Mar 1995Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Winslow Arizona Stake17 Sep 1978Arizona FlagstaffSnowflake Arizona
Yuma Arizona Stake27 Apr 1958Arizona TempeSan Diego California
Close
  1. Stake located outside Arizona with congregation(s) meeting in Arizona

Missions

Thumb
Church logo in Navajo

On March 7, 1943, the Navajo-Zuni Mission was organized, and specialized with teaching Native Americans in their language. This was renamed the Southwest Indian Mission on January 1, 1949, and again the New Mexico-Arizona Mission on October 10, 1972. It was discontinued and transferred into the Arizona Phoenix Mission on July 1, 1984.

On August 1, 1969, the Arizona Mission was organized from the California South Mission, and was renamed the Arizona Tempe Mission on June 20, 1974.

As of February 2023, Arizona was now home to six missions.

More information Mission, Organized ...
Mission Organized
Arizona Gilbert Mission July 1, 2013
Arizona Mesa Mission July 1, 2002
Arizona Phoenix Mission July 1, 1984
Arizona Flagstaff Mission July 1, 2013
Arizona Tempe Mission August 1, 1969
Arizona Tucson Mission July 1, 1990
Close

Also, the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, the New Mexico Farmington Mission, and the Utah St George Mission covers portions of the state.

Temples

Summarize
Perspective
Thumb
Route marker on House Rock Valley Road for the Honeymoon Trail, which included part of this road
Temples in Arizona (edit)
  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed

On October 23, 1927, the Mesa Arizona Temple was dedicated. Until that time, members had traveled to the St. George Temple. Because of all the bridal parties that traversed the trail during the early years, the wagon road between St. George and the Arizona settlements became known as the Honeymoon Trail.[12][13] The Mesa Arizona Temple was the first temple in the Church to be rededicated (on April 15, 1975) after extensive remodeling and enlarging to accommodate increased attendance.

On March 3, 2002, a second Arizona temple was dedicated in Snowflake. Since then, a third, The Gila Valley Arizona Temple has been dedicated in Central, Arizona and three additional temples have been dedicated in Gilbert, Phoenix, and Tucson.

Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Rededicated:
Size:
Style:
Notes:		 Mesa, Arizona, United States
October 3, 1919 by Heber J. Grant
April 25, 1922 by Heber J. Grant
October 23, 1927 by Heber J. Grant[14]
April 16, 1975 by Spencer W. Kimball
113,916 sq ft (10,583.1 m2) on a 20-acre (8.1 ha) site
Neoclassical Architecture - designed by Don Carlos Young, Jr. and Ramm Hansen
The first temple to offer ordinances in a language other than English (Spanish).
Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:		 Snowflake, Arizona, U.S.
April 2, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley
September 23, 2000 by Rex D. Pinegar
March 3, 2002 by Gordon B. Hinckley
18,621 sq ft (1,729.9 m2) on a 7.5-acre (3.0 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Trest Polina
Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:		 Central, Arizona, United States
April 26, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[15]
February 14, 2009 by Neil L. Andersen[16]
May 23, 2010 by Thomas S. Monson
18,561 sq ft (1,724.4 m2) on a 17-acre (6.9 ha) site
{{{design}}} - designed by Gregory B. Lambright
Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:
Notes:		 Gilbert, Arizona, U.S.
April 26, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[17]
November 13, 2010 by Claudio R. M. Costa
March 2, 2014 by Henry B. Eyring & Thomas S. Monson[18]
85,326 sq ft (7,927.0 m2) on a 15.38-acre (6.22 ha) site
Neoclassical center spire
Announced by Thomas S. Monson on April 26, 2008, to be built on the southeast corner of Pecos and Greenfield Roads.[17][19][20] A public open house was held from January 18 to February 15, 2014.[21] The temple was formally dedicated on March 2, 2014.[22]
Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Notes:		 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
May 24, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[23]
June 4, 2011 by Ronald A. Rasband
November 16, 2014 by Thomas S. Monson
64,870 sq ft (6,027 m2) on a 5.19-acre (2.10 ha) site
A public open house was held from October 10 to November 1, 2014.[24]
Thumb
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:		 Catalina Foothills, Arizona, U.S.
October 6, 2012 by Thomas S. Monson[25][26][27]
October 17, 2015 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf[28]
August 13, 2017 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf[29]
38,216 sq ft (3,550.4 m2) on a 7-acre (2.8 ha) site
 edit
Location:
Announced:		 Yuma, Arizona, United States
7 April 2024 by Russell M. Nelson[30][31]
 edit
Location:
Announced:		 Queen Creek, Arizona, United States
6 October 2024 by Russell M. Nelson[32][33]

Communities

Latter-day Saints have had a significant role in establishing, settling, and/or populating communities within the "Mormon Corridor", including the following in Arizona:

Notable people

*Philemon C. Merrill

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.