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


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland
The Bern Switzerland Temple
AreaEurope Central
Members9,205 (2022)[1]
Stakes5
Wards26
Branches8
Total Congregations[2]34
Temples
  • 1 Operating
FamilySearch Centers13[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland has a rich history beginning in 1850.[4] As of December 31, 2022, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 9,205 members in Switzerland, organized in five stakes and 34 congregations (26 wards and 8 branches).

History

Membership in Switzerland[5][1]
YearMembership
1855*100
1904*1,000
19301,632
19401,348
19501,731
19603,235
19704,685
19795,390
1989*6,200
19997,043
20097,939
20199,071
20229,205
*Membership was published as an estimate.

Missionary work for LDS Church began in Switzerland on November 24, 1850, when the Swiss Mission was created.[4] The Swiss Mission later became the Swiss and Italian Mission and the Swiss, Italian, and German Mission.[4] Many early converts were baptized, but then emigrated to the United States until the 1950s.

On September 11, 1955, the LDS Church completed its first temple in Europe when the Bern Switzerland Temple was completed in Zollikofen. The temple was later remodeled and rededicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in October 1992.[6] In 1994, Howard W. Hunter visited Switzerland as the new LDS Church president.[7]

Hans B. Ringger was a Swiss national who was a leader of the LDS Church in Switzerland.[8] Born on 2 November 1925, in Zurich, Switzerland, his grandmother, Elizabeth Zoebeli Ringger, joined the LDS Church in 1896 and his parents, Carl Ringger, Jr., and Maria Reif, were also active members.[9] Ringger eventually became an LDS Church general authority. Stephen Nadauld and Douglas Bischoff served as missionaries for the church in Switzerland, with Nadauld later serving as president of the Switzerland Geneva Mission from 2003 to 2006.[10]

As of 2020, members total approximately 8,000, with many coming from second, third, and fourth generations of members in Switzerland. Forty congregations meet in 27 meetinghouses.[11]

Stakes

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland is located in Switzerland
Bern
Bern
Geneva
Geneva
Lausanne
Lausanne
St Gallen
St Gallen
Zürich
Zürich
Bern
class=notpageimage|
Stake Centers and Temple in Switzerland
Red=Operating Temple
Green = Stake Center
The Zurich meetinghouse and Stake Center

As of February 2023, the Switzerland had the following stakes and congregations:[12]

Stake Organized Wards Branches Mission
Bern Switzerland Stake[13] 3 May 1981 6 1 Alpine German-Speaking
Geneva Switzerland Stake*[13] 20 June 1982 3 France Lyon
Lausanne Switzerland Stake*[13] 28 Aug 2005 5 2 France Lyon
Milan Italy West* 7 June 1981 1 Italy Milan
St Gallen Switzerland Stake*[13] 5 May 2007 7 3 Alpine German-Speaking
Zürich Switzerland Stake*[13] 28 Oct 1961 5 2 Alpine German-Speaking
  • Only congregations in Switzerland are listed in the count. Congregations within each stake that meet outside the country are not listed.

Missions

  • Alpine German-speaking Mission
  • France Lyon Mission
  • Italy Milan Mission

Temples
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Rededicated:
Size:
Style:
Notes: 		Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland
July 1, 1952 by David O. McKay
August 5, 1953 by David O. McKay
September 11, 1955 by David O. McKay
November 23, 1992 by Gordon B. Hinckley
35,546 sq ft (3,302.3 m2) on a 7-acre (2.8 ha) site
Modern, single spire - designed by Edward O. Anderson
Bern was the first temple to present the endowment using a movie, necessitated by the multiple languages required to support the members in Europe.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Switzerland", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 3 June 2023
  2. ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
  3. ^ Switzerland Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved August 22, 2022
  4. ^ a b c "Missionary Database: Swiss Mission", history.churchofjesuschrist.org, 2020. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  5. ^ Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Switzerland
  6. ^ Cowan, Richard O. "The Pivotal Swiss Temple", Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint Church History: Europe, 2003. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  7. ^ "PRES. HUNTER'S TRAVELS, APPEARANCES", Deseret News, 4 March 1995. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  8. ^ Neuenschwander, Dennis B. "Elder Hans B. Ringger: ‘One of the truly great souls’", Church News, 13 November 2010. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Elder Hans B. Ringger", churchofjesuschrist.org, 2010. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  10. ^ "DOUGLAS BISCHOFF DIES, LONGTIME WORKER FOR GOP", Deseret News, 13 May 1991. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  11. ^ Weidmann, Yves."Switzerland: Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Bern Switzerland Temple District", Church of Jesus Christ Temples, retrieved July 10, 2022
  13. ^ a b c d e Hall, Richard; Avant, Gerry; Stahle, Shaun (eds.). "Switzerland". 2012 Church Almanac. Deseret News. p. 573. ISBN 978-1-60907-002-1.