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August 28, 1852
|
Brigham Young calls three men, Jesse Haven, William H. Walker, and
Leonard I. Smith, to serve as missionaries to South Africa. |
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September 15, 1852
|
Elders Haven, Walker, and Smith leave Salt Lake City, bound for South
Africa. |
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April 18, 1853
|
Elders Haven, Walker, and Smith arrive at Cape Town, opening the South
African Mission. |
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April 25, 1853
|
First public meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
in South Africa. |
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June 15, 1853
|
Henry Stringer, of Mowbray, is baptized, becoming the first person
to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in South Africa. |
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August 16, 1853
|
The first branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
is organized at Mowbray. |
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September 7, 1853
|
The second branch of the Church is organized at Newlands. |
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February 23, 1854
|
The third branch of the Church is organized at Beaufort. |
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April 12, 1865
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The South African Mission closes. Since 1855, 278 converts to
the church have emigrated to Utah. |
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July 25, 1903
|
Elders Warren H. Lyon, Wm. R. Smith, Thomas L. Griffiths and George
A, Simpkins re-open the South Africa Mission. |
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1917
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The first LDS chapel in South Africa, an addition to the first mission
home in Mowbray, is completed. |
|
1925
|
The first LDS chapel in Johannesburg, known as "Ramah" and located
at 395 Commissioner Street, was finished. |
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November 1940
|
Due to the growing implications of World War II, overseas missionaries
are reassigned from South Africa to other missions. Mission President
Richard E. Folland and his family remain in South Africa, however, serving
with only a few local South African missionaries. Their main activities
involved traveling the country, as much they could under war-time restrictions,
keeping the local organizations of the Church staffed and functioning.
Proselyting activities continue but are severely curtailed. |
|
1946
|
With World War II concluded, overseas missionaries are once again called
to serve in the South Africa Mission. |
|
1954
|
President David O. McKay visits South Africa, marking the first visit
ever by a General Authority of the Church. |
|
1960
|
South Africa Mission headquarters moves from Cape Town to Johannesburg. |
|
1963
|
The church officially classifies the South Africa Mission as a foreign
language mission. |
|
March 22, 1970
|
The Transvaal Stake is created, the church's 505th stake and the first
stake in South Africa, with Louis P. Hefer as Stake President. |
|
June 10, 1970
|
The South Africa Mission is renamed to the South African Mission. |
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1973
|
President Spencer W. Kimball dedicates South Africa. |
|
1973
|
The Book of Mormon is published in Afrikaans. |
|
June 20, 1974
|
The South African Mission is renamed to the South Africa Johannesburg
Mission. |
|
October 22, 1978
|
The Sandton Stake is created from the Transvaal Stake with Johannes
P. Brummer called to serve as Stake President. The Transvaal Stake
is renamed to the Johannesburg Stake. The Sandton Stake is later
renamed to the Pretoria Stake. |
|
1979
|
President Spencer W. Kimball rededicates South Africa. |
|
April 1, 1981
|
The church announces during General Conference that a temple would
be built in Johannesburg. |
|
November 29, 1981
|
The Durban Stake is created with Percy E.A. Winstanley as its first
Stake President. |
|
1981
|
The Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are published
in Afrikaans. |
|
May 6, 1984
|
The Cape Town Stake is formed with Otto Wilhelm Miessner as its first
Stake President. |
|
July 1, 1984
|
The South Africa Cape Town Mission begins operation. |
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August 24, 1985
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The Johannesburg Temple is dedicated. |
|
July 1, 1987
|
The Zimbabwe Harare Mission, split off of the South Africa Johannesburg
Mission, begins operation. |
|
1987
|
Missionaries enter Swaziland for the first time. |
|
1987
|
Selections from the Book of Mormon are published in Zulu. Shortly thereafter,
Elder Spencer H. Osborn presents a copy, signed by President Ezra Taft
Benson, to Dr. Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi, chief of the Zulus. |
|
November 29, 1987
|
The Benoni Stake is created by Elder Spencer H. Osborn of the Seventy,
by dividing the Johannesburg Stake. Jan G. Hugo is called as its
first Stake President. The Sandton Stake is renamed the Pretoria Stake. |
|
July 1, 1988
|
The Mascarene Islands Mission, split off of the South Africa
Johannesburg Mission, begins operation. |
|
September 1989
|
Missionaries enter Lesotho for the first time. |
|
February 21, 1990
|
Swaziland is dedicated by Neal A. Maxwell. |
|
February 22, 1990
|
Lesotho is dedicated by Neal A. Maxwell. |
|
June 1990
|
Missionaries enter Botswana for the first time. |
|
October 1, 1990
|
The Africa Area of the church is created with Richard P. Lindsay of
the Seventy called to serve as the Area President. |
|
July 1, 1991
|
The South Africa Durban Mission begins operation. It is
comprised of the Mascarene Islands Mission and part of the South Africa
Cape Town Mission. |
|
August 21, 1992
|
Botswana is dedicated by Richard G. Scott. |
|
August 22, 1992
|
Namibia is dedicated by Russell M. Nelson. |
|
May 7, 1995
|
The Roodepoort Stake, South Africa's sixth stake, is created by J.
Richard Clarke of the Seventy. It is comprised of portions of the Pretoria,
Johannesburg and Benoni stakes. Christoffel Golden Jr. is called
as the first Stake President. |
|
February 18, 1996
|
Elder M. Russell Ballard addresses the largest LDS gathering ever assembled
in South Africa, nearly 5000 people, at the Johannesburg Regional Conference. |
February 15, 1998
|
The Bedfordview Stake, South Africa's seventh stake, is created by
Elder Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy. It is comprised of portions
of the Johannesburg Stake and the Benoni Stake. Neil P. Fourie is
called to serve as its first Stake President. |
|
February 18-20, 1998
|
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley visits southern Africa. He addresses
over 10,000 members in meetings in Zimbabwe, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape
Town. |
|
July 1, 1998
|
The Madagascar Antananarivo Mission begins operation.
It is comprised of Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius, which previously
belonged to the South Africa Durban Mission. As part of the change,
Swaziland moves from the South Africa Johannesburg Mission to the South
Africa Durban Mission. |
|
August 15, 1998
|
The Africa area (created October 1990) is divided to create the Africa
West and Africa Southeast Areas. Headquarters of the Africa Southeast
area will remain in Johannesburg. |
|
March 14, 1999
|
The Soweto Stake, South Africa's eighth stake, is created by Elder
Dennis E. Simmons of the Seventy. It is comprised of portions of
the Roodepoort Stake. Robert Eppel is called to serve as its first
Stake President. |
|
May 16, 1999
|
The Hillcrest Stake, South Africa's ninth stake, is created by Elder
Ray H. Wood of the Seventy. It is comprised of portions of the Durban
Stake. Garith Charles Hill is called to serve as its first Stake
President. |
|
February 17, 2002
|
The East London South Africa Stake is created from the East London District by Elder Robert C. Oaks of the Seventy. It is South Africa's tenth stake. Johann van Heerden is called as its first Stake President. |
|
June 12, 2005
|
The Port Elizabeth South Africa Stake is created and is South Africa's eleventh stake. Leslie Carl Palmer is called as the first Stake President. |
