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

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Albania
Logo in Albanian
AreaEurope Central
Members3,328 (2023)[1]
Stakes1
Districts1
Wards6
Branches8
Total Congregations[2]14
Missions1
FamilySearch Centers4[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has been present in Albania since at least the early 1990s. In 1993, there were approximately 100 members in the country. In 2022, there were 3,314 members in 14 congregations.

History

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Membership in Albania[4][1]
YearMembership
1993*100
1995*200
1999789
20041,400
20091,838
20142,660
20193,216
20223,314
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
The Book of Mormon in Albanian.

Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Hans B. Ringger visited Albania in April 1991. Elder Hans B. Ringger and Austria Vienna Mission President Kenneth D. Reber visited with Albanian officials and agreed to send humanitarian aid. In February 1992, humanitarian missionary couples Thales and Charone Smith and Randolyn Brady and Melvin Brady. Thales taught in the medical school at the University of Tirana and Charone served in a pediatric orphanage.[5] Mel taught business and economics at the University of Tirane, while Randy taught English and music.[6] In August 1993, Mother Teresa visited the orphanage where Charone Smith was working and presented her a silver medallion of Mother Teresa's order.[7]

The first full time missionaries arrived in June. Albania's first convert, Blendi Kokona, was baptized on July 25, 1992. The Book of Mormon was translated into Albanian and published in November 1999. The first seminary class was held on February 24, 2000, and the first Institute class was held on March 24, 2000.[7]

The first Church-built meetinghouse was completed in 2006. Elder D. Todd Christofferson attended an opening of a school for Roma Children in 2009. On March 9, 2014, the Tirana Albania Stake was organized.[1]

Stake and District

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Albania is located in Albania
Tirana (FHC)
Tirana (FHC)
Elbasan (FHC)
Elbasan (FHC)
Kamez
Kamez
Durrës (FHC)
Durrës (FHC)
Shkodër
Shkodër
Lushnjë
Lushnjë
Fier
Fier
Berat
Berat
Vlorë (FHC)
Vlorë (FHC)
Korçë
Korçë
Pogradec
Pogradec
class=notpageimage|
LDS Church Locations as of May 2023
Green = Stake Center and 3 meetinghouse in Tirana (combined in 1 icon)
Orange = District Center and meetinghouse
Purple = meetinghouse
(FHC) = Family History Center

As of February 2023, the following stake and district was located in Albania:[8]

Tirana Albania Stake

  • Durrës Ward
  • Tirana 1st Ward
  • Tirana 2nd Ward
  • Tirana 3rd Ward
  • Tirana 4th Ward
  • Vlorë Ward
  • Shkodër Branch

Elbasan Albania District

  • Berat Branch
  • Elbasan Branch
  • Fier Branch
  • Korçë Branch
  • Lushnjë Branch
  • Pogradec Branch

Other Congregations The following congregations are not part of a stake or district:

  • Albania Tirana Mission Branch

Congregations not within a stake are named branches, regardless of size. The Albania Tirana Mission Branch serves individuals and families not in proximity to a church meetinghouse.

Missions

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When missionaries first arrived in Albania, it was part of the Austria Vienna Mission. The Provo Missionary Center began teaching Albanian in 1994. Prior to that, missionaries learned it after arrival in Albania. Responsibility of missionary efforts in Albania was transferred to the Greece Athens Mission in 1995. On July 1, 1996, the Albania Tirana Mission was organized which was later renamed the Adriatic South Mission.[7] In 2023, it was renamed Albania Tirana Mission and serves Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.

Kosovo

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The LDS Church reported 102 members in 2 congregations in Kosovo for year-end 2017. The LDS Church has not released any membership statistics since.[9] These congregations consist of the Gjakova Branch and the Pristina Branch.

North Macedonia

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The LDS Church reported 41 members in a single congregation, the Skopje Branch, in North Macedonia for year-end 2018. The LDS Church has not released any membership statistics since.[9]

Temples

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As of November 2024, the three countries located in the Albania Tirana Mission were part of the Rome Italy Temple District.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Albania", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 31 May 2023
  2. ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
  3. ^ Albania Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved 31 May 2023
  4. ^ Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: Albania
  5. ^ "Dr. Thales Haskell Smith Sr. April 5, 1923 - September 11, 2018", Berg Mortuary, retrieved June 13, 2021
  6. ^ "Brady, Melvin 1927 - 2008", orange county register, retrieved June 13, 2021
  7. ^ a b c Hall, Richard; Avant, Gerry; Stahle, Shaun, eds. (February 2012). "Albania". 2012 Church Almanac. Deseret News. p. 416. ISBN 978-1-60907-002-1.
  8. ^ "Meetinghouse Locator", churchofjesuschrist.org, retrieved 31 May 2023
  9. ^ a b Membership statistics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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