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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Dakota

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Dakota
A meetinghouse next to the Bismarck North Dakota Temple
AreaNA Central
Members11,487 (2022)[1]
Stakes3
Wards20
Branches6
Total Congregations26
Missions1
Temples1
Family History Centers7[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) held its first congregation in North Dakota in 1919. In 2022, there was 11,487 members in 26 congregations.

Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 1.49% in 2017.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, less than 1% of North Dakotans self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[4] The LDS Church is the 7th largest denomination in North Dakota.[5]

History

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Membership in North Dakota
YearMembership
19833,529
1989*4,500
19995,070
20096,140
201911,550
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: North Dakota[1]

The first missionaries of the LDS Church arrived in North Dakota in 1885, and the first LDS meetinghouse was built in 1919 in Sully Lake.[6] However the first stake in North Dakota was not organized until 1977 in Fargo.[7] North Dakota was the final US state to have a stake within its boundaries.[6]

During the North Dakota oil boom, the LDS Church in North Dakota saw significant growth in multiple communities in the western part of the state.[8][9] The growth was largely driven by the influx of out-of-state oil field workers and their families from other nearby western states with high Latter-day Saint populations. In some of the communities, church membership doubled during the oil boom necessitating the construction of multiple new meetinghouses, chapels, and other church facilities.[10]

The number of missionaries from the church sent to the Dakotas doubled during the pandemic, as many sent to other countries returned to the US.[11]

Stakes

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As of January 2024, the following stakes had congregations located in North Dakota:

Stake Organized Mission Temple District
Bismarck North Dakota 22 Sep 1996 North Dakota Bismarck Bismarck North Dakota
Fargo North Dakota 7 Aug 1977 North Dakota Bismarck Bismarck North Dakota
Minot North Dakota 4 May 2014 North Dakota Bismarck Bismarck North Dakota
Glendive Montana 4 May 1997 North Dakota Bismarck Billings Montana

Missions

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The South Dakota Rapid City Mission was consolidated into the North Dakota Bismarck Mission in 2015, which includes entire state of North Dakota.[citation needed] As of 2020, the mission was one of the larger missions in the LDS Church.[11]

Temples

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Main article: Bismarck North Dakota Temple

The Bismarck North Dakota Temple was dedicated on September 19, 1999, by LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley. It was built at a cost of $4 million.[6] The Watford City Ward in the Glendive Montana Stake is located in the Billings Montana Temple District. In 2020, a new statue of the Angel Moroni was installed on the temple to replace the weathered original statue.[12]

edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style: 		Bismarck, North Dakota, United States
July 29, 1998 by Gordon B. Hinckley
October 17, 1998 by Kenneth Johnson
September 19, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley
10,700 sq ft (990 m2) on a 1.6-acre (0.65 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Ritterbush–Ellig–Hulsing and Church A&E Services

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State:North Dakota", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 28 May 2023
  2. ^ Category:North Dakota Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved March 28, 2022
  3. ^ Martinich, Matt. "Percent LDS by US State". Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Adults in North Dakota: Religious composition of adults in North Dakota". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2021-05-24.
  5. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Counting the faithful: Mormon church thrives". Inforum. March 29, 2003. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  7. ^ Vatnsdal, Emma (6 January 2019). "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grows to third Fargo congregation". Inforum. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  8. ^ Horwath, Bryan (5 April 2013). "Growing the faith: Some Dickinson churches see surging congregations". The Dickinson Press. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. ^ "New ward, leadership established for Mormon congregations in region". minotdailynews.com. Minot Daily News. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  10. ^ Dalrymple, Amy (16 April 2016). "With influx of people from western states, Mormon congregations in Oil Patch have swelled". Inforum. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b Griffith, Michelle (October 11, 2020), "Number of Latter-day Saints missionaries in Dakotas double amid COVID-19 pandemic", Grand Forks Herald, retrieved May 25, 2021
  12. ^ Miller, Alan (29 June 2020). "New angel atop Bismarck temple of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". KFYR. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
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