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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida represents about 1% of the population of Florida according to the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscepe Survey.[1] Official membership statistics show the church representing about 0.75% of the general population.[2] Florida has the 8th largest membership population in the United States and the 2nd largest membership population east of the Rockies, behind Texas.

The Orlando Florida Temple

As of December 31, 2019, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 160,266 members in 33 stakes, 267 congregations (219 wards and 48 branches), 84 Family History Centers, as well as four missions and two temples in Florida.[3]

History
Membership in Florida
YearMembership
1904 1,230
1930 3,164
1974 28,915
1980 36,811
1990 82,413
1999 108,955
2009 131,621
2019 160,266
Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Florida

In April 1843, Joseph Smith called William Brown and Daniel Cathcart to serve a mission to Pensacola, but no record exists of them fulfilling the calling. Between April and June 1854, Phineas Young visited the Indian chiefs in Florida and distributed copies of the Book of Mormon.

Missionaries began preaching in Pensacola in January 1895 and started a number of Sunday Schools soon afterwards. The first was in Coe Mills in May 1895.[4] The first branch, known as the Hassell Branch, was created in Jefferson County on May 9, 1897. In September 1897, the Sanderson Branch was organized. George P. Canova, a well-to-do landowner and chairman of the Baker County Commission, became the branch president in January 1898. Five months later, following threats of violence, Canova was killed as he returned home from a church meeting.[5]

In 1906, Charles A. Callis became president of the Florida Conference. That same year, a meetinghouse was dedicated in Jacksonville. Another meetinghouse was completed in Oak Grove in 1907.[6] In 1909, missionaries began working in Miami during the winter months. Three years later, four Latter-day Saint pioneer families from Arizona moved to Florahome, Putnam County and established a Sunday School. In 1914, Julius C. Neubeck of Miami was called on a seven-month mission by Callis and became the first missionary from that city. He then became presiding elder of the church in Miami following his mission.[7]

By 1925, branches or Sunday Schools existed in Florahome, (Putnam County), Jacksonville, Sanderson, Tampa, Miami and in other places throughout the state. In February and March 1925, church president Heber J. Grant visited Jacksonville and held public meetings. Ten years later, the Florida District had 22 branches, and the West Florida District had another 13 branches.[8]

The first stake in Florida and in the South was created in Jacksonville on January 19, 1947, by Callis, who by then was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Alvin C. Chace, a grandson of early leader George P. Canova, was called as the first president.[6]

Due to the influx of immigrants Florida received over the past few decades from the Caribbean and other countries, branches and wards were created to accommodate foreign speaking individuals in Florida. The first Spanish-speaking stake in the southeastern United States was organized in Miami. This was followed by the creation of a second Spanish-speaking stake in Hialeah Gardens in 1998.[7]

On October 9, 1994, church president Howard W. Hunter dedicated the Orlando Florida Temple. On January 19, 1997, church president Gordon B. Hinckley addressed more than 5,000 members at a conference in Jacksonville commemorating the stake's 50th anniversary.[9]

The LDS Church has assisted in recovery efforts from several natural disasters in Florida, and many Florida church members have responded to additional calls to give aid in surrounding states, such as the cleanup efforts following Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Irma, and major flooding in Georgia.[10] Increasing membership has enabled the magnitude of the church's involvement in disaster relief to grow substantially over time.[11] In 2019, church president Russell M. Nelson visited Orlando and spoke to 15,000 members at the Amway Center and visited with the owner of Pulse nightclub, the gay nightclub in Orlando where a gunman killed 49 people in a mass shooting.[12]

In 2020, the LDS Church canceled services and other public gatherings indefinitely in response to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.[13]

Deseret Ranches
Deseret Ranches in St. Cloud, Florida

In 1950, more than 50,000 acres (200 km2) was purchased by the church and which is now known as Deseret Ranches. Deseret Ranches, now part of the Cattle division of AgReserves, encompasses 295,000-acres and extends across Orange, Osceola and Brevard counties and is seen as critical to the Orlando region's water supply.[14] The ranch is home to about a quarter million citrus trees, timberland, tree farms, commercial crops, and large deposits of fossilized seashells used in road base.[15]

In 2013, the LDS Church purchased 382,834 acres from St. Joe Company in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties.[14] The land, primarily timberland, was purchased for $565 million.[16][17] The LDS Church is now Florida's largest private landowner.[18] In 2020, the LDS Church sold more than 20,000 acres of land surrounding Lake Wimico in Florida to The Nature Conservancy who then donated the land to the state and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.[19]

Missions

On March 1, 1894 Florida became part of the Southern States Mission. The Florida Mission was then organized from the Southern States Mission on November 1, 1960. From the Florida Mission the Florida Tallahassee Mission and the Florida South Mission were formed on July 1, 1971. On June 20, 1974 the Florida South Mission changed its name to the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission. Three additional missions has been created in Florida since then.

Mission Organized
Florida Orlando Mission July 1, 1998
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission June 20, 1974
Florida Jacksonville Mission July 1, 1987
Florida Tampa Mission July 1, 1976

Temples
Temples in Florida
Red = Operating
Blue = Under Construction
Yellow = Announced
Black = Closed for Renovations

On October 9, 1994 the Orlando Florida Temple was dedicated by church president Howard W. Hunter. On October 3, 2009 the Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson. Ground was broken on June 18, 2011.[20][21] A public open house took place from March 29 to April 19, 2014.[22] The temple was formally dedicated on May 4, 2014, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the church's First Presidency.[23] The temple is designed to serve an estimated 25,000 church members in South Florida.[24]

 46. Orlando Florida Temple

Location:
Announced:
Dedicated:
 Size:
Style:

Windermere, Florida, US
April 6, 1991
October 9, 1994 by Howard W. Hunter
70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) and 165 ft (50 m) high on a 13 acre (5.3 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Scott Partnership Architects

 143. Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple

Location:
Announced:
Dedicated:
 Size:
Style:
 Notes:

Davie, Florida, United States
October 3, 2009
May 4, 2014 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
28,000 sq ft (2,600 m2) and 100 ft (30 m) high on a 16.82 acre (6.8 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design
Announced by Thomas S. Monson in General Conference, October 3, 2009.[25] Ground was broken on June 18, 2011 by Walter F. Gonzalez.[26] A public open house took place from March 29 to April 19, 2014.[27] The temple was formally dedicated on May 4, 2014.[28]

219. Tallahassee Florida (Announced)

Location:
Announced:
 Notes:

Tallahassee, Florida
5 April 2020
Announced by Russell M. Nelson on April 5, 2020[29]

See also

References
  1. Religious Landscape Study: Adults in Florida, Pew Research Center, 2014, retrieved February 7, 2021
  2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)
  3. "Florida: Facts and Statistics", Church News 2019. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  4. "The Saints in Florida", Ensign, June 1975, p. 36.
  5. Thomas R. Canova Family Organization Newspaper Articles Regarding The Assassination of George Paul Canova Father of Thomas R. Canova
  6. Richard E. Bennett, "Elder Charles A. Callis: Twentieth-Century Missionary", Ensign, April 1981, p. 46.
  7. "Florida Reaches 100,000 Members", Ensign, December 1996, pp. 66–71.
  8. 2005 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac. Deseret Morning News. p. 175
  9. "Members celebrate 50th anniversary of first southern stake", Church News, January 25, 1997.
  10. Taylor, Scott. "In Florida, an LDS meetinghouse goes from a house of survival to a house of service", Deseret News, 16 September 2017. Retrieved on 19 March 2020.
  11. "'Incredible day'", Church News, February 10, 2007.
  12. Noyce, David. "LDS leader Nelson discusses ‘lasting happiness,’ meets with Pulse nightclub owner during Orlando visit", The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2019. Retrieved on 19 March 2020.
  13. Lovett, Ian. "Mormon Church Cancels Services World-Wide Amid Coronavirus Crisis", The Wall Street Journal, 12 March 2020. Retrieved on 31 March 2020.
  14. Spear, Kevin. "Mormon church-owned company buys huge swath of Florida land", Orlando Sentinel, 7 November 2013. Retrieved on 11 March 2020.
  15. Walch, Tad. "LDS Church makes large timberland purchase in Florida Panhandle", Deseret News, 10 November 2013. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  16. Provost, Claire. "From book to boom: how the Mormons plan a city for 500,000 in Florida", The Guardian, 30 January 2017. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  17. Fineout, Gary. "Mormon church affiliate buying up Florida land", The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 November 2013. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  18. Martinez, Amy. "The Mormon Church - Land Lord", Florida Trend, 26 December 2014. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  19. Croft, Tim. "Nature Conservancy purchases land at Lake Wimico", Gannett, 12 February 2020. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  20. Samuels, Jennifer; Benzion, Calli (June 25, 2011), "Groundbreaking for Ft. Lauderdale temple", Church News, retrieved November 2, 2012
  21. "New picture of planned Mormon temple: Mormons break ground for temple in South Florida", Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 20, 2011, retrieved November 2, 2012
  22. "Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced", Newsroom, LDS Church, January 13, 2014
  23. "Church Dedicates Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, 143rd in the World", Newsroom, LDS Church, May 4, 2014
  24. Nolin, Robert. "New Mormon temple soars above Davie pastures", South Florida Sun Sentinel, Florida, 1 July 2015. Retrieved on 10 August 2019.
  25. Taylor, Scott (October 3, 2009), "Brigham City among five new locales for LDS temples", Deseret News, retrieved November 2, 2012
  26. "Church Leaders Break Ground for Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple", Newsroom (News Release), LDS Church, June 18, 2011, retrieved November 2, 2012
  27. "Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced", Newsroom, LDS Church, January 13, 2014
  28. "Church Dedicates Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, 143rd in the World", Newsroom, LDS Church, May 4, 2014
  29. Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at General Conference: The Church will build its first temple in the Middle East, 5 April 2020
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