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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland has a rich history beginning in 1850.[1] As of December 31, 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 9,034 members in Switzerland, organized in five stakes and 36 congregations (28 wards and 8 branches).

History
The Plan of salvation in German.

Missionary work for LDS Church began in Switzerland on November 24, 1850 when the Swiss Mission was created.[1] The Swiss Mission later became the Swiss and Italian Mission and the Swiss, Italian, and German Mission.[1] 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.[2] In 1994, Howard W. Hunter visited Switzerland as the new LDS Church president.[3]

Hans B. Ringger was a Swiss national who was a leader of the LDS Church in Switzerland.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6]

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.[7]

Missions
  • Alpine German-speaking Mission

Temples

9. Bern Switzerland Temple

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

Münchenbuchsee, Switzerland
1 July 1952
11 September 1955 by David O. McKay
23 November 1992 by Gordon B. Hinckley
39,063 sq ft (3,629 m2) and 140 ft (43 m) high 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. "Missionary Database: Swiss Mission", history.churchofjesuschrist.org, 2020. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  2. Cowan, Richard O. "The Pivotal Swiss Temple", Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint Church History: Europe, 2003. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  3. "PRES. HUNTER'S TRAVELS, APPEARANCES", Deseret News, 4 March 1995. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  4. Neuenschwander, Dennis B. "Elder Hans B. Ringger: ‘One of the truly great souls’", Church News, 13 November 2010. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  5. "Elder Hans B. Ringger", churchofjesuschrist.org, 2010. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  6. "DOUGLAS BISCHOFF DIES, LONGTIME WORKER FOR GOP", Deseret News, 13 May 1991. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
  7. Weidmann, Yves."Switzerland: Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
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