The topic of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas is an issue that has captured the interest and attention of many people around the world. Whether due to its impact on society, its historical relevance or its meaning in daily life, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas has generated debates, investigations and even controversies. In this article, we will explore different aspects and perspectives related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas, with the aim of providing a broad and complete overview on this topic. From its origin to its current implications, including its influence on popular culture, we will examine in depth how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas has left an indelible mark on history and the collective consciousness.
This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (April 2024) |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas | |
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Area | NA Southwest |
Members | 378,281 (2022)[1] |
Stakes | 78 |
Districts | 2 |
Wards | 616 |
Branches | 128 |
Total Congregations | 744 |
Missions | 10 |
Temples | 5 Operating 2 Under Construction 3 Announced 10 Total |
Family History Centers | 138[2] |
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Texas. Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 1.13% in 2007 and 1.21% in 2014. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey in both years, roughly 1% of Texans self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[3]
Texas has the 5th most members of the LDS Church in the United States, and the most members east of the Rocky Mountains.[4] The LDS Church is the 6th largest denomination in Texas.[5]
Year | Membership |
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1893 | 64 |
1898* | 300 |
1906* | 1,000 |
1930 | 3,840 |
1977* | 50,000 |
1984* | 120,000 |
1990* | 154,000 |
1999 | 210,892 |
2009 | 286,902 |
2019 | 362,037 |
2022 | 378,281 |
*Membership was published as a rounded number. |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2021) |
Increased persecution around Nauvoo in 1844 led Joseph Smith to consider relocating the church outside the borders of the United States. The Republic of Texas, along with other areas in the western United states, were considered by Smith as a place where the church members would be able to peacefully practice their religion. That year, Smith started negotiations with Sam Houston, president of the Republic of Texas, for the southern and western portions of Texas to be the future home of the Latter Day Saints.[7] Smith sent Lucien Woodworth to Austin to meet with Houston.[8]
After Smith's death, negotiations with Houston were abandoned.[9]
In response to Hurricane Ike in 2008, members of the LDS Church across Texas and other parts of the country volunteered relief and service.
Total LDS Church response to Hurricane Ike included:
In addition to this aid, thousands of church members came into the area as volunteers to assist in clean up efforts.
As of June 2024, Texas had the following stakes:
Stake | Organized | Mission | Temple District |
---|---|---|---|
Abilene Texas | May 3, 1981 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
Allen Texas | August 26, 2007 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Alliance Texas | February 16, 2014 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Amarillo Texas | May 31, 1981 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
Amarillo Texas East | August 13, 2023 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
Arlington Texas | April 13, 1986 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Austin Texas | October 14, 1973 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Austin Texas Oak Hills | December 1, 1991 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Austin Texas West | September 15, 2019 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Bay City Texas | October 13, 1991 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Beaumont Texas | September 3, 1961 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
Bridgeland Texas[a] | February 22, 2015 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Burleson Texas | September 11, 2016 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Carrollton Texas | December 9, 2001 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Cedar Park Texas | June 5, 2016 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
College Station Texas | October 28, 1979 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Colleyville Texas | April 13, 1997 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Conroe Texas | April 30, 2017 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Corpus Christi Texas | May 31, 1964 | Texas McAllen | McAllen Texas |
Cypress Texas | November 6, 1983 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Dallas Texas | October 18, 1953 | Texas Dallas South | Dallas Texas |
Dallas Texas East | May 15, 1977 | Texas Dallas South | Dallas Texas |
Denton Texas | May 3, 1992 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Eagle Pass Texas District | October 19, 1997 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
El Paso Texas | September 21, 1952 | Texas El Paso | Ciudad Juárez Mexico |
El Paso Texas Mount Franklin | August 29, 1982 | Texas El Paso | Ciudad Juárez Mexico |
El Paso Texas Chamizal | January 17, 2016 | Texas El Paso | Ciudad Juárez Mexico |
Fort Stockton Texas District | September 7, 2003 | Texas El Paso | Lubbock Texas |
Friendswood Texas | May 29, 1977 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Fort Worth Texas | September 24, 1967 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Fort Worth Texas North | November 6, 2016 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Frisco Texas | May 4, 2008 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Gilmer Texas | January 16, 1983 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Harlingen Texas | March 22, 1981 | Texas McAllen | McAllen Texas |
Heath Texas | May 20, 2012 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Houston Texas | October 11, 1953 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Houston Texas East | May 5, 1968 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
Houston Texas North | November 16, 1975 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Houston Texas South | November 30, 1980 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Houston Texas Summerwood | June 3, 2012 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
Houston Texas West | January 8, 2006 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Hurst Texas | November 14, 1976 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
Irving Texas | February 7, 2016 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Katy Texas | December 1, 1991 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Killeen Texas | November 26, 1978 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Kingwood Texas | April 18, 1982 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
Klein Texas | November 2, 2003 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Kyle Texas | May 4, 2008 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Lawton Oklahoma[b] | 31 October 1976 | Oklahoma Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City Oklahoma |
Laredo Texas[c] | October 31, 1995 | Texas McAllen | McAllen Texas |
League City Texas | October 25, 2009 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Lewisville Texas | April 12, 1981 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Little Elm Texas | August 25, 2019 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Longview Texas | November 9, 1969 | Texas Dallas South | Dallas Texas |
Lubbock Texas | November 26, 1967 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
Lubbock Texas North | September 14, 2014 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
McAllen Texas | May 4, 1975 | Texas McAllen | McAllen Texas |
McAllen Texas West | September 7, 2008 | Texas McAllen | McAllen Texas |
McKinney Texas | September 11, 1994 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Odessa Texas | December 15, 1968 | Texas Lubbock | Lubbock Texas |
Orange Texas | August 29, 1982 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
Plano Texas | May 27, 1973 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Prosper Texas[d] | May 4, 2014 | Texas Dallas West | Dallas Texas |
Richardson Texas | January 30, 1983 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Richmond Texas | May 7, 2006 | Texas Houston South | Houston Texas |
Round Rock Texas | June 6, 1999 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
Round Rock Texas East | November 24, 2013 | Texas Austin | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas | January 19, 1958 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas Cibolo Valley | January 10, 2016 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas East, | May 30, 1976 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas Hill Country | January 27, 2008 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas La Cantera | January 24, 2016 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas North | October 19, 1997 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas Pecan Valley | September 13, 2020 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
San Antonio Texas West | June 5, 1983 | Texas San Antonio | San Antonio Texas |
Sherman Texas | March 20, 2016 | Texas Dallas East | Dallas Texas |
Shreveport Louisiana[b] | 26 January 1958 | Texas Dallas South | Dallas Texas |
Spring Texas | November 8, 2009 | Texas Houston East | Houston Texas |
The Woodlands Texas | October 12, 2014 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Tomball Texas | May 21, 2017 | Texas Houston | Houston Texas |
Tyler Texas | January 22, 2005 | Texas Dallas South | Dallas Texas |
Waco Texas | October 17, 2010 | Texas Austin | Dallas Texas |
Weatherford Texas | April 30, 2006 | Texas Fort Worth | Dallas Texas |
A few congregations in Southern Texas are not part of a stake or district. These congregations are the Raymondville Branch, Rio Grande City Branch, Roma Branch, and Zapata Branch and are directly administered by the Texas McAllen Mission and part of the McAllen Texas Temple District.
Responsibility for Texas has been shared by several different missions. Originally in the Southern States Mission, it was transferred to the Indian Territory Mission, which later changed its name to the Southwestern States Mission and, in 1904, it became the Central States Mission. Texas remained in the Central States Mission until the Texas Mission was organized in 1931. Texas and Louisiana were combined to form the Texas-Louisiana Mission in 1945. Texas was part of the Gulf States Mission from 1955 to 1960.
In 1961, a new Texas Mission was organized. This became the Texas Dallas Mission in 1974. As the church grew, other missions in Texas were organized.
Mission | Organized |
---|---|
Texas Austin | 30 June 2020 |
Texas Dallas East | 28 June 2020 |
Texas Dallas South | June 2024 |
Texas Dallas West[a] | 16 February 1961 |
Texas El Paso | June 2024 |
Texas Fort Worth[b] | 1 July 1986 |
Texas Houston | 1 July 1976 |
Texas Houston East | 1 July 1990 |
Texas Houston South | 1 July 1997 |
Texas Lubbock | 1 July 2002 |
Texas McAllen[c] | 1 July 1989 |
Texas San Antonio[d] | 10 December 1967 |
Temples in Texas and Oklahoma ( ) |
As of October 2024, Texas has 5 temples located in the state, with 2 under construction, and 3 more announced. The far western portion of the state is located in the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple District. A few congregations in and around Wichita Falls, TX are in the Lawton Oklahoma Stake and are part of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple District.
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Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size: Style: Notes: |
Dallas, Texas, United States April 1, 1981 by Spencer W. Kimball January 22, 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley October 19, 1984 by Gordon B. Hinckley March 5, 1989 by Gordon B. Hinckley 44,207 sq ft (4,107.0 m2) on a 6-acre (2.4 ha) site Sloping roof, six spire - designed by Church A&E Services and West & Humphries The rededication in 1989 was for the addition only | |||||
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Spring, Texas, United States September 30, 1997 by Gordon B. Hinckley June 13, 1998 by Lynn A. Mickelsen August 26, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley April 22, 2018 by M. Russell Ballard 33,970 sq ft (3,156 m2) on a 11-acre (4.5 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Spencer Partnership Architects and Church A&E Services Rededicated after repairing damage from Hurricane Harvey | |||||
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Lubbock, Texas, U.S. April 2, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley November 4, 2000 by Rex D. Pinegar April 21, 2002 by Gordon B. Hinckley 16,498 sq ft (1,532.7 m2) on a 2.7-acre (1.1 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Tisdel Minckler and Associates. | |||||
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San Antonio, Texas, U.S. June 24, 2001 by Gordon B. Hinckley March 29, 2003 by H. Bruce Stucki May 22, 2005 by Gordon B. Hinckley 16,800 sq ft (1,560 m2) on a 5.5-acre (2.2 ha) site Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Rehler, Vaughn & Koone | |||||
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McAllen, Texas, United States 5 October 2019 by Russell M. Nelson[11] 21 November 2020 by Art Rascon[12] 8 October 2023 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf 27,897 sq ft (2,591.7 m2) on a 10.61-acre (4.29 ha) site | |||||
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Burleson, Texas, United States 3 October 2021 by Russell M. Nelson[13][14] 28 October 2023 by Jose L. Alonso 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) on a 9.37-acre (3.79 ha) site | |||||
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Cedar Park, Texas 3 April 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[15][16] 17 August 2024 by Michael A. Dunn[17][18] 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2) on a 10.6-acre (4.3 ha) site | |||||
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Fairview, Texas 2 October 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[19][20] 44,000 sq ft (4,100 m2) on a 8.16-acre (3.30 ha) site Revised name and site announced on December 4, 2023.[21] | |||||
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Location: Announced: |
Houston, Texas, United States 7 April 2024 by Russell M. Nelson[22][23] | |||||
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Location: Announced: Notes: |
El Paso, Texas 6 October 2024 by Russell M. Nelson[24][25] {{{notes}}} |
Latter-day Saints have had a significant role in establishing and settling communities within the "Mormon Corridor" and other locations, including the following in Texas: