Category: International

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20th Century International

How Did David O. McKay Transform the Church Into a Global Faith?

A historical illustration in a 1920s photographic style, showing David O. McKay and his travel companion, Hugh J. Cannon, on the deck of a steamship. Both men wear suits and fedora hats as they lean over a table, intently examining a large map labeled "PACIFIC OCEAN." McKay points to a group of islands on the map. Vintage leather luggage and a folding camera sit beside them, with a busy port city visible in the background.

David O. McKay’s missionary experiences, apostolic assignments, and prophetic initiatives helped transform the Latter-day Saint faith into a global religion. Known for his warmth, charisma, and attentiveness to people, McKay combined personal ministry with a visionary approach to leadership. He traveled the world as an Apostle to meet members, assess local needs, and expand missionary work. As the prophet, President McKay also created new missions, adapted racial policies in response to local conditions, and established the first temples outside the United States and Canada. In this interview, biographer Brian Q. Cannon traces the lasting impact of David O. McKay on the international Church.

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19th Century International Latter-day Saint History

Ports to Posts: Latter-day Saint Gathering in the 19th Century

C. C. A. Christensen painting of the ship Westmoreland carrying Latter-day Saint emigrants during the 19th-century voyage.

Latter-day Saint emigration in the 19th century was a carefully organized journey of faith, notwithstanding disasters like the 1856 handcart tragedy. Tens of thousands relied on systems like the Perpetual Emigrating Fund, the guidance of trusted allies such as George Ramsden of the Guion Line, and meticulous planning to navigate both stormy seas and the hardships of overland travel. In this interview, historian Fred E. Woods explores the logistical, spiritual, and human dimensions of this migration, revealing how faith and practical organization shaped pioneer emigration.

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20th Century International

When Did Latter-day Saints Establish the Church in South America?

Melvin J. Ballard’s tombstone in Salt Lake City referencing his 1925 dedicatory prayer for the LDS Church in South America, marking the establishment of the South American Mission.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints firmly established itself in South America in 1925, when three General Authorities arrived in Buenos Aires to open the South American Mission. The continent was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel by Elder Melvin J. Ballard on Christmas Day in 1925. Early subsequent efforts focused on German immigrants, but missionaries soon discovered that Spanish- and Italian-speaking communities were more receptive. Visionary leaders like David O. McKay and Reinhold Stoof laid the foundations that would later support thriving congregations in Argentina and Brazil. In this interview, historian Mark Grover explores the challenges and milestones in South America that have contributed to today’s global Mormonism.

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International Latter-day Saint History

Global Mormonism: Latter-day Saints Around the World

The Church Office Building in Salt Lake City surrounded by international flags, symbolizing global Mormonism and worldwide Latter-day Saint growth.

Global Mormonism tells the story of how a faith born with Joseph Smith in 19th-century America became a worldwide religion. From Native American missions and Polynesian conversions to Mexico’s Third Convention and the rapid growth of Latter-day Saints in Africa and Brazil, the church’s expansion has been shaped by migration, translation, and local leadership. Along the way, members have endured upheaval—from the Armenian Saints’ exodus out of Aintab to a temple in Manila safeguarded during a coup—while building a global community of faith. This article explores the milestones, tensions, and resilience that define Mormonism’s worldwide journey.

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20th Century International Latter-day Saint History

Did the Nazis Spy on the Church?

A Latter-day Saint family prays by candlelight in a modest German home, unaware of a Nazi officer watching through a frosted window.

The government of Adolf Hitler spied on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during World War II. Recently uncovered documents offer an unprecedented glimpse into how the Third Reich monitored the Church and subjected its membership to systematic surveillance, censorship, and intimidation. A 1937 report even details notes made about President Heber J. Grant during a series of sermons. This interview with Stephen O. Smoot explores key insights into Church-state tensions, missionary activity, and the persecution of individual members, including resistance figures like Helmuth Hübener as part of the story of Mormonism around the world in the time leading up to World War II.

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International Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Eduardo Balderas?

Black and white portrait of Eduardo Balderas, featured on the cover of “Eduardo Balderas: Father of Church Translation.”

Eduardo Balderas, the Church’s first official full-time Spanish translator, was so influential among Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints that many called him the “thirteenth apostle.” He played a pivotal role in making the gospel accessible in Spanish by translating scripture, temple ordinances, and other Church literature. Trusted by Church leaders and admired across cultures, Balderas helped bridge linguistic and cultural divides for Mormonism Around the World. In this interview, biographer Ignacio Garcia explores how this quiet pioneer helped make the gospel truly global.

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International

Who Was Andrés Carlos González?

A painting of Andrés Carlos González

Andrés Carlos González was among the first native Mexicans to be called as a missionary, as a mission presidency councilor, and as a patriarch. The grandfather of M. Russell Ballard also inquired about his ability to serve as a mission president. González wrote the lyrics to the popular hymn Placentero nos es trabajar (“Oh, How Great Is Our Joy”) and was a notable resident of the Latter-day Saint colonies in Mexico. This interview with John A. Gonzalez discusses Andrés Carlos González’s life and legacy as a notable figure in the history of Mormonism around the world.

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International Latter-day Saint History

Who Are the Japanese Latter-day Saints?

Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan

Joseph Smith once stated that the Gospel would go forth, “till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear.” The establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan is one of the fulfillments of his statement about Mormonism around the world. Today, there are 268 congregations and four temples in Japan, representing the growth of the Church in that country. This interview with Shinji Takagi discusses Latter-day Saints in Japan.

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International

How did the Church Start in Micronesia and Guam?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a presence in the islands of the Pacific Ocean since the time of Joseph Smith, but it was only during the decades following WWII that it experienced extensive growth in areas like Micronesia, the Philippines, and eastern Asia. This includes the modern states of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Palau, along with the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands (all of which are referenced as Micronesia and Guam in this interview). These countries have some of the highest per capita memberships in the Church in the world. This interview with R. Devan Jensen discusses the history of the Church in Micronesia and Guam as part of the story of Mormonism around the world.

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International Latter-day Saint History

Who Were Mexico’s Latter-day Saint Pioneers?

The Mexico City Temple is the culmination of decades of faithful service by Latter-day Saint pioneers in South America

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a presence in Mexico for 145 years. Mexico is also the country with the largest Church membership outside of the United States, with almost 1.5 million members, 222 stakes, and 13 temples. Its history is filled with rich stories of faith over the last century and a half. In this interview, F. LaMond Tullis discusses some of those stories from the history of the Church in Mexico as part of the story of Mormonism around the world.

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