The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas
In today's world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas is a topic that has gained great relevance in different areas of society. Whether in the political, social, cultural or technological field, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas has aroused great interest and debate among specialists and experts. Over time, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas has become a topic of constant discussion, as its implications and effects have a significant impact on our daily lives. In this article, we will explore in detail the different dimensions and perspectives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas, with the aim of better understanding its importance and influence in today's society.
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.
Texas has the 5th most members of the LDS Church in the United States, and the most members east of the Rocky Mountains. The LDS Church is the 6th largest denomination in Texas.
History
Membership in Texas
Year
Membership
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)
1844 consideration for Latter Day Saint settlement
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. Smith sent Lucien Woodworth to Austin to meet with Houston.
After Smith's death, negotiations with Houston were abandoned.
2008 Hurricane Ike
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:
80,640 hygiene kits (six truckloads).
8.064 cleaning kits (four truckloads).
4 truckloads of water.
11,520 blankets (two truckloads).
4,800 food boxes (four truckloads) which included rice, vegetable oil, peanut butter, fruit drink mix, and assorted canned goods. Each food box could feed a family of four for a week to 10 days.
Food, water, generators, sleeping bags, tools, chain saws, tarps and other items.
In addition to this aid, thousands of church members came into the area as volunteers to assist in clean up efforts.
Church units and creation dates
Stakes and Districts
As of January 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
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 West
Dallas Texas
Dallas Texas East
May 15, 1977
Texas Dallas West
Dallas Texas
Denton Texas
May 3, 1992
Texas Fort Worth
Dallas Texas
Eagle Pass Texas District
October 19, 1997
Texas San Antonio
San Antonio Texas
El Paso Texas
September 21, 1952
New Mexico Albuquerque
Ciudad Juárez Mexico
El Paso Texas Mount Franklin
August 29, 1982
New Mexico Albuquerque
Ciudad Juárez Mexico
El Paso Texas Chamizal
January 17, 2016
New Mexico Albuquerque
Ciudad Juárez Mexico
Fort Stockton Texas District
September 7, 2003
Texas Lubbock
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
31 October 1976
Oklahoma Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Oklahoma
Laredo Texas
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 East
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
May 4, 2014
Texas Dallas West
Dallas Texas
Richardson Texas
January 30, 1983
Texas Dallas West
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
26 January 1958
Texas Dallas East
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 East
Dallas Texas
Waco Texas
October 17, 2010
Texas Austin
Dallas Texas
Weatherford Texas
April 30, 2006
Texas Fort Worth
Dallas Texas
^Originally called Houston Texas Bear Creek Stake and renamed to Bridgeland Texas Stake August 22, 2021
^ abStake located outside Texas with congregation(s) meeting in Texas
^Originally Frisco Texas Shawnee Trail, Renamed to Prosper Texas, August 25, 2019
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.
Missions
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.
^The Texas Dallas West Mission was originally named the Texas Mission in 1961. It was renamed the Texas North Mission on June 10, 1970, the Texas Dallas Mission on June 20, 1974, and ultimately the Texas Dallas West Mission on July 1, 2020.
^The Texas Fort Worth Mission was originally named the Texas Lubbock Mission in 1986. It was renamed the Texas Fort Worth Mission on January 20, 1988.
^The Texas McAllen Mission was originally named the Texas Corpus Christi Mission in 1989. It was renamed the Texas McAllen Mission on February 24, 1994.
^The Texas San Antonio Mission was originally named the Texas South Mission in 1967. It was renamed the Texas San Antonio Mission on June 20, 1974.
Temples in Texas and Oklahoma (edit) = Operating = Under construction = Announced = Temporarily Closed
As of April 2024, Texas has 5 temples located in the state, with 1 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.
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
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
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.
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
Fairview, Texas 2 October 2022 by Russell M. Nelson 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.
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: