# The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicaragua

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Nicaragua refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Nicaragua. The first convert was baptized in 1954 and the first Nicaraguan mission opened in 1989. As of December 31, 2022, there were 101,361 members in 109 congregations in Nicaragua.

## History

The first missionaries entered the country in 1953. The first Nicaraguan convert, José de Guzman, was baptized on April 11, 1954, a year after the first missionaries arrived in the country. These missionaries, Elders Manuel Arias and Archie R. Mortensen, were serving in the Central American Mission, which Elder Spencer W. Kimball organized in 1952. In 1959, the first Nicaraguan district was formed. The first stake (the Managua Stake) was created in March 1981 and reorganized in June 1998. Several natural disasters and political crises, including an earthquake that devastated Managua in 1972 and a civil war that began in the late 1970s, slowed missionary work throughout the 1970s and '80s. Foreign missionaries were removed from the country in 1980, and locals continued the work until full-time missionaries returned about ten years later. The first Nicaraguan members entered the temple in Guatemala City in 1987. The Nicaragua Managua Mission opened in October 1989.
In April 2018, church president Russell M. Nelson announced the first temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be built in Nicaragua. The Managua Nicaragua Temple was announced at the same time as six other temples. In May 2018, a church spokesman announced that all missionaries would be removed from Nicaragua until further notice.
A brief history can be found at LDS Newsroom (Nicaragua) or Deseret News 2010 Church Almanac (Nicaragua).

## Stakes and Districts

As of February 2023, Nicaragua had the following stakes and districts:
| Stake | Organized | Mission |
| Chinandega Nicaragua Stake | 25 Jun 2000 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Chinandega Nicaragua West Stake | 14 Jun 2009 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Esteli Nicaragua District | 25 Jun 2006 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Granada Nicaragua District | 11 Jun 1991 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Jinotepe Nicaragua Stake | 9 May 2004 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Juigalpa Nicaragua District | 12 Nov 2006 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Leon Nicaragua Stake | 25 Feb 2007 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Managua Nicaragua Stake | 22 Mar 1981 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Managua Nicaragua Bello Horizonte Stake | 8 May 2005 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Managua Nicaragua Las Américas Stake | 21 Nov 2004 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Managua Nicaragua Universitaria Stake | 30 Jan 2005 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Managua Nicaragua Villa Flor Stake | 30 May 2004 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Masatepe Nicaragua Stake | 9 Jul 2017 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Masaya Nicaragua Stake | 20 Feb 2005 | Nicaragua Managua South |
| Matagalpa Nicaragua Stake | 2 Oct 1990 | Nicaragua Managua North |
| Puerto Cabezas Nicaragua District | 24 Oct 2010 | Nicaragua Managua North |

## Missions

| Mission | Organized |
| Nicaragua Managua North | 30 Jun 2010 |
| Nicaragua Managua South | 15 Oct 1989 |

## Temples

| 229. Managua Nicaragua Temple (Under construction) Official website News & images | 229. Managua Nicaragua Temple (Under construction) Official website News & images | |
| Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Size: | Managua, Nicaragua 1 April 2018 by Russell M. Nelson 26 November 2022 by Taylor G. Godoy 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m$^2$) on a 8.9-acre (3.6 ha) site | Managua, Nicaragua 1 April 2018 by Russell M. Nelson 26 November 2022 by Taylor G. Godoy 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m$^2$) on a 8.9-acre (3.6 ha) site |