The Marshall Islands

Although Church members visited the Marshall Islands during World War II, official missionary work did not begin there until February 1977. That year Elder William Wardel and Elder Steven Cooper from the Hawaii Honolulu Mission were assigned to work in the area. With the assistance of Eldred Fewkes, a member of the Church who had moved to the Marshall Islands for work, they arranged to hold Church services in a building of another church.

That first year the missionaries baptized 27 converts. Three years later the Marshall Islands became part of the Micronesia Guam Mission. In 1984 the Majuro Marshall Islands District was formed. Church membership continued to grow, leading to the formation of a second district in 1991 on the atoll Kwajalein. In 2006 the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission was created. The next three years saw a large increase in active membership due to activation efforts, convert baptisms, and strengthening local leadership. The result was that on June 14, 2009, the Majuro Marshall Islands Stake was organized.

To read stories of faith and conversion of members in the Marshall Islands, see page 32.