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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Montana

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Montana
The Billings Montana Temple
AreaNA Central
Members51,715 (2022)[1]
Stakes13
Wards88
Branches41
Total Congregations129
Missions1
Temples2 Operating
1 Announced
3 Total
Family History Centers50[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Montana refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Montana. The church's first congregation in Montana was organized in 1895. It has since grown to 51,715 members in 129 congregations.

Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 4.78% in 2014. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, 4% of Montanans self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[3] The LDS Church is the 2nd largest denomination in Montana behind the Roman Catholic Church.[4]

Stakes are located in Billings (3), Bozeman, Butte, Frenchtown, Glendive, Great Falls (2), Helena, Kalispell, Missoula, and Stevensville.

History

[edit]
Membership in Montana[5][1]
YearMembership
19301,181
19405,210
19506,416
196023,890
198030,784
1989*34,000
199939,842
200945,517
201950,552
202251,715
*Membership was published as a rounded number.

Mormonism in Montana predates the formal arrival of the LDS Church. Members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who dissented from the LDS Church's doctrine regarding polygamy, first arrived in the Montana in 1868. The practice of polygamy was outlawed in the Montana territory, as it was in much of the western United States. It was not until 1896 that the LDS Church, having renounced the former practice of polygamy, arrived in the Montana Territory with the organization of the Montana Mission.[6][7]

Plans to build an LDS Church temple in Montana were announced in August 1996.[8] About 4,800 people gathered during a spring snowstorm to witness the groundbreaking on March 28, 1998.[9]

In 2017, a new meetinghouse was constructed on the Billings West End, adding to the other six buildings in Billings and six others in surrounding area.[10]

County Statistics

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List of LDS Church adherents in each county as of 2010 according to the Association of Religion Data Archives:[11] Note: Each county adherent count reflects meetinghouse location of congregation and not by location of residence. Census count reflects location of residence which may skew percent of population where adherents reside in a different county as their congregational meetinghouse.

County Congregations Adherents % of Population
Beaverhead 4 1,051 11.37
Big Horn 1 802 6.23
Blaine 1 168 2.59
Broadwater 1 397 7.07
Carbon 2 400 3.97
Carter 1 86 7.41
Cascade 10 4,125 5.07
Chouteau 1 167 2.87
Custer 1 480 4.10
Daniels 0
Dawson 1 411 4.58
Deer Lodge 1 542 5.83
Fallon 0
Fergus 1 468 4.04
Flathead 9 4,011 4.41
Gallatin 9 3,582 4.00
Garfield 1 58 4.81
Glacier 1 294 2.19
Golden Valley 0
Granite 2 303 9.84
Hill 1 591 3.67
Jefferson 1 128 1.12
Judith Basin 0
Lake 3 1,415 4.92
Lewis and Clark 6 2,965 4.68
Liberty 1 56 2.39
Lincoln 3 981 4.98
Madison 2 407 5.29
McCone 0
Meagher 1 48 2.54
Mineral 1 209 4.95
Missoula 9 4,879 4.46
Musselshell 1 270 5.95
Park 2 640 4.09
Petroleum 0
Phillips 1 138 3.25
Pondera 1 276 4.49
Powder River 1 32 1.84
Powell 1 434 6.18
Prairie 0
Ravalli 6 2,606 6.48
Richland 1 287 2.95
Roosevelt 2 898 8.61
Rosebud 2 607 6.57
Sanders 2 540 4.73
Sheridan 1 86 2.54
Silver Bow 2 1,726 5.05
Stillwater 1 228 2.50
Sweet Grass 1 111 3.04
Teton 2 538 8.86
Toole 1 282 5.30
Treasure 0
Valley 1 200 2.71
Wheatland 1 105 4.84
Wibaux 0
Yellowstone 14 7,140 4.83

Stakes

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As of June 2024, the following stakes had congregations in Montana:[12]

Stake Mission Temple District
Billings Montana Montana Billings Billings Montana
Billings Montana East Montana Billings Billings Montana
Billings Montana South Montana Billings Billings Montana
Bozeman Montana Montana Billings Helena Montana
Butte Montana Montana Missoula Helena Montana
Glendive Montana North Dakota Bismarck Billings Montana
Great Falls Montana Montana Missoula Helena Montana
Great Falls Montana East Montana Missoula Helena Montana
Helena Montana Montana Missoula Helena Montana
Kalispell Montana Montana Missoula Cardston Alberta
Missoula Montana Montana Missoula Spokane Washington
Ronan Montana Montana Missoula Spokane Washington
Sandpoint Idaho* Washington Spokane Spokane Washington
Stevensville Montana Montana Missoula Spokane Washington
  • *Stakes named outside of Montana with congregations meeting in Montana

Missions

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The West Central States Mission was created on November 11, 1950 as a division of the North Central States, North Western States, and Western States missions. It was renamed Montana–Wyoming Mission in June 1970. The mission name was changed to the Montana Billings Mission four years later.[13] In June 2024, the Montana Missoula Mission was created.

Temples

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Temples in Montana

  • = Operating
  • = Under construction
  • = Announced
  • = Temporarily Closed
Main article: Billings Montana Temple

The Billings Montana Temple was dedicated on November 20, 1999 by church president Gordon B. Hinckley.

The Helena Montana Temple was dedicated on 18 June 2023 by Gary E. Stevenson.

The Missoula Montana Temple was announced on April 3, 2022 by church president Russell M. Nelson.

edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style: 		Billings, Montana, U.S.
August 30, 1996 by Gordon B. Hinckley
March 30, 1998 by Hugh W. Pinnock
November 20, 1999 by Gordon B. Hinckley
33,800 sq ft (3,140 m2) on a 10-acre (4.0 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by CTA Architects Engineers
edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size: 		Helena, Montana, United States
April 4, 2021 by Russell M. Nelson[14]
June 26, 2021 by Vern P. Stanfill[15]
18 June 2023 by Gary E. Stevenson[16]
9,794 sq ft (909.9 m2) on a 4.75-acre (1.92 ha) site
edit
Location:
Announced: 		Missoula, Montana
3 April 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[17][18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State: Montana", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 28 May 2023
  2. ^ Category:Montana Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved March 28, 2022
  3. ^ "Adults in Montana: Religious composition of adults in Montana". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  4. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Montana
  6. ^ "Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 3 April 2020.
  7. ^ Cornelius, Don. "Mormonism in Montana 1847-1898". ScholarWorks. University of Montana.
  8. ^ Olp, Susan. "Thousands expected to mark milestone", Billings Gazette, 19 October 2000. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  9. ^ Hein, David G. "Temple ground made `white and pure'", Deseret News, 4 April 1998. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
  10. ^ Olp, Susan. "The LDS church has grown so much in the Billings area, it's reorganizing and adding a building", Billings Gazette, 21 December 2017. Retrieved on 3 April 2020.
  11. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "CDOL", cdol.churchofjesuschrist.org, retrieved February 7, 2023
  13. ^ Mortimer, Wm. James (2000), 1999-2000 Church Almanac, Deseret Morning News, p. 419, ISBN 1573454915
  14. ^ "Prophet Announces Twenty New Temples at April 2021 General Conference", Newsroom, LDS Church, 4 April 2021
  15. ^ Montanans Break Ground for Helena Temple
  16. ^ "Elder Stevenson dedicates Helena Montana Temple, 'a testament' to testimony, strength of local Latter-day Saints", Church News, Deseret News, 18 June 2023, retrieved 28 September 2023
  17. ^ "7 new temple locations announced by President Nelson to close conference", Deseret News, Deseret News, April 3, 2022
  18. ^ "President Nelson Announces 17 New Temples", Newsroom, LDS Church, April 3, 2022
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