The Church in Costa Rica
A few Latter-day Saints moved to Costa Rica in the 1940s, and missionaries arrived in 1946. By the 1960s, Costa Rican congregations were an important base for the Church’s work across Central America. The country’s Saints have a long tradition of hosting and helping others. In 2000, a temple was dedicated in San José.
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History of the Church in Costa Rica
In the 1940s, several Latter-day Saints who lived and worked in Costa Rica began holding meetings. In 1946, H. Clark and Adrienne Fails were living in San José, where Clark was working at the United States Embassy. Clark contacted the Mexican Mission, asking that missionaries be sent. Clark was soon called as a counselor in the Mexican Mission presidency, and Adrienne was set apart as a missionary. The missionaries soon found more interested people than they had time to teach.
By the 1960s, branches were organized throughout Costa Rica. In 1965, the headquarters of the Central American Mission was moved from Guatemala City to San José. In the decades since, Costa Rican Saints have provided strength and support to members throughout Central America. In 1966, more than 200 young Latter-day Saints from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama met in San José for the first of many regional youth conferences. Over the next decade, seminary and institute classes began across the mission, and members from Costa Rica joined other Central American Saints in making regular trips to temples in Arizona, Mexico, and Guatemala.
As regional conflicts displaced Saints in neighboring countries, the Saints of Costa Rica welcomed them, “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). The Costa Rican Saints joined in unity toward the work of salvation, looking forward to a day when they would have a temple of their own. On June 4, 2000, that day arrived, with the dedication of the San José Costa Rica Temple.
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Notes
- Chavarria Orozco, Israel Joaquin. Interview. San José, Costa Rica, Sept. 26, 2019. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- Costa Rica San José Mission (1974–2015). Costa Rica San José Mission Files, 1965–1971, 1987–1991.
- Gaunt, LaRene. “Costa Rica: Rising in Majesty and Strength.” Ensign, Dec. 1996, 22–29.
- Jiménez Sandí, Mario Javier. Historical Outline of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Costa Rica. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- Muños, Lea Alfaro. Interview. Alajuela, Costa Rica, May 27, 2013. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
- San Jose Costa Rica Los Yoses Stake Annual Historical Reports, 1980, 1982–1987, 1989, 1992–1993, 1996–2000, 2007–2011, 2014–2018, 2020–2022. Church History Library, Salt Lake City.