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

Residential area in the city of Erdenet, Mongolia. The building with a steeple is a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In May 1992, Elders Merlin Lybbert and Monte Brough, members of the Asia Area presidency, went to Mongolia to explore the possibility of the Church providing humanitarian aid. Under the request of Mongolian government, the church sent six missionary couples to improve the higher education system in Mongolia. These missionary couples included a former business college president, a medical doctor responsible for postgraduate studies at a university medical center, a computer science professor, a business professor, a professor of curriculum development and administration, and an educational administrator.[6][7]

The first Mongolian converts were baptized in 1993 and the Ulaanbaatar Branch was organized in September of the same year. On July 1, 1995, the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission was officially organized. On October 24, 1994, the church was officially registered with the Mongolian government. On April 11, 1995, the first native Mongolians received mission calls. Seminary and institute classes started in 1996. On September 15, 1996 the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia District was organized.[8]

On June 6, 1999, the first LDS Church meetinghouse was dedicated. Previously, the building was widely known as "Children's Cinema". The first meetinghouse built by the LDS Church was built in Darkhan and was dedicated in June 2001. The Bayanzurkh Church Center, a five-story building that houses the mission home and office, service center, distribution center, meetinghouse, Stake offices for both the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East and West stakes, and Church Educational System offices, started construction in the fall of 2000.

The Mongolian translation of the Book of Mormon became available starting in November 2001 with selections translated into Mongolian,[9] and the most recent edition completed in 2008.

The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake with six congregations was formed in 2009 growing to nine congregations by May 2016. The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East Stake was created in May 2016 with six congregations. About 2010 new visa laws went into effect limiting foreigners causing many of the foreign Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries to be reassigned to other countries. There were, however, about 110 Mongolian missionaries serving full time missions inside Mongolia. Some missionaries serving in Mongolia are from Mongolia.[10][1] In May 2011, Elder Jeffery R. Holland visited Ulaanbaatar to meet with government officials, missionaries, and members of the Church.[11] Elder David A. Bednar visited Mongolia in May 2018.

In July 2015 a choir of more than 50 members of the LDS Church in Mongolia toured communities throughout Northern Mongolia. They also provided humanitarian service in these communities during the tour. This was the first rural tour of the LDS Church in Mongolia.[12] In 2016, “Zion” band, a youth choir of the LDS Church in Mongolia, successfully participated in "Mongolia's Got Talent Show.[13]

On August 1, 2019 the LDS Church in Mongolia became part of the Asia North Area which covers Northern Asia and some North Pacific islands.[11]

Ulaanbaatar East

Ulaanbaatar West

Darkhan

Choibalsan

Murun

Oyu-Tolgoi

Khovd

Stake Centers in Mongolia
Green = Stake
Orange = District
Purple = meetinghouse not part of stake or district*
*Khovd Branch is part of Ulaanbaatar West Stake

As of February 2023, 2 stakes and a district existed in Mongolia:[15]

• All congregations not in a stake, regardless of size, are branches within a mission. The Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission Branch serves individuals and families in Mongolia not in proximity to a meetinghouse.

In addition, a church Employment Resource Center is located in Ulaanbaatar.[17]

Prior to establishment of a Mission, Mongolia was overseen by the Asia Area Presidency.[8] The first missionary couples arrived in Mongolia in 1992 as educators. The first young missionaries arrived in 1993. In 1995, the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission was established with Richard Cook as the first mission president.[18] He and his wife were serving as missionaries in Mongolia prior to his assignment as mission president.[8]

As of July 2023, congregations in Mongolia were assigned to the Hong Kong China Temple District.

On October 1, 2023, during a General Conference address, LDS President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to build a temple in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

• Religion in Mongolia
• Christianity in Mongolia

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site (Mongolian)
• LDS Church in Mongolia Newsroom (Mongolian)
• ComeUntoChrist.org Latter-day Saints Visitor site
• The Development in Mongolia of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Published By: Mongolia Society
• Many More Mormons in Mongolia - Real Clear Religion