Mormonism in Costa Rica

Introduction

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) was first officially established in Costa Rica in 1950. Unlike the Church in most Latin American countries, the Church in Costa Rica only experienced a brief period of rapid membership growth during the late 1980s and early 1990s and during the 2010s experienced accelerated growth in comparison to the previous decade. As a result, the Church in Costa Rica reports the lowest percentage of church-reported membership in the national population of any Central American country (approximately 1.0%). Challenges for the Church in Costa Rica remain consistent with the Church in most Latin American countries such as low rates of member activity and convert retention. Nevertheless, the Church in Costa Rica has exhibited many aspects of good leadership development and self-sufficiency despite a smaller church membership in comparison to most Latin American nations.

History

Missionaries from the Mexican Mission visited Costa...