Facts and Statistics

Missionaries Clay Jorgensen and Julio Gonzalez were sent to Aruba in January 1987 from the Venezuela Caracas Mission. When they arrived Jose Gonzalez was the only member on the island. He had joined the Church in Venezuela and had come to work in Caracoa. The missionaries began meetings with Gonzalez, which provided the nucleus that led to the formation of the Aruba Branch (a small congregation). Selections of the Book of Mormon were translated into Papiamento in 1987. The San Nicolas Branch was formed in June 1991.

Church President Gordon B. Hinckley and Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve visited Aruba in March 2001 while on their way to dedicate the temple in Uruguay. They met in the Aruba San Nicolas Branch chapel with about 180 Latter-day Saints. This is believed to be the first time a Church president had visited the island. Since 2003 all Church meetings have been taught in Papiamento instead of Spanish or English.

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Rafael G. Gutiérrez
Oficina di e Área Karibe
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