The Church in Macau

Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived in Macau in 1964, but government policies soon caused the mission to close. A 1976 constitutional amendment allowed for the return of missionaries, and several new Church members were baptized in 1977. The Church continued to grow as Macau reverted from Portuguese control to Chinese in 1999, and in 2015 the Macau China District was organized.

History of the Church in Macau

The Latter-day Saints are relatively few in number in Macau, the most densely populated region in the world. For over half a century Latter-day Saints have been part of the fabric of Macanese society, working hard within the bustling economy and building relationships with local government and the religious establishment. In the early years of missionary efforts in Macau, missionaries and local members hosted annual choir performances during the Christmas season, which were attended by hundreds of local people.

The constant flow of people in and out of Macau for economic opportunities has contributed to fluctuations in local Church organization. For instance, a Mandarin-speaking branch was organized in 2001 but discontinued in 2004. A few dedicated families have served diligently in key local callings for more than one generation. In 2015 the Church reached a milestone for institutional maturity with the creation of the Macau China District. That same year, Macau’s diverse but small, committed membership was an ideal pilot for the new basic unit program, centered on a two-hour church block. Latter-day Saints’ experiences in Macau prove Jesus’s promise that “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

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