Estonia: Chronology

1989 • EstoniaEnn Lembit, the son-in-law of recent convert Valtteri Rötsä, hosted the first meetings in Estonia for people interested in the Church. Missionaries came in the winter to teach the group.

December 17, 1989 • Tallinn, EstoniaJana Lass, Kristi Lass, Eve Reisalu, and Alari Allik became the first converts baptized in Estonia.

January 28, 1990 • TallinnThe Tallinn Branch was organized.

February 1990 • TallinnMarina Saarik was called as the first Relief Society president in Estonia.

April 15, 1990 • TallinnPeep Kivit was called as the first Estonian branch president in Estonia.

April 25, 1990 • TallinnPresident Russell M. Nelson, then serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, dedicated Estonia for the preaching of the gospel in a wooded area above the Lauluväljak amphitheater.

June 29, 1990 • TallinnThe Church received official recognition from the Estonian government.

January 16, 1991 • TallinnJaanus Silla became the first Church member from Estonia and the Soviet Union to serve a mission.

August 20, 1991 • EstoniaEstonia declared the restoration of its independence from the Soviet Union, facilitating the spread of the gospel.

September 16, 1991 • Tartu, EstoniaMissionaries began preaching in Tartu.

September 22, 1991 • TallinnThe first Russian-speaking branch was organized in Tallinn, with Anatolii Diachkovskii as president.

December 1992 • Stockholm, SwedenThe first group of Estonians received temple ordinances.

August 30, 1994 • StockholmThe endowment ceremony was given for the first time in Estonian.

April 1996 • TallinnGeneral conference was broadcast in Estonian for the first time.

June 3–19, 1997 • TartuHans Peets, an Estonian expatriate living in Canada and an ordained patriarch, visited Tartu and gave patriarchal blessings in Estonian to branch members.

December 21, 1997 • TallinnThe Tallinn Estonia District was organized. Tarmo Lepp became the first local district president in April 1999.

November 5–7, 1999 • TallinnThe first meetinghouse in Estonia was dedicated following a two-day open house, which drew significant media attention.

February 2000 • EstoniaThe first copies of the Estonian translation of the Book of Mormon arrived in Estonia.

January 28, 2001 • Narva, EstoniaThe Narva Branch was organized.

August 2003 • Pärnu, EstoniaMissionaries opened the city of Pärnu for missionary work.

October 21–22, 2006 • Helsinki/TallinnEstonian members participated in the cultural celebration for the dedication of the Helsinki Finland Temple. The dedication was broadcast in the Tallinn meetinghouse.

2006 •  EstoniaThe Seminaries and Institutes program was introduced in Estonia.

October 2011 • EstoniaThe Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price were published in Estonian.

Members of the Tallinn Estonia District

April 26, 2015 • Tallinn

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Church in Estonia, members held a special district conference at the Lauluväljak amphitheater.

September 25, 2016 • TallinnFollowing its publication, the full-size Estonian hymnal was used in a Church meeting for the first time at a district conference.

April 6, 2019 • Salt Lake City, UtahTarmo Lepp became the first Area Seventy from Estonia.