Finland: Chronology

July 1866 • FinlandBrigham Young Jr., president of the European Mission, and his brother John W. Young traveled to visit Russian-ruled Finland.

December 27, 1869 • Sundsvall, SwedenAnders and Marie Henriksson, recent migrants from Finland to Sweden, were baptized. Missionaries later taught their relatives in Vaasa.

October 2, 1875 • Stockholm, SwedenNils C. Flygare, president of the Scandinavian Mission, called brothers Carl and Johan Sundström from Sweden to preach in Finland.

May 6, 1876 • Vaasa, FinlandJohanna Charlotta Berg became the first convert to be baptized in Finland.

November 13, 1876 • VaasaThe first branch in Finland was organized.

1878 • FinlandLatter-day Saint missionaries risked arrest by visiting members and preaching in Finland despite limitations under Russian law on proselytizing.

July 1880 • Larsmo, FinlandTwo couples—Anders Johansson and Lovisa Eriksdotter Strömberg and Matts and Greta Andersson—became the first converts in Larsmo.

1888 • FinlandMissionaries discontinued regular preaching in Finland due to opposition from local religious leaders and civic authorities.

1897 • Pojo, FinlandWhile visiting remaining members in Finland, elders from Sweden ordained Carl F. Wickström as a priest so members in Pojo could participate in the sacrament.

1903 • Turku, FinlandElder Francis M. Lyman of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, serving as President of the European Mission, dedicated Finland for the preaching of the restored gospel.

1914 • Pietarsaari (Jakobstad), FinlandTheodore Tobiason, president of the Swedish Mission, visited with Church members in the area on the eve of World War I.

1917 • FinlandFinland declared its independence from Russia.

Early members of the Larsmo Branch

1929 • Larsmo

Gideon Hulterström, president of the Swedish Mission, reestablished contact with Church members in the Larsmo area, including Viktor Berg, the Strömberg family, the Renlund family, and Hilda Maria Ronnkvist. They had not seen a missionary in 15 years.

May 15, 1941 • LarsmoThe Larsmo Branch was organized, with Viktor Berg as president. Berg was responsible for administering the Church throughout Finland during World War II.

August 7, 1945 • LarsmoThe first Relief Society in Finland was organized in the Larsmo Branch, with Anna Strömberg as president.

1946 • FinlandC. Fritz Johansson and Karl Lagerborg arrived in Finland in May to resume missionary work following World War II. Five additional missionaries arrived later that year.

July 16, 1946 • LarsmoElder Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, serving as President of the European Mission, rededicated Finland for the preaching of the restored gospel. The dedicatory service was held on land that belonged to Lena Renlund.

January 16, 1947 • Helsinki, FinlandMissionaries were assigned to begin studying to preach in the Finnish language.

September 1, 1947 • FinlandThe Finnish Mission was officially organized, with Henry A. Matis as president. At the time, missionaries were assigned to serve in the cities of Helsinki, Turku, Salo, Tampere, Kokkola, Jakobstad, Larsmo, and Vaasa.

July 1, 1948 • FinlandThe Church was officially registered with the government of Finland.

July 16, 1948 • LarsmoThe first Latter-day Saint meetinghouse in Finland, a home that Saints had remodeled for worship, was dedicated by Elder Alma Sonne, President of the European Mission.

June 4–6, 1949 • HelsinkiThe first conference of the Mutual Improvement Association (a ministry for youth) in Finland was held, with 50 youth attending from Lahti, Tampere, Turku, and Helsinki.

June 23–26, 1952 • FinlandChurch President David O. McKay visited Finland, meeting with government officials and local Latter-day Saints.

1954 • FinlandThe Book of Mormon was published in Finnish.

September 1955 • Zollikofen, SwitzerlandIn September 1955, 58 Latter-day Saints participated in the first temple trip from Finland to the Swiss temple for its dedication. It took four days to arrive at the temple by boat and train. They arrived in time to attend the final dedicatory session on September 15.

1957–58 • Salt Lake City, UtahThe temple ceremonies were translated into Finnish.

May–June 1960 • FinlandDuring a visit to Finland, European Mission president Alvin R. Dyer dedicated the first three meetinghouses constructed as part of a Church building program in the cities of Lahti, Hämeenlinna, and Pori, as well as temporary meetinghouses in Savonlinna and Jyväskylä.

August 1967 • FinlandElder Howard W. Hunter of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated meetinghouses in Turku, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, and the Haaga area of Helsinki.

August 2–3, 1976 • HelsinkiAbout 3,000 Latter-day Saints gathered to hear Church President Spencer W. Kimball speak at their area conference.

October 16, 1977 • HelsinkiThe Helsinki Finland Stake, the first stake in Finland, was organized, with Kari J. A. Haikkola as president.

April 17, 1983 • Tampere, FinlandThe Tampere Finland Stake was organized.

1990–92 • HelsinkiThe Finland Helsinki East Mission was organized to support Church members and missionaries in the Soviet Union and former Soviet republics.

April 2, 2000 • Salt Lake CityChurch President Gordon B. Hinckley announced the construction of a temple in Helsinki.

Helsinki Finland Temple

October 22, 2006 •  Espoo, Finland

President Hinckley dedicated the Helsinki Finland Temple.

July 1, 2017 • HelsinkiIlkka Aura and his wife, Paula Tapola Aura, began their service as the first Finnish couple to preside over the Helsinki Finland Mission.