Haiti: Chronology

June 30, 1977 • Fort Lauderdale, FloridaAlexandre Mourra of Port-au-Prince was baptized while visiting the United States.

July 2, 1978 • Hatte-Marré, HaitiTwenty-two people who had been taught by Alexandre Mourra became the first converts to be baptized in Haiti.

March 30, 1980 • Port-au-Prince, HaitiThe first branch in Haiti, the Petionville Branch, was organized near Port-au-Prince, with Alexandre Mourra as president.

November 23, 1980 • Port-au-PrinceAt the first conference of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Branch, Rolande Sylvain was sustained as president of the Relief Society.

May–June 1980 • HaitiFour missionaries—Charles Wayne Bradshaw, Richard Dean Graham, Arthur Terrell, and Von Hawks—were transferred from the France Paris Mission to Haiti.

August 1980 • HaitiWith the help of Church members J. Frederick Templeman and Alexandre Mourra, the Church received official recognition from the government of Haiti.

August 30, 1981 • Provo, UtahFritzner Joseph became the first full-time missionary called from Haiti.

December 19, 1982 • Port-au-PrinceThe Haiti District was organized with Ludner E. Armand as president.

Dedication of Haiti

April 17, 1983 • Port-au-Prince

Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated Haiti for the preaching of the gospel.

1983 • Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, and Saint-Marc, HaitiBy the end of September, the first three branches outside of the Port-au-Prince area had been organized.

October 1983 • Port-au-PrinceThe government of Haiti requested help from the mission president to organize Haiti’s vital records. Senior missionaries helped train students in records management.

November 29, 1983 • Salt Lake City, UtahSelections from the Book of Mormon were published in Haitian Creole. The complete translation was published in 1999.

August 4, 1984 • Port-au-PrinceThe Haiti Port-au-Prince Mission was organized.

1985 • HaitiChurch membership surpassed 1,000.

1988 • HaitiThe seminary and institute program was introduced in Haiti.

October 1991 • HaitiFollowing a military coup, the Church withdrew foreign missionaries from Haiti. Fritzner and Gina Joseph presided over the mission until foreign missionaries returned in July 1996.

July 1997 • Port-au-PrinceTo commemorate the 150th anniversary of the pioneers’ entry into the Salt Lake Valley, over 300 Church members participated in a service project. They mowed, swept, cleaned up, and beautified Champ de Mars, the plaza in front of the National Palace.

September 21, 1997 • Port-au-PrinceThe Port-au-Prince Haiti Stake, the first stake in Haiti, was organized with Reynolds Antoine Saint-Louis as president.

April 4, 1998 • HaitiHaitian Saints were able to watch a live broadcast of general conference for the first time.

September 17, 2000 • Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicThe Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple was dedicated, making temple ordinances more accessible for Haitian Saints. Paul Henry and Wildermina Jean-Baptiste of Haiti were the first Haitian couple sealed in the new temple.

2001 • HaitiFor the first time, all Church units were headed by local members rather than missionaries.

September 7, 2003 • Port-au-PrinceThe Port-au-Prince North Stake was organized, with Gheuthewannha Ghammald Francillon as president.

July 2007 • Salt Lake CityThe Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price were published in Haitian Creole.

September–October 2008 • GonaïvesAfter tropical storms battered Gonaïves, Church members and missionaries offered humanitarian assistance through large-scale work projects. The Church’s Humanitarian Emergency Response office sent hygiene kits, plastic for roof repairs, tools, generators, tents, and food.

January 12, 2010 • HaitiChurch members worked to support each other in the wake of the massive earthquake and aftershocks that devastated Haiti. Church meetinghouses were used as shelters, Church members helped distribute Church-issued relief supplies, and a Church team of doctors, nurses, and counselors helped care for victims.

April 3, 2010 • Salt Lake CityFouchard Pierre-Nau of Port-au-Prince was called as an Area Seventy.

December 2010 • HaitiIn response to a cholera outbreak, the Church sent shipments of tents, large water filtration units, rehydration salts, and hygiene supplies.

January 2011 • HaitiA year after the devastating earthquake, the Church continued its recovery aid efforts, including job skills training and placement for people economically affected by the earthquake.

September 9, 2012 • Carrefour, HaitiThe Carrefour Haiti Stake was organized, with Gerzino Milord as president.

September 16, 2012 • Port-au-PrinceThe Croix-des-Missions Haiti Stake was organized, with Harold Jules as president.

October 2012 • Jacmel, HaitiVolunteers from the Jacmel Branch mobilized as part of the recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy.

2012 • Port-au-PrinceThe Church constructed a bishops’ storehouse, stocked with basic food items and household items, to supply transitional aid to Church members in need.

February 12, 2013 • HaitiSaints in Haiti celebrated the 30th anniversary of the dedication of their country for the preaching of the gospel. Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles joined the celebrations, addressing members in French as part of his visit.

May 2013 • HaitiMembers of the Church organized a country-wide tree planting project, planting an estimated 400,000 trees.

2014 • HaitiChurch membership surpassed 20,000.

Port-au-Prince Temple

April 5, 2015 • Salt Lake City

Church President Thomas S. Monson announced the construction of a temple in Port-au-Prince.

October 28, 2017 • Port-au-PrinceA groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple.

August 27, 2018 • Salt Lake CityFritzner Andre Joseph and Marie-Gina Michel Joseph were called to serve as the first president and matron of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple.

September 1, 2019 • Port-au-PrinceThe Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple was dedicated.