Liberia: Church Chronology

Church members from abroad occasionally held meetings in their homes while living in Monrovia.

Church members Thomas “Kiwi” Peihopa and Harvey D. Brown began meeting with the members of Temple of Christ Church, teaching them the restored gospel, and seeking official recognition for the Church in Liberia.

All known members in the country and many people from Temple of Christ Church attended a social at the home of Steven and Barbara Wolfe, American members of the Church living in Liberia.

The Church was officially recognized in Liberia.

J. Duffy and Jocelyn Palmer, the first missionary couple assigned to Liberia, arrived. Other missionaries soon followed.

Forty-seven converts, most of them from the Temple of Christ Church, were baptized at Kontiki Beach.

Church units were organized in New Kru Town and Congo Town. The newly baptized members were confirmed, and the men were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton dedicated Liberia for the preaching of the gospel.

With more than 300 members baptized since August, the New Kru Town and Congo Town groups became branches.

The Liberia Monrovia Mission was organized, with J. Duffy Palmer as president.

Joseph Forkpah, the first Liberian to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, was ordained an elder.

The Testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith and Gospel Principles became the first Church publications in the Kpelle language.

The Monrovia Liberia District was created, with David M. Tarr as district president.

Church leaders directed members to begin meeting in home-group meetings as part of a pilot program.

Rebel fighters invaded Nimba County, the first actions in the First Liberian Civil War.

Prince Nyanforh, John Gaye, Marcus Menti, Taylor Selli, Joseph Forkpah, Roverto Chanipo, Dave Gonquoi, and Joseph Meyers—the first Liberians to serve as full-time missionaries—were called to the Liberia Monrovia Mission.

Fleeing the civil war, the eight Liberian missionaries arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Due to civil war, the Liberia Monrovia Mission was discontinued, and many branches were closed.

Liberian Saints attended a conference in Monrovia; six branches were reinstated.

The Monrovia Liberia District was reorganized.

Leaders in the Monrovia Liberia District called local members as district missionaries. Many Liberian Saints also served full-time missions outside of Liberia.

Radio Monrovia began broadcasting Music and the Spoken Word, the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcast.

The first elections since 1985 were held in Liberia.

Fighting broke out in northern Liberia in what would develop into the Second Liberian Civil War.

More than 1,700 Church members from 13 branches attended a district conference.

The Monrovia Liberia Stake was organized, with Toby Wleboe Tweh as president.

A transitional government presided as the country recovered from the Second Liberian Civil War.

LDS Charities launched initiatives in Liberia for maternal and newborn care and clean-water access.

Due to the large number of Church members who left Liberia during the civil war, the Monrovia Liberia Stake was discontinued and replaced by two districts.

Saints in Liberia participated in the first All-Africa Mormon Helping Hands Day. This began an ongoing, annual tradition of community service throughout the continent.

Over 11,000 youth from Liberia, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone held celebrations commemorating the 180th anniversary of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

The Liberia Monrovia Mission was reorganized.

An epidemic of Ebola swept through the population of Liberia, killing more than 4,500 people. Missionaries from the Liberia Monrovia Mission were evacuated and reassigned from August 2014 until September 2015.

Saints in Liberia participated in Church relief efforts in response to the Ebola epidemic.

Stakes were organized in Paynesville, Caldwell Island, Bushrod Island, and Monrovia.