Latter-day Saints under Siege: The Unique Experience of Nicaraguan Mormons

Abstract

The LDS Church is currently gaining many new members in Asia, Africa, and especially Latin America. Nowadays more than 35 percent of the worldwide membership is concentrated in Latin America, compared to about 45 percent in the US and Canada. By 2020, the majority of Mormons in the world will be Latin Americans, if the current growth rates continue. However, the situation in other Latin American countries is radically different. Based on the average annual growth rates for 2003-04 and 2004-05, the LDS Church is currently experiencing its strongest membership increases in Brazil, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, and especially Nicaragua. Here, Gooren takes an in-depth look at the distinctive experience of Mormons in Nicaragua.