The Brazil São Paulo South Mission

Mission History


The Brazil São Paulo South Mission is one of the oldest missions in Brazil. The mission was formed on October 17, 1972, and was initially called the Brazil South Central Mission. The mission was the 102nd mission in the Church. On June 30, 1974, the mission was renamed the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. At that time, the mission covered the souther portions of the city of São Paulo, the baixada (the coastal area just east of São Paulo), the entire state of Paraná, and areas in Presidente Prudente and Santa Catarina.

On July 1, 1980, the Brazil São Paulo South Mission was divided creating the Brazil Curitiba Mission. The mission was divided again on July 1, 1991, creating the Brazil São Paulo East Mission and the Brazil São Paulo Interlagos Mission. The mission was divided again in September 1997 giving the Brazil São Paulo Interlagos mission several cities in the south-east portion of the mission including Registro, Miracatu, Juquiá, and Iguape. Today, the southern border of the mission is Peruíbe, the northern border is near Guarujá, and the north-western border is the south-east tip of São Paulo.

The Church growth in Brazil has been extensive. Missionaries first arrived in Brazil in 1928 and worked exclusively with the German colonies in the southern portions of the country. The first meetinghouse in South America was built in Joinville, Santa Catarina in 1931. The first mission in Brazil was formed in 1935 after the South American mission was divided. Proselyting in Portuguese began after World War II and then expanded to the entire country. The Book of Mormon was printed in Portuguese in 1941.

The first stake was formed in 1966 in São Paulo and consisted of seven wards and three branches. At first, the Church grew slowly and by the mid-1960's, there were about 5,000 members of the Church. After the São Paulo temple was dedicated on October 30, 1978 (the São Paulo temple was rededicated on February 22, 2004), a period of tremendous growth began. From the late 1960's and early 1970's to the mid-1990's, Church membership grew from 5,000 members to more than 500,000 members.

In February 1994, the 100th stake in Brazil was formed. Brazil was the third country in the world to reach this milestone after the United States and Mexico. According to the Deseret News, it took 62 years for the first 56 stakes to be created. The next 50 stakes were formed in only three years.

In 1997, the Church opened a Missionary Training Center in São Paulo that now serves all missionaries that are called to serve in Brazil. The Church dedicated a temple in Recife on December 15, 2000, and another temple in Porto Alegre on December 17, 2000. A fourth temple in Campinas was dedicated on May 17, 2002. The Church began construction of the fifth temple in Curitiba on August 23, 2002.

The Church has continued to grow rapidly in the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. There are currently 12 stakes in the mission with some cities have two stakes. Areas like São Bernardo do Campo that were a single Branch in the mid-1970's now cover two stakes and about 15 wards.
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