Jamaica: Church Chronology

January 10, 1853 • Kingston, JamaicaThe first Latter-day Saint missionaries known to have served in Jamaica arrived. On January 25, they baptized the first three converts.

February 11, 1853 • JamaicaAfter encountering significant persecution, all the missionaries left Jamaica.

1967 • JamaicaBeginning in 1967, a number of Latter-day Saint families from the United States came to Jamaica for work.

1969 • JamaicaAs the number of expatriate Latter-day Saint families in Jamaica increased, they started meeting together to worship.

March 22, 1970 • Mandeville, JamaicaThe first branch in Jamaica was created.

January 20, 1974 • MandevilleVictor and Verna Nugent and their young son were the first local Jamaicans to be baptized.

1976–78 • JamaicaExpatriate families left Jamaica, and only the Nugent family remained. Eventually, in February 1978, Josephine and Errol Tucker, friends of the Nugents, joined the Church.

June 18, 1978 • MandevilleAfter the revelation concerning the priesthood was announced, Victor Nugent, Amos Chin, and Errol Tucker received the priesthood.

1978 • JamaicaAfter receiving the priesthood, local member Amos Chin became Jamaica’s first full-time missionary, serving part of his mission in Jamaica.

December 5, 1978 • MandevilleElder M. Russell Ballard, then a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, dedicated Jamaica for the preaching of the gospel.

Late 1978–early 1979 • MandevilleThe Mandeville Branch was reorganized, with Victor Nugent as president and Verna Nugent as Relief Society president.

1979 • JamaicaDwight Tucker, a 13-year-old deacon, served as the missionary companion of Elder John Hammren for three weeks until another full-time missionary received permission to work in Jamaica.

Elizabeth Pigou

April 1983 • Kingston

The first female missionary from Jamaica, Elizabeth Pigou, was called to serve in the Salt Lake City North Mission.

February 5, 1983 • MandevilleThe Jamaica District was organized, with Josephine Tucker as Relief Society president, Verna Nugent as Primary president, and Victor Nugent as district president.

July 1, 1985 • KingstonThe Jamaica Kingston Mission was organized.

February 9, 1986 • Constant Spring, JamaicaThe first meetinghouse in Jamaica was dedicated by David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

February 1989 • MandevilleThe Mandeville Chapel was dedicated, with 160 people in attendance.

February 17, 1990 • KingstonThe Kingston District Relief Society was organized.

1992 • May Pen, Mobay, Hopeton, JamaicaChurch leaders acquired properties for chapels in Mobay and Hopeton, and the May Pen Chapel was dedicated on October 25, 1992.

December 1995 • Constant SpringThe meetinghouse was decorated with many Christmas lights to beautify the area and share the light of the gospel.

May 15, 2002 • KingstonPresident Gordon B. Hinckley became the first Church President to visit Jamaica.

December 5, 2003 • MandevilleMembers commemorated the 25th anniversary of the dedication of Jamaica for the preaching of the gospel with history displays and reunions.

January 23–25, 2009 • Spanish Town, JamaicaThe Caribbean Area Conference was held in the newly dedicated meetinghouse in Spanish Town, Jamaica, with President Henry B. Eyring conducting. The conference was transmitted in six languages to Saints across the Caribbean and in South America.

July 1, 2013 • KingstonKevin and Nadine Brown, members of Spanish Town 2nd Branch, were called to preside over the Jamaica Kingston Mission.

June 8, 2014 • KingstonThe Kingston Jamaica Stake was organized.

July 20, 2015 • Santo Domingo, Dominican RepublicOne hundred and fifty-one members of the Church in Jamaica flew to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to attend the temple there.

June 1, 2018 • Salt Lake CityVictor and Verna Nugent were featured in the Be One Celebration commemorating the 40th anniversary of the revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy male members, regardless of race.