“The Church Is Here—La Paz, Bolivia,” Ensign, December 2018
The Church Is Here
La Paz, Bolivia
Snow-covered Illimani Mountain provides a striking backdrop for the high-altitude, red-brick city of La Paz, often regarded as the administrative center of Bolivia because so many government official offices are located there.
Missionaries preaching in the Andes Mission arrived in Bolivia in November 1964 and held a meeting with 19 in attendance. They baptized and confirmed the first convert one month later. Today, Church membership in Bolivia exceeds 203,000 in 255 congregations and 5 missions. The nearest temple is in Cochabamba, 145 miles (233 km) away, a seven-hour drive from La Paz.
The Church in Bolivia is well known for community humanitarian projects, including donating wheelchairs and neonatal medical equipment; participating in blood drives; supporting agricultural, home-gardening, and village-development efforts; and organizing relief efforts in times of need.
-
Latter-day Saints in the La Paz metropolitan area meet in 40 different locations.
-
Spanish is the most dominant language, but many speak Quechua, Aymara, or Guarani.
-
The first full-time missionary from Bolivia was called in 1967.
-
December 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the Church in Bolivia. Members in La Paz held a community celebration in January 2015.