A Brief History of the Church in

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Overview

In 1996 Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Sarajevo to offer an apostolic blessing of peace for the area. By that time, Church members had been involved in the country for several years. During the early 1990s, members across Europe helped gather and deliver aid to those affected by conflict. In the late 1990s, many members from other countries worshipped in temporary groups while living in Bosnia, and many Bosnians living abroad joined the Church. It was not until 2010, however, that Elder Russell M. Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, organized a permanent branch in Sarajevo and dedicated the country for the preaching of the gospel. The Church received official government recognition in 2012, and a year later, a second branch was organized in Banja Luka.

Pioneering members of the Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina have built bonds of fellowship with Saints in neighboring countries and worked to prepare themselves for the future. Together, they are striving to make the Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina “a refuge from the storm” (Doctrine and Covenants 115:6) and a safe and welcoming place for those who come to join them in worship.

Quick Facts

• Official Name: Bosnia and Herzegovina/Bosna i Hercegovina/Босна и Херцеговина

• Capital: Sarajevo

• Largest City: Sarajevo

• Official Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian

• Land Area: 51,197 km² (19,767 mi²)

• Church Area: Europe

• Missions: 1 (Part of the Adriatic North Mission)

• Congregations: 2