Macau: Church Chronology

July 2, 1964 • MacauMissionaries from the Hong Kong Mission began work in Macau.

August 1964 • MacauSteven Lau was the first person in Macau to be baptized, and missionaries began holding regular Church meetings.

December 1964 • MacauChurch leaders suspended meetings and proselytizing work in Macau after they were unable to obtain a government license to conduct religious activities.

December 1965 • Hong KongThe Book of Mormon was printed in Chinese.

June 1974 • Hong Kong

The Doctrine and Covenants was published in Chinese.

April 1976 • Hong KongThe Pearl of Great Price was published in Chinese.

September 1976 • MacauFollowing a constitutional amendment allowing religious groups to meet and preach, Elders Chan Chi-Choi, Tam Wai-Sun, Kerry M. Dexter, and Kenneth D. Perkins began work in Macau.

December 1976 • MacauIn collaboration with local Catholic leaders, 500 people, including local government officials, attended a program of the Christmas Choir, a Latter-day Saint missionary choir from Hong Kong, in the Santa Rosa de Lima auditorium.

January 1, 1977 • MacauThe Macau Branch was organized.

May 5, 1978 • MacauThe first sister missionaries arrived in Macau, including Wu Lai Ling and Lu Emily, who were proselytizing missionaries, and Gwen Peterson and Mitzi D. Watts, who were health and welfare service missionaries.

August 18, 1978 • MacauThe mission published articles on child development and narcotics in two local Chinese-language newspapers.

September 21, 1980 • MacauLocal members worked with health and welfare service missionaries to launch English and music classes.

October 1983 • MacauHong Wo Loi 洪和來 became the first local president of the Macau First Branch. He served in this role until 1986.

December 20, 1999 • MacauGovernance of Macau reverted from Portuguese to Chinese control.

2001The Book of Mormon was published in simplified Chinese characters.

November 14, 2004 • MacauThe Mandarin-speaking Macau Third Branch, established in 2001, was discontinued.

May 2015 • MacauIn the wake of devastating earthquakes in Nepal, Macau’s Primary children sent care packages to the children of the Kathmandu Branch.

May 17, 2015 • MacauThe Macau China District was formed, with Hong Wai Tak (Kenny) 洪懷得 as president.

June 14, 2015 • MacauBranches in Macau piloted the new basic unit program, featuring a two-hour church block on Sunday.

October 1, 2016 • MacauA Macau Women’s Conference was held, with more than 60 Latter-day Saint women in attendance.

August 23, 2017 • MacauIn the wake of Typhoon Hato, Church members in Hong Kong sent emergency supplies to members in Macau, who in turn shared supplies with neighbors in need.