Scotland: Chronology

1839 • ScotlandAlexander Wright and Samuel Mulliner, both Scottish-born, became the first Latter-day Saint missionaries called to preach in Scotland.

January 14, 1840 • Bishopton, ScotlandAlexander and Jessie Hay were baptized in the River Clyde by Samuel Mulliner, becoming the first converts baptized in Scotland.

1840 • ScotlandAfter arriving in May 1840, Elder Orson Pratt of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles organized the Paisley Branch (the first branch in Scotland), climbed Arthur’s Seat and prayed for converts, delivered the first public sermon by a Latter-day Saint in Edinburgh, and published the first-ever tract to include an account of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

June 14, 1840 • Glasgow, ScotlandMissionary Reuben Hedlock opened Glasgow to missionary work and began preaching at Anderson’s University. Two months later, a branch was organized with 12 members.

September 2, 1840 • ScotlandThe first group of Saints left Scotland for Utah. By the end of the century nearly 5,000 members had emigrated.

1847 • ScotlandMissionaries preached in Scots Gaelic and distributed the tract “Do suchd siridy kioghachd due” (“Seekers after the Kingdom of God”).

1850 • ScotlandBy 1850 membership in Scotland had reached 3,257 in more than 50 branches.

1851–90 • ScotlandDespite some missionary successes, high rates of emigration, dissent, and excommunication led to low numbers in Scottish branches. By 1890 there were approximately 200 members living in Scotland.

December 4, 1907 • Salt Lake City, UtahCharles W. Nibley was called as Presiding Bishop, becoming the first Scottish-born General Authority. He later served as second counselor to Church President Heber J. Grant.

1914–18 • ScotlandDuring World War I, many Scottish Latter-day Saints and foreign missionaries entered the armed forces. In their absence local sister missionaries were called and distributed thousands of tracts, and the British Relief Society collected donations to support soldiers.

1939–45 • ScotlandDuring World War II foreign missionaries were evacuated, and many local men entered the armed forces. Andre K. Anastasiou, acting mission president, urged Scottish Saints to serve at home or as part-time missionaries during this time.

June 2–4, 1952 • Glasgow and Edinburgh, ScotlandChurch President David O. McKay dedicated the first Church-owned meetinghouses in Scotland.

1960s • ScotlandLabor missionaries and Church members joined together to construct meetinghouses throughout Great Britain. Buildings were completed in Ayr, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Drumchapel in Scotland.

March 5, 1961 • Glasgow

The Singing Mothers, a choir comprising Relief Society sisters from throughout Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales, held a concert at St. Andrews Hall in Glasgow.

August 26, 1962 • GlasgowThe first stake in Scotland was organized in Glasgow, with Archibald R. Richardson as president.

1975–80 • ScotlandWith the creation of stakes in Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Paisley, all of Scotland was organized into stakes.

June 21–22, 1976 • GlasgowChurch President Spencer W. Kimball presided at an area conference in the Apollo Theater with approximately 2,000 members of the Church and friends.

July 25–26, 1987 • Glasgow and EdinburghIn celebration of the sesquicentennial of the Church in Great Britain, two historical markers were dedicated and a conference was held in Glasgow with 3,000 in attendance, the largest gathering of Saints in Scotland to date.

November 13, 1990 • EdinburghElder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led a group of Church leaders up to Arthur’s Seat and pronounced a “blessing of renewal” on Scotland.

1992 • ScotlandChurch membership in Scotland surpassed 24,000.

May 6, 1999 • EdinburghBrian Adam, a Latter-day Saint, was elected to the Scottish Parliament.

April 1, 2006 • Salt Lake City, UtahDavid S. Baxter, who was born in Stirling, Scotland, was sustained as a General Authority Seventy.

November 1, 2012 • Preston, EnglandDouglas and Aileen Murray, of Dundee, Scotland, became president and matron of the Preston England Temple, respectively.

2013 • Dunfermline, ScotlandThe Dunfermline Ward Relief Society offered the Church’s literacy course “Ye Shall Have My Words” for members with dyslexia and other literacy difficulties.

August 2015 • Glasgow and EdinburghThe Scotland/Ireland Mission began making special efforts to proselytize among the many Chinese students studying in local universities.

2017 • GlasgowMembers of the Glasgow Scotland Stake worked in conjunction with a local charity to conduct fundraisers, clothing drives, and service projects to help refugees.