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CANADA EDMONTON MISSION HISTORY
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The first missionary work outside the United States was started in Canada in
1831, just one year following the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The first missionary to Canada was Parley P. Pratt who was instrumental in baptizing John Taylor, the third President of the Church, in the Toronto, Ontario area. After the saints moved west to the Salt Lake Valley, colonization started from California to southern Alberta. In March 1887, Charles 0. Card explored southern Alberta and established the town of Cardston.
Missionary work was officially established in Alberta in 1878 with the organization of the Northern States Mission. Mission boundaries changed for Alberta with the formation of the Western States Mission in 1907, the North Central States Mission in 1925, and the Western Canadian Mission in 1941 under the direction of Walter Miller. When established, the Western Canadian Mission included British Columbia, Alberta ! Saskatchewan, Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. In 1970, the Alberta-Saskatchewan Mission was established, in 1974 the Canada Calgary Mission, and in 1998 the Canada Edmonton Mission was announced by President Gordon B. Hinckley.
In 1895, the first stake in Alberta was organized. This was soon followed in 1933 with the organization of the Edmonton Branch. In 191 3, ground was broken for a temple in Cardston and ten years later, in 1923, the temple was dedicated by Heber j. Grant. Membership increased as follows:
| 1920 - 8,896 |
1950 - 14,583 |
1981 - 41,444 |
| 1930 - 10,067 |
1960 - 19,985 |
1990 - 56,000 |
| 1940 - 11,343 |
1970 - 27,989 |
1995 - 60,000 |
When the Canada Edmonton Mission was announced on 10 January 1998, there were 1.2 million people in the mission with 22,000 members of the Church. There were eight stakes with the Grande Prairie Stake established in April 1998. The new mission included the northern part of Calgary north to the Arctic Ocean. Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories was the most northern unit and the largest geographical branch of the Church. On the west, the mission followed the British Columbia border north to the Alaskan Highway placing the northeast portion of the province in the mission. The Saskatchewan border formed the eastern part of the mission. President Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy, the Area President, stated, "We appreciate the marvelous work that has been accomplished by the priesthood leaders, mission leaders, and the mission presidents of the past. We are building on the foundation of those who marched before us."
Well known general Church leaders from Alberta include Nathan Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency; Ted Brewerton, Alexander Morrison, and Lowell Wood of the Seventy; Victor L. Brown, Presiding Bishop; Ardith Kapp, General President of the Young Women; and Elaine Jack, General President of the Relief Society.
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| LDS QUOTE: |
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"You are a great army of returned missionaries. Go forward with new zeal and determination, and through your example shine the light of the gospel in this troubled world. This is the Lord's work in which we are engaged. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. We belong to His Church. This is my witness to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
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