On Sept. 10, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles created the 100th stake in the Philippines — the Mandaluyong Philippines Stake. Following is a timeline for key Latter-day Saint events in the Philippines:
May 13, 1945: During World War II the first official Church conference is held in the Philippines and attended by members of the Church in the U.S. military.
Easter morning 1946: Aniceta Pabilona Fajardo is baptized and becomes the first Filipino convert to the Church.
Summer 1949: Elder Matthew Cowley is the first member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to visit the Philippines.
Aug. 21, 1955: Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicates the Philippines for the preaching of the gospel.
April 28, 1961: Elder Gordon B. Hinckley offers a prayer for missionary work in the Philippines. Shortly after, the Church is registered in the Philippines and permission for missionaries to enter the country is granted.
June 5, 1961: The first full-time missionaries arrive in the Philippines.
Oct. 23, 1966: Elder Hinckley dedicates the first LDS chapel in the Philippines, located in Buendia, Makati.
June 28, 1967: The Philippines Mission is formally organized from the Southern Far East Mission.
May 20, 1973: Elder Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles organizes the Manila Philippines Stake, the first in the country, with Augusto A. Lim as the stake president.
Oct. 3, 1983: The Philippines Missionary Training Center in Manila is dedicated.
Sept. 25, 1984: The Manila Philippines Temple is dedicated by President Hinckley.
June 1992: Augusto A. Lim is called and set apart as the first Filipino General Authority.
June 15, 1997: The 50th stake in the Philippines is organized as the Bayambang Philippines Stake.
June 13, 2010: The Cebu City Philippines Temple is dedicated by President Thomas S. Monson.
Oct. 2, 2010: President Monson announces a temple to be constructed in Urdaneta.
April 2, 2017: President Monson announces a temple to be constructed in Alabang.
September 2017: There are more than 746,000 members of the Philippines. Elder Neil L. Andersen organizes the 100th stake in the country as the Mandaluyong Philippines Stake.
