A historic furniture-manufacturing center, Grand Rapids is still home to five of the world’s leading office furniture companies, and is nicknamed “Furniture City”. Its more common modern nickname of “River City” refers to the landmark river for which it was named. The city and surrounding communities are economically diverse, and contribute heavily to the health care, information technology, automotive, aviation, and consumer goods manufacturing industries, among others.

LDS Population

LDS Members make up 0.56% of the population of Grand Rapids. In the state of Michigan there are 42,422 members, 8 stakes, 65 wards, 1 district, 43 branches, 42 Family History Centers, 2 missions, and 1 temple located in Detroit.

LDS History

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Michigan began with the Mack family. Almira Mack Scobey had gone to Kirtland, Ohio to visit her cousin Joseph Smith and there they joined the church. On June 7, 1831 Doctrine and Covenants Section 52 was received which among other things commanded another one of Mack Scobey’s cousins Hyrum Smith and also John Murdock to go to Detroit and preach the gospel on the way to Jackson County, Missouri. These two brethren went to Michigan in company with Mack Scobey and Hyrum’s (and Joseph’s) mother, Lucy Mack Smith. They were also accompanied by Lyman Wight and John Corrill. The missionaries eventually went to Pontiac where they had much success, baptizing several people, including David Dort, the husband of one of the Mack sisters.