Mission guide
Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission
The Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission serves Pacific island communities shaped by ocean travel, strong family ties, and a distinctive Church history.
- Marshallese
Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission shirts
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Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission T-Shirt
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Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission Heart Map Shirt
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Choose size & color →I Glory in My Jesus, in the language of this mission
2 Nephi 33:6 as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
Weak Things Become Strong, in the language of this mission
"I make weak things become strong" (Ether 12:27) as it reads in the Book of Mormon for each language spoken here.
About the mission
Marshallese is the main local language in the Marshall Islands. Missionaries may also encounter English and Gilbertese, especially in Kiribati.
At a glance
- Country
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Main city
- Majuro (23,156 people, 2021 census)
- Language
- Marshallese
- Time zone
- Marshall Islands Time (UTC+12)
- Climate
- Tropical rainforest, warm and rainy throughout the year
- Atoll
- 64 islands, with 9.7 square kilometers of land surrounding a 295-square-kilometer lagoon
A short history of the area
Majuro became a center for Protestant missions and copra trading in the 1800s. United States forces captured the atoll in 1944 and developed Naval Base Majuro. Majuro became the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in 1978 and remained the administrative center after independence under a Compact of Free Association in 1986.
The Church here
- 1972The Church was first introduced to Kiribati after Waitea Abiuta encouraged students from his school to attend the Church-owned Liahona High School in Tonga.
- 1975Several I-Kiribati students returned to Kiribati as full-time missionaries, and the first branch was organized in Tarawa.
- February 1977The first Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived in the Marshall Islands. By the end of the year, there were 27 members.
- May 11, 1978The Majuro Branch was organized, with Misao Lokiejak, the first convert, serving as president.
- 2006The Marshall Islands Majuro Mission was created through the realignment of the Fiji Suva and Micronesia Guam missions.
- 2009A stake was organized in the Marshall Islands.
- 2016A second stake was organized in the Marshall Islands.
Temples nearby
Suva Fiji Temple
Dedicated June 18, 2000 · About 1810 miles from Majuro
The Book of Mormon here
Missionaries in this mission share the Book of Mormon in these languages. Tap a cover to read it free.
Cover art is an illustration. Links open the free edition on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Before you go
Phrases to learn
- YokweHello
- Kom̧m̧ool tataThank you
- JoujPlease
- EṃṃanGood
Foods to try
- Copra (dried coconut, important in the historic trading economy)
- Coconut oil (made from copra and used as a local product)
- Coconut (an abundant tropical island food and source of copra)
Fun facts
- Majuro is a coral atoll made up of 64 islands, with only 9.7 square kilometers of land around its large lagoon.
- Majuro Lagoon is one of the world’s busiest tuna transshipment ports. In 2018, 306,796 tons of tuna were transferred there.
- Majuro’s water supply comes from a catchment basin built on the International Airport runway.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.