Mission guide
Mexico Oaxaca Mission
The Mexico Oaxaca Mission serves in a state known for deep Indigenous history, colorful traditions, and strong Latter-day Saint roots.
- Spanish
Mexico Oaxaca Mission shirts
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Mexico Oaxaca Mission T-Shirt
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Mexico Oaxaca Mission Heart Map Shirt
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Mexico Oaxaca Mission Flag 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
Spanish is the mission language. Oaxaca is also home to 16 officially recognized ethnolinguistic groups, including the Zapotec, Mixtec, and Chinantec peoples.
At a glance
- Country
- Mexico
- Main city
- Oaxaca de Juárez, 258,913 people in the municipality (2020)
- Language
- Spanish
- Time zone
- Central Time (UTC-6)
- Climate
- Varied by elevation, with temperate conditions in the Central Valleys and rainy summers and early falls
- Church in Mexico
- 1,534,058 members, 230 stakes, 1,878 congregations, 34 missions
A short history of the area
After the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521, Spanish forces arrived in the area. Juan Diaz built the first church in what is now Oaxaca city. Dominicans settled there in 1528, and the Bishopric of Oaxaca was formed in 1535.
The Church here
- 1877After portions of the Book of Mormon were translated into Spanish, missionaries baptized the first converts in Hermosillo.
- 1879A branch was organized in Mexico City.
- 1944Temple ordinances were translated into Spanish.
- 1945Mexican Latter-day Saints traveled to Mesa, Arizona, and became the first in Church history to receive temple ordinances in a language other than English.
- 1949The first Latter-day Saint missionaries began working in Oaxaca, although persecution soon forced them to leave the area.
- 1951Elder Joe J. Christensen and his companion were sent to check on the small group of members in Oaxaca.
- 1981The first stake in the city of Oaxaca was organized.
- 1983A temple was dedicated in Mexico City.
- 1990The Mexico Oaxaca Mission was created from the Tuxtla-Gutiérrez Mission.
Temples nearby
Oaxaca Mexico Temple
Dedicated March 11, 2000 · Near Oaxaca
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
- HolaHello
- Buenos díasGood morning
- ¿Cómo está?How are you?
- GraciasThank you
Foods to try
- Mole negro (a rich Oaxacan sauce made with chiles, spices, and chocolate)
- Chapulines (fried grasshoppers seasoned with salt, lime, and chili pepper)
- Tlayudas (large, toasted tortillas commonly served with beans, cheese, and other toppings)
- Mezcal (a distilled drink made from maguey plants)
Fun facts
- Oaxaca has 570 municipalities, and 418 are governed through usos y costumbres, or recognized local customs and traditions.
- The enormous Montezuma cypress in Santa María del Tule is more than 2,000 years old.
- The Guelaguetza, also called the Fiesta del Lunes del Cerro, is Oaxaca’s most important annual festival and is held every July.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.