Mission guide
South Africa Pretoria Mission
The South Africa Pretoria Mission serves in a city known for jacaranda trees, government history, and a long Latter-day Saint presence.
- English
- Zulu
South Africa Pretoria Mission shirts
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South Africa Pretoria Mission T-Shirt
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South Africa Pretoria Mission Heart Map Shirt
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South Africa Pretoria 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
English and Zulu are spoken in the mission.
At a glance
- Country
- South Africa
- Main city
- Pretoria, 741,651 people in the capital city in 2011
- Mission created
- July 2023
- Languages
- English and Zulu
- Time zone
- South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical, with hot, rainy summers and mild, dry winters
A short history of the area
Pretoria became South Africa's administrative capital in 1910 and remained so when the country became a republic in 1961. The city is also known as the Jacaranda City because about 60,000 to 70,000 jacaranda trees line its streets.
The Church here
- 1852Jesse Haven, Leonard I. Smith, and William H. Walker were called to serve missions in the Cape of Good Hope.
- April 19, 1853The missionaries arrived in Cape Town and organized the mission with Jesse Haven as president.
- August 16, 1853The first Latter-day Saint branch in Africa was organized at Mowbray near Cape Town.
- 1970The Transvaal Stake was organized in South Africa.
- 1972Church seminary and institute programs began in South Africa.
- October 22, 1978The Pretoria South Africa Stake was organized.
- July 2023The South Africa Pretoria Mission was created as a division of the Botswana-Namibia Mission and the South Africa Johannesburg Mission.
Temples nearby
Johannesburg South Africa Temple
Dedicated August 24, 1985 · About 35 miles from Pretoria
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
- SawubonaHello
- Unjani?How are you?
- NgiyabongaThank you
- NgiyacelaPlease
Foods to try
- Bobotie (a baked spiced minced-meat dish with an egg-based topping)
- Boerewors (a traditional South African sausage)
- Bunny chow (a hollowed loaf of bread filled with curry)
- Malva pudding (a warm, sweet baked pudding)
Fun facts
- Pretoria is home to 134 foreign embassies and high commissions.
- The first two jacaranda trees in Pretoria were planted in 1888, and they still stand at Sunnyside Primary School.
- Pretoria hosted matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.