Mission guide
Virginia Richmond Mission
The Virginia Richmond Mission connects missionaries with Virginia’s rich history, welcoming communities, and growing Church presence.
- English
- Spanish
Virginia Richmond Mission shirts
Every style made for this mission, printed when you order.
Virginia Richmond Mission T-Shirt
$29.00
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Virginia Richmond Mission Heart Map Shirt
$29.00
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Virginia Richmond Mission Flag Map Shirt
$29.00
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 Spanish are spoken in the mission. Missionaries and families may encounter both languages in Church and community settings.
At a glance
- State
- Virginia, United States
- Main city
- Richmond, 226,610 people in 2020
- Languages
- English and Spanish
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (UTC-5)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical, with hot, humid summers and moderately cold winters
- Church in Virginia
- 99,973 members, 25 stakes, 212 congregations
A short history of the area
Richmond became Virginia’s capital in 1780. Patrick Henry gave his famous liberty speech at St. John’s Church in 1775, and Richmond served as the capital of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. In April 1865, fires destroyed about one-quarter of the city’s buildings.
The Church here
- 1839Jedediah M. Grant arrived in Virginia and found strong curiosity about the Church.
- 1841Virginia had approximately 80 members of the Church.
- 1883Missionaries J. Golden Kimball and Charles Welch baptized Peter Mason and his family in Rockbridge County, helping establish a congregation in the central Blue Ridge region.
- 1957The Church established its first stake in Virginia, in Richmond.
- 1992The Virginia Richmond Mission was created.
- 2018The Church announced construction of a temple in the Richmond area.
- 2021President Dallin H. Oaks delivered a landmark address on religious freedom at the University of Virginia.
- 2022The Washington D.C. Temple was rededicated on August 14.
Temples nearby
Richmond Virginia Temple
Dedicated May 7, 2023 · Near Richmond
Norfolk Virginia Temple
Announced · About 80 miles from Richmond
Winchester Virginia Temple
Under construction · About 120 miles from Richmond
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
- Sailor sandwich (pastrami, knockwurst, Swiss cheese, mustard, and rye bread)
- Canned beer (first made commercially available in Richmond in 1935)
- Craft beer (part of Richmond’s growing local beverage industry)
- Cider (produced locally by makers including Buskey Cider and Blue Bee Cider)
Fun facts
- Richmond is the only city in the United States with Class IV rapids running through it.
- Richmond’s first electric streetcar line opened in 1888, becoming one of the world’s first successful electric streetcar systems.
- The Virginia State Capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clérisseau and was the first U.S. government building built in the neoclassical style.
Just got the call?
Turn the opening into a game: family and friends guess where the missionary is going before the reveal.