Stake History[]
Church members have lived in Bahrain since the early 1970s. A group functioned prior to the creation of the Bahrain Branch in 1971. In 1976, membership consisted of eight adults and eight children in Bahrain. Four members were received by the Emir of Bahrain in 1989 and cordially welcomed to Bahrain from other Middle Eastern nations for Church leadership meetings. The Church has been legally recognized since at least 2001. Many stake activities for the Manama Bahrain Stake, which includes approximately ten congregations in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, occur in Bahrain due to the level of religious freedom.[1]
In 2000, Bahrain became part of the Europe Central Area and in the late 2000s was assigned to the newly created Middle East/Africa North Area. The Bahrain Branch pertained to the Manama Bahrain Stake, formerly known as the Arabian Peninsula Stake, prior to the relocation of the stake to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2011. In 2011, the Manama Bahrain District was formed and included branches in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In 2014, the Manama Bahrain District became a stake. A group has historically operated in Bahrain to meet the needs of American military.
2021 New Stake Presidency[]
MANAMA BAHRAIN STAKE: (April 23, 2021) President — Daniel John Swendsen, 43, oil company senior counsel; succeeding Kent L. Christensen; wife, Heather Ann Mortensen Swendsen. Counselors — Edwin David Ivey, 53, oil company business development; wife, Carol Lynn Woods Ivey. Matthew Philip Willden, 43, oil company human resources business partner; wife, Shannon Workman Willden.[2]
Bahrain Home Centered Church Opportunities[]
We teach that true religion begins in the home: "Home Centered / Church Supported". To that end families may consider the following local resources and programs to strengthen your core beliefs and values:
1. Come Follow Me: - Daily & Weekly family gospel study
2. Vanguard Scouting: - Featuring age-appropriate Family Activities, Service, Crafts, Field Trips, & Outdoor Adventures. The Benefits of Scouting are many, and there are lots of personal growth ideas to help your family pursue the new Churchwide Children & Youth Program.
3. LIFE School Curriculum: an LDS gospel based homeschool program that is built on the foundation of the scriptures, giving the child a sense of who he is and setting him on the path of discovering his divine mission. It is presented in a four year chronological rotation, integrating all areas of study to create a clear picture of the history of our world.
4. Family History: Resources to help you explore your family tree
- Mormon Pioneers - 200+ stories of early faithful Latter-day Saint pioneers.
- Familypedia - Come help build Bahrain's largest Family History online Encyclopedia.
5. Local Recreation:
- Bahrain Scouting - Outdoor Trails, camping, museums and other family attractions.
- Pioneer Treks
Middle East Temple[]
The Church has already posted an article about its plans to build the Dubai United Arab Emirates Temple.[3] The Church in the Middle East and North Africa has two stakes in the Gulf States (Abu Dhubai and Manama Bahrain Stake) as well as three districts headquartered in Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. The Church organized its first stake in the region in 1983 and created a second stake in 2014. The new temple is likely to be a small temple under 20,000 square feet. Latter-day Saints in the Gulf States are overwhelmingly Europeans, North Americans, Filipinos, and South Asians. The temple will be the Church's first temple to be built in the Middle East. Membership growth rates have slowed dramatically in the United Arab Emirates in recent years.
See Also[]