A. Clarieta Philgence joined the Church in England in July 1982 and soon returned to her homeland, St. Lucia. In August 1983, after learning about Philgence, West Indies Mission President Kenneth Zabriskie visited St. Lucia and met with Philgence and Al and Julie Nuttal, who had transferred from medical school in Grenada to St. Lucia. Zabriskie was accompanied by Elder Ronald E. Poelman of the Seventy (one of the governing bodies of the Church). In November 1983 President Zabriskie sent Elders Todd Hardy, Paul Jackson, Jay Schroeder and Marty Harris to begin missionary work. The first baptism in St. Lucia was Caren Cotter in September 1984.
The Castries Branch (a small congregation of the Church) was organized in January 1984. By June 1984, about 40 investigators and members were attending meetings. During the next few years missionaries began having trouble renewing their visas after anti-Mormon information was spread in the press. In 1986, missionaries Lewis and Jean Call were asked to leave the country by immigration officials in preparation for a visit of Pope John Paul II. Missionaries were not allowed to return following the papal visit.
The Castries Branch was discontinued in 1994, but was reorganized in April 2003.
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Rafael G. Gutiérrez
Caribbean Area
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