The first Mandarin-speaking congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the UK was formed on 19th July 2015 as part of the Sunderland England Stake in the North East of England. The Newcastle Branch conducts sacrament meeting, Sunday School, and all other meetings in Mandarin Chinese, a language that is spoken across Southeast Asia and as the national language of mainland China.
The branch is made up of members from all over the Southeast Asia area—including China, Hong Kong and Malaysia—who are currently living in the North East of England. Many are university students who have come to study abroad, as well as families who have permanently moved to the area. The branch reaches the need for anyone within the Sunderland stake area who would prefer to learn about and study the gospel in Mandarin. Currently the branch has just over 30 members.
President Wang of the Newcastle Branch remarked, “This is a fantastic opportunity for members to learn of Jesus Christ and his teachings in their native tongue. It is a privilege to serve members who have travelled so far and found the gospel here in the United Kingdom.”