The Czechoslovak Mission opened in 1929, focusing on Czech-speaking cities. Slovaks shared the gospel with friends and family despite challenges, and the Book of Mormon was published in Slovak in 2013.
History of the Church in Slovakia
The Czechoslovak Mission opened on July 24, 1929. Most missionary work initially took place in Czech-speaking cities. During the Communist era, Slovaks learned about the Church when Latter-day Saint Otakar Vojkůvka, his family, and others began teaching “Christian yoga” classes. They combined principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ with yoga exercises. By 1993, when Slovakia and the Czech Republic separated, there were 20 to 30 members in Slovakia.
When Slovakia and the Czech Republic separated, a procedural error left the Church without official recognition in Slovakia. With fewer than 200 members in the country, the Church needed 20,000 Slovakian citizens to sign a petition supporting its application for registration. The task seemed insurmountable. In 2006, members, missionaries, and Church leaders joined in faith to gather the necessary signatures in just seven days. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles called this miracle the “dawning of a brighter day.”
Since 2006, the Church has become more firmly planted in Slovakia. In 2013, the Book of Mormon was published in Slovak. Two years later, the Bratislava District was created. Latter-day Saints in Slovakia have faced their challenges with faith in the Lord.