Utah and Peru: 2 regions sharing rich Latter-day Saint histories

LIMA — Each month, Czibor Chicata-Sutmöller issues scores of visas to Utahns preparing to serve Latter-day Saint missions to Peru.

The consul general of Peru in Salt Lake City said his daily duty of managing the visa flow between the Beehive State and his South American nation signals the link that two regions from opposite sides of the equator share with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"And Peru's capital city of Lima is the only city in South America that has two Latter-day Saint temples," Chicata-Sutmöller reminded the Deseret News in the minutes before Delta launched its first-ever direct flight between Lima and Salt Lake City on Dec. 4.

"That also speaks of the importance of Peru to the church."

Much of the focus of last week's launching of Delta Flight 193 was on the commercial and cultural opportunities waiting to be optimized between Peru and Utah.

A delegation consisting of bipartisan lawmakers and representatives from Utah's Governor's Office and World Trade Center Utah joined several Utah businesses for a trade mission to this culturally rich nation.

Utah's business/civic delegation and their Peruvian counterparts explored ways to build and fortify relationships in areas such as sustainable agriculture, infrastructure and energy.

But Utah's historical connection to Peru — largely through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — was often referenced throughout the business trip and coverage of the maiden Delta flight.

When asked why the airline opted to offer several weeks of nonstop service between Salt Lake City and Lima — slated to run through Jan. 25, 2026 — Delta Air Lines Managing Director Meng Aguirre said it reflects a commitment from both communities.

"The partnerships with the local community here … including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has contributed to the decision to have this launch flight," said Aguirre.

David Utrilla, Utah's former honorary consul of Peru in Utah, lobbied for several years for a direct flight between Salt Lake City and Lima.

The two regions share a natural connection. Utah is home to tens of thousands of Peruvians — and it's the Latter-day Saint headquarters.

"And Peru has the fifth largest membership in the world for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," said Utrilla.

Delta Flight 193 is not simply a milestone airline journey connecting Utah with South America, Utrilla added.

"It's also going to connect the hearts of the people. … We have (thousands) of Peruvians here in the state of Utah. They are going to be able to be connected to their families — and have their families coming here to visit them.

Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, who participated in the Peru business trip, served a Latter-day Saint mission to Venezuela. He counts himself among the legions of Utahns who have a life-changing missionary connection to Peru and its neighboring South American nations.

"Fifteen to 20% of our population speaks Spanish, so this is important," he said of the expanding partnership between Utah and Peru.

"We want to be partners."

Lifting Peru: A Latter-day Saint legacy

Juan Pablo Guerrero of Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs office said that the two communities now better connected by the SLC-to-Lima direct flight share a history of independence, resilience and commitment to hard work and industry.

"We also recognize the generosity and solidarity that the people of Utah, including those from the Latter-day Saint community, have shown toward Peru over many years, especially in times of need."

The Church of Jesus Christ, as Guerrero noted, is a well-established friend to the Peruvian people, providing humanitarian and disaster relief.

On Aug. 15, 2007, a massive magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the coastal region of southern Peru, killing hundreds and leaving thousands more homeless.

The church began delivering assistance to the quake victims in the immediate hours following the quake.

Days later, tons of food, water and other provisions flown in from Salt Lake City sustained church members and many other victims. In the weeks that followed, hundreds of families sought refuge in tent cities that sprung up around Latter-day Saint meetinghouses in affected areas.

Later, a large-scale building project sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ has helped hundreds of Peruvian Latter-day Saints enjoy lives in new homes built to withstand future seismic events.

Hundreds of homes were constructed with materials and guidance provided by the church. The muscle and sweat of the homeowners and their fellow members and friends provided the labor.

More recently, in 2024, the church partnered with UNICEF to improve the health and development of Peruvian children in regions such as Lima, Huancavelica, Loreto and Ucayali.

That Latter-day Saint donation focused, in part, on early detection of vision and hearing problems in newborns, assisting thousands of Peruvian children.

Another element of the church's recent UNICEF partnership in Peru was designed to improve access to water and hygiene services in 20 schools in the same region, benefiting over 20,000 students.

This initiative will not only contribute to improving the living conditions and health of the country's most vulnerable communities "but also ensures that over 4,000 adolescents can manage their menstrual hygiene optimally, safely and with dignity," according to the church's website.

Divine 'eyes on this nation'

When Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles was here last year to dedicate the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple, he marveled at the church's rapid growth in a country with almost 650,000 Latter-day Saints in 2025.

"All that has transpired (in Peru) since the creation of the first small branch in 1956 has occurred in one lifetime — less than 75 years," said Elder Christofferson, who now serves as second counselor in the church's First Presidency.

"No one can deny that God, our Heavenly Father, has had his eye on this nation and on the Church of Jesus Christ in this nation."

Four Latter-day Saint temples are operating in Peru — two in Lima and one, respectively, in the cities of Trujillo and Arequipa. Six other Peruvian temples are slated to be built in Cusco, Iquitos, Piura, Chiclayo, Huancayo and Chorrillos.

There are also 15 missions and almost 800 congregations operating in Peru.

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