Turkey Opening For Missionary Work

Missionaries serving in the Bulgaria Sofia Mission report that four elders will be assigned to Istanbul, Turkey in mid-February and begin active missionary work in Turkey.  This development appears to have occurred on the heals of the Church receiving government recognition within the past year.  In accordance with societal attitudes regarding Christian proselytism, all missionary activity will occur through member referral.  Reports indicate that missionaries will learn the Turkish language by attending university classes for a portion of the day once transferred to Istanbul.  Turkey previously pertained to no mission but was assigned to the Bulgaria Sofia Mission within the past year.

The Church has operated four branches in Turkey for two decades and has assigned humanitarian senior missionary couples for years.  The assignment of young missionaries to Turkey is a major church growth development as Turkey numbers among the most populous countries that have no proselytizing missionaries assigned and Turkey is a homogeneously Muslim nation.  It is unclear whether missionaries will be permitted to teach Muslims or be restricted to working with individuals who follow other religious beliefs.

New District in Papua New Guinea

A new district was organized last Wednesday in Papua New Guinea in Madang.  The Madang Lae Papua New Guinea District includes two branches in Madang and one branch in Lae.  The new district becomes the first of its kind in Papua New Guinea to cover such a large geographical area and is the first new district organized within the past decade with as few branches.  The Church has experienced slow growth in this region of the country, but the organization of the new district may indicate that growth has accelerated and additional branches may be organized in the near future although church leadership has not confirmed this assumption.

There are now two stakes and 11 districts in Papua New Guinea.  The Church in Papua New Guinea would greatly benefit from the organization of a second mission to meet the large administrative burden on mission leaders and to spur greater national outreach expansion. 

Church Growth Developments in Colombia and Spain

First LDS congregation organized in Maicao, Colombia

The Church organized its first branch in the city of Maicao in northern Colombia.  With nearly 100,000 inhabitants, Maicao was the city with the fourth largest population unreached by the LDS Church prior to the organization of the new branch.  Within the past couple years, the Church established its first branch in neighboring Riohacha; possibly indicating coordinated mission efforts to expand outreach in Colombia's most populous cities that are unreached by the Church.  Both branches pertain to the Santa Marta Colombia District.

Missionaries assigned for the first time to Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain

Mission leadership in the Spain Barcelona Mission report that the first group was organized on the island of Ibiza and that full-time missionaries were permanently assigned.  The core of active membership in the small group consists of Paraguayan Latter-day Saints who relocated to the island but the Church has found a handful of local Spaniards who are members.  With approximately 150,000 inhabitants, Ibiza is one of the Balearic Islands and pertains to the Baleares Spain District.  The Church in Spain has renewed outreach expansion efforts within the past year as new branches were recently organized in Vic, Huercal-Overa, and Villagarcia de Arousa.

New Missions in 2012 - Predictions

The Church will officially announce any changes to its 340 missions worldwide within the next month.  It appears that there will likely be two new missions organized in 2012 in the following locations based on missionary reports:

• Angola Luanda
• Ghana Kumasi

There has been no official announcement of either mission, but the number of missionaries assigned to these two areas has steadily increased within the past six months and it appears that preparations are underway for the creation of new missions in these locations.

Recent Church Growth News - Potential New Stakes in Russia, Cambodia, and Cape Verde in 2012

Russia

Missionaries serving in the Russia St Petersburg, Russia Saratov, Russia Yekaterinburg, and Russia Novosibirsk Missions report that districts and branches have recently been consolidated to create branches with more active members and districts with more congregations to prepare for the creation of additional stakes in Russia within the next couple years.  Each district that may become a stake in the near future is displayed below from the LDS International Atlas on cumorah.com.

In St Petersburg, a couple branches were discontinued within and nearby the city but the St Petersburg Russia District was expanded to incorporate additional branches that did not previously pertain to a district such as Gatchina, Kolpino, Petergof, Sestroretsk, and Vyborg.  At present the St Petersburg Russia District has ten branches.


View Wards and Branches in Western Russia in a larger map

In Saratov, a couple branches were closed in the city of Saratov but the district was expanded to include branches in Balakovo, Marks, and Penza.  a district branch was also created to meet the needs of members in isolated areas within the district meeting in groups.  The Saratov Russia District now has nine branches and missionaries report that the district is close to becoming a stake.  


View Wards and Branches in Western Russia in a larger map

In Yekaterinburg, the sole district in the city absorbed a former district in Chelyabinsk and a couple mission branches.  The district now has six branches and may become a stake in the near future.


View Branches in Central and Eastern Russia in a larger map

In Novosibirsk, the sole district in the city has included a couple former mission branches and currently contains six branches.  A stake may be organized from the district in the coming years.


View Branches in Central and Eastern Russia in a larger map

The Church has undergone several cycles of consolidating and splitting districts as area and mission presidencies has opted for creating stakes or splitting districts to expand outreach.  Many active and semi-active members have been lost to inactivity through this process over the past two decades, but the success of the Moscow Russia District attaining stakehood last year and not appearing to exhibit any noticeable setbacks after the consolidation of the two districts in the city may indicate potential success in the establishment of additional stakes in Russia.  The formation of additional stakes may permit the channeling of more mission resources into opening currently unreached cities.  At present, there are over 100 cities in Russia with over 100,000 inhabitants without an LDS congregation operating.

Cambodia


Missionaries serving in the Cambodia Phnom Penh report that mission leadership is striving for both Cambodian (Khmer) districts in Phnom Penh to become stakes this year. The LDS Church in Cambodia currently has the most members of any country in without a stake notwithstanding church membership concentrated in Phnom Penh where 18 branches meet. Members and missionaries have reported that mission leadership has prepared for the two districts in Phnom Penh to become stakes for the past five years and the recent creation of a couple new branches in the Phnom Penh area may indicate improved convert retention and local leadership development.

Below is a map of the districts and branches in the LDS Church in Cambodia


View Branches in Cambodia in a larger map

Cape Verde

Missionaries serving in Cape Verde report that the Praia Cape Verde District is close to becoming a stake and that the first stake in Cape Verde will likely also include the Fogo Cape Verde District. Cape Verde ranks among the top ten countries in the world with the most members without a stake. Low member activity rates have delayed the organization of a stake for years.

District Discontinued in Brazil

Located in Bahia State, the Jequié Brazil District was discontinued.  The district contained only two branches that operated in the city of Jequié, one of which was closed at the same time as the district (Joaquim Romã).  The district was originally organized in 2004 likely in anticipation of stronger growth in the area which has not occurred.  There are now 242 stakes and 48 districts in Brazil.

Several New Case Study Essays Posted

In coordination with David Stewart at cumorah.com, we have posted nine church growth case studies which examine specific topics in relation to LDS Church growth.  Case studies currently posted examine the following topics and are provided with links to the articles:

• How to effectively open a city for missionary work
• Missed opportunities for LDS growth among the Nahua Amerindians in Mexico
• LDS Church planting in Sunyani, Ghana
• LDS Church growth in Ceara State, Brazil
• Rapid LDS growth in Western Province, Papua New Guinea
• Analysis of discontinued stakes worldwide
• Missionary training centers (MTCs) and growth
• LDS outreach expansion in Awasa, Ethiopia
• Translating church materials into additional languages

We are in the process of editing and writing case studies on the following topics:

• Outreach efforts among the Tzotzil Amerindians
• Unofficial groups of investigators meeting under the LDS Church's name
• Failed efforts to expand outreach in Greece
• The impact of changing area policies on LDS growth
• Meetinghouse construction and LDS growth
• Projecting LDS membership growth
• LDS growth among the Miskito of Nicaragua
• Unreached islands in the Philippines
• Comparing LDS growth trends in Hong Kong and Singapore
• Methods of LDS Outreach in Muslim nations

Corrections, comments, and questions are welcomed.  We are also welcoming suggestions for future topics.

Baghdad Iraq Military District Discontinued

In conjunction with the withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq, the Church has discontinued the Baghdad Iraq Military District.  Formed in late 2009, the district met the needs of military members in Iraq meeting in six branches and up to several dozen groups at one time.  Five of the six branches have been discontinued with the closure of the district; only one branch continues to operate (I Z Military Branch).

Members in the Middle East report that there have been a handful of Iraqi Christians who have joined the LDS Church in other nations such as Jordan.  It is unclear whether any active Iraqi Latter-day Saints live in Iraq at present.  The Church does not proselyte in Iraq and no missionaries are assigned.

Two New International Districts in China

Two new districts were created last Sunday in China for foreigners residing in the country.  The Central China International (English) District was organized from the Beijing China International (English) District and includes two branches in Xian and Qinghao and a third district branch that was renamed the Central China International (English) Branch.  The Shenzhen China International (English) District was also organized from the Beijing China International (English) District and includes two branches in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.  Long distances between branches and district headquarters appears the primary reason for the organization of these two small districts.  Each of these two districts appear to also accommodate several groups of members residing in additional cities which remain too small in numbers to merit the organization of their own branches.  There are now four international districts in mainland China.

Recent Church Growth News

Missionaries serving on Gaua Island, Vanuatu

Missionaries have recently begun serving on the island of Gaua in northern Vanuatu.  With only a few thousand inhabitants, Gaua becomes one of the least populated islands in the country to have had an LDS presence established.  The number of missionaries assigned to Vanuatu has increased dramatically within the past couple months to as many as 30 at present.  A single group meets in Gaua which missionaries report has recently been approved to become an independent branch.

Growth in Sierra Leone

Several new branches and groups have been recently organized in Sierra Leone.  Missionaries report that in Kenema three congregations have begun meeting whereas a year ago there was only one branch.  Currently assigned to the Bo Sierra Leone District, Kenema is likely to become its own district in the near future.  A new branch was created less than a month ago in Freetown (Belliar Park Branch) and a couple new groups also begun meeting in the Freetown area.

Accelerated congregational growth in Venezuela

Over the past year congregational growth has accelerated in Venezuela with new wards and branches often being organized on a monthly basis.  Convert retention and member activity rates appear higher than most Latin American nations as membership growth rates remain moderately low notwithstanding increases in new wards and branches.

Senior Missionary Couples Temporarily Leave the DR Congo Kinshasa Mission

Due to political instability caused by the recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the LDS Church has withdrawn its non-African senior missionary couples serving in the DR Congo in the DR Congo Kinshasa Mission and is currently housing them in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Senior missionary couples serving in nearby Cameroon and the Republic of Congo - two nations also part of the DR Congo Kinshasa Mission - appear unaffected.  It is unclear whether the mission president has also withdrawn from the country or whether senior missionary couples were withdrawn from the DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission.  Almost the entire full-time missionary force is staffed by native Congolese members and it is unclear whether these missionaries are under lock down or continue to proselyte in the Kinshasa area.

The current situation does not appear likely to significantly disrupt the growth of the Church in the DR Congo.  However if political instability and violence interfere with the activities of local and native full-time missionaries for extended periods of time and mission leadership become unable to communicate with local church leaders, reduced church growth may result within the next year.

District Discontinued in Argentina

A district was recently discontinued in Argentina.  Formerly comprising four branches in the Chaco area of Argentina, the General Jose de San Martin Argentina District was combined with stakes in Resistencia and Formosa.  The El Colorado and San Martin Branches now pertain to the Resistencia Argentina Stake whereas the Pirane Branch pertains to the Formosa Argentina Stake.  The Campo Medina Branch is no longer assigned to a district or stake and reports directly to the Argentina Resistencia Mission. 

Northern Argentina near the Paraguay border has experienced the most drastic congregation consolidation in the country over the past few years as many small branches have closed.  There are now 71 stakes and 36 districts in Argentina.

New District in Malaysia

A new district was created in West Malaysia last Sunday.  The Johor Bahru Malaysia District was organized from the Singapore Stake and includes two branches in the Johor Bahru area.  The organization of a new district with only two branches has been very unusual over the past five years for the Church as a whole as such districts often have extremely limited priesthood leadership manpower and tend to draw large amounts of resources from individual branches within the district.  The organization of a district for the two branches in Johor Bahru may indicate prospects for the organization of additional branches within the near future.  Currently in Malaysia the Miri East Malaysia District also has only two branches at present but this district also includes three groups in Miri and Brunei. 

Stakes Likely to Split Outside the United States and Canada

Below is an updated list of LDS stakes with large numbers of congregations that may split to create new stakes in the near future.  The previous list from January 2011 can be found here.

AFRICA

• Accra Ghana Adenta (9 wards, 4 branches)
• Benin City Nigeria Ihogbe (11 wards)
• Benin City Nigeria Ikpokpan (10 wards)
• Benin City Nigeria New Benin (15 wards) 
• Brazzaville Republic of Congo (9 wards, 4 branches)
• Bulawayo Zimbabwe (8 wards, 5 branches, 1 group)
• Katuba Democratic Republic of Congo (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo (10 wards)
• Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of Congo (11 wards)
• Roodepoort South Africa (12 wards, 6 branches)
• Takoradi Ghana (10 wards)
• Tema Ghana (13 wards)

ASIA

• Butuan Philippines (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Cavite Philippines (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Singapore (10 wards, 2 branches)

CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

• Alajuela Costa Rica (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Chimaltenango Guatemala (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Fesitranh Honduras (9 wards, 4 branches)
• La Ceiba Honduras (10 wards)
• Managua Nicaragua (10 wards)
• San Jose Costa Rica La Paz (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Ozama (10 wards)

EUROPE

• Milan Italy (10 wards, 2 branches)

MEXICO

• Amecameca Mexico (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Celaya Mexico (11 wards)
• Chalco Mexico (10 wards)
• Chilpancingo Mexico (10 wards, 5 branches)
• Ciudad Victoria Mexico (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Coatzacoalcos Mexico Puerto (13 wards)
• Colonia Juarez Mexico East (11 wards)
• Culiacan Mexico (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Jalapa Mexico (10 wards)
• Juchitan Mexico (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Mexico City Anahuac (11 wards)
• Mexico City Chapultepec (10 wards)
• Mexico City Cuautitlan (11 wards)
• Mexico City Culturas (11 wards)
• Mexico City Iztapalapa (10 wards)
• Mexico City Tecamac (11 wards)
• Mexico City Tepalcapa (11 wards)
• Mexico City Valle Dorado (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Oaxaca Mexico Monte Alban (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Puebla Mexico Nealtican (12 wards, 1 branch)
• Salta Mexico Republica (11 wards)
• Veracruz Mexico Villa Rica (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Villahermosa Mexico Gaviotas (10 wards, 1 branch)

OCEANIA

• Ha'apai Tonga (9 wards, 5 branches)
• Liverpool Australia (11 wards)
• Newcastle Australia (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Nuku'alofa Tonga (10 wards)
• Apia Samoa West (10 wards)
• Pesega Samoa (10 wards)
• Savaii Samoa (12 wards)

SOUTH AMERICA

• Brasilia Brazil Alvorada (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Buenos Aires Argentina Castelar (10 wards)
• Cochabamba Bolivia (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Cochabamba Bolivia Jaihuayco (10 wards)
• Fortaleza Brazil Litoral (9 wards)
• Godoy Cruz Argentina (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Guayaquil Ecuador Pascuales (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Joao Pessoa Brazil Rangel (9 wards, 1 branch)
• Juiz de Fora Brazil (11 wards)
• Jujuy Argentina (10 wards, 3 branches)
• La Paz Bolivia Miraflores (12 wards, 1 branch)
• La Plata Argentina Villa Elvira (10 wards, 2 branches) 
• Lima Peru Canto Grande (10 wards)
• Lima Peru Villa Salvador (10 wards)
• Luque Paraguay (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Montevideo Uruguay East (12 wards)
• Quito Ecuador Chillogallo (11 wards)
• Santa Cruz Bolivia Canoto (11 wards)
• Santa Maria Brazil (10 wards, 1 branch)

New Stake in Nigeria

A new stake was created in Nigeria.  The Port Harcourt Nigeria East Stake was created and becomes the third stake in Port Harcourt and the 18th in Nigeria.  The first stake in Port Harcourt was organized in 1990 followed by a second stake in 2003.  Congregational information will be posted under "comments" once it becomes available.