Members report that the Church created a new district in Thailand. On June 15th, the Church organized the Bangkok Thailand West District from a portion of the Bangkok Thailand Stake. The new district includes the Asoke, Thonburi and Bangkhae Branches whereas the realigned Bangkok Thailand Stake now includes the following five wards and one branch: the Bangkapi, Bangkok (English), Bangnaa, Sapansung, and Srinskarin Wards, and Samut Prakan Branch. The Church also organized the Bangkok Thailand North District into a stake on June 15th and the new stake includes the following six wards and two branches: the Bangbuathong, Bangkhen, Chaengwattana (English), Don Muang, Lop Buri, and Rangsit Wards, and Ayutthaya and Pakret Branches.
There are now two stakes and five districts in Thailand.
11 comments:
That's great, they must really be working on getting a third stake Fulfill the goal of getting a temple announced. There was foreign exchange student in my stake from Thailand that joined the church this year. She would be a great member there, but she is planning on going to BYUI in the fall.
What is the connection between the temple and the third stake? (yes, I get the connection between Church growth and temples) Was there a specific promise of "When you have three stakes ..." or something? Or just supposition?
I have just read a lot of blogs of missionaries saying that they would get a temple if there was three stakes in Bangkok. I don't know if it is just a mission president's goal or if it came from a General Authority. I've also seen some members from Thailand mention it on the Cumorah Facebook page.
Similar statements have been made by missionaries serving in Mongolia that when there are three stakes in Ulaanbaatar and 20,000 members, a temple may be announced.
The Lerma México Stake was created on 15 June. There are 5 wards in the stake:
La Crespa Ward
Lerma Ward
Tecnologico Ward
Tianguistenco Ward
Totoltepec Ward
When Elder Neil L. Andersen visited Thailand last year, he said that when Thailand has 4 Stakes, it will get the attention of the first presidency regarding the building of the temple there.
The Asia Area goal is to create 2 more stakes in Thailand within the next 3 years. (One in Bangkok and another one in the northeast).
The Kingston Jamaica Stake was created on 8 June. There are 6 wards and 2 branches in the stake:
Boulevard Ward
Constant Spring Ward
Linstead Ward
Portmore Ward
Spanish Town 1st Ward
Spanish Town 2nd Ward
Kingston Branch
Old Harbour Branch
The Taguig Philippines Stake was created on 15 June. There are 6 wards in the stake:
Bicutan Ward
Bonifacio 5th Ward
Signal Village 1st Ward
Signal Village 2nd Ward
Taguig 1st Ward
Taguig 2nd Ward
The Cumbres and Portalies wards, Chihuahua México Tecnológico Stake, were created on 8 June. There are now 7 wards and 1 branch in the stake:
Coronel Ward
Cumbres Ward
Del Norte Ward
Portales Ward
Río Sacramento Ward
Universidad Ward
Villas del Real Ward
Quintas Carolinas Branch
The Chamba, Macuruno, Maraza, and Mascarenha branches, Beira Mozambique District, Mozambique Maputo Mission, were created on 15 June. There are now 12 branches in the district:
Baixa Branch
Chamba Branch
Chingussura Branch
Dondo Branch
Inhamízua Branch
Macurungo Branch
Maraza Branch
Mascarenha Branch
Munhava Branch
Nhaconjo Branch
Palmeiras Branch
Vila Massane Branch
This is great news. With the two stakes in Cambodia, there are now 4 stakes in that part of Asia. I am not sure they are close enough to jointly support a temple, and suspect that Thailand will get a temple first, but with the 2nd stake, I can see Thailand getting a temple in the next decade.
In general there is a need for at least 3 stakes concentrated in a close area to have a temple. Of course, saying that I have no clue how Bismark ND, Winnipeg Manitoba and Regina Scheskachuwan get temples. Colonia Juarez Mexico only has two stakes right in the colonies, but I think there are several others in the greater region. Here in Michigan MEtro-Detroit has 3 stakes, although the Ann Arbor Stake also is sort of in MEtro Detroit, and while those 4 stakes probably provide most of the temple workers, Lansing Stake, Midland Stake and even Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo Stakes also provide some. We might be able to staff the temple with fewer stakes, but we might end up having to consolidate some wards to free up bishopric members to serve as temple workers to do it. Although if I understand correctly one of the temple workers is also a member of a branch presidency, and I thought that overlap was not supposed to exist. Maybe I misunderstood.
Is Beira likely to become a stake? That would seem likely, but they may still lack the maturity of melchezidek priesthood leadership to make that move.
On another note, I hope they get a stake in the northeast of Thailand. I have been told that getting coverts there has been done a lot, but developing local priesthood leadership has been harder.
Colonia Juarez is a unique case, having existed for more than 100 years and President Hinckley said leadership runs deep from that area.
Bismarck was on account of distance from Denver and Chicago, although a small temple also was announced in Minneapolis. Winter weather can be problematic (not too much different than Star Valley) and that can be seen as another reason.
Detroit likewise was 350 miles from a temple, and the four stakes plus some stuff just across the river was enough. Plus they had ready property right on Woodward Avenue, that many there said was just right for a temple site. Lansing is only 100 miles or so away as well.
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