New Stakes Created in Arizona, Brazil, Guatemala, Pennsylvania, Philippines, and Texas; New Districts Created in Ghana and Venezuela

I have gotten a bit behind with making posts on new stakes and districts created. Hopefully this includes all of them.

NEW STAKES

Arizona
On September 21st, the Church created a new stake in Arizona. The Queen Creek Arizona West Stake was created from the Queen Creek Arizona, Queen Creek Arizona Chandler Heights, and the Queen Creek Arizona North Stakes and includes the following eight wards: the Cortina 1st, Cortina 2nd, Cortina 3rd, Cortina 4th, Hawes, Ocotillo, Remington Heights, and Sossaman Estates Wards.

There are now 97 stakes in Arizona.

Brazil
On August 31st, the Church created the a new stake in Minas Gerais State. The Ipatinga Brazil Stake from the Ipatinga Brazil District. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Bethânia, Esperança, Governador Valadares, Ipatinga, and João Monlevade Wards, and the Caratinga and Coronel Fabriciano Branches.

There are now 11 stakes and six districts in Minas Gerais, and 251 stakes and 40 districts in Brazil.

Guatemala
On July 6th, the Church created a new stake in western Guatemala. The Huehuetenango Guatemala Central Stake was organized from a division of the Huehuetenango Guatemala Calvario and Huehuetenango Guatemala Zaculeu Stakes and includes the following five wards and two branches: the Cerrito del Maíz, El Centro, El Prado, La Viña, and Las Flores Wards, and the Malacatancito and Tojocas Branches.

There are now 43 stakes and 17 districts in Guatemala.

Pennsylvania
On September 7th, the Church organized its third stake in the Pittsburgh area. The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania West Stake was organized from the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Stake and includes the following six wards: the Pittsburgh 2nd, Pittsburgh 5th, Pittsburgh 6th, Washington, Wheeling, and Wintersville Wards. The last new stake to be created in Pittsburgh was in 1978.

There are now 12 stakes in Pennsylvania.

Philippines
On September 14th, the Church created two new stakes in the Philippines.

The Davao Philippines West Stake was organized from the Davao Philippines Stake and includes the following five wards and two branches: the Calinan, Mintal 1st, Mintal 2nd, Toril 1st, and Toril 2nd Wards, and the Ladian and Tamugan Branches. The Church has experienced rapid congregational growth in western Davao within recent years, and Davao now appears as a likely candidate for a temple to service Mindanao.

The Escalante Philippines Stake was organized from the Escalante Philippines District. No information is currently available on which of the seven branches became wards. The Escalante Philippines District was originally organized in 1994.

There are now 92 stakes and 80 districts in the Philippines.

Texas
On September 14th, the Church created a new stake in the Texas Panhandle. The Lubbock Texas North Stake was organized from the Lubbock Texas and Roswell New Mexico Stake and includes the following five wards and three branches: the Clovis, Frenship Mesa, Heritage, Portales, and Shadow Hills Wards, and the El Llano (Spanish), Plainview, and Quaker Heights (Spanish) Branches. The new stakes becomes the first new stake in the Texas Panhandle since 1981.

There are now 62 stakes and three districts in Texas.

NEW DISTRICTS

Ghana
On September 14th, the Church created a new district in Ghana. The Ho Ghana District was organized from the Kpong Ghana District and includes three branches: the Ho 1st, Ho 2nd, and Tsito Branches. The Church has experienced rapid growth in the Volta Region of Ghana and the new Ho Ghana District becomes the first district in this administrative division of more than 2.1 million people. The Church has also recently opened to member groups in Kpando and Hohoe, which may also become integrated into the district when these member groups become branches.

There are now 12 stakes and nine districts in Ghana.

Venezuela
On September 28th, the Church created a new district in Venezuela. The La Fria Venezuela District was organized from the San Cristóbal Venezuela Pirineos Stake and includes the following three branches: the Coloncito, La Fría, and La Grita Branches. The Church once operated a district in La Fria from 1999 to 2012. The reestablishment of the district may indicate problems with stake leaders effectively administering these three branches, resulting in a need for mission leaders to undertake this task.

There are now 34 stakes and seven districts in Venezuela.