tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post6311440072919808429..comments2024-03-28T13:11:03.631-06:00Comments on Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church): Updated List of Countries of the World and Year Opened to LDS Missionary Work Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16030323360917985701noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-42821226682784336152015-08-06T15:40:40.777-06:002015-08-06T15:40:40.777-06:00John, please provide a citation for your claim reg...John, please provide a citation for your claim regarding abuse. steve_jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16760291961718073454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-37679520410698607512015-07-31T22:53:37.468-06:002015-07-31T22:53:37.468-06:00Ivory Coast continues to see wonderful growth. Wha...Ivory Coast continues to see wonderful growth. What would be truly impressive is a ward split into 3 at once, but a branch being so split is a good sign.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-30254978132502537672015-07-31T22:51:26.595-06:002015-07-31T22:51:26.595-06:00Studies on the matter suggest that homosexual male...Studies on the matter suggest that homosexual males are about 10 times as likely to abuse male youths as non-homosexual males.<br /><br />Beyond this, the issue is open and advocating homosexuals who have no regard for rules of chastity. Do we want such people to be the leaders of our youth in a religiously linked organization. <br /><br />This may not seem a big issue in Utah where 99% of at least once councils troops are LDS sponsored. However here in Michigan and other similar states, this could lead to known violators of the law of chastity sitting on boards of review and other such things. It is just not workable to have such people serving over our youth in a religiously linked organization.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-79427885705342050422015-07-31T22:48:05.060-06:002015-07-31T22:48:05.060-06:00The problem with the Boy Scouts is that camp couns...The problem with the Boy Scouts is that camp counselors will now be openly homosexual. Do we want 12-year-old boys exposed to this on a Church sponsored camp.<br /><br />The whole "in the world but not of the world" is a couplet that has been attacked as false by some. <br /><br />Beyond this the BSA has shown a total disregard for the interests of the LDS Church in its actions. It ram-rodded this policy change without explaining how it will work on the ground. A year ago Gates said there would be no change. At the rate things are going, BSA will end allowing individual units to keep out open homlosexual by Feb. 2017.<br /><br />Beyond this the Boy Scouts snubbed the Church's request for a delay in the vote until after the General Authority vacation. There was absolutely no reason that the BSA could have not delayed.<br /><br />Lastly, in some ways this is the straw that broke the camels back. 20 years ago the leaders of my troop were being criticized for praying in the name of Jesus at the start of meals at scout camp. The failure to allow people to express prayers in ways that are meaningful prayers to them shows a favorism towards the bland meaningless religion of the secularized, national Church instead of the living religion that is expressed differently for each that is at the core of American identity. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-29637537280481973642015-07-30T17:11:22.537-06:002015-07-30T17:11:22.537-06:00There are definite reasons why women and girls do ...There are definite reasons why women and girls do not camp with Boy Scouts. Same gender attraction leaders would be similarly wrong. Talking about LDS/ Mormon standards: they are different and IMO higher than the laxer standards of secular governments. And good thing.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-80686687231596822102015-07-30T17:05:27.730-06:002015-07-30T17:05:27.730-06:005 July
Inopacan Branch, Maasin Philippines Distric...5 July<br />Inopacan Branch, Maasin Philippines District (5 Branches)<br /><br />12 July<br />Abengourou 2nd Branch, <br />Abengourou 3rd Branch, Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission (13 Branches, 4 Stakes)<br />Almendral Ward, Valparaíso Chile West Stake (5 Wards)<br />Morazan Branch, San Pedro Honduras El Progreso Stake (2 Branches, 9 Wards)<br /><br />19 July<br />Azaguié Branch, Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission (13 Branches, 4 Stakes)<br />Tiavea 2nd Branch, Upolu Samoa East Stake (1 Branch, 9 Wards) <br /><br />26 July<br />Ondo Nigeria District (3 Branches)<br /> Adeyemi College Road Branch<br /> Ondo Branch<br /> Yaba Branch<br /><br />Haslet Ward, Alliance Texas Stake (8 Wards)<br />Pradera Ward, Querétaro México Stake (8 Wards)<br />Rio Abajo Branch, Comayaguela Honduras Torocagua Stake (4 Branches, 7 Wards)<br /><br />28 July<br />Lumbia Branch, Cagayan de Oro Philippines Stake (2 Branches, 5 Wards)<br /><br />YTD 349(11.63/week 30)<br />Africa 119, 34.1%<br />Asia 10, 2.9%<br />Europe 13, 3.7%<br />North America (w/ Caribbean) 93, 26.6%<br />Pacific 25, 7.2%<br />South and Central America 31, 8.9%<br />Utah & Idaho 58, 16.6% <br /><br />Totals no-sensitive<br />Areas Temples Miss Stakes Dist Wards Branch Totals<br />Global 25 147 418 3,139 549 22,405 7,331 34,014<br />Us/Can 11 80 131 1,586 11 12,501 2,067 16,387<br />US n/a 72 124 1,539 8 12,165 1,915 15,823<br />Utah n/a 15 10 576 1 4,661 326 5,589<br />Canada n/a 8 7 47 3 336 152 553<br />Out 14 67 287 1,553 538 9,904 5,264 17,627<br /><br />With Sensitive<br />Areas Temples Miss Stakes Dist Wards Branch Totals<br />Global 25 147 418 3,139 560 22,409 7,421 34,119Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07636740926033505057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-26376631665831848232015-07-30T14:28:29.952-06:002015-07-30T14:28:29.952-06:00It has been confirmed that the new stake in Valpar...It has been confirmed that the new stake in Valparaiso, the Valparaiso Chile West stake, has 5 wards. The new ward name is Almendral, problably split from the Hontaneda ward.Rodrigo Jofrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03343689681373410315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-736381210865747322015-07-29T21:59:06.717-06:002015-07-29T21:59:06.717-06:00In terms of the scouts, it could go 2 ways:
1. The...In terms of the scouts, it could go 2 ways:<br />1. The Church remains with the BSA affirming the right to choose leaders as the Church sees fit.<br />2. The Church institutes a new program for all Boys 8-11 and Young Men 12-17 worldwide.<br /><br />Exciting developments!!<br /><br />New Stakes<br />-Tagbilaran Philippines (from district, so far 4 wards, 5 branches)<br />-Liberia Costa Rica (from district, 5 wards, 2 branches)<br />-Cartago Costa Rica (from SJ La Paz and Los Yoses Stakes, so far 4 wards. I can see the San Isidro General Branch going from the mission to this stake.)<br />-Guapiles Costa Rica (most likely entirely from SJ Los Yoses, and possibly the Limon District)<br /><br />New districts<br />-Ondo Nigeria (3 branches thus far, may include the 2 Akure Branches and a district branch to be created)<br />-Moscow Russia South (5 branches, likely district branch to be created<br /><br />The Abengourou Branch split into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Branches in the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission.Ryan Searcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03492045549474456000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-90238219074024683682015-07-29T18:54:08.148-06:002015-07-29T18:54:08.148-06:00That sounds wise. Then again, after the courts rep...That sounds wise. Then again, after the courts repealed the pro-traditional marriage referendum in California, I was in favor of LDS pulling out of the public schools and establishing our own private system. <br />How much is the Southeast Asia book? I have held off buying the new mega almanacs...Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-80766469087151782112015-07-29T13:48:45.685-06:002015-07-29T13:48:45.685-06:00Boy Scouts of America. I think the church should n...Boy Scouts of America. I think the church should not leave the Boy Scouts yet. The recent decision allows religious organizations to set their own criteria in choosing scout leaders, and I think this compromise is sufficient. We live in the world, but not of the world. Pulling out of scouting because of this would be more like trying to not live in the world, in my opinion.<br /><br />However, given that more than half of church membership lives in areas where scouting is not available, I think now would be a good time to create a flexible, international, scout like program that is rolled out in countries where scouting is not present. This would allow the program to be built out, best practices set, fine tuned, and then at some point down the road it can be rolled out to other countries based on what makes sense.<br /><br />The church could even go out of their way to encourage non-member youth participation in the scout troops based on ward boundaries.<br /><br />Thoughts?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12195848358946005216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-64228514111521633752015-07-28T23:38:30.894-06:002015-07-28T23:38:30.894-06:00Haslam did not even get his footnote numbers to be...Haslam did not even get his footnote numbers to be super script. Also at times he makes comments like "apparently anyone who requested baptism was able to recieve it." I am not convinced that that was the case in the 19th-century. Even more so I am less than convinced he can deduce this when he is entirely relying on the accounts in two or three journals. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-28581934031960814752015-07-28T23:35:03.584-06:002015-07-28T23:35:03.584-06:00Eduardo, I think I would read that report. I see y...Eduardo, I think I would read that report. I see your point about too much information being a good thing. However that only will work if I have the patience to read Haslam's book. I spent the money to buy a copy from the BYU bookstore (through online ordering) so I figure I should read it. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-90644177703786048882015-07-28T23:32:33.085-06:002015-07-28T23:32:33.085-06:00While north-east states in India like Nagaland are...While north-east states in India like Nagaland are majority Christian, the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there might not be an easy endevor. Nagaland has an active militarist movement that seeks an indeppedent nation of Nagalim, not just covering Nagaland, but the Naga areas in Burma and Naga regions in surrounding Indian states. At least some of the people in this movement want the Baptist Faith to be the only officially recognized faith in their proposed independent country.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-19047962982369445942015-07-28T22:38:05.921-06:002015-07-28T22:38:05.921-06:00John L.: I guess the good thing about having too m...John L.: I guess the good thing about having too much information is that others can redact and summarize it. I appreciate your reading it so others are aware and then we don't have too spend as much time in those weeds, but in the airy palms. I wrote a ten or so page report on my mom and step-dad's mission in Cambodia, 2000-2002. I should publish it on my blog.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-12252120997951716982015-07-28T22:36:58.739-06:002015-07-28T22:36:58.739-06:00I have learned that some of the sub-groups of the ...I have learned that some of the sub-groups of the Yi are primarily Christian. I also learned that China's 55 official ethnic groups is much less than Burma's 135. Although to be fair in the US we have a lot because of so many different Native American ethnic groups. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-68814618975803939502015-07-28T22:31:02.776-06:002015-07-28T22:31:02.776-06:00Laos's population is 2/3rds Buddhist, with 30%...Laos's population is 2/3rds Buddhist, with 30% being followers of Satsana Phi (followers called Phiists). This is a polytheistic religion that includes shamanism. However the Lao Loum who predominate in low country Laos are overwhelmingly Buddhist. The Lao Theung or mid-land Lao are predominantly Phiist. This group makes up about 24% of Laos's population and are at times still designated with a term that translates as "slave". <br /><br />The hill peoples of Laos also primarily practice religions that are designated as part of Stasana Phi. Many of these groups are small off-shots of larger ethnic gorups primarily in China. I was just reading about the Yi who number more than 8 million in China, and this caused me to wonder if the LDS Church has had any converts who are non-Han citizens of China.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-89919743773647572772015-07-28T22:19:15.908-06:002015-07-28T22:19:15.908-06:00Haslam's book is also 3 years old, having been...Haslam's book is also 3 years old, having been published in 2012. Since then Buddhist South-east Asia has gone from 1 stake to 5. Plans to build a temple were announced. Burma and Laos both now have young full-time missionaries serving. The Church has also made progress in Vietnam.<br /><br />That said, part of me is not convinced that Vietnam quite belongs with Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. The other four countries are majority Theravada Buddhists. Vietnam on the other hand is very hard to pin down. It is not Theravada Buddhist, but Mahayana Buddhist. However only between 12 and 17% of the population is clearly Buddhist. Another 45% or so practice folk religions, that combine elements of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor and local god and goddess worship. This is similar to the folk religious tradition in China. 30% of the population has no religious affiliation and a total of 73% are unaffiliated with an organized religion per government statistics. Almost 5% of Vietnam's population belongs to Caodaism. Cambodia is 95% Buddhist. Thailand is 93% but only that low because the southern provinces are majority Muslim. 0.9% of the population is Christian. <br /><br />John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-60062369679774078372015-07-28T22:02:01.883-06:002015-07-28T22:02:01.883-06:00I know the Catholic Church has a very different me...I know the Catholic Church has a very different method of creating congregations and sizing them than the LDS Church. However there are also lots of very small Catholic congregations.<br /><br />A note on the actual post. Burma was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel in 1987 by Gordon B. Hinckley, but the coup in 1988 stopped LDS Church growth for a time.<br /><br />I just started reading Reed B. Haslam's book "The Light Breaks on Southeast Asia: A History of the LDS Church in Asia's Ancient Kingdoms." It is a huge book, with just under 800 pages. However it is horribly edited.<br /><br />Haslam's background is not that of a professional historian. While this is not neccesarily all bad, I think he could have done more to try and ground his work in the secondary literature. He also spends lots of time griping about Church achives access policies.<br /><br />Haslam denounces others for writting what is best sumarized as "white-washed" Church history (he has a way of speaking too long on everything). So far I am to his coverage of the 19th-century missionaries in Burma. While some might find his indepth coverage of personal disputes between Elder Savage and Brother McCune not uplifting, that is not actually my objection. I find it just too much detail for a book that is meant to be a history. <br /><br />While Haslam has read heavily in the LDS Church archieves info on Southeast Asia, although I wonder if it would have been wiser to seek harder to get more access, and he has also interviewed a lot of people from South-east Asia, my first impression is the book is a work of a former American missionary in Thailand relying too heavily on other former American missionaries to Thailand and a little on those who served in Cambodia. It has a place, but Someone who had been to South-east Asia other times than as a missionary might well be able to write a better work. This is not an example of local creation of LDS history as is say Emmanuel A. Kissi's "Walking in the Sand: The History of the LDS Church in Ghana." ALthough the fact that much scholarly work in Ghana is done in English is one issue.<br /><br />John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-39994782063822498102015-07-28T05:52:33.019-06:002015-07-28T05:52:33.019-06:00Eduardo, FYI, I flew out to Indianapolis to take m...Eduardo, FYI, I flew out to Indianapolis to take my friend through the temple open house (her husband was also supposed to come, but he cancelled). Congrats on something in your neck of the woods!Grant Emeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08719597556626187043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-59154852769032247082015-07-27T22:35:46.025-06:002015-07-27T22:35:46.025-06:00Thanks for the list. It makes me wonder if many of...Thanks for the list. It makes me wonder if many of the non-denominational members and a few others have left Methodism in Indiana.<br /><br />Also, it is notable that LDS are gaining (despite the constant growth in North America) of the Amish, as there as at least 4 counties that have sizable Amish and Mennonite communities. Also, FYI, the "Church of the Brethren" are like the third head of the more fundamental peoples that have their old world traditions and beliefs, as I met a few up around Lancaster, PA. Good stuff. <br /><br />Indiana continues to grow with the rest of the country, and I think the temple could open up some new doors. We have been hoping for decades that Terre Haute would create its own stake, but the development of the units have not been as good as hoped, as seen in former branches in Clinton, Brazil, and Spencer in the Bloomington Stake.<br /><br />As already mentioned, some counties are difficult to get much foothold in. Urban centers show more promise than many rural areas.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-72104694861212077252015-07-27T22:22:48.356-06:002015-07-27T22:22:48.356-06:00I believe the majority of Hoosier Methodists are U...I believe the majority of Hoosier Methodists are United Methodist (the one you commonly see with the red flame). I am not sure what the source was, but I remember maybe in the early 2000s that there were 800,000 Methodists (roughly 1 in 5 Hoosiers) while California had around 750,000 LDS (me being one of them on the West Coast).<br /><br />California has lost a lot of people over the years due to job losses, but then again it has a lot of good members that are permanent plus a lot of active missions, temples.<br /><br />We are really excited for the new temple on the north side of Indy in Carmel this summer. It has attracted protestors form many places. Must be doing something right. Open house now in effect if anyone can make it.<br /><br />I can see Catholics being the number one single faith in Indiana and to a greater extent the entire midwest, as it is in the whole nation ... I have to check my old references.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-90747697249220776492015-07-27T20:48:55.197-06:002015-07-27T20:48:55.197-06:00John, it is not uncommon for Catholic parishes to ...John, it is not uncommon for Catholic parishes to have thousands of members.Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-72227497208094177952015-07-27T20:47:36.688-06:002015-07-27T20:47:36.688-06:00This is Indiana overall for 2010, those with the m...This is Indiana overall for 2010, those with the most adherents:<br /><br /><br />Religious Bodies Tradition Family Congregations Adherents Adherence Rate†<br />Catholic Church Catholic Catholicism 449 747,706 115.3<br />Non-denominational Evangelical Protestant ---- 1,179 396,576 61.2<br />United Methodist Church, The Mainline Protestant Methodist/Pietist 1,183 355,043 54.8<br />Christian Churches and Churches of Christ Evangelical Protestant Baptist 568 199,088 30.7<br />Southern Baptist Convention Evangelical Protestant Baptist 424 112,064 17.3<br />Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Evangelical Protestant Lutheran 224 107,846 16.6<br />American Baptist Churches in the USA Mainline Protestant Baptist 338 94,067 14.5<br />Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Mainline Protestant Baptist 185 66,307 10.2<br />Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Mainline Protestant Lutheran 171 57,417 8.9<br />Church of the Nazarene Evangelical Protestant Holiness 269 55,725 8.6<br />Assemblies of God Evangelical Protestant Pentecostal 257 54,710 8.4<br />Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Mainline Protestant Presbyterian-Reformed 237 48,969 7.6<br />Amish Groups, undifferentiated* Evangelical Protestant European Free-Church 300 45,144 7.0<br />Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Other Latter-day Saints 99 41,290 6.4<br />National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. Black Protestant Baptist 62 38,955 6.0<br />Churches of Christ Evangelical Protestant Baptist 334 34,152 5.3<br />United Church of Christ Mainline Protestant Presbyterian-Reformed 132 32,503 5.0<br />Wesleyan Church, The Evangelical Protestant Holiness 217 23,891 3.7<br />Missionary Church, The Evangelical Protestant Holiness 87 23,420 3.6<br />Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) Evangelical Protestant Holiness 143 20,618 3.2<br />Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) Evangelical Protestant Pentecostal 111 16,698 2.6<br />Episcopal Church Mainline Protestant Episcopalianism/Anglicanism 83 14,998 2.3<br />Muslim Estimate Other Other Groups 33 14,573 2.2<br />Seventh-day Adventist Church Evangelical Protestant Adventist 99 14,147 2.2<br />Salvation Army Evangelical Protestant Holiness 36 13,744 2.1<br />Mennonite Church USA Evangelical Protestant European Free-Church 61 13,010 2.0<br />Church of the Brethren Evangelical Protestant European Free-Church 91 12,250 1.9<br />African Methodist Episcopal Church Black Protestant Methodist/Pietist 54 12,011 1.9<br />National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. Black Protestant Baptist 24 12,008 1.9<br />Evangelical Free Church of America, The Evangelical Protestant Methodist/Pietist 24 11,783 1.8<br />Church of God in Christ Black Protestant Pentecostal 77 11,729 1.8<br />Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Orthodox Eastern Liturgical (Orthodox) 8 10,791 1.7<br />Reformed Church in America Mainline Protestant Presbyterian-Reformed 11 9,487 1.5<br />Friends United Meeting* Mainline Protestant European Free-Church 94 8,631 1.3<br />Vineyard USA Evangelical Protestant Pentecostal 17 8,511 1.3<br />Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Black Protestant Methodist/Pietist 18 6,476 1.0<br />Reform Judaism Other Judaism 16 6,419 1.0Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-42991528224327992262015-07-27T20:24:23.153-06:002015-07-27T20:24:23.153-06:00Eduardo, is that Methodists of any of the multiple...Eduardo, is that Methodists of any of the multiple denominations of Methodists, or is that those in one particular denomination?John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-78422924277014686952015-07-27T16:07:43.136-06:002015-07-27T16:07:43.136-06:00Yes, as a plurality Methodists have been the bigge...Yes, as a plurality Methodists have been the biggest in the Hoosier state while Roman Catholics are not well represented in many counties. I don't know as of this year but not long ago there were more Methodists in Indiana than there were LDS in California, which is amazing considering that LDS are the second biggest faith in our most populous state, while Indiana only has @ 6.5 million.Eduardohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05019747288076783700noreply@blogger.com