tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post7596857491976748074..comments2024-03-29T00:47:42.684-06:00Comments on Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church): Second Stake in Sierra Leone ApprovedMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16030323360917985701noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-67922773761114819932017-03-26T15:37:26.174-06:002017-03-26T15:37:26.174-06:00I like This Week in Mormons, they talk about the w...I like This Week in Mormons, they talk about the weeks events, some good banter. They also have Sunday School Bonanza and Third Hour of Power I think. They were faithful with a weekly podcast for almost seven years. Recently they've gone to monthly/crowd sourcing The Chatelain'shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00284783493322482504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-44388208858610718932017-03-26T06:52:16.825-06:002017-03-26T06:52:16.825-06:00The only LDS podcast I listen to regularly is the ...The only LDS podcast I listen to regularly is the Mormon Channel Daily podcast, with little inspirational messages 5 days a week that are usually less than 10 minutes long. It is found at https://www.mormonchannel.org/listen/series/mormon-channel-daily-audio<br /><br />For some reason, the site was changed recently that made it so you have to do a search to get to the podcast, anyway it looks like a programming error because the top menu says Video twice now.<br /><br />I will have to check out some of those other podcasts.brycenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06647969765335483660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-85130956628332442972017-03-22T20:45:48.803-06:002017-03-22T20:45:48.803-06:00That last one is newer but already very good. We ...That last one is newer but already very good. We have them, now how to beat the antis on Stitcher's chart, I think the best way to do that is to get them on there, then use that as the podcatcher, that way they will register.Jim Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692368202247687591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-63471072808943374552017-03-22T19:04:47.624-06:002017-03-22T19:04:47.624-06:00A couple of other faithful LDS podcasts:
http://w...A couple of other faithful LDS podcasts:<br /><br />http://www.mormoninterpreter.com/<br />https://bookofmormoncentral.org/<br />Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-66750878445060251312017-03-21T20:38:40.898-06:002017-03-21T20:38:40.898-06:00This conversation continues to be interesting. I a...This conversation continues to be interesting. I am grateful for the additional information that has been provided by you all. I always enjoy how much I learn about different aspects of Church growth from these discussions. I agree that some podcasts that are advertised as being about the Church are actually established to tear down, criticize, and discredit the Church. That said, one of my favorite authors, Chris Heimerdinger, has had a podcast for a while. And those serve as in-depth discussions of important gospel topics. While he apparently hasn't had time to do one recently, he has focused on such topics as various aspects which prove that the Book of Mormon is true, the time Moroni, the last Book of Mormon prophet, spent wandering as the one and only Nephite survivor, various aspects of the priesthood, and the importance of ensuring that we and those we interact with are not being too hard or harsh in our attitudes, thoughts, and expressions about Joseph Smith. While I don't always have time to listen to such podcasts, I at least read the transcripts, and they always inspire me. I post a link to those if anyone is interested in listening to or reading them.<br /><br />https://foreverlds.com/<br /><br />I am also grateful for the comments that have been shared about changes in Church units. It is interesting to note just how much the Church has grown this year alone. And even though we are only just barely nearing the quarter-year mark for 2017, the changes that have been noted are amazing to be sure, and it is almost a sure thing that we will see many more developments in that regard. I was amazed to do my initial check of the LDS Church Temples website and discover not only significant progress on temples that are under construction, but also numerous unit changes noted just today. I invite anybody interested to take a look at those unit changes at the link below.<br /><br />http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/statistics/units/<br /><br />In the meantime, the progress I mentioned above in temple construction led me to update my report tracking that progress. I have posted that on my blog, and the link follows. Thanks to you all for the excellent insights.<br /><br />http://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2017/03/temple-construction-progress-update_21.htmlJames G. Stokeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13331619300918542708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-17834849403593293112017-03-21T18:56:27.101-06:002017-03-21T18:56:27.101-06:00This article http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86...This article http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676001/Despite-tragedy-LDS-family-from-Taiwan-finds-comfort-in-fellowship-of-Japanese-members.html from the Deseret News illustrates the international Church at work. Taiwanese members being cared for by Japanese members when the father comes down with a heart attack while on vacation in Okinawa. The mission president mentioned is an American, and the missionary couple is, but the stake president in Okinawa and the Japanese doctor who was LDS who treated the man (sadly unable to prevent his death, but able to allow for comfort for the widdow), show the international church at work.<br /><br />The Church is reaching and permeating the lives of members throughout the globe.<br /><br />This is also why I have to rate "Freetown" as my favorite LDS film. It is the LDS film to date that has the least presence of Americans. The only American are the mission president and his wife, and they have bit parts in the closing scene. All the other characters in the film are either Liberian or Sierre Leonean.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-90343653361886348362017-03-21T18:40:44.418-06:002017-03-21T18:40:44.418-06:00After reading this article https://www.nytimes.com...After reading this article https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/16/fashion/weddings/wedding-planning-in-5-days.html?_r=2 I have decided I should not be so critical of California. If there are people like Emily Hardiman who will defend the Little Sisters of the Poor and have the faith to pull off a wedding in 5 days living there, it can't be all bad.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-16976154016544745822017-03-21T18:22:39.813-06:002017-03-21T18:22:39.813-06:00Another draw back of the Ann Arbor stake is the on...Another draw back of the Ann Arbor stake is the only addiction recovery meeting they had, at least when I was there, was way out in the Stake Center, a place not accesible by bus and thus not helpful to many university students. The Bloomfield Hills Stake on the other hand has ARP meetings at 4 different locations, although it might well be a good idea to rise the number of locations to all 7 buildings. For a time the high councilor who oversaw the program called it the "Advanced Repentance Program", and while some said this not in full sincerity, he fully believed this was what it was, and implemented it accordingly, with positive results coming about because of this viewpoint.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-923092563555866032017-03-21T18:13:51.923-06:002017-03-21T18:13:51.923-06:00Specificly it seemed Ann Arbor YSA members felt it...Specificly it seemed Ann Arbor YSA members felt it was ok to speak ill of Elder Quentin L. Cook and mock him. Then there was the member who used a sacrament meeting talk to attack BYU for running him out for being a homosexual while being less than honest in admitting a major problem was his unwillingness to not date men. He then went on about how he had submitted all the names of the people Harvard expelled for homosexual activity in the early 1920s for temple work. Which is a total violation of Church directives that you should only submit the names of relatives for temple work.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-44319585699452612782017-03-21T18:06:42.746-06:002017-03-21T18:06:42.746-06:00I am probably too anti-California at times. Howeve...I am probably too anti-California at times. However the imperialistic tendencies of the state, such as its banning any sports team at a state college playing in Kansas to penialize Kansas for a law that protects the religious freedom of creative professionals, and Californias attempts to impose environmental regulations in a way that makes the rest of the US have to conform with them even though we never have a voice in there formulation makes me dislike the state greatly.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-45568832071131942182017-03-21T18:02:21.088-06:002017-03-21T18:02:21.088-06:00I've been told there is a hesitancy to elinate...I've been told there is a hesitancy to elinate stakes because in some cases areas just keep dwindling, but I think this may confuse cause and effect. <br /><br />If Pleasanton and Livermore stskes were combined they would end up with 10 wards and 1 branch. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-30502269232775264992017-03-21T17:58:06.006-06:002017-03-21T17:58:06.006-06:00I have never experienced this although it seemed m...I have never experienced this although it seemed many members of the Ann Arbor YSA ward were very focal in attacking people they felt were too orthodox. <br /><br />The only case of people going outside prescibed Sunday School lessons I have heard of was my cousins ward in California that suspended gospel doctrine to study LDS women's history. It is this avoiding the pure gospel that makes me not surprised that the Church is shrinking in California.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-59642520087058128232017-03-21T15:21:37.055-06:002017-03-21T15:21:37.055-06:00Those podcasts are great, but the anti ones are gr...Those podcasts are great, but the anti ones are grabbing all the audience, none of these have ever 'charted' on major podcast popularity listsJim Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692368202247687591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-6872470062403482392017-03-21T15:18:21.008-06:002017-03-21T15:18:21.008-06:00List of faithful LDS podcasts I know of
http://ww...List of faithful LDS podcasts I know of<br /><br />http://www.ldsperspectives.com/<br />http://mi.byu.edu/mipodcast/<br />http://www.fairmormon.org/blog/category/podcast<br />https://leadinglds.org/category/mp3/<br />http://feeds.feedburner.com/mormoninterpretermp3Josephhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07636740926033505057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-82685139012411850802017-03-21T13:08:56.165-06:002017-03-21T13:08:56.165-06:00On a separate issue, about Southeast Michigan, I j...On a separate issue, about Southeast Michigan, I just heard about a ward there that apparently allows for an 'intellectual' class outside of those prescribed by the Church for Sunday School, and constant carping over liberal politics and politicians in the halls. I am wondering if this is more widespread (no need to answer it as that is vague enough anyway) throughout the region and is affecting Church growth because of the constant sniping?Jim Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692368202247687591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-49349618385851833882017-03-21T11:54:30.652-06:002017-03-21T11:54:30.652-06:00John, I do think that a major re-alignment of the ...John, I do think that a major re-alignment of the SF Bay Area stakes is long overdue. I grew up in the South Bay area and have seen numerous wards discontinued as well as two stakes discontinued (San Jose East and Santa Clara). The fact of the matter is that the demographics have changed so much since I was young in the Bay Area and it has created challenges for Church growth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-69914202027616027632017-03-21T00:51:04.838-06:002017-03-21T00:51:04.838-06:00I met someone from Beira, Mozambique today. I ask...I met someone from Beira, Mozambique today. I asked him about the new stake and he responded in a way that I'm pretty sure means the new stake has now been created. I also met a guy who served his mission in Myanmar (Burma). I wanted to ask him more about the work there, but I also didn't want to bother him as I had just met him. He lives in my apartment building so I will probably have another opportunity. Interestingly enough, I learned he served there by inquiring about his outfit choice. He was wearing a form of skirt similar to those in Polynesian cultures and said that they were required to wear them all the time in Myanmar.David Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16633681311966766482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-57562676679326635232017-03-20T22:22:45.783-06:002017-03-20T22:22:45.783-06:00San Rafel Stake, where my mom lived when my parent...San Rafel Stake, where my mom lived when my parents got married, was just reduced to 4 wards (down from 6) and 2 branches. This makes me wonder if in the San Francisco Bay area a massive realighnment to have fewer stakes is in order. I would say to have a successful stake youth program having larger stakes is best. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-65210725371946705232017-03-20T22:05:11.377-06:002017-03-20T22:05:11.377-06:00Now 2 weeks in a row a new ward in Houston South S...Now 2 weeks in a row a new ward in Houston South Stake has been reported at ldschurchtemples.com.<br /><br />On the issue of Dillingham Branch my understanding is that the Bush branch consits of individual families that call in. A group that has a specific place to meet seems to be something else entirely so putting it under a ward makes sense. <br /><br />I also have a sense that in the early 1990s in my stake branches were formed that would never get appoved, especially in stakes, today. My girlfriends branch had 1 melchezidek priesthood holder when 1st organized. So some branches being made groups may reflect higher standards to make a branch more than anything else. <br /><br />The fact that groups are not reported at all makes them frustratingly hard to track and annoys people like me who want to know everything.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-26374656326947457972017-03-20T19:56:14.320-06:002017-03-20T19:56:14.320-06:00Since Mormon Stories came up again, I looked on st...Since Mormon Stories came up again, I looked on stitcher.com as I can't otherwise seem to find general podcast popularity charts for religion and spirituality. Again a perfect blank, no faithful podcasts from the Church, organizations associated with BYU that discussed topics, or other known faithful groups or even individual members.<br /><br />The most popular seeems to be 'Naked Mormonism, that is almost always top-20 in the category, and atheist podcasts are usually top-5. Mormon Stories is at 41 and that is down from 27 at one point, possibly just last week.Jim Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692368202247687591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-32480970935503518132017-03-20T19:24:48.828-06:002017-03-20T19:24:48.828-06:00Yeah, that was interesting as well. When the Ancho...Yeah, that was interesting as well. When the Anchorage Bush District was discontinued, the Anchorage North Stake gained 2 branches from the former district: Dillingham and Naknek. Both have since been discontinued. I wonder if Naknek is also a group operating under the same ward. Officially, the Anchorage North Stake services only Anchorage.Ryan Searcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03492045549474456000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-89652686974693944532017-03-20T18:47:57.949-06:002017-03-20T18:47:57.949-06:00Interesting that the former Dillingham Branch beca...Interesting that the former Dillingham Branch became a group of the Westchester Ward. I was expecting it to become part of the Anchorage Bush Branch which completely surrounds the Dillingham Branch and is many times larger in area. It surprised me to put it in a ward, particularly one that is the merger of 2 others.Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-75630427092097496992017-03-20T15:46:53.917-06:002017-03-20T15:46:53.917-06:00I have ascertained the final changes made to the A...I have ascertained the final changes made to the Anchorage Alaska North Stake:<br /><br />1) Dillingham Branch reorganized as a group under the Westchester Ward. (-1 Branch)<br />2) The Turnagain and Inlet View Wards have combined to form the Westchester Ward. (-1 Ward)<br />3) The Lake Otis Ward (Samoan) has been split in half, the north portion of the ward combining with the Northern Lights Ward (Samoan) and renamed the Tikishla Park Ward (Samoan).<br />4) The south portion of the Lake Otis Ward (Samoan) was combined with the Campbell Park Ward to form the bi-lingual Tudor Ward (-1 Ward).<br /><br />Current congregations of the Anchorage Alaska North Stake:<br />Airport Heights Ward<br />Chester Valley Ward<br />Dimond Ward (Samoan)<br />Lake Hood Ward (Tongan)<br />Russian Jack Ward<br />Tikishla Park Ward (Samoan)<br />Tudor Ward<br />Westchester Ward<br />Maplewood Branch (Spanish)<br /><br />It is unclear if the Anchorage YSA Ward will be part of the Anchorage North Stake, since we will be meeting at a building in that stake, apparently, an announcement will be made on that first meeting.<br /><br />There is a very large Polynesian population here in Anchorage, and a lot of them are LDS. Of those that are LDS, some attend the English-speaking wards, and some attend the Samoan-speaking wards. For some time, there has been an issue with several Samoans attending multiple wards on Sunday to bolster that ward's attendance, which most likely led to the creation of a third Samoan Ward nearly 7 years ago, and is probably also why a Samoan Ward was discontinued this past weekend.Ryan Searcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03492045549474456000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-69720150103785908542017-03-20T12:39:48.698-06:002017-03-20T12:39:48.698-06:00The northern area of Minas Gerais state is less po...The northern area of Minas Gerais state is less populated so that figures with the member group. The largest city closest to Brasilia is Uberaba, that looks like it has as many as 250,000 people in it, and there are few larger places west and north of Brasilia as well outside of the Goiania and Angeles areas.Jim Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06692368202247687591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-6914729429510538502017-03-20T11:17:01.440-06:002017-03-20T11:17:01.440-06:00Consolidating wards or branches is not always a ba...Consolidating wards or branches is not always a bad thing. It is the apoststes at Mormon stories who try to spin it as bad. There is strength in numbers and so larger congregations are a plus. I can gaurantee the number of active members in Detroit today is higher than 20 years ago when there were 3 times as many church units.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.com