tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post7597724541488167766..comments2024-03-19T01:34:05.989-06:00Comments on Growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church): CorrectionsMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16030323360917985701noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-40762150081768403262017-03-02T00:01:47.908-07:002017-03-02T00:01:47.908-07:00I can think of one other temple announcement that ...I can think of one other temple announcement that was leaked by the media before it became official. That temple is Paris France. In July of 2011, a French newspaper leaked information about that temple. Once the Church learned of the leak, a statement was released on behalf of President Monson to the effect that the Church was looking at the possibility. That statement was released on July 15. President Monson made it official at the following General Conference in October. Interestingly enough, the Paris France temple is the only other temple besides the one in Tokyo Japan that had construction commence without a formal groundbreaking. This was done so as not to draw attention and potential opposition from those French citizens that were hostile to the idea. I can understand that desire completely. And now that temple will be dedicated in just over two months. I have loved the country of France and the French language for as long as I can remember. If I had been able to serve a proselyting mission outside the United States, I would have wanted it to be in France. I have been hoping for a temple in France for a while, but never believed it would happen in my lifetime. And now it will be a reality. I look forward to hearing how the temple will bless the lives of the people of France, both in and out of the Church. Thanks for reading this. Hope it proves helpful or inspirational to someone.James G. Stokeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13331619300918542708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-20312801736962494312017-02-26T12:02:35.968-07:002017-02-26T12:02:35.968-07:00John, thank you. Yes, the Church will mention some...John, thank you. Yes, the Church will mention some things when they are "firsts." I suspect the first black apostle will be mentioned as such. But, I don't think race goes into the decision and rarely mentions race for most calls that are published. We are all children of our father in heaven and he loves all of us. <br /><br />I appreciate your love for the Church throughout the world.Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-74999427564879556862017-02-26T10:51:54.588-07:002017-02-26T10:51:54.588-07:00At our stake conference the mission president spok...At our stake conference the mission president spoke of some missionaries who had learned a little Turkish so they could teach a family that they just baptized.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-5753184430925515972017-02-25T14:59:50.635-07:002017-02-25T14:59:50.635-07:00This article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-ad...This article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11802802 makes me want to see pictures of these three missionaries from South Africa and Brazil. It is possible 1, 2 or even all three missionaries were black. That makes me wonder if racism played into this incident. I am glad the missionaries were not injured.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-88552180519850943862017-02-24T20:16:19.338-07:002017-02-24T20:16:19.338-07:00The article mentioned that Thabo Lebethoa was the ...The article mentioned that Thabo Lebethoa was the first black South African called as a mission president in South Africa so that very article did mention President Lebethoa's race.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-47662369949852305062017-02-24T17:26:42.232-07:002017-02-24T17:26:42.232-07:00>>>I am not surprised that the newsroom a...>>>I am not surprised that the newsroom article downplayed mentioning his race.<br /><br />John, Church newsroom articles rarely mention anybody's race, because that is rarely a factor considered in extending calls. Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-76085607024255237962017-02-24T17:19:34.765-07:002017-02-24T17:19:34.765-07:00miro, thanks. I copied the list of stakes and dis...miro, thanks. I copied the list of stakes and districts into excel and excel only highlighted to California stakes being discontinued. I should have double checked it before posting.<br /><br />Still, reality is far from the joke.Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-19571655039468553612017-02-24T09:33:07.052-07:002017-02-24T09:33:07.052-07:00It took a little searching, but I figured out Trev...It took a little searching, but I figured out Trevor Keyes is white. I am not surprised that the newsroom article downplayed mentioning his race. When he was released from being in the Bedfordview Stake Presidency a few years ago back when Elder Mkabela was an area seventy, at least the new stake president and one of the counselors were black. Here in my stake, which takes in over half of the city of Detroit and has a population that is probably at least 25% but more likely a third black, only 1 member of the high council at present is black. It has been higher at times in the past. There are some recently returned missionary black men in the stake who give me much hope for the progress of the Church, although many go away to BYU or BYU-Idaho and we never see them again.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-29690453559055318262017-02-24T09:23:48.643-07:002017-02-24T09:23:48.643-07:00Per this South Africa LDS Newsroom article http://...Per this South Africa LDS Newsroom article http://www.mormonnewsroom.co.za/article/soweto-born-thabo-lebethoa-to-become-cape-town-mission-president Lebethoa is the 1st black South African to be called as mission president in South Africa. Jackson Mkabela is mission president in Zimbabwe. He previously was an Area 70 and his wife Dorah was a member of the Young Women General Board. Trevor T. Keyes will be a new mission president in the Ghana Accra Mission. His race is not mentioned.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-4777913212333594382017-02-24T08:59:01.609-07:002017-02-24T08:59:01.609-07:00I am not a big sports fan, but I liked this articl...I am not a big sports fan, but I liked this article on returned missionaries in college basketball. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673983/Two-sisters-at-SUU-a-walk-on-at-USU-and-other-returned-Mormon-missionaries-in-college-basketball.html<br /><br />OK, I mainly liked it because the two main people covered, a set of siters playing at SUU, are African-American. It makes me think I am at times too pessimistic and LDS outreach to African-Americans is picking up. The same I feel in Southfield Ward, until I read the ward list and realize we have people with first names like Tamika who never show up. True, there are white people who never show up, but the active members seem to be mainly congregated in the north and west of the ward, in places that are 7% and in one case only 3% African-American. The area and population of the ward is mainly in areas like Southfield that is 71% African-American, or in the part of Detroit in the ward, which is over 90% African-American. The activity rates in those areas are much lower. Of course the fact that every Hispanic in the ward is from a family that is part white means the ward can not be summed up in quick terms. Half the deacons in the ward have Malian fathers and white mothers, although that is because there are two deacons. The most interesting family is the one where the mom is Mexican but with adopted American parents (who also live in the ward, both case they live in Lathrup Village, which is over 60% African-American), the Dad is as white as the day is long, and besides their three children, two of whom look Mexican, they have a black and a white foster child.<br /><br />On the other hand, there is only one active married couple that is black. All the other African-Americans, including the member of the bishopric who is African-American, are either single or have non-member spouses, or maybe in a few cases the whole family never comes. <br /><br />The white/black spatial distinction is not as stark as in Belle Isle branch though. There all the acitive white members live in the Grosse Pointes, while all except for one active black members live in Detroit. In Southfield Ward there are at least two at least marginally active white members in Detroit, and Oak Park and Southfield have no clear lines in them between white and black residents. In Southfield itself you have a white couple who had several children, the youngest right around my age, who have persisted in the same place as it has gone from almost all white to vast majority black. <br /><br />Belle Isle branch I don't think had any members who had stuck in the same place that long, and none who had stuck in a place as it became black. <br /><br />The black member of the bishopric lives in Oak Park, a majority black that is maybe 5 square miles in area. There is also at least one very active white couple that lives there. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-60608924760320233352017-02-24T08:31:44.998-07:002017-02-24T08:31:44.998-07:00Thabo Lebethoa, age 1, is the newly called preside...Thabo Lebethoa, age 1, is the newly called president of the South Africa Cape Town Mission. He is from Soweto, South Africa. I am not sure, but this may be the first case of a black mission president in South Africa. <br /><br />On the other hand watching the LDS Church History department videos on the Church in Soweto and on Julie Muvimbela I got the feel the Church has managed to truly reach out and incorporate black members in South Africa in a way that we are still struggling to here in Metro-Detroit at least.<br /><br />At times I feel in Metro-Detroit African-American outreach is hurt by the influx of members from Utah, a state that is 1% black, and much of it much less. It also helps that the percentage of whites in South Africa is not much higher than of blacks in the US. We are talking 12.3% blacks in the US and maybe 15% whites in South Africa.<br /><br />Beyond this, I think the notion of the Mormon Church as a particularly racist institutions has place in the African-American community in ways it does not have place in other black communities. It is also reinforced by the way the media covers many of the issue involved and the actions and rhetoric of many Evangelical Christians. The Phildelphia Inquierer for example ran an article on an Evangelical Christian missionary trying to spread the message of Mormon racism at the time of the Philadelphia Temple dedication, without trying to figure out how to square facts like the existence of former stake president now mission president Ahmad Corbett, or dealing with the fact it was Evangelical Christian ministers not Mormons who were vocal supporters of the KKK in the 1960s. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-12522200260212578752017-02-24T08:19:52.908-07:002017-02-24T08:19:52.908-07:00My mission had 16 stakes. However 2 of them had on...My mission had 16 stakes. However 2 of them had only 1 set of missionaries. And in one of those cases the missionaries felt as if there was not enough work to do. On the other hand in my mission there was often not enough cooperation between missionaries and the local ward. In some wards there was an attitude by members that we were baptizing people who were too poor, and I guess a view these people just wanted Church welfare, and on the part of missionaries a view that these members rejected the teachings of Jesus on loving everyone and were not putting forth efforts at retention. It always amazed me how hard it was to get members to go up and say hi to an investigator. In my home ward the missionaries probably worry more about investigators being scarred of by feeling mobbed by people wanting to greet them. In some wards on my mission people were just not quick to be friendly to new comers.<br /><br />Some wards were better than others. In Viewpoint Ward the bishop had stories about silencing the critics of the missionaries bringing the "wrong kind of" people by asking them why they were giving the missionaries low quality referals. This is the bishop who brought his neighbors out to ward activities, who set the baptismal goal at 46 because they had baptized 23 and President Hinckley said we could double baptisms, and who saw 2 recent converts get endowed in just one week. Retention and activity rates were still not as high in that ward as we wished, and one time I was on splits with a stake missionary who refused to go visit someone who had just been baptized, he also would not tell me why. In my home ward they succeed at integrating 13-year-olds baptized with non-member parents. In that ward they told us to stop doing that, even though the mother in that case was an inactive member not a non-member. People understood their own ward list so little that they did not know that fact. Still, it was not as full of defeatism as ome. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-57377683837095518472017-02-24T00:25:50.911-07:002017-02-24T00:25:50.911-07:00@Mike Johnson
This blog has a listed 2 more stake...@Mike Johnson<br /><br />This blog has a listed 2 more stakes discontinued in California. One in 2011 and another in 2016.<br /><br />2011 Escondido California South<br />2016 San Diego California Sweetwater<br /><br />So California lost 2 stakes since 2011.mirohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14414491419910180189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-62585210861505560862017-02-23T20:29:55.231-07:002017-02-23T20:29:55.231-07:00Astounding--My mission has all of 8 stakes in it! ...Astounding--My mission has all of 8 stakes in it! Most of the convert baptisms occur in just two of them...but the other stakes do manage quite a bit of reactivation. <br /> How do they manage to put so many stakes into one mission!<br /><br />ND Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16617108700788942083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-35879396842366647522017-02-23T16:15:56.287-07:002017-02-23T16:15:56.287-07:00Putting numbers behind John's response to our ...Putting numbers behind John's response to our friend from Dallas:<br /><br />In 2016, 8 Texas and 0 California stakes were created and 0 California stakes with discontinued.<br />In 2015, 1 Texas and 0 California stakes were created and 1 California stakes with discontinued.<br />In 2014, 4 Texas and 0 California stakes were created and 0 California stakes with discontinued.<br />In 2013, 1 Texas and 1 California stakes were created and 0 California stakes with discontinued.<br />In 2012, 2 Texas and 0 California stakes were created and 1 California stakes with discontinued.<br />In 2011, 0 Texas and 1 California stakes were created and 0 California stakes with discontinued.<br /><br />Since 2011, California has lost 2 and gained 2 stakes. During that time, Texas has gained 16 stakes.<br /><br />I chalk up the "joke" to standard Texas competitiveness with respect to the US state with the largest population. Mike Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10025612146815804945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-70825094505722140002017-02-23T09:30:26.488-07:002017-02-23T09:30:26.488-07:00One other temple had its announcement upstaged by ...One other temple had its announcement upstaged by the newspaper in the city it was built in. The day before the Houston Temple was announced, the Houston Chronicle announced it, complete with rendering. I found it on their website between the morning and afternoon sessions of Conference the Saturday it was. It was announced at the Priesthood session that night, along with four others including Anchorage and Monticello.James Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12831340842937216806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-60155376645235937432017-02-23T09:26:09.614-07:002017-02-23T09:26:09.614-07:00News leaks are the case with Oakland, as I found t...News leaks are the case with Oakland, as I found that on facebook and posted it on another thread two weeks ago.<br />James Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12831340842937216806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-34207609549294180072017-02-23T09:20:09.698-07:002017-02-23T09:20:09.698-07:00Man, the temple department is on top of things, ma...Man, the temple department is on top of things, making plans way in advance. These closures are still a year away. The Idaho Falls renovation announcement was made about 3 months in advance while the Jordan River Temple was made 6 months in advance. The recent dedication announcements have also been been been very much in advance. Maybe the renovations are still in early stages of planning, but the news leaked out, prompting the early announcements.Cory https://www.blogger.com/profile/03678440844474809366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-30349982606966066552017-02-23T08:17:20.974-07:002017-02-23T08:17:20.974-07:00Mormon Newsroom article.
http://www.mormonnewsr...Mormon Newsroom article. <br /><br />http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/oakland-california-washington-dc-temples-close-renovation?__prclt=kVGtEHFhJames Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12831340842937216806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-66778962403998618392017-02-23T08:15:04.150-07:002017-02-23T08:15:04.150-07:00Oakland expected to reopen in 2019 and Washington ...Oakland expected to reopen in 2019 and Washington DC in 2020. It says both are having mechanical systems upgraded and "their finishes and furnishings will be refreshed." I wonder if Oakland might gain an Angel Moroni statue, as it is one of 10 temples that will not have an Angel Moroni.Ryan Searcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03492045549474456000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-33849464431670654662017-02-23T08:11:34.963-07:002017-02-23T08:11:34.963-07:00Renovations of 2 temples were recently announced -...Renovations of 2 temples were recently announced - Oakland (which many people already knew about) closes in February 2018, and Washington DC which closes in March 2018.Ryan Searcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03492045549474456000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-12846647330430306632017-02-23T05:45:42.358-07:002017-02-23T05:45:42.358-07:00The possibility of there being more wards in Idaho...The possibility of there being more wards in Idaho than California may be soon. Idaho has 1068 wards and California has 1168 wards.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16209264963980372269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-23451377513987048692017-02-22T23:30:50.728-07:002017-02-22T23:30:50.728-07:00Pascal, Antelope Drive is in Northern Layton and t...Pascal, Antelope Drive is in Northern Layton and to the west is in Syracuse not Kaysville. Upper and lower I assume you are meaning east and west. I would doubt the temple will be built in the west due to the high water table. <br /><br />Even so, most, if not all, of northern Davis County would be closer to a Layton Temple than Ogden.coachodeepshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08168822498180000486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-78365070638949347592017-02-22T21:27:38.616-07:002017-02-22T21:27:38.616-07:00Fortunately that is not true. I am not sure Califo...Fortunately that is not true. I am not sure California even lost one stake last year I dont think any more than one. It is more like every time a stake is formed in Nevada, Arizona or Texas there is a ward lost in California. John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2786908254617003646.post-54033007877232579012017-02-22T21:23:26.318-07:002017-02-22T21:23:26.318-07:00When I served my mission in Las Vegas there was on...When I served my mission in Las Vegas there was one ward that met outside of the mission boundaries. On the other hand for a while I was assigned to a ward that met at a building outside the stake boundaries but all wards there were in the same stake. Although it was only a quarter mile from the boundary.John Pack Lamberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086707132348039415noreply@blogger.com