The Kiribati government released statistics last month from the 2020 census that provides information on self-identified religious affiliation for the population of Kiribati. These data indicate that there were 6,720 self-affiliated Latter-day Saints in 2020 which is an increase of 863 from 5,857 in 2015, or 14.7%. In contrast, the population of Kiribati increased by 9,302 between 2015 and 2020, or 8.4%. Thus, the number of self-affiliated Latter-day Saints has increased at a rate almost twice the population growth rate during this five-year period. Self-affiliated Latter-day Saints constituted 5.6% of the national population in 2020 - an increase from 5.3% in 2015. Thirty-two percent (32%) of Church-reported membership at the time identified as Latter-day Saints on the 2020 Kiribati census, whereas 34% of Church-reported membership identified as Latter-day Saints on the 2015 Kiribati census. However, there was a net increase of 4,151 members per official Church records between 2015 and 2020 which equaled a 24.7% increase in membership. Thus, as few as 20.8% of members added to Church records between 2015 and 2020 identified as Latter-day Saints in 2020. These data indicate that the member activity rate in Kiribati has appeared to slightly decrease during the past five years by approximately two percent. Unfortunately, 2020 census data do not include an island-by-island breakdown by religious affiliation unlike the 2010 and 2015 censuses. The 2020 Kiribati census data can be found here. A previous case study I wrote that analyzed 2010 census data on religious affiliation by island can be found here.
Monday, July 4, 2022
Updated Kiribati Census Figures from 2020
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Six New Temples - Analysis
Today's temple announcements fall into three general categories we have seen in regards to where temples have been typically announced. These categories include:
- Remote locations
- Major centers of strength for the Church
- Cities with a large number of stakes without a temple
Historically, the Church has generally announced new temples in the last category I listed above: cities with a large number of stakes without a temple. The number of stakes in a city has often served as one of the best predictors of where a new temple may be announced. However, more recent temple announcements have favored locations far distant from the nearest temple (sometimes where the Church experiences slow or stagnant growth like Okinawa, Japan) or major Church centers even if we have not seen significant increases in the number of stakes in recent years (like São Paulo, Brazil).
See below for an analysis of today's temple announcements:
Tarawa Kiribati Temple
The Tarawa Kiribati Temple is the Church's first temple to be built in the Micronesian nation of Kiribati (population: 112,000). Prior to today's announcement, Kiribati was the country with the most Latter-day Saints without a temple with 20,946 members. The Church in Kiribati has experienced significant growth since its establishment in the mid-1970s. At year-end 2019, Church-reported membership accounted for 18.9% of the country's population. The establishment of Moroni High School has been a major catalyst for the Church's growth in Kiribati. Despite this progress, the Church in Kiribati has historically experienced some of the lowest member activity rates in Oceania. For example, census data indicate that self-affiliated Latter-day Saints constitute 5.3% of the population compared to Church-reported membership for 2015 which constituted 16.5% of the population. Nevertheless, there has been significant progress with improving member activity rates in many areas of the country, and there have been many outlying islands in southern Kiribati that have opened to the Church within the past decade. Moderate to slow membership growth rates have occurred in recent years. Currently, the Church operates two stakes and three districts in Kiribati. The new temple will likely also serve the Church's two stakes in the nearby Marshall Islands. Given Tarawa's low elevation and concerns with sea-level rise, it is likely the Church may implement special building protocols to prevent flooding of the building.
Port Vila Vanuatu Temple
The Port Vila Vanuatu Temple is the Church's first temple to be built in Vanuatu (population: 298,000). Prior to today's announcement, Vanuatu was the country with the eighth most members without a temple with 10,210 members. One of the more recently reached countries by the Church in Oceania, the Church reported approximately 1,000 members two decades ago. Approximately 3.5% of the population are members on Church records. There is one stake and three districts in Vanuatu. Membership growth rates have been high in Vanuatu for many years. The new temple will also likely include the sole stake of the Church on New Caledonia.
Lindon Utah Temple
This temple announcement completely surprised me as Lindon, Utah was not listed as a more likely or less likely candidate on my temple prediction map. The Church has operated a temple in American Fork, Utah (Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple) since 1996 and announced the Orem Utah Temple in 2019. Thus, it was a surprise that this area would have another temple announced given that additional temples in Utah County have been announced or built in recent years. The new temple will likely serve 15-20 stakes in Lindon, northern Orem, and Pleasant Grove. Utah is a major powerhouse for the Church's proxy temple ordinance work, and thus the Church has continued to announce temples to meet recent demand for patrons. The new temple is the Church's 25th temple in Utah.
Greater Guatemala City Temple
Guatemala City became the first city in Central America to have a second temple announced with today's announcement of a temple to be built in the greater Guatemala City area. I found this announcement quite surprising given that the Church operates a temple in Quetzaltenango (dedicated in 2011) and has announced a temple for Coban (announced in 2019). The Guatemala City metropolitan area includes 21 stakes. With five stakes in nearby cities, the new temple will likely service approximately 13 stakes. The new temple is the Church's fourth temple in Guatemala.
São Paulo East Brazil Temple
With today's announcement of a temple to be built in eastern São Paulo, São Paulo will become the first city in Brazil to have two temples. The new temple will likely service 12 stakes and one district within the eastern portion of the São Paulo metropolitan area. Altogether, the Church operates 41 stakes in the São Paulo metropolitan area albeit there have been few new stakes organized in the area within the past decade. Previously built or announced temples in Brazil include the São Paulo Brazil Temple (dedicated in 1978), the Recife Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Porto Alegre Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Campinas Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2002), the Curitiba Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2008), the Manaus Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2012), the Fortaleza Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2019), Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple (announced in 2013 and currently waiting to be dedicated), Belém Brazil Temple (announced in 2016 and under construction), the Brasília Brazil Temple (announced in 2017 and under construction), and the Salvador Brazil Temple (announced in 2018). The new temple is the Church's 12th temple in Brazil.
Santa Cruz Bolivia Temple
Santa Cruz, Bolivia was the city outside of the United States with the most stakes without a temple prior to today's announcement. With 10 stakes, the Church in Santa Cruz has experienced steady growth since the first stake was created in 1979, and it has been on my list of likely potential announcements for many years. Unlike other major cities in Bolivia, the Church in Santa Cruz has regularly organized new stakes, and today the Church in Santa Cruz has more stakes than any other city in the country. The Church dedicated its first temple, and only temple prior to today's announcement, in Cochabamba in 2000. Membership growth rates in Bolivia has slowly accelerated in recent years but remain low (2.22% in 2019). There are 33 stakes and 8 districts in Bolivia, and the new temple will likely service 12 stakes and 4 districts.
Six New Temples Announced
Today, President Russell M. Nelson announced six new temples in the following locations:
- Tarawa, Kiribati
- Port Vila, Vanuatu
- Lindon, Utah
- Greater Guatemala City, Guatemala
- São Paulo East, São Paulo, Brazil
- Santa Cruz, Bolivia
With today's announcement, there are now 231 temples, including 168 dedicated temples, 22 temples under construction, and 41 temples announced in the planning stages. I will provide an analysis of these new temple announcements in another blog post later today.
Thursday, June 20, 2019
New Stakes Created in Peru (2), Liberia, and Brazil; New Districts Created in Canada, Kiribati, Nigeria, and Uganda; Stake Discontinued in California; District Discontinued in Uruguay
Two new stakes were organized in Peru.
The Tarapoto Peru Stake was organized from the Tarapoto Peru District on June 16th. All five branches in the former district appear to have become wards in the new stake. These branches include the Aeropuerto, Partido Alto, Shilcayo, Tarapoto, and Yurimaguas Branches. The original Tarapoto Peru District was organized in 1990. The new stake is the Church's first stake in San Martín Region which is inhabited by over 800,000 people.
The Lima Peru Miramar Stake was organized from the Lima Peru Puente Piedra Stake and the Ventanilla Peru Stake on June 16th. Information on which congregations assigned to the new stake remains unavailable. There are now 47 stakes in the Lima metropolitan area.
There are now 108 stakes and 18 districts in Peru.
Liberia
The Church organized a new stake in Monrovia, Liberia on June 16th. The Gardnesville Liberia Stake was organized from a division of the Caldwell Liberia Stake and the Monrovia Liberia Stake. Information on which wards pertain to the new stake remains unavailable. There are now five stakes in Liberia - all of which are located in Monrovia. The Monrovia Liberia Bushrod Island Stake currently has 11 wards and one branch and appears likely to divide in the near future. The Church has experienced unprecedented growth in Liberia during the past five years as the Church has grown from three districts to five stakes and one district, the number of congregations has increased from 24 to 52, and the number of members has increased from 8,929 to more than 13,275 at present.
Brazil
The Church organized a new stake in western São Paulo Brazil. The Ribeirão Preto Brazil South Stake was organized on June 9th. The new stake was organized from a division of the Ribeirão Preto Brazil West Stake, which had 11 wards prior to the creation of the new stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Bebedouro, Jaboticabal, Jardim Iraga, Parque Ribeirão Preto, and Vila Virginia Wards. There are now three stakes in Ribeirão Preto. The Church used to operate four stakes in the city between 1993 and 2001. There has been good progress in the past five years with the creation of new wards and steady increases in the number of active members in the city to the point that a third stake was able to be organized. Unlike the 19990s, wards in the city appear to have an average number of active members for Brazil (i.e. 50-150 per ward), whereas wards in the city appeared to have few active members during the 1990s (likely between 25 and 75).
There are now 274 stakes and 39 districts in Brazil.
Canada
he Church reinstated a district for Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador District was created from three mission branches in the Canada Halifax Mission: the Bay Roberts, Corner Brook, and St. John's Branches. A member group also appears to operate in Gander. The district operated many years ago and appeared to be discontinued in the early 2000s.
There are now 51 stakes and four districts in Canada.
Kenya
The Church organized a new district in western Kenya. The Kisumu Kenya District was created from the Kisumu Branch. Three new branches were also organized the same day that the district was created, including the Kisumu 2nd, Luanda, and Nyabondo Branches. Member groups appeared to operate in Luanda and Nyabondo prior to the creation of these branches. In fact, the member group operated in Nyabondo for perhaps as long as eight or nine years before it became a branch. A member group may also continue to operate in Sondu. This is the second district organized in Kenya in 2019, with the first district created this year being the Kitale Kenya District.
There are now two stakes and six districts in Kenya.
Kiribati
The Church organized a new district in Kiribati on June 11th. The Southern Kiribati District was organized from eight mission branches in the southern islands of Kiribati. These branches include the Buariki, Buraitan, Kabuna, Matang, Muribenua, Nuka, Tekaman, and Utiora Branches. Of these eight branches, five have been organized since the beginning of 2019. The islands of Tabiteuea, Beru, Nikunau, Nonouti and Onotoa are included in the new district. The Church once used to operate a district for outer islands in Kiribati outside of Tarawa Atoll that was organized in the mid-1990s and included islands north of Tarawa, but the Church closed the district in 2006. The Church has reported rapid growth in these southern outer islands as indicated by Church-reported statistics and government census records from the most recent census in 2015. Some islands in this region of Kiribati have had the number of census-reported members increase from less than five to as many as 40-50 within a five-year time period. Also, most recent figures reported in Church Newsroom articles indicate that membership in Kiribati has surpassed 22,000. If this is accurate, membership has increased by approximately 10% within the first six months of 2019. The recent success of the Church in Kiribati points to the importance of consistently expanding missionary outreach into previously unreached areas to achieve greater growth.
There are now two stakes and three districts in Kiribati.
Nigeria
A new district was organized in Delta State on June 16th. The Sapele Nigeria District was organized from three mission branches within the Sapele metropolitan area. A fourth branch was also organized the same day the district was organized. The first branch in Sapele was organized in 2014 followed by additional branches created in 2015 and 2018. The new district includes the following four branches: the Jesse, Oghara 1st, Oghara 2nd, and the Sapele Branches.
There are now 57 stakes and 18 districts in Nigeria.
Uganda
The Church organized a new district in Uganda on June 16th. The Gulu Uganda District is the Church's first district to ever operate in northern Uganda. The new district is within the homeland of the Acholi people. The new district was created from two missions branches and a third branch organized on the same day as the new district. The new district includes the following three branches: the Bardege, Gulu, and Pece Branches. Significant progress has occurred in the past three years with increases in active membership and strengthening local leadership that has permitted the organization of a third branch and a district in Gulu.
There are now three stakes and three districts in Uganda. All three districts in Uganda have been organized since the beginning of 2019.
California
The Church discontinued a stake in southern California. The Torrance California Stake was discontinued and two of the six wards assigned to the former stake were closed. Retained wards were reassigned to the Palos Verdes California Stake. Active membership has steadily moved away for this area of California over the past two decades, necessitating the closure of the stake and multiple congregations.
There are now 153 stakes in California
Uruguay
The Church discontinued a district in southeastern Uruguay. The Rocha Uruguay District was discontinued and two of the three branches in the former district were closed (Castillos and La Paloma). The Church has reported essentially stagnant growth in this area of Uruguay for many years. The decision to discontinue the district and close these branches appears due to few active members in the district and plans to have the sole remaining branch, the Rocha Branch, become a ward as the congregation was reassigned to the nearby Maldonado Uruguay Stake. At most recent report, the Rocha Branch had approximately 100 active members.
There are now 18 stakes and two districts in Uruguay.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
New Stakes Created in Brazil, Guatemala, and Texas; New District Created in Kiribati; District Discontinued in Colombia
The Church organized a new stake in Goias State, Brazil on January 31st. The Rio Verde Brazil Stake was organized from the Rio Verde Brazil District and the Brazil Goiana Mission. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Bandeirantes, Itumbiara, Jataí, Morada do Sol, and Rio Verde Wards and the Popular Branch. The original Rio Verde Brazil District was organized in 1997. There are now six stakes in Goias State.
There are now 258 stakes and 38 districts in Brazil.
Guatemala
The Church organized a new stake in the Guatemala City metropolitan area on January 21st. The Linda Vista Guatemala Stake was organized from a division of the Amatitlán Guatemala Stake and the Villa Nueva Guatemala Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Alamedas, Eterna Primavera, Linda Vista, Naciones, and Sonora Ward. There are now 21 stakes in the Guatemala City metropolitan area.
There are now 45 stakes and 16 districts in Guatemala.
Texas
The Church organized a new stake in the Dallas area on February 7th. The Irving Texas Stake was organized from a division of the Dallas Texas Stake and the Carrollton Texas Stakes. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Dallas 6th, Grand Prairie 1st, Grand Prairie 2nd, Irving, Pioneer (Spanish), and Shady Grove (Spanish) Wards. There are now 19 stakes in the Dallas metropolitan area.
There are now 68 stakes and three districts in Texas.
Kiribati
The Church organized a second district in the Micronesian nation of Kiribati. The Tarawa Kiribati North District was organized from a division of the Tarawa Kiribati East Stake. There are six branches in the new district: the Abaokoro, Abatoa, Buota, Tearinibai, Temaiku 1st, and Temaiku 2nd Branches - two of which were organized since the beginning of the year. Senior missionaries serving on Tarawa have reported over the past year or two plans to organize the district in an effort to ultimately establish a third stake on Tarawa Atoll. Significant progress has been noted on North Tarawa Atoll and this progress has played a vital role in the establishment of the new district.
The Church in Kiribati has good promise for a temple one day to service the Micronesian subregion of Oceania. Church-reported membership accounts for approximately 16% of the national population - a remarkable feat since no LDS presence operated on the islands prior to 1975. The most rapid growth in Kiribati within the past decade has occurred on remote Kiritmati (Christmas) Island where a district was established in 2014. The Marshall Islands Majuro Mission, organized in 2006, has aggressively opened several previously unreached islands in Kiribati during the past five years. Some islands have had as many as three member groups established such as Nonouti Island. However, the Church in Kiribati experiences one of the lowest member activity rates in Oceania. The average ward or branch has 646 members on its rolls - significantly more than the approximately 50-150 active members in most congregations.
Colombia
The Church recently discontinued the Barrancabermeja Colombia District. All three branches in the former district have been reassigned to the Colombia Bogota North Mission. The district was likely discontinued due to no realistic prospects for the district to organize additional branches and become a stake within the foreseeable future. A shortage of local leadership manpower may have also influenced this decision.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Aggressive LDS National Outreach Expansion Begins in Kiribati
Historically, the Church in Kiribati has experienced some of the lowest member activity rates among countries in Oceania with 1,000 or more members as only 25% of members self-reported being LDS on the 2005 census. Missionaries report that some wards on Tarawa have over 1,000 members on their records. Although inactivity and convert attrition remain serious problems, there have been some recent improvements as 32% of nominal LDS membership self-identified as LDS on the 2010 census. Official LDS membership for Kiribati currently constitutes 16.3% of the national population, although 2010 self-reported membership constituted only 4.66% of the national population. Although the Church's Moroni High School on Tarawa has served as an effective proselytism and public affairs tool, the Church has continued to strongly rely on Church Education System (CES) employees to staff lay leadership positions. At one time, CES employees comprised the entire stake presidency of one of the stakes on Tarawa!
I am currently writing a case study that provides a geospatial analysis of LDS growth in Kiribati, examines 2010 census data for religious affiliation, and analyzes recent church growth developments. I anticipate that this case study will probably be posted on cumorah.com in August sometime, and hopefully in the next couple weeks cumorah.com will be back up and running.
Monday, July 7, 2014
New Stakes Created in Nigeria and Utah; New District in Kiribati
On June 29th, the Church organized a new stake in Nigeria. The Enugu Nigeria Stake was organized from the Enugu Nigeria District and seven of the branches in the former district now pertain to the new stake. Information regarding which branches became wards remains unavailable. One branch was closed as part of the district becoming a stake (Enugu Nigeria District Branch) and two branches were reassigned directly to the Nigeria Enugu Mission (Nsukka and Obollo-Afor). The Enugu Nigeria District was previously one of the two oldest districts in the country (the other being the Onitsha Nigeria District), and was organized back in 1988.
There are now 25 stakes and 20 districts in Nigeria.
Utah
On June 29th, the Church created a new stake in Riverton. The Riverton Utah Western Springs Stake was organized from a division of the Herriman Utah, Riverton Utah Harvest Park, and Riverton Utah South Stakes and includes the following seven wards: the Castlewood, Herriman Rose, Riverton 19th, Western Springs 1st, Western Springs 2nd, Western Springs 3rd, and Western Springs 4th Wards.
There are now 572 stakes and one district in Utah.
Kiribati
On June 20th, the Church created its first district on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, Kiribati. The Kiritimati Island Kiribati District includes the following five branches: the Banana, Fanning Island, London, Tabwakea 1st, and Tabwakea 2nd Branches. The Church organized two new branches as part of the creation of the new district, namely the London and Tabwakea 2nd Branches. The Church has experienced rapid growth on Kiritimati since the first branch was organized in 1999 with slightly more than 100 members. Today the Church reports approximately 1,200 in five branches (four branches in Kiritimati, one on Fanning Island); a significant number considering the combined population for Kiritimati and Fanning Islands numbering less than 8,000.
There are now two stakes and one district in Kiribati.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
108th Book of Mormon Translation in Slovak; Church Growth Developments in the Pacific
Missionaries report that the Slovak translation of the Book of Mormon has been completed. It is unclear when the translation will be available for distribution, but this marks the first LDS scripture ever translated into the Slovak language and a major development in missionary outreach in this lesser reached European nation. At the end of 2009, there were fewer than 200 members meeting in four branches at least one group. Legal status for the Church was recently obtained. For additional information about the Church in Slovakia and its prospects there, please refer to the Slovakia country profile on cumorah.com.
Full-time missionaries assigned to Tuvalu
For the first time in several years, full-time missionaries have been assigned to work on the small Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. With less than 13,000 inhabitants, Tuvalu has one LDS branch and 134 Latter-day Saints. Initial missionary reports indicate that there are around 65 attending meetings, many of which are not baptized members. The sole companionship assigned to the islands is learning the Tuvaluan language. Compared to other Pacific islands, few have joined the Church. There were 57 Tuvaluans who self-identified as Latter-day Saints on the New Zealand census in 2006. There are no LDS scriptures and only a handful of church materials in Tuavluan.
Second branch created on Christmas Island (Kirimati)
A second branch has been created on remote Christmas Island in eastern Kiribati. The Banana Branch has functioned as a group for at least a couple years under the Christmas Island Branch. A third branch operates just north of the island on Fanning Island. There are around 5,000 inhabitants on Christmas Island. For more information about the Church in Kiribati, please refer to the cumorah.com country profile.