2025 Statisical Report - Analysis

This morning, the Church reported its annual statistical report as of December 31st, 2025.

• Membership: 17,887,212 (increase of 377,431 from 2024; a 2.16% annual increase)
• Congregations: 32,046 (increase of 370 from 2024; a 1.17% annual increase)
• Stakes: 3,695 (increase of 87 from 2024; a 2.41% annual increase)
• Districts: 488 (decrease of 6 from 2024; a 1.2% annual decrease)
• Missions: 451 (increase of 1 from 2024; a 0.22% annual increase)
• Convert Baptisms: 385,490 (increase of 76,808 from 2024; a 24.9% annual increase)
• Increase of Children on Record: 91,835 (increase of 218 from 2024; a 0.24% annual increase)
• Full-time Teaching Missionaries: 78,596 (increase of 4,469 from 2024; a 6.03% annual increase)
• Senior Service Missionaries: 31,613 (increase of 493 from 2024; an 1.58% annual increase)
  
• Young Service Missionaries: 4,518 (increase of 326 from 2024; a 7.78% annual increase)

Analysis of the 2025 Statistical Report - Key Takeaways

New All-Time Record for Convert Baptisms

The number of new converts baptized in 2025 stands as the most positive development in the statistical report. The Church baptized the most new converts ever in a single year, continuing a trend of increasing numbers of new converts baptized that began in 2024 when there were 308,682 converts baptized (which was an increase of nearly 57,000 from 2023). Church leaders have shared that the increase in convert baptisms has occurred in all major world regions, although North America had the lowest increase in new converts baptized in 2025 (reported as 17% in October 2025 by Elder Quentin L. Cook versus 20% for other world regions). For the year as a whole, there were 24.9% more converts baptized than in 2024. The previous all-time record for new converts baptized in a single year was set in 1990 (330,877), although this was at a time when prebaptismal standards were less strict than today, making the current numbers more impressive. Convert baptisms have increased at a rate much faster than the total number of full-time proselytizing teaching missionaries serving (24.9% versus 6.03% in 2025). There were 4.9 converts baptized per missionary in 2025 - the highest since 2011 when it was 5.1. This trend has improved in recent years from 3.4 in 2022 to 3.71 in 2023 and 4.2 in 2024, suggesting improved efficiency with proselytizing missionaries attracting more converts into the Church. Nevertheless, the average number of converts baptized per missionary is well below the 1970s-1990s when it ranged from 6-8 converts baptized per missionary a year.

Historically waning receptivity to the Latter-day Saint Gospel message during the past several decades has seemed to take an unexpected turn. The recent surge in convert baptisms appears to be driven more by increased receptivity than by major changes in proselytizing methods or teaching approaches. However, it is important to note that the Church has made unprecedented progress within the past 1-2 years with creating its first branches in cities where no official congregation has ever operated, although this development has been primarily concentrated in Sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, a portion of recent membership growth is likely attributable to outreach expansion efforts. However, region- and country-specific membership data have not yet been published, and it is usually posted on the Church's website the week after General Conference.

Sustaining this level of convert growth will depend heavily on improvements in convert retention, as historically many rapidly growing areas have struggled to translate baptisms into long-term activity and leadership development.

Largest Number Net Increase in New Stakes Since 2016

The Church reported a net increase of 87 stakes during 2025, as there were 94 new stakes organized and 7 stakes discontinued. This means that there were roughly 13 new stakes organized for every stake discontinued. Recent years have had many more stakes discontinued and far fewer stakes organized, including 2024 (59 stakes created, 15 stakes discontinued) and 2023 (60 new stakes created, 16 stakes discontinued). Approximately 60% of the new stakes created in 2025 were outside of the United States. The Church increased its standards for stakes to be organized outside the United States in regard to the number of active members and qualified priesthood holders to serve in leadership positions (30 more active, full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders than what it was previously), suggesting that stakes organized since early 2024 may, on average, be more structurally robust than those organized in previous decades. Finally, the number of stakes in the Church increased by 2.41% - a rate slightly higher than membership growth and highly encouraging for leadership development and perhaps activity rates as well.

New Record Set for Number of Full-time Teaching Missionaries Serving (Excluding the "Double Cohort" Years)

The number of full-time teaching missionaries serving (78,596) increased by nearly 4,500 in 2025 (6.03%) to reach a new record (when excluding the double cohort years when the minimum age for missionary service was decreased by one year for men and two years for women in October 2012). The rate of increase for young single adults serving full-time proselytizing missions remains several times higher than annual membership growth and suggests an increasing percentage of eligible members choosing to serve missions. It is important to note that many youth and young single adult converts serve missions and have contributed to the momentum in the growing worldwide missionary force. Although these numbers continue to be encouraging, the rate of growth in the number of full-time teaching missionaries is slowing, as the Church reported a year over year increase of 8.52% in 2023 and 9.22% in 2024.

Highest Annual Growth Rate for Total Church Membership Since 2012

Total Church membership increased by 2.16% in 2025 continuing a trend of accelerating membership growth since a low of 0.60% in 2020. This increase was driven not only by record convert baptisms but also by a substantial reduction in membership record removals (approximately 46,000 fewer than in 2024), which significantly amplified net growth. The summation of convert baptisms and children of record was 477,325 in 2025 - the highest ever reported by the Church, breaking the previous record set in 2014 at 413,212. However, the actual net increase in membership in 2025 was 377,431 due to a net removal of 99,894 membership records (it is important to note that this is an estimate, as it does not account for re-baptized members who had their records removed). The net increase in membership in 2025 was the highest reported since 1999 when there was a net increase of 398,745 members. 

Largest Net Increase in Congregations Operating Since 2019; Congregational Growth Continues to Lag Behind Membership Growth

The Church reported a net increase of 370 wards and branches in 2025 - the highest since 2019 when there was a net increase of 404 wards and branches. The number of wards and branches in the Church increased by 1.17% in 2025 which is approximately half of the rate at which membership grew for the year. Congregational growth has long lagged behind membership growth due to compounding retention challenges and persistently low activity rates. The average ward or branch in the Church in 2025 had 558 members, yet most wards have approximately 100-200 active members and the number of active members per branch widely varies. See below for a line graph displaying the average number of members per congregation which indicates steady increases for a quarter of a century. The steady increase in the average number of members per congregation—particularly over the past 25 years—suggests that unit creation has not kept pace with membership growth, and this appears primarily attributed to low activity rates.

Children of Record Increase Remains Low

There was an increase of 91,835 children of record (usually newborns with one or both parents who are members of the Church) added in 2025, which was nearly the same as what was reported in 2024 (91,617). Given a membership of nearly 18 million, this remains a strikingly low figure that reflects declining birth rates, difficulties with young adults marrying (and staying married to have children that they raise in the Church), and problems with creating full-member families in the international Church. The Church regularly reported 100,000-120,000 children of record increase from the years 2008-2018 and has since reported children of record increase ranging from 65,440 in 2020 to 94,266 in 2019. This stands in even starker contrast to the early 1980s when there was only 4-5 million members on Church records yet there were 100,000-124,000 children added to the records annually. If the rate at which children of record were added in the early 1980s were the same today, we would expect approximately 400,000 children added to the records each year. 

2025 Statisical Report

This afternoon, the 2025 Statistical Report was published. I will create a post analyzing the report later today.

New Temple Predictions - March 2026 Edition

It has been 6 months since I most recently updated my temple prediction map. In a recent media interview, President Dallin H. Oaks indicated that many future temple announcements may occur at the regional or local level rather than during General Conference. However, it is likely that some announcements will continue in General Conference—particularly in areas with large Church membership (e.g., the western United States) or where regional announcements may be less practical (e.g., Sub-Saharan Africa). Moreover, there is an enormous number of planned temples that have yet to begin construction, including 50 with no site announcement and 55 with a site announced but no groundbreaking set.

Several variables are used to identify prospective sites for future temple announcements. These include: the size of the Church in a given area (stakes, districts, wards, and branches), the age of the oldest stake, growth trends, distance to the nearest temple, traffic and transportation considerations, temple square footage, the historical number of weekly endowment sessions, and member/missionary reports on activity, temple attendance, and convert retention. Altogether, there are 190 potential temples on the map (which is 4 potential temple sites more than the total number of potential sites identified in September 2025). Despite a growing backlog of announced temples, global expansion—particularly in Africa—continues to create strong candidates for future temple announcements. The following five locations have been added to the temples prediction map with this current update—all of which are in Africa and less likely temples:

• Gboko, Nigeria 
• Mont Ngafula, Kinshasa, DR Congo
• Lusaka, Zambia
• Matadi DR Congo 
• Nampula, Mozambique 

Also, there were five locations that were moved from the less likely to be announced list to the more likely to be announced list. The following locations were moved from the “less likely” to the “more likely” category based on the following factors: 

• Blackfoot, Idaho (steady growth in new stakes and wards in the Blackfoot and Shelley areas)
• Cotonou, Benin (third stake in the metropolitan area was just organized; rapid growth and remote location)
• Eldoret, Kenya (proliferation of branches and districts; first stakes in western Kenya highly likely to be organized in the next 1-2 years; remote location)
• Hurricane, Utah (steady growth in the number of stakes and wards)
• Luputa, DR Congo (rapid growth; two new stakes recently organized [one in Luputa, one in Ngandajika]; remote location)

See below for my top 20 most likely locations for a temple announcement within the next 6 months. It is unclear whether we may have many new temples announced in the coming months considering the significant backlog in temples in the earliest planning stages. Your predictions are appreciated and welcome in the comments.

1. Angeles or Olongapo, Philippines 
2. Bo, Sierra Leone
3. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
4. Rigby, Idaho
5. Lomé, Togo 
6. Southeast Salt Lake City, Utah (i.e., Cottonwood Heights, Holladay, or Sandy)
7. Evanston, Wyoming
8. San Pablo City, Philippines
9. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
10. Ibadan, Nigeria
11. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 
12. Lilongwe, Malawi
13. Santa Maria, Brazil
14. Kimbanseke, Kinshasa, DR Congo
15. Tema, Ghana
16. Yopougon, Côte d’Ivoire
17. San Luis Valley, Colorado
18. Longview, Texas
19. Lahore, Pakistan
20. Luputa, DR Congo 

 

Reports of 380,000-390,000 Convert Baptisms in 2025

I have received a credible report that the Church appeared to baptize 380,000-390,000 convert baptisms in 2025. If accurate, this would surpass the previous all-time high of 330,877 converts baptized in 1990 by approximately 50,000-60,000 people. Additionally, the combined total of convert baptisms and children of record added to Church membership appears to have reached around half a million in 2025, which would represent another all-time high. With approximately 90,000-140,000 records removed annually, the net increase in membership is likely closer to 400,000 given these unofficial reports. 

Official statistics will be released in General Conference next month. 

Milestone of 3,700 Stakes Worldwide Reached; New Stakes Created in the DR Congo (2), Utah (2), Arizona, Ecuador, Idaho, Nigeria, Virginia, and Zimbabwe; New Districts Created in Cuba, the DR Congo, and Tanzania; Five Stakes Discontinued in Utah

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has reached the milestone of 3,700 stakes for the first time in its history. This threshold was achieved following sustained net stake growth in recent years. In 2025, 94 new stakes were organized and only seven were discontinued, resulting in a net increase of 87 stakes (a 2.4% annual increase). Thus far in 2026, at least nine new stakes have been organized, although five stakes have been discontinued. See the table below for the net increase in the number of stakes per year since 2005.

 

Year	Net New Stakes
2005	36
2006	44
2007	45
2008	28
2009	47
2010	31
2011	50
2012	59
2013	45
2014	64
2015	60
2016	92
2017	75
2018	42
2019	54
2020	26
2021	35
2022	23
2023	44
2024	43
2025	87

Stake growth remains one of the most important structural indicators of global Latter-day Saint growth, as the creation of new stakes is typically associated with increases in active membership, leadership development, and long-term institutional stability.Conversely, the discontinuation of stakes typically signals challenges such as declining activity rates, limited leadership depth, and insufficient convert retention or local membership growth to sustain stake-level operations. See below for a graph displaying the total number of stakes per year since 2005.

 

Below are country-by-country updates since my last post on stakes and districts that have been created or discontinued.

DR Congo 

Two new stakes and one new district were created in the DR Congo.

The Diulu DR Congo Stake was organized on December 28th, 2025, from a division of the Mbuji-Mayi DR Congo Stake (organized in 2016) and the Dibindi DR Congo Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Bipemba 2nd, Dibindi 2nd, Diulu 1st, Diulu 2nd, Masanka, and Tshikila Wards and the Mpokolo Branch. The new stake is the Church's third stake in the city following the Mbuji-Mayi DR Congo Stake (organized in 2016) and the Dibindi DR Congo Stake (organized in 2022). One interesting note with the creation of this new stake was that it was created between Christmas and New Year's Day — an extremely rare occurrence in modern Church administration and likely a testament to the rapid growth of the Church in the country that necessitated an often inconvenient time of year to create the new stake.

The Ngandajika DR Congo Kabanda Stake was organized on January 11th from a division of the Ngandajika DR Congo Stake (organized in 2023). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Kabanda 1st, Kabanda 2nd, Kabidimba, Lunga, and Ngandajika Wards. There are now two stakes in Ngandajika.

The Mbandaka DR Congo District was organized on February 8th from three mission branches in the city of Mbandaka. The first branch in Mbandaka was organized in 2024. The new district is the Church's 10th new district to be created in the DR Congo since May of 2025.

There are now 46 stakes and 11 districts in the DR Congo. To illustrate the rapid growth of the Church in the country, there were only four stakes and three districts in 2005 and 13 stakes and four districts in 2015.

Utah

Two new stakes were created and five stakes were discontinued in Utah.

The Hurricane Utah Sky Mountain Stake was organized on January 11th from a division of the Hurricane Utah West Stake (organized in 1996). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Sky Mountain 1st, Sky Mountain 2nd, Sky Mountain 3rd, Sky Mountain 4th, Sky Mountain 5th, Sky Mountain 6th, and Sky Mountain 7th Wards. There are now five stakes in Hurricane.

The Lehi Utah Willow Creek Stake was organized on March 1st from the Lehi Utah Willow Park Stake (organized in 2008). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Colony Pointe, Green Park, Lehi 44th (Deaf), Meadow Vista, North Pointe (Portuguese), Pioneer Heights, and Willow Creek Wards. There are now 26 stakes in Lehi.

Five stakes were also discontinued in Utah. These stakes include the Murray Utah Little Cottonwood Stake (organized in 1971), the Murray Utah Parkway Stake (organized in 1992), the Salt Lake Granite Park Stake (organized in 1983), the South Salt Lake Stake (organized in 1941), and the Taylorsville Utah North Central Stake (organized in 1984). All five of these stakes are within approximately 7-8 miles of one another in the South Salt Lake, Murray, and Taylorsville areas where the Church has experienced steady decline for decades in active membership and congregation consolidations. Gentrification of urban neighborhoods, the exodus of young families to Utah County and beyond, and non-Latter-day Saints repopulating these historically strong Latter-day Saint strongholds appear to be the primary drivers of this decline. Based on current demographic and activity trends, an additional 1-2 dozen stakes in the greater Salt Lake City area may be discontinued over the next five years. While the number of stakes and congregations in the Salt Lake City area continues to slightly decline, state totals generally have been stable or have slightly increased in recent years.

There are now 643 stakes and seven districts in Utah. 

Arizona

A new stake was created in Arizona on March 1st. The Queen Creek Arizona Frontier Stake was organized from the Queen Creek Arizona North Stake (organized in 2008). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Barney Farms, Crismon, Gateway Quarter, Langley Gateway, and Terravella Wards. There are now 10 stakes in Queen Creek.

There are now 121 stakes and three districts in Arizona. 

Ecuador

A new stake was created in Ecuador on February 22nd. The Ibarra Ecuador Stake was organized from the Otavalo Ecuador Imbabura Stake (organized in 1997). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Ibarra Central, Iluman, Pucara, San Miguel, and San Roque Wards. Two wards and one branch were discontinued in the three previously operating stakes in Otavalo, resulting in each of the four stakes in the area now having five wards a piece. Otavalo appears to be a likely candidate for its own temple due to relatively high levels of member activity and leadership development for Latin America.

There are now 45 stakes and five districts in Ecuador.

Idaho

A new stake was created in Idaho on February 8th. The Shelley Idaho East Stake was organized from the Shelley Idaho Stake (organized in 1914) and the Shelley Idaho South Stake (organized in 1980). The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Shelley 2nd, Shelley 9th, Shelley 13th, Shelley 14th, Taylor 1st, Taylor 2nd, Taylor 3rd, and Taylor 4th Wards. There are now three stakes in Shelley.

There are now 148 stakes in Idaho. 

Nigeria 

A new stake was created in Nigeria on February 8th. The Ikot Use Ekong Nigeria Stake was organized on February 8th from the Eket Nigeria Stake (organized in 1996). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Edo, Idung Offiong 1st, Idung Offiong 2nd, Ikot Use Ekong, and Uquo Wards and the Akai Branch. 

There are now 81 stakes and 13 districts in Nigeria. 

Virginia

A new stake was created in Virginia on February 1st. Bella Vista Virginia Stake (Spanish) was organized from various stakes in northern Virginia. The new stake includes the following eight wards and one branch: the Bella Vista (Spanish), Little River (Spanish), Loudoun (Spanish), Occoquan River (Spanish), Old Town (Spanish), Potomac River (Spanish), Spring Lake (Spanish), and Sudley (Spanish) Wards and the Cub Run (Spanish) Branch. This marks the first Spanish-speaking stake to ever operate in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The Church in the United States appears to have reconsidered a previous policy reversal that disfavored the organization of Spanish-speaking stakes, which went into effect approximately 10–15 years ago, although all new Spanish-speaking stakes created in the past few years have been in Utah.

There are now 26 stakes in Virginia. 

Zimbabwe

A new stake was created on February 1st. The Bulawayo Zimbabwe Luveve Stake was organized on February 1st from a division of the Bulawayo Zimbabwe Stake (organized in 2005) and the Nkulumane Zimbabwe Stake (organized in 2013). The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Cowdray Park 1st, Emakhandeni, Gwabalanda, Mpopoma, and Njube Wards, and the Cowdray Park 2nd, Cowdray Park 3rd, and Luveve Branches. There are now four stakes in Bulawayo that were organized in 2005, 2013, 2024, and 2026. Bulawayo appears highly likely to receive a temple announcement in the foreseeable future due to rapid growth and distance from the newly dedicated temple in Harare.

There are now 13 stakes and two districts in Zimbabwe. 

Cuba

A new district was created in Cuba in January. The Holguín Cuba District was organized from a division of the Havana Cuba District (organized in 2017). The new district includes the following five branches: the Buenaventura, Cabezo, Guaramanao, Holguín 1st, and Holguín 2nd Branches. The first branch in Holguín was created in 2021 and rapid growth has subsequently followed. There are now two branches in Holguín proper and three branches in surrounding small towns and villages. There have been no recent official Church membership figures published for Cuba, but there are likely more than 1,000 Latter-day Saints in this country of approximately 11 million people.

Tanzania 

A new district was created in Tanzania on February 15th. The Dar es Salaam Tanzania Kigamboni District was organized from a division of the Dar es Salaam Tanzania Chang'ombe District (organized in 2022). Five new branches were organized in the district from 2024 until it divided. The new district includes the following three branches: the Chamazi, Kigamboni, and Mbagala Branches. 

There is now one stake and four districts in Tanzania. The first stake in Tanzania was organized in January of 2025.

Significant Growth in the Africa South Area

Recent statistics indicate that rapid growth is currently occurring in the Africa South Area. A recent video posted on YouTube by the Africa South Area Presidency disclosed a wide range of internal growth metrics that are not typically shared publicly, making the scope and level of transparency in this data release highly unusual for the Church. As with all internally reported Church data, these figures reflect operational metrics shared by area leadership and are not independently audited. The following statistics were shared as percentage increases from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025:

• Sacrament Meeting Attendance: +21% 
• BYU-Pathway Enrollment: +41% 
• Ministering Interviews: +21% 
• Lessons with a Member Present: +24% 
• Convert Baptisms: +13% 
• New Converts Attending Sacrament (Year-to-Date): +26% 
• Seminary and Institute Enrollment: +32% 
• Missionaries Serving from the Africa South Area: +45% 
• Members Holding a Current Temple Recommend: +17% 
• Members Submitting Names for Temple Work: +22%

These are impressive numbers considering the Church reported approximately 202,000 members in the Africa South Area as of year-end 2024. Additional statistics were also shared in the video, including:

• More than 20,000 converts baptized during 2025 (as of mid-November 2025)
• Increasing numbers of applications received for full-time missionary service. Total number of applications received by year were reported as follows:
• 2023: 940
• 2024: 1,441
• 2025: 1,277 (as of mid-November)

The video also noted that 12 new stakes are currently in application or submission process, including:

• Antananarivo Madagascar (4th stake)
• Luveve Zimbabwe Stake
• Harare Zimbabwe (7th stake)
• Gweru Zimbabwe Stake
• Nampula Mozambique (2nd stake)
• Maputo Mozambique (4th stake)
• Harare Zimbabwe (8th stake)
• Ndola Zambia Stake
• Kadoma Zimbabwe Stake
• Mbabane eSwatini Stake
• Gqeberha South Africa Stake
• Soweto South Africa Stake 

Finally, the devotional video also reported that the first full-time missionaries have been assigned to the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe (population: 210,000). The first convert baptisms, the dedication of the country for missionary work by Elder Ronald A. Rasband, and the organization of a member group also recently occurred. 

Analysis

These metrics are highly encouraging and unusual for several reasons. First, the Church has achieved rapid growth despite a membership base of approximately 200,000. Rarely does the Church achieve double-digit percentage growth in the twenty-first century for any metric once membership becomes this large. Second, growth appears to be well distributed across the area which stretches from Angola, Zambia, and Mozambique in the north, to South Africa in the south, and Madagascar, Reunion, and Mauritius to the east. New stakes are slated for organization in all countries with at least 10,000 members, and several districts are planned to become stakes (including the first in eSwatini and the second in Zambia). With the implementation of heightened standards for new stakes to be created outside of North America in 2024, the planned creation of these new stakes signals strong leadership development and member activity. Third, the number of missionaries serving from the Africa South Area is up nearly 50% in a single year time span. Unprecedented success in missionary workshops the area has organized to encourage young single adults to serve full-time missions has appeared to drive much of this growth. Returned missionaries are an invaluable resource for staffing leadership, and increasing numbers of local members serving full-time missions helps improve the self-sufficiency of missionary operations in the Africa South Area. Fourth, growth metrics tracking missionary, temple and family history work, member activity, and seminary and institute enrollment are all consistently higher by 13% or more during this 1-year period. High growth areas of the Church in terms of convert baptisms can often lag behind with some of these metrics, such as temple and family history work, considering the focus has historically been on baptizing new converts and expansion. Fifth, convert baptisms represent the smallest percentage increase among the metrics disclosed in the video (13% increase), yet other metrics, including sacrament meeting attendance (21%) and new converts attending sacrament meeting (26%), are significantly higher. Thus, member activity rates appear to be improving, as growth rates are higher for these measures of member activity than the total number of converts joining the Church, suggesting improved retention and post-baptism engagement. Whether these gains can be sustained over the long term—particularly in newer areas—remains an open empirical question that will be clarified in future reporting. Sixth, the Church in the Africa South Area reported an increase of 11.6% in membership between year-end 2023 and year-end 2024 - a comparatively slower growth rate than most of the metrics discussed (although this statistic only slightly overlaps with the statistics shared in the video). Seventh, the Church is not only building up long-established centers of strength in the area (i.e., Johannesburg, Harare), but is also expanding into areas where the Church has had little or no prior institutional presence, such as São Tomé and Príncipe and northern Mozambique where there is only one stake and no districts in the planned Mozambique Nampula Mission. Five new missions are planned for the area in 2026. Eighth, the Church also reported large numbers of new congregations organized in the area during 2025. According to my count in parentheses, the following countries have had an increase of at least one congregation during 2025: Zimbabwe (20), Mozambique (12), Botswana (6), Madagascar (6), Angola (5), Malawi (3), Lesotho (2), and Zambia (1). 

This pattern of accelerated growth is not isolated to southern Africa. The Africa Central Area also had a major year for growth in 2025. For example, there were approximately 88 new congregations created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone (a 25% increase for the year), and the number of congregations in Kenya increased by 26 (a 34% increase). The Africa West Area also had a productive year in many countries. Other areas of the world also experienced accelerated growth in 2025 compared to recent years. Preliminary reports suggest the Church may have set a new all-time record for the number of convert baptisms in a single year in 2025 which is likely around 350,000-375,000. Official 2025 statistics will be released in April.

28 New Stakes and 11 New Districts Created; Three Stakes and One District Discontinued

Over the past three months, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has experienced an unusually strong period of administrative growth and reorganization, marked by the creation of 28 new stakes and 11 new districts worldwide. In total, 93 new stakes have been organized in 2025—the highest annual total since 2016—while 31 new districts were created during the year, the most since 2015. This recent acceleration reflects continued expansion in high-growth regions such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, and across sub-Saharan Africa, alongside strategic realignment and consolidation in more mature areas including Utah and Brazil. Collectively, these developments highlight a Church that is rapidly establishing new centers of strength while simultaneously adjusting its administrative footprint to align with shifting demographic and membership trends.

Utah

The Church has organized five new stakes and discontinued three stakes in Utah.

New Stakes 

The Orem Utah YSA 5th Stake was organized on September 21st from the Orem Utah YSA 4th Stake and other stakes in the area. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Orem YSA 16th, Orem YSA 19th, Orem YSA 24th, Orem YSA 25th, Orem YSA 27th, Orem YSA 32nd, Orem YSA 33rd, and Orem YSA 49th Wards. 

The Payson Utah Arrowhead Stake was organized on October 19th from the Payson Utah Mountain View Stake (organized in 1974). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Mountain View 4th, Mountain View 5th, Mountain View 6th, Mountain View 7th, Mountain View 8th, and Mountain View 11th (Spanish) Wards. There are now six stakes in Payson.

The Vineyard Utah YSA Stake was organized on October 19th from the Orem Utah YSA 1st Stake (organized in 1984), the Orem Utah YSA 3rd Stake, and possibly additional YSA stakes in the area. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Orem YSA 6th, Orem YSA 9th, Orem YSA 13th, Orem YSA 31st, Orem YSA 45th, Orem YSA 47th, and the Orem YSA 48th Wards.

The Santaquin Utah South Stake was organized on November 2nd from the Santaquin Utah Stake (organized in 1917) and the Santaquin Utah East Stake (organized in 2019). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Foothills, Summit Creek, Summit Ridge 1st, Summit Ridge 7th, and Summit Ridge 8th Wards. There are now four stakes in Santaquin.

The Elk Ridge Utah West Stake was organized on November 16th from the Elk Ridge Utah Stake (organized in 2002). The new stake includes the following eight wards and one branch: the Elk Ridge 5th, Elk Ridge 6th, Elk Ridge 8th, Elk Ridge 10th, Elk Ridge 11th, Elk Ridge 13th, and Elk Ridge 14th Wards and the Elk Ridge 9th Branch. There are now two stakes in Elk Ridge.

Discontinued Stakes 

The Salt Lake Riverside Stake (organized in 1940) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Salt Lake Rose Park Stake and the Salt Lake Pioneer Stake. 

 

The Taylorsville Utah Central Stake (organized in 1973) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Taylorsville Utah Heritage Park Stake (formerly the Taylorsville Utah Valley Park Stake). 

 

The Salt Lake Winder West Stake (organized in 1975) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Salt Lake Winder Stake. 

 

These areas of Salt Lake City where these three stakes were discontinued have experienced stagnant growth and congregational decline for many years due to active members moving away and few convert baptisms among non-Latter-day Saint move-ins. It is likely that 1-2 dozen more stakes may consolidate in the Salt Lake metropolitan area in the next decade due to these trends.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

The Church has organized four new stakes and five new districts in the DR Congo.

New Stakes 

The Kasumbalesa DR Congo Stake was organized on November 9th from the Kasumbalesa DR Congo District (organized in 2020). The new stake includes the following four wards and two branches: the Bilanga, Golf, Kasumbalesa 1st, and Kasumbalesa 2nd Wards and the Musoshi and Peage Branches. It is unclear whether all of the information has been updated on the meetinghouse locator in terms of additional branches that may have become wards considering newly organized stakes typically have at least five wards. 

The Kinshasa DR Congo Fer Bois Stake was also organized on November 9th from the division of the Kinshasa DR Congo N'Djili Stake (organized in 2018). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Fer Bois 1st, Fer Bois 2nd, Kingasani 1st, Kingasani 4th, Mokali, Mulie, and Sakombi Wards. There are now 18 stakes in Kinshasa - more than any other city on the Afro-Eurasian landmass.

The Luputa DR Congo Katubi Stake was organized on November 23rd from a division of the Luputa DR Congo Stake (organized in 2011 and most recently divided in 2021). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Kasakayi, Katubi, Luputa 2nd, Lusuku 1st, and Lusuku 2nd Wards. There are now three stakes in Luputa (the second stake was organized in 2021 and also appears likely to divide soon). 

The Lubumbashi DR Congo Upemba Stake was organized on November 30th from a division of the Katuba Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (organized in 2009) and the Kisanga Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (organized in 2013). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Du Parc, Gecamines 1st, Gecamines 2nd, Katuba 3rd, Salongo, and Upemba Wards. There are now six stakes in Lubumbashi. The other three stakes not involved with the new stake creation were created in 1997, 2017, and 2024.

New Districts 

The Luiza DR Congo District was organized on November 9th from mission branches in the DR Congo Kananga Mission. Two new branches were created when the new district was formed. There are four branches in the district: Kabumba, Luiza, Plaine 1st, and Plaine 2nd. The Church created its first official branch in Luiza in 2023.

The Muanda DR Congo District was organized on November 16th from mission branches in the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission. One new branch was organized when the district was formed. The new district includes the following three branches: Muanda 1st, Muanda 2nd, and Muanda 3rd. The first branch in Muanda was organized in 2019.

The Boma DR Congo District was organized on November 23rd from mission branches in the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission. One new branch was organized when the district was formed. The new district includes the following three branches: Boma 1st, Boma 2nd, and Boma 3rd. The first branch in Boma was organized in 2018.

The Kimpese DR Congo District was organized on November 30th from mission branches in the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission. One new branch was organized when the district was formed which is also the first branch to ever be organized in the city of Lukala. The new district includes the following four branches: Kimpese, Lukala, Madiadia, and Mbuka. The first branch in Kimpese was organized in 2023.

The Tshikapa DR Congo District was organized on December 14th from mission branches in the DR Congo Kananga Mission. Two new branches were created when the new district was formed. There are four branches in the district: Kanzala, Sami, Tshikapa 1st, and Tshikapa 2nd. The Church created its first official branch in Tshikapa in 2024. 

There are now 44 stakes and 10 districts in the DR Congo. At the beginning of 2025, there were 32 stakes and three districts in the country. Moreover, more than 80 new wards and branches have been created in the DR Congo since January 1st - the largest net increase in congregations for any country in the world (excluding the United States) since there was a net increase of 101 congregations in Nigeria in 2017.

Philippines

Four new stakes were created in the Philippines.

The Alaminos Philippines Stake was organized on November 2nd from the Alaminos Philippines District (organized in 1992). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Alaminos 1st, Alaminos 2nd, Bani, Bolinao, and Hundred Island Wards and the Mabini Branch.

The Santa Rosa Philippines Stake was organized on November 2nd from the Calamba Philippines Stake (organized in 1992). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Cabuyao 1st, Cabuyao 2nd, Santa Rosa 1st, Santa Rosa 2nd, and Santa Rosa 3rd Wards and the Santa Rosa 4th Branch.

The Marbel Philippines Stake was organized on November 30th from the Marbel Philippines District (organized in 1991). The new stake includes the following five wards and four branches: the Marbel 1st, Marbel 2nd, San Jose, Surallah, and Tacurong Wards and the Bañga, Isulan, Masiag, and T'Boli Branches. 

 

The Bocaue Philippines Stake was organized on December 7th from the Valenzuela Philippines Stake (organized in 1998). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Bocaue, Meycauayan 1st, Meycauayan 2nd, Pandi, and Santa Maria Bulacan Wards.

 

There are now 141 stakes and 49 districts in the Philippines. There have been 10 new stakes created in the Philippines since January 1st. 

 

Mozambique

 

Two new stakes and one new district were created in Mozambique. 

 

The Chimoio Mozambique Stake was organized on November 23rd from the Chimoio Mozambique District (organized in 2019). The new stake likely has five wards and one branch, although some of the unit information does not yet appear to have been updated. Currently, the meetinghouse locator reports two wards and four branches: the 7 de Abril and Liberdade Wards and the Baixa, Chimoio, Gondola, and Soalpo Branch. The creation of this new stake was highly unusual because there were only three branches in the district before the stake was organized. Thus, the Church organized three new congregations at the time the stake was created. It is extremely uncommon for the Church to have a district become a stake with only three branches prior to the stake creation. The Gondola Branch is the Church's first branch in the nearby city of Gondola. The two wards that are currently showing on the meetinghouse locator are new congregations that did not previously operate as branches.

 

The Beira Mozambique Aeroporto Stake was organized on November 30th from the Beira Mozambique Munhava Stake (organized in 2023). The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Aeroporto, Manga Loforte, Maraza 1st, Maraza 2nd, and Mascarenha Wards and the Chota and Cirol Branches. The new stake is the Church's fifth stake in Beira. The first stake was organized in Beira in 2015 followed by additional stakes in 2017, 2023, and 2024.

The Xai-Xai Mozambique District was created on December 14th. The new district includes the following three branches that previously were directly supervised by the Mozambique Maputo Mission: the Chinunguine, Limpopo, and Xai-Xai Branches. The first official branch of the Church in Xai-Xai was created in 2022.

 

There are now 10 stakes and three districts in Mozambique. 

 

Spain

Two new stakes were created in Spain on November 23rd.

The Granollers Spain Stake was organized from a division of the Barcelona Spain Stake (organized in 1982). The new stake includes the following four wards and five branches: the Badalona, Girona, Granollers, and Mataró Wards and the Blanes, Figueres, Olot, Platja d'Aro, and Vic Branches. Most of the branches in the new stake have been organized in the past couple of years. There are now three stakes in the Barcelona metropolitan area.

The Madrid Spain South Stake was organized from a division of the Madrid Spain Central Stake (organized in 2012) and the Madrid Spain West Stake (organized in 1982). The new stake includes the following five wards and five branches: the Aranjuez, Arganda del Rey, Leganés, Móstoles, and Toledo Wards and the Alcázar, Ciudad Real, Parla, Talavera, and Valdepeñas Branches. The other stake in Madrid, the Madrid Spain East Stake, was organized in 1999. There are now four stakes in Madrid - tying with Lisbon, Portugal, as the metropolitan area with the most stakes of any metropolitan area in continental Europe. 

 

There are now 17 stakes and one district in Spain.  

 

Brazil

 

A new stake was created and a district was discontinued in Brazil. 

 

The Itacoatiara Brazil Stake was organized on December 14th from the Itacoatiara Brazil District (organized in 1994) and two mission branches. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Itacoatiara, Itaporanga, Maués, Parintins, and Pedra Pintada Wards.

 

The Sousa Brazil District (organized in 2009) was discontinued. There were five branches in the district prior to its discontinuation. Two of the branches were consolidated with the Sousa Branch to create the Sousa ward in the Caicó Brazil Stake (which also had two units discontinued). The decision to discontinue the district appeared motivated by strengthening the Caicó Brazil Stake to meet heightened standards for stakes to operate in Brazil so it was not discontinued. The Church in Brazil has consolidated dozens of wards and branches in the past two years to increase the number of active members per congregation.

 

There are now 289 stakes and 34 districts in Brazil. 

Arizona

A new stake was created in Arizona.

The Heber Arizona Stake was organized on December 7th from a division of the Payson Arizona Stake (organized in 2000) and the Silver Creek Arizona Stake (organized in 1980). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Black Canyon, Buckskin Canyon, Clay Springs, Mogollon Rim, and Pinedale Wards and the Young Branch. 

There are now 120 stakes and three districts in Arizona. 

Canada

A new stake was created in Alberta, Canada. 

The Calgary Alberta Nose Hill Stake was organized on November 9th from the Calgary Alberta North Stake (organized in 1966) and the Calgary Alberta West Stake (organized in 1979). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Arbour Lake, Dalhousie, Mount Pleasant, Panorama, Symons Valley, and Tipton Road Wards. 

Chile

A new stake was created in Chile.

The Antofagasta Chile East Stake was organized on November 23rd from a division of the Antofagasta Chile Stake (organized in 1980) and the Antofagasta Chile La Portada Stake (organized in 1993). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Antofagasta Centro, Bolívar, Caliche, Centenario, and Las Rocas Wards. There are now three stakes in Antofagasta. The Church once operated three stakes in Antofagasta from 1993 to 2002 when the Antofagasta Chile Caliche Stake was discontinued.

There are now 81 stakes and nine districts in Chile. 

Republic of the Congo

A new stake was organized in the Republic of the Congo.

The Kintélé Republic of the Congo Stake was organized on November 30th from a division of the Brazzaville Republic of Congo Stake (organized in 2003). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Ferme, Kintélé, Makabandjilou, Mikalou, and Nkombo Wards. There are now four stakes in Brazzaville. The other two stakes in Brazzaville were organized in 2014 and 2020.

There are now four stakes in the Republic of the Congo. 

Idaho

A new stake was created in Idaho.

The Rexburg Idaho Teton River Stake was organized on December 7th from a division of the Rexburg Idaho Henry's Fork Stake (organized in 2008) and the Rexburg Idaho North Stake (organized in 1945). The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Mill Hollow 2nd, Moran View, Riverside, Salem 1st, Salem 2nd, Salem 3rd, Stonebridge, and Teton River 2nd Wards. There are now 23 stakes in Rexburg.

There are now 147 stakes in Idaho - the second most of any state in the United States.

Kiribati

A new stake was created in Kiribati. 

The Tarawa Kiribati North Stake was organized on October 19th from the Tarawa Kiribati North District (organized in 2016). The new stake includes the following five wards and four branches: the Abaokoro, Bonriki, Buota, Temaiku 1st, and Temaiku 2nd Wards and the Abatao, Kainaba, Nabeina, and Tearinibai Branches. The Church organized a third stake on Tarawa Atoll in September 2025. 

There are now four stakes and two districts in Kiribati. 

México

A new stake was created in Mexico which is technically a reinstatement of a previously discontinued stake.

The Minatitlán México Stake was organized from the Minatitlán México District (organized in 2018 following the discontinuation of the Minatitlán México Stake and the Minatitlán México Tecnológico Stake). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Buena Vista, Jagüey, Justo Sierra, Manantial, San Pedro, and Tenochtitlán Wards.

There are now 231 stakes and 42 districts in Mexico. 

Peru

A new stake was organized in Peru.

The Huánuco Peru Viña del Río Stake was organized on November 30th, 2025, from the Huánuco Perú Stake (organized in 1990). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Cayhuayna, Huánuco Central, Pillco Mozo, Tarapacá, and Viña del Río Wards. There are now three stakes in Huánuco, and the city appears a likely candidate for a temple announcement due to remote location. The other stake in Huánuco was organized in 1995.

There are now 118 stakes and 17 districts in Peru. 

Uganda

A new stake was created in Uganda.

The Gulu Uganda Stake was organized from the Gulu Uganda District (organized in 2019). All six branches in the district became wards, including Bardege 1st, Bardege 2nd, Gulu, Lacor, Laroo, and Pece. The new stake is a major accomplishment considering the Church had struggled for many years with leadership challenges that required significant mission president support. The first branch in Gulu was organized in 2008.

There are now four stakes and four districts in Uganda. 

Zimbabwe

A new stake was created in Zimbabwe.

The Domboshawa Zimbabwe Stake was organized on November 9th, 2025, from a division of the Harare Zimbabwe Stake (organized in 1999). There are only four wards in the new stake (Domboshawa 1st, Domboshawa 2nd, Domboshawa 3rd, and Hatcliffe), suggesting that additional wards will likely be created in the immediate future.

There are now 12 stakes and two districts in Zimbabwe. 

Kenya

Two new districts were created in Kenya.

The Bungoma Kenya District was organized on December 7th from a division of the Kitale Kenya District (organized in 2019). The new district includes the following five branches: the Bungoma, Mautuma, Misikhu, Ndivisi, and the Webuye Branches. The Church has experienced rapid growth in western Kenya in the past few years, resulting in the creation of many new branches and now five new districts since 2019. This growth appears to have prompted the creation of the new Kenya Kisumu Mission in 2026. Other districts in the area include Eldoret (organized in 2011), Busia (2019), Kisumu (2019), and Vihiga (2025). More districts are likely to be created soon, such as in Bomet, and the first stake in the region may soon be organized in Eldoret or Kisumu.

The Makindu Kenya District was organized on December 7th from a division of the Kyulu Kenya Stake (organized in 2024). At least two branches appear to pertain to the new district (Makindu 1st and Makindu 2nd). 

There are now four stakes and 10 districts in Kenya. 

Cote d'Ivoire 

A new district was created in Cote d'Ivoire.

The Tiassale Cote d'Ivoire District was organized on December 14th from mission branches in the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission. The new district includes the following four branches: the N'Zianouan, Ndouci, Sikensi, and Tiassale Branches. All of these branches have been organized since 2022 in cities that were previously unreached by the Church.

There are now 23 stakes and nine districts in Cote d'Ivoire. 

Ghana

A new district was organized in Ghana.

The Mankessim Ghana District was organized on November 16th, 2025, from the Yamoransa Ghana Stake (organized in 2016). The new district includes the following eight branches: the Ajumako, Denkyira, Mando, Mankessim 1st, Mankessim 2nd, Otuam, Pebi, and Saltpond Branches. The decision to create the district was likely to help prepare the area to become its own stake one day. Previous mission presidents have commented how Mankessim appears likely to have its own stake one day given the growth of the Church in the area.

There are now 31 stakes and 13 districts in Ghana. 

Ethiopia

A new district was created in Ethiopia.

The Addis Ababa Ethiopia Bishoftu District was organized on December 7th. The new district was created from one branch (Debre Zeit) originally assigned to the Addis Ababa Ethiopia District (organized in 2009). The new district includes the following three branches: the Babogaya, Debre Zeit, and Dukem Branches.

There are now two districts in Ethiopia. 

The Portland Maine Temple: Analysis

Yesterday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to build a temple in Portland, Maine in a stake Christmas fireside by Elder Allen D. Haynie, the United States Northeast Area President. This marks the first time that the Church has announced plans for a new temple outside of General Conference since the announcement of the Ephraim Utah temple on May 1st, 2021. Moreover, this announcement was also unique since an area president delivered it. Historically, the Church has tended to announce most temples in General Conference, although this has not always been the case; however, all new temples have been announced directly by the First Presidency or the presiding Church leader either personally or by letter. The news release yesterday noted that it is anticipated that additional new temples will be announced in a similar format, although this does not mean that temple announcements in General Conference will be retired. Localized temple announcements bring many advantages, such as delivering news of a new temple within the local time zone and adapting the announcement to the needs and circumstances of the membership to be served by the temple.

Maine (year-end 2024 membership: 11,384) was the state in the United States with the third most Latter-day Saints without a temple prior to yesterday's announcement. There remain only six states without a temple planned or dedicated, including Mississippi (22,297), West Virginia (17,557), New Hampshire (8,713), Delaware (5,865), Rhode Island (4,861), and Vermont (4,647). Mississippi and West Virginia appear the most likely to have a temple announced within the foreseeable future. The Church in Maine has experienced slow growth throughout its history. One in 123 people are Latter-day Saints, or 0.81% of the state population. Membership growth from 4,730 in 1983 to 7,900 in 1995 to 9,807 in 2005 and 10,966 in 2015. There has been a modest improvement in annual membership growth rates in the 2020s (0.6-1.6%) versus the 2010s (0.3-0.8% for most years). Congregational growth has been flat except for a couple branches becoming wards in the past decade. There are three stakes in Maine. The Portland Maine Temple will likely service 6-7 stakes in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Isolation from the nearest temple in Boston, Massachusetts appears to be the primary factor that has influenced the decision to build a temple in Maine.  

Portland Maine Temple Announced

Today, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to construct a new temple in Portland, Maine. The new temple will be the Church's 383rd temple. This marks the first time that a new temple has been publicly announced outside of General Conference since the announcement of the Ephraim Utah Temple on May 1st, 2021.

I will provide an analysis on today's announcement in the coming days.  

Church Lowers Minimum Missionary Age for Women to 18

This morning, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints announced that young women may now begin full-time missionary service at age 18 — the same minimum age as young men

This decision carries significant potential: by providing additional options for young women to serve missions right after high school (or its equivalent), the worldwide full-time missionary force may grow in scale and diversity. It opens a new season of opportunity for women who desire to serve, whether before pursuing further education, entering the workforce, or undertaking other life ventures. While missionary service remains optional for young women, the change reflects a continued evolution in how the Church supports individual choice, preparation, and contribution with its proselytism efforts Effective immediately, young women graduating this year and going forward will be eligible to submit mission applications starting at age 18. Moreover, the recent announcement to create 55 new missions in 2026 will provide additional support to accommodate potentially large influxes in young women serving missions in the next 12 months.

I will provide additional analysis of today's announcement in the coming days.