Two New Branches Created in the Central African Republic (CAR); First Young Full-time Missionaries to be Assigned to the CAR

In a major development, the Church has organized two new branches—Bangui 2nd and Bangui 3rd—in the capital and most populous city of the Central African Republic (CAR), Bangui, where a single branch has operated since 1993. This marks the first time in over 30 years that more than one congregation has functioned in the country. During the 2000s and early 2010s, mission presidents visited the isolated branch approximately once every two to three years. In October 2012, Apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland dedicated the CAR for missionary work, just two months after the Church received provisional recognition from the government. Plans to assign full-time missionaries to Bangui were ultimately canceled after the mission president at the time felt spiritually impressed not to proceed with the assignment, despite approval from the Area Presidency. Weeks later, rebel forces captured the city.

The Church briefly operated a second branch in Bangui in the early 1990s; however, the two congregations were soon consolidated into a single unit. The CAR was initially under the jurisdiction of the Ivory Coast Abidjan Mission, but in 2005, administrative responsibility shifted to the newly created Ghana Cape Coast Mission. Oversight was transferred shortly thereafter to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission. In 2014, the country was reassigned to the newly organized Republic of Congo Brazzaville Mission, and in 2020, it was transferred to the Cameroon Yaoundé Mission. The creation of the Africa Central Area in 2020, which included the CAR, signaled increased institutional focus on strengthening the Church in underreached regions of the continent.

The CAR government requires religious groups to have at least 1,000 members to formally register. As of year-end 2023, there were 278 Latter-day Saints in the country. Senior missionaries serving in the Cameroon Yaoundé Mission have reported imminent plans to assign full-time missionaries to Bangui which have either recently arrived or will soon arrive to begin more formalized missionary efforts.

The population of the CAR is approximately 5.3 million, with nearly 1.7 million residing in Bangui alone. Around 90% of the population identifies as Christian. The country has remained largely unreached for decades due to its remote location, limited accessibility from other African cities with significant Latter-day Saint populations, political instability, and historically few Church resources allocated to Central Africa. Few Church materials are currently available in Sango, the national language, which further limits member engagement and missionary outreach. In contrast to neighboring Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo—both of which have seen more consistent growth and missionary presence—the Church in the CAR remains in the early stages of development. Prospects for growth appear favorable; however, challenges such as low literacy rates, a lack of experienced local leadership, and ongoing political instability continue to pose major obstacles to long-term, sustainable Church development.

New Temple Predictions - March 2025 Edition

I have updated my temple prediction map in preparation for General Conference in April. The size of the Church in a specific geographical area (i.e. number of stakes and districts, the number of wards and branches), the age of the oldest stake in a specific geographical area, church growth trends, the distance to the nearest temple, traffic/transportation, the square-footage of the nearest temple, the historical number of weekly endowment sessions scheduled at the nearest temple, and member and missionary reports regarding member activity, temple attendance, and convert retention are variables used to identify prospective sites for future temple announcements. Altogether, there are 194 potential temples on the map (which is 14 potential temple sites less than the total number of potential sites identified in September 2024). The following seven locations have been added to the temples prediction map with this current update - all of which are less likely temples:

• Cabanatuan City, Philippines
• Feira de Santana, Brazil
  
• General Santos, Philippines 
• Tagbilaran, Philippines
• Hilo, Hawaii
  
• Madang or Lae, Papua New Guinea
• Taravao, Tahiti
  

Also, there were six locations that were moved from the less likely to be announced list to the more likely to be announced list. Provided with a reasoning for the transfer from the less likely temples to be announced list to the more likely temples to be announced list, these locations included:

• Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (remote location, three stakes in the metropolitan area, creation of the Zimbabwe Bulawayo Mission in 2018)
• Caldwell or Nampa, Idaho (steady growth in the western Boise metropolitan area likely warrants a third temple for the area, now approximately 15 stakes in the area that could be part of a new temple district)
• Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (remote location, first stake created in early 2025, rapid growth throughout the country, high prospects for a second stake in the near future, Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission organized in 2020).
• Ibadan, Nigeria (rapid growth in this area of Nigeria for many years, two stakes in Ibadan, Nigeria Ibadan Mission reinstated in 2018)
• Lilongwe, Malawi (remote location, first two stakes in Malawi were organized in 2024, rapid growth)
• Santa Maria, Brazil (large number of stakes in central and western Rio Grande do Sul State, two stakes now in Santa Maria, large number of stakes (29) assigned to the Porto Alegre Brazil Temple)

In my opinion, the following 10 locations appear most likely to have temples announced this coming General Conference. As always, your prediction lists are welcome and encouraged.

1. Spanish Fork, Utah
2. Angeles or Olongapo, Philippines 
3. Bo, Sierra Leone
4. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
5. Rigby, Idaho
6. Lomé, Togo 
7. Southeast Salt Lake City, Utah (i.e., Cottonwood Heights, Holladay, or Sandy)
8. Evanston, Wyoming
9. San Pablo City, Philippines
10. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
    

See below for the map of likely and less likely new temple sites:

New Stakes Created in Brazil, Cote d'Ivoire, the DR Congo, Hawaii, Idaho, Liberia, Montana, Nigeria, Portugal, the Philippines, and Virginia; New Districts Created in Liberia and Uganda; Districts Discontinued in Cote d'Ivoire, Japan, and Fiji

Brazil

A new stake was created in Brazil on January 26th. The Santa Maria West Stake was organized from the São Gabriel Brazil District (organized in 2001) and the Santa Maria Brazil Stake (organized in 1993). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Rosário do Sul, the Salgado Filho, the Santa Marta, the São Gabriel, and the Tancredo Neves Wards and the São Pedro Branch. The Church has sought for many years to divide the Santa Maria Brazil Stake which had 10 wards and one branch. The new stake is within the boundaries of a previously discontinued stake, the Rosário do Sul Brazil Stake, which operated from 1995 until 2001. There are now 27 stakes and four stakes in Rio Grande do Sul State. Santa Maria appears a likely location for a temple, as there is only one temple in Rio Grande do Sul located in Porto Alegre. A temple in Santa Maria could service 11 stakes and one district.

There are now 288 stakes and 37 districts in Brazil. 

Cote d'Ivoire

A new stake was created in Cote d'Ivoire on February 2nd. The Adzope Cote d'Ivoire Stake was created from the Adzope Cote d'Ivoire District (organized in 2016) and the Akoupé Cote d'Ivoire District (organized in 2017 and discontinued when the new stake was organized). The new stake includes the following four wards and five branches: the Adzope 3rd, the Affery 1st, the Affery 2nd, and the Akoupé 1st Wards and the Adzope 1st, the Adzope 2nd, the Adzope 4th, the Adzope 5th, and the Adzope 6th Branches. The four original branches in Affery were consolidated into two wards, the two branches in Akoupé were combined to make a single ward, and no branches were consolidated in the city of Adzope. Both district branches in the two districts were discontinued, which occurs whenever a district that has a district branch is organized into a stake. This new stake has followed the pattern seen with many other recently organized stakes in Cote d'Ivoire, such as in Gagnoa, Man, and San Pedro. Although it is discouraging that these districts have not been able to become separate stakes (which has appeared to be due to the significant slowdown in Church growth in the country during the past five years), it is nonetheless encouraging to note that these cities had no organized branches prior to approximately 10 years ago, and thus, there has been significant growth and leadership development in these nascent areas for the Church. The Adzope Cote d'Ivoire Stake is the first stake to be created in the cities to the immediate north and east of Abidjan that are outside of the metropolitan area.

There are now 22 stakes and nine districts in Cote d'Ivoire

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

The Church organized a new stake in Kinshasa on February 9th. The Kinshasa DR Congo Limete Stake was organized from a division of the Kinshasa DR Congo Stake (organized in 1996) and the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Masina Stake (organized in 1999). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Kingabwa 1st, the Kingabwa 2nd, the Limete 1st, the Limete 2nd, and the Ndanu 1st Wards and the Ndanu 2nd Branch. The new stake is the Church's 15th stake in Kinshasa to be organized.

There are now 33 stakes and three districts in the DR Congo.

Hawaii

A new stake was created in Hawaii for the first time since 2014. The Puna Hawaii Stake was created from a division of the Hilo Hawaii Stake (organized in 1968). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Ka'u, the Kea'au, the Pahoa, the Waikahe 1st, and the Waikahe 2nd Wards. The Church has experienced steady growth on the western half of the Big Island of Hawaii, and there were only seven wards and one branch in the Hilo Hawaii Stake for many years in the mid-2000s. The neighboring Kona Hawaii Stake also appears likely to divide soon, as this stake has grown to 10 wards and one branch (up from eight wards in the mid-2000s).

There are now 17 stakes in Hawaii.

Idaho 

A new stake was created in Idaho on January 12th. The Idaho Falls Canterbury Park Stake was organized from a division of the Idaho Falls Taylor Mountain Stake (organized in 1996). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Bristol Heights, the Carriage Gate, the Castlerock, the Gem Lake, the Park Taylor, the Stonebrook, and the Victorian Village Wards. There are now approximately 20 stakes in Idaho Falls.

There are now 143 stakes in Idaho.

Liberia

A new stake and a new district were created in Liberia.

The Thinker Village Liberia Stake was organized on February 2nd from a division of the Paynesville Liberia Stake (organized in 2017). Approximately 1,500 attended the conference to create the new stake, and each stake now has approximately 2,000 members which is the minimum required to create a stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Boys Town, the Duport Road, the Gbengbar Town, the Outland, the SKD Boulevard, the Thinker Village, and the Voker Mission Wards. There are now seven stakes in Monrovia - all of which have been organized within the past decade.

The Harbel Liberia District was created on January 12th from seven mission branches in the Harbel, Buchanan, and Tameque areas, including the Barclay Farm, the Buchanan 1st, the Buchanan 2nd, the Cotton Tree, the Dolo's Town, the Harbel, and the LAC Branches. The first branch in the area was organized in Harbel back in 2008. Over 900 attended the conference to create the new district. Harbel is the second city outside of Monrovia to have had a district organized.

There are now seven stakes and two districts in Liberia.

Montana

A new stake was created in Montana on February 16th. The Three Forks Montana Stake was organized from a division of the Bozeman Montana Stake (organized in 1979), the Butte Montana Stake (organized in 1953), and the Helena Montana Stake (organized in 1968). The new stake includes the following seven wards and two branches: the Belgrade 1st, the Belgrade 2nd, the Gallatin, the Sheridan, the Three Forks, the Townsend, and the Whitehall Wards and the Ennis and White Sulphur Springs Branches.

There are now 14 stakes in Montana.

Nigeria

A new stake was created in Nigeria on February 2nd. The Abuja Nigeria Karu Stake was organized from a division of the Abuja Nigeria Wuse Stake (organized in 2019). The new stake includes the follow five wards and three branches: the Jikwoyi, the Karu, the Masaka, the New Nyanya, and the Nyanya Wards and the Aso, the GRA, and the Orozo Branches. The new stake is the Church's fourth stake in Abuja, where a mission was organized in 2023 and a temple was announced in October of 2024.

There are now 79 stakes and 14 districts in Nigeria.

Portugal

A new stake was created in Portugal on February 16th. The Santarém Portugal Stake was created from a division of the Lisbon Portugal Stake (organized in 1981) and the Oeiras Portugal Stake (organized in 1989). The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Alverca, the Bom Sucesso, the Carregado, the Santarém, and the Torres Vedras Ward, and the Abrantes, the Tomar, and the Vila Franca de Xira Branches. The Church previously operated a district in Santarém from 1991 to 2020, and the six branches that were part of the former district were reassigned to the Lisbon Portugal Stake or the Oeiras Portugal Stake in 2020. 

There are now eight stakes and one district in Portugal.

The Philippines

The Malaybalay Philippines Stake was created on February 2nd from the Malaybalay Philippines District (organized in 1992). Nearly 1,200 attended the conference to create the new stake. All six branches in the district were organized into wards, including the Malaybalay 1st, the Malaybalay 2nd, the Malaybalay 3rd, the Maramag, the Quezon Bukidnon, and the Valencia Wards. There are now 16 stakes and 12 districts on the island of Mindanao.

There are now 132 stakes and 55 districts in the Philippines.

Virginia 

A new stake was organized in Virginia on January 26th, 2025. The Brambleton Virginia Stake was created from a division of the Ashburn Virginia Stake (organized in 1995), the Gainesville Virginia Stake (organized in 2016), and the Oakton Virginia Stake (organized in 1963). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Algonkian, the Ashburn, the Brambleton, the Broadlands, the Sterling Park, and the Tall Cedars Wards and the Loudoun (Spanish) Branch. There are now 15 stakes in the DC metropolitan area.

There are now 23 stakes in Virginia.

Uganda 

A new district was created in Uganda. The Lira Uganda District was organized from three mission branches located in the city of Lira, including the Adyel, the Lira, and the Odokomit Branches. The first branch in Lira was organized in 2011. The new district is the Church's third district to be created in Uganda within the past four months.

There are now three stakes and five districts in Uganda.

Japan

The Nagasaki Japan District (organized in 1982) was discontinued and consolidated with the neighboring Fukuoka Japan Stake. None of the four branches in the former Nagasaki Japan District were discontinued. The decision was likely made to consolidate the district with the neighboring stake to conserve leadership resources and perhaps for branches in the former district to become wards eventually. Stagnant growth or decline has occurred on Kyushu for decades.

There are now 22 stakes and nine districts in Japan.

Fiji

The Taveuni Fiji District (organized in 1997) was discontinued and consolidated with the Labasa Fiji District (organized in 2017 but which previously operated from 1989 to 2008). The realigned district is now called the Vanua Levu Fiji District. This decision was probably made due to a renewed effort to create a stake on Vanua Levu and surrounding islands. There are now 11 branches in the Vanua Levu Fiji District. No branches were discontinued with the closure of the district in Taveuni. 

There are now four stakes and one district in Fiji.

First Stake to be Organized in Tanzania on January 26th, 2025

Reports from Latter-day Saints living in Tanzania indicate that the Church will organize its first stake in the East African nation of Tanzania this Sunday. The Dar es Salaam Tanzania Stake will be created from the Dar es Salaam Tanzania District, which was organized in 2005. Currently, there are 10 branches in the district, but it is unclear how many of these branches will become wards once the stake is organized.

Among countries with at least 2,000 Latter-day Saints, Tanzania provides a remarkable example of a nation that has experienced a dramatic shift from slow or stagnant growth to some of the most rapid growth rates in the worldwide Church over the past decade. From 2004 to 2018, there were only four branches in Dar es Salaam. It took nearly three decades for the Church to reach 2,000 members after its initial establishment in 1992. However, everything changed with the organization of the Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission in 2020. Before this, the Kenya Nairobi Mission oversaw missionary efforts and Church administration in Tanzania, which meant limited resources were allocated to the nation’s 65.4 million people (2024 estimate).

Another major catalyst for growth was the Church’s decision in the 2010s to officially change the language used in Church administration and worship services from English to Swahili, enabling more effective missionary efforts. Church membership in Tanzania grew from 1,793 at the end of 2019 to 3,969 by the end of 2023. The number of branches in the country also increased significantly, from six in 2018 to 34 as of the end of 2024. Many of these new branches began as member groups to improve accessibility to worship services in major cities with an official Church presence.

Three additional districts were organized during this period of rapid growth: a second district in Dar es Salaam in 2022 (which reportedly will not be realigned or combined with the new stake) and the first districts in Arusha (2022) and Mwanza (2023). Given the higher member activity standards for new stake organization outside the United States, which were implemented in 2024, the creation of the first stake in Tanzania is an even greater accomplishment and a testament to the quality of this recent growth.

The creation of a second stake in Dar es Salaam also appears likely, as the Dar es Salaam Tanzania Chang'ombe District currently has eight branches and has experienced similarly impressive growth rates. Furthermore, the announcement of a temple in Dar es Salaam seems increasingly plausible given these developments, which establish a more self-sustaining center of strength for the Church in the area.

Despite this progress, the Church in Tanzania remains relatively small compared to the nation’s population. As of the end of 2023, only one in every 17,000 Tanzanians was a member on Church records, and only five cities have had branches organized.

For statistical data on the Church in Tanzania, click here.

Utah Update: Nine Stakes Discontinued, Three New Stakes Created, Two New Districts Created

Given the number of stakes and districts organized and discontinued in Utah recently, I have made a separate blog post to summarize these developments and put them into context with broader trends on church growth in Utah.

NEW STAKES

Three new stakes were created in Utah.

The Cedar City Utah South Stake was created on November 3rd from a division of the Cedar City Utah Stake (organized in 1948), the Cedar City Utah Cross Hollow Stake (organized in 2008), and the Cedar City Utah West Stake (organized in 1960). The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Harmony Mountain, the Hidden Hills, the Kolob Canyon, the Meadow Ranch, the New Harmony, the Old Sorrel, the South Mountain, and the Westview Wards. There are now 11 stakes in Cedar City (including the two stakes in Enoch).

The Highland Utah North Stake was created on November 3rd from a division of the Highland Utah West Stake (organized in 2001). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Highland 27th, the Highland 32nd, the Highland 36th, the Highland 41st, the Highland 44th, and the Highland 45th Wards. There are now six stakes in Highland.

The Spanish Fork Utah Legacy Farms Stake was created on November 10th from a division of the Spanish Fork Utah Palmyra Stake (organized in 1924). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Legacy Farms 1st, the Legacy Farms 2nd, the Legacy Farms 3rd, the Legacy Farms 4th, and the Legacy Farms 5th Wards. There are now 12 stakes in Spanish Fork. Spanish Fork appears highly likely to have its own temple announced in the near future given significant growth in the area.

NEW DISTRICTS

Two new districts were created in Utah. The Great Basin Utah (Correctional Facility) District was created on August 29th from correctional facility branches throughout central and southern Utah. The new district includes the following 11 branches: the Canyon Creek, the Fillmore 5th, the Heber Valley, the Kanab, the Manti 7th, the Nephi 11th, the North Main, the Panguitch 5th, the Richfield 12th, the Southcreek, and the Washington 12th Branches.

The Green River Basin Utah (Correctional Facility) District was created on September 1st from correctional facility branches throughout eastern Utah. The new district includes the following seven branches: the Castle Dale 4th, the Center, the Duchesne 5th, the Monticello, the Price 12th, the Vernal 11th, and the Vernal 12th Branches.

The decision to create these correctional facility districts was likely to better streamline administrative needs for correctional facility branches which operate in prisons, jails, and detention centers. There are now five correctional facility districts in Utah - one of which is for detained youth (which has 14 branches). Correctional facility branches help with meeting the ecclesiastical needs of incarcerated Latter-day Saints. Given its large Latter-day Saint population and high percentage of members, Utah is the only state that has correctional facility districts, although correctional facility branches operate in many states in the United States.

DISCONTINUED STAKES

Nine stakes were discontinued in Utah.

Two of these discontinued stakes were on the southeast side of Salt Lake City. The Cottonwood Heights Utah Wasatch Stake (organized in 1978) was discontinued and most retained units were reassigned to the Cottonwood Heights Utah Butler Stake (which now has seven wards and one branch). Nearby, the Salt Lake Little Cottonwood Stake (organized in 1971) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Salt Lake South Cottonwood Stake (which now has seven wards and one branch). The Cottonwood area has arguably experienced one of the steepest declines in the number of wards and stakes in Utah within the past

Two of these discontinued stakes were in the Cache Valley. The Smithfield Utah YSA Stake (organized in 2010) and the Providence Utah YSA Stake (organized in 2010) were discontinued. The Smithfield Utah YSA Stake had six wards, whereas the Providence Utah YSA Stake had five wards. The decision to discontinue these two YSA stakes does not appear to be due to a decrease in active membership. Instead, this decision was attributed to a redistricting of YSA congregations so they were all part of the nine YSA stakes based in Logan (one of which was just organized in September of 2024). Given the small number of wards in each of the YSA stakes that were discontinued, it appears that Church leadership wanted to provide a more equal number of congregations in the nine YSA stakes in the Logan area.

The Ogden Utah Lorin Farr Stake (organized in 1952) was discontinued and consolidated with the Ogden Utah Rock Cliff Stake (which was renamed the Odgen Utah East Ridge Stake). The former Ogden Utah Lorin Farr Stake had six wards and one branch, whereas the original Ogden Utah Rock Cliff Stake had five wards and one branch.

Four of these discontinued stakes were in the Kearns and Western Jordan area. The Kearns Utah Central Stake (organized in 1979), the Kearns Utah East Stake (organized in 1978), and the Kearns Utah West Stake (organized in 1984) were discontinued. The Kearns Utah East Stake and the former area of the Kearns Utah Western Hills Stake (which was discontinued in 2023) were combined with the Kearns Utah Stake which is now called the Kearns Utah North Stake. The Kearns Utah Central Stake and the Kearns Utah South Stake were combined with the Kearns Utah Central Stake which was renamed the Kearns Utah South Stake. Thus, the Church in Kearns has gone from six stakes to two stakes within less than two years, and each of these stakes now has eight wards (the Kearns Utah South Stake also has one branch). The West Jordan Utah East Stake (organized in 1975) had four wards and was consolidated with the neighboring West Jordan Utah Stake (which previously had five wards). There are now seven wards in the West Jordan Utah Stake.

ANALYSIS OF STAKE GROWTH IN UTAH

As of year-end 2024, there were 639 stakes and six districts in Utah. In 2024, there were a total of 17 new stakes created and 11 stakes discontinued in Utah, resulting in a net increase of six stakes for the year. Between 2000 and 2024, the Church in Utah organized 215 new stakes and discontinued 34 stakes. The net number of stakes has increased every year in the 21st century, although this number widely fluctuates from as low as two (2012) to has many as 12 (2011). Rates of growth for the number of stakes, congregations, and members in Utah have been commensurate for many years, although percentage growth rates have fluctuated. In 2000, the average stake had 3,461 members and the average ward or branch had 421 members. In 2023, the average stake also had 3,461 members, although the average ward or branch had 404 members. The average stake had 8.22 congregations in 2000. In 2023, the average stake had 8.56 congregations.

The year 2024 was the year that the Church discontinued the most stakes it has ever discontinued in a single year. Approximately one-third of all discontinued stakes in Utah in the past quarter century occurred in 2024. The year 2023 was the previous year with the most stakes discontinued in a single year (seven). Thus, 53% of all discontinued stakes in Utah since 2000 were closed in the past 2 years. These recent trends in stake consolidations are unsurprising given migration patterns for Latter-day Saints in Utah during the past quarter century, as older urban areas and lower income suburban communities built in the 1970s and 1980s have had steady streams of active Latter-day Saints that relocate to newer communities on the outskirts of the greater Salt Lake City area, Utah County, or other states, such as Idaho. Stakes discontinued in the past 2 years have experienced stagnant or declining numbers of active members for many years, and the number of wards in these former stakes had reached a point to a consolidation of stakes was warranted. It is also important to note that the Church in Utah has gone through previous waves of stake consolidations. Prior to the past two years, the year with the most stakes discontinued was 2011 when six stakes were discontinued. However, there have also been years in the past quarter century when no stakes were discontinued in Utah, such as 2005-2010, 2012-2014, 2017-2020, and 2022. 

Here is a table of the number of stakes discontinued by year in Utah:

Year	Number of Discontinued Stakes
2024	11
2023	7
2021	1
2016	3
2015	2
2011	6
2004	3
2003	1

See below for a table of all discontinued stakes in Utah since 2000:

Discontinued Stake	Year
Cottonwood Heights Utah Wasatch	2024
Kearns Utah Central	2024
Kearns Utah East	2024
Kearns Utah West	2024
Midvale Utah North	2024
Ogden Utah Lorin Farr	2024
Providence Utah YSA	2024
Salt Lake Little Cottonwood	2024
Sandy Utah YSA	2024
Smithfield Utah YSA	2024
West Jordan Utah East	2024
Salt Lake Foothill	2023
Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights	2023
Sandy Utah Crescent Park	2023
Kearns Utah Western Hills	2023
Salt Lake Jordan	2023
Salt Lake Hunter South	2023
Midvale Utah East	2023
Roy Utah Central	2021
Salt Lake Sugar House	2016
Magna Utah Central	2016
Salt Lake Monument Park North	2016
Salt Lake 1st	2015
Salt Lake Wells	2015
Blanding Utah West	2011
Salt Lake Mount Olympus North	2011
Taylorsville Utah West	2011
Bennion Heights Utah	2011
West Valley Utah	2011
Salt Lake Park	2011
Ogden Utah Mount Ogden	2004
Ogden Utah Canyon View	2004
Salt Lake University 4th	2004
Salt Lake Eagle Gate	2003

December 2024 Monthly Newsletter

Click here to access the December 2024 monthly newsletter for cumorah.com. I will be finishing the post on stake growth trends in Utah in the next week or so.

New Stakes Created in the DR Congo (3), Brazil (2), Nigeria, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Texas, and Zimbabwe; New Districts Created in Nigeria (2), the Philippines (2), Uganda (2), Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Zimbabwe; Stakes Discontinued in California, Guatemala, and New Zealand; Districts Discontinued in Brazil (3), Japan, Mexico, and South Africa

Please note that I have not included updates for Utah in this Update. I will make a separate post about the recent stake creations and consolidations in this state so I can provide more of an analysis of these developments

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

Three new stakes were created in the DR Congo.

The Kasapa DR Congo Stake was created on December 1st from a division of the Lubumbashi DR Congo Stake (organized in 1997) and the Ruashi DR Congo Stake (organized in 2017). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Hewa Bora, the Joli Site, the Kasapa 1st, the Kasapa 2nd, the Kasapa 3rd, and the Luano Wards and the Aeroport Branch. There are now five stakes in Lubumbashi, the first four of which were organized in 1997, 2009, 2013, and 2017.

The Kinshasa DR Congo Mikonga Stake was created on December 1st from a division of the Kinshasa DR Congo Mpasa Stake (organized in 2018). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Bibwa, the Makanza 1st, the Makanza 2nd, the Mikonga 1st, and the Mikonga 2nd Wards.

The Kinshasas DR Congo Kintambo Stake was created on December 8th from the Kinshasa DR Congo Binza Stake (organized in 2012). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Camp Luka, the Laloux 2nd, the Lonzo, the Lubudi, and the Nganda Wards.

There are now 14 stakes in Kinshasa that were organized in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012 (2), 2016, 2018 (2), 2019, 2024 (3). With rapid growth and a large number of stakes and congregations, Kinshasa appears most likely to be Africa's first city to have a second temple announced.

There are now 32 stakes and 3 districts in the DR Congo.

Brazil

Two new stakes were created in Brazil on December 15th. 

The Bento Gonçalves Brazil Stake was organized from a division of the Caxias do Sul Brazil Stake (organized in 1993). The new stake includes the following four wards: the Bento Gonçalves, the Cinquentenário, the Farroupilha, and the Progresso Wards. With only four wards, it is highly likely that additional congregations will be organized, as new stakes usually have a minimum of five wards.

The Colombo Brazil Stake was organized from a division of the Curitiba Brazil Boa Vista Stake (organized in 1998). The new stake has the following five wards: the Ana Terra, the Guaraituba, the Jardim Osasco, the Parque dos Lagos, and the Rio Verde Wards. There are now 15 stakes in the Curitiba metropolitan area.

Three districts were discontinued in Brazil.

The Cabo Frio Brazil District (organized in 2017) was discontinued and consolidated with the neighboring Macaé Brazil Stake (organized in 2010) and the Arsenal Brazil Stake (organized in 2009). Two of the five branches in the original district were upgraded to wards (Cabo Frio and Araruama), whereas two branches were discontinued (likely done to have enough active members to create wards in Cabo Frio and Araruama). Most of these branches in the former district were organized at the approximate time when the district was created in 2017.

The Itapetininga Brazil District (organized in 1998) was discontinued, which previously had four branches. The two branches in Itapetininga were consolidated to create the Itapetininga Ward. The Itapetininga Ward and the Tatuí Branch were assigned to the Sorocaba Brazil Stake (organized in 1978), whereas the Cerquilho Branch was reassigned to the Sorocaba Brazil Trujilo Stake (organized in 1995).

The Tupã Brazil District (organized in 1995) The district was consolidated with the Presidente Prudente Brazil District (organized in 1988). The four branches in the district were consolidated into two branches. It is probable that this decision was made to create a future stake from the two districts from ward-sized congregations.

There are now 287 stakes and 38 districts in Brazil. 

Nigeria 

A new stake and two new districts were created in Nigeria. The Makurdi Nigeria Stake was created on December 15th from the Makurdi Nigeria District. It is likely that all five branches became wards in the new stake. The special conference to create the new stake was attended by more than 1,500 people. The Church has experienced rapid growth in the city of Makurdi with regular group baptisms that number upwards of 100 people. The Church created its first branch in Makurdi in 2015, and the Makurdi Nigeria District was organized in 2017.

The Azikoro Nigeria District was created on November 3rd from a division of the Yenagoa Nigeria Stake (organized in 2017). The new district includes the following five branches, two of which were organized when the new district was created: the Agbura, the Amarata, the Azikoro, the Fangbe, and the Ogbia Town Branches.

The Iyahe Nigeria District was created on November 10th from mission branches in the Nigeria Enugu Mission. The new district includes the following there branches: the Iyahe 1st, the Iyahe 2nd, and the Ogoja Branch. The first branch in Iyahe was organized in 2023, whereas the Ogoja Branch was created in 2016.

There are now 77 stakes and 15 districts in Nigeria.

The Philippines

A new stake and two new districts were created in the Philippines. 

The Tumauini Philippines Stake was organized on November 17th from a division of the Ilagan Philippines Stake (organized in 2000) and the Tuguegarao Philippines South Stake (organized in 2011). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Alinguigan, the Cabagan
Tumauini 1st, the Tumauini 2nd, and the Tumauini 3rd Wards and the San Bernardo Branch.

The Sablayan Philippines District was created on December 15th from a division of the San Jose Mindoro Philippines Occidental District (organized in 1998). The new district includes the following four branches: the Mamburao, the Sablayan, the San Francisco, and the Santa Cruz Branches. All four branches in the new district have been organized since 2011, as the Church did not have official congregations on the northwestern side of Mindoro Island. The decision to create the new district was likely due to distance from San Jose and opportunities for further expansion and growth in western Mindoro. The realigned San Jose Mindoro Philippines Occidental District now has five branches. There are now three districts on Mindoro Island.

The Ubay Philippines District was created on December 8th from a division of the Calape Philippines District (organized in 1995) and the Tagbilaran Philippines Stake (organized in 2015). The new district includes the following four branches: the Guindulman, the Pilar, the Talibon, and the Ubay Branches. The district includes the eastern portion of Bohol Island where a Church presence has been more recently established. There is now one stake and two districts on Bohol.

There are now 131 stakes and 56 districts in the Philippines.

Sierra Leone

A new stake was created in Sierra Leone. The Bo Sierra Leone Durba Stake was organized on October 20th from a division of the Bo Sierra Leone North Stake (created in 2017) and the Bo Sierra Leone East Stake (created in 2019). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Batiama, the Bo, the Bumpewo, the New Site, the Ngegbayama, the Torkpoi Town, and the Yemo Town Wards. The new stake is the Church's fourth stake in Bo following the creation of stakes in 2017 (2), and 2019. Moreover, this marks the first time that a new stake was created in Bo solely from the division of stakes and not from districts being organized into stakes (each of the first three stakes in Bo were each created from their own district). Bo has one of the highest percentages of Latter-day Saints of any city in Africa with at least 100,000 inhabitants, and the city appears highly like to have a temple announced in the near future.

There are now 11 stake and 2 district in Sierra Leone.

Texas

A new stake was created in Texas on December 8th. The Forney Texas Stake was created from a division of the Dallas Texas East Stake (organized in 1977) and the Heath Texas Stake (organized in 2012). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Forney 1st, the Forney 2nd, the Kaufman, the Mesquite, the Rio Trinidad (Spanish), and the Skyline Wards and the Forney 3rd Branch. There are now 23 stakes in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.

There are now 81 stakes and 2 districts in Texas.

Zimbabwe 

A new stake and a new district were created in Zimbabwe. The Harare Zimbabwe Chitungwiza Stake was created from a division of the Harare Zimbabwe East Stake and the Harare Zimbabwe South Stake. The new stake includes the following four wards and two branches: the Chitungwiza, the Marondera, the Seke, and the Zengeza Wards and the Dombotombo and Southlea Park Branches. The new stake is the Church's fifth stake in Harare following stakes previously organized in 1999, 2008, 2014, and 2016.

The Masvingo Zimbabwe District was created on September 29th four mission branches in the Zimbabwe Bulawayo Mission, including the Masvingo 1st, the Masvingo 2nd, the Zvishavane 1st, and the Zvishavane 2nd Branches. After decades of stagnant growth, this area of southern Zimbabwe has had three of its four branches organized since 2021 (including the first two branches in Zvishavane).

There are now 11 stakes and 2 districts in Zimbabwe.

Uganda

Two new districts were created in Uganda. The Mbale Uganda District and the Busia Uganda District were created on November 17th. The Mbale Uganda District was created from two branches that previously were under the direct supervision of the Uganda Kampala Mission (Mbale and Mugit) and two branches that previously pertained to the Busia Kenya/Uganda District (organized in 2019). The Busia Uganda District was created from a division of the Busia Kenya/Uganda District (now renamed the Busia Kenya District), and the new district includes the following three branches located in the Ugandan side of the city of Busia (Buchicha, Kisenyi, and Sofia). The realigned Busia Kenya District now includes just two branches (Busia and Mundika).

There are now 3 stakes and 4 districts in Uganda.

Botswana

A new district was created in Botswana. The Kanye Botswana District was created on December 8th from a division of the Gaborone Botswana Stake (organized in 2012). The new district includes the following three branches: the Kanye 1st, the Kanye 2nd, and the Lobatse Branches. Two of these branches, Kanye 2nd and Lobatse, were perviously wards in the Gaborone Botswan Stake. It is unclear why these units became their own district, as these cities are with relatively close proximity to Gaborone. Moreover, the Gaborone is only a couple units away from the creation of a second stake, albeit there are now no realistic prospects for a second stake in Botswana unless these branches in the new district are strong enough to become wards and are utilized to create a second stake. It is unclear why the three branches in Francistown are still not organized into its own district despite these congregations operating for over a decade. A lack of sufficient leadership to staff district leadership callings is a likely culprit with a lack of a district in Francistown.

There is now 1 stake and 1 district in Botswana.

Cote d'Ivoire

A new district was created in Cote d'Ivoire. The Dabou Cote d'Ivoire District was created on October 20th from three branches in the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission (Dabou 1st, Dabou 2nd, and Grand Lahou) and the Songon Branch (a former ward in the Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon North Stake). The first branch in Dabou was organized in 2018.

There are now 21 stakes and 11 districts in Cote d'Ivoire.

Ghana

A new district was created in Ghana. The Oda Ghana District was created on December 1st. The new district includes the following three branches: the Asene, the Oda 1st, and the Oda 2nd Branches. The Oda 1st and Oda 2nd Branches were previously wards in the Asamankese Ghana Stake (organized in 2017 and which now has five ward and two branches). Distance from Asamankese and good prospects to organize more small congregations in surrounding areas likely influenced the decision to create a separate district in Oda (a member group operated in Kokobeng years ago, although it is unclear if it still operates).

There are now 31 stakes and 12 districts in Ghana.

California

A stake was discontinued in California. The Los Angeles California Santa Monica Stake (organized in 1951) was discontinued. Retained wards were reassigned to the Los Angeles California Stake (organized in 1927), which now has nine wards. The Church has experienced a steady consolidation of stakes in the Los Angeles metropolitan area within the past two decades primarily due to active membership migration.

In California, there are now 147 stakes.

In the United States, there are now 1,709 stakes and 10 districts.

Guatemala

A stake was discontinued in Guatemala. The Guatemala City Utatlán Stake (organized in 1975) was discontinued. The stake had five ward before it was discontinued. Retained wards were reassigned to the neighboring Guatemala City Central Stake. Stagnant growth has occurred in this area of Guatemala for many years.

There are now 51 stakes and 11 districts in Guatemala.

New Zealand

For the first time in Church history, the Church has discontinued a stake in New Zealand. The Hastings New Zealand Stake (organized in 1960) was discontinued and consolidated with the neighboring Hastings New Zealand Flaxmere Stake (organized in 1995 and renamed the Te Matau a Maui New Zealand Stake). The two stakes previously had a combined nine wards and four branches which were reduced to five wards and two branches. Hastings has experienced stagnant growth and decline for decades, and the consolidation was long overdue given the few number of wards in the area. In 2001, the two stakes had a combined 10 wards and one branch, as each stake had only five wards. Most of the Church's growth in New Zealand within the past decade has been in Auckland and Hamilton. It is probable that another stake consolidation will occur in the Wellington area within the foreseeable future, as this area has also experienced stagnant growth for decades, and each of the three stakes in the area have the minimal number of congregations to operate as stakes.

There are now 29 stakes and 2 districts in New Zealand.

Japan

A district was discontinued in Japan.The Matsuyama Japan District (organized 1991) in was discontinued and combined with the Takamatsu Japan District (organized in 1979 and was renamed the Shikoku Japan District). No branches were closed as part of the consolidation of the two districts. The consolidation was likely done to conserve district leadership manpower. Some branches on the island have been close to meeting the qualifications to become wards, but with the increased standards to organize wards announced 1 year ago, prospects appear unlikely for the district to become a stake for some time.

There are now 22 stakes and 10 districts in Japan.

Mexico

A district was discontinued in Mexico. The Madera México District (organized in 1977) was discontinued. The Matachic Branch was discontinued. The remaining three branches are now directly supervised by the Mexico Chihuahua Mission. The branches in the district are small and spread over a large geographical area, which is likely why the district was discontinued.

There are now 230 stakes and 43 districts in Mexico.

South Africa

A district was discontinued in South Africa. The Phuthaditjhaba South Africa District (organized in 2017) was discontinued. The two branches were reassigned to the Ladysmith South Africa District (organized in 2017) which now has six branches. The decision to consolidate the districts was likely due to only two branches in the Phuthaditjhaba South Africa District, and the failure for member groups to become branches in the district. It is unclear whether the new district has any realistic prospects to become a stake in the foreseeable future.

There are now 18 stakes and 9 districts in South Africa.

November 2024 Monthly Newsletter

Click here to access the November 2024 newsletter for cumorah.com. My goal is to produce these monthly newsletters again after a 16-month hiatus to chronicle church growth developments and announce new resources on cumorah.com.

Unprecedented Expansion of the Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In the past 2 years, the Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has experienced unprecedented expansion into cities, towns, and villages that have previously had no official congregations. Historically, the Church has generally established its first branch in only 1-2 cities or towns per year (if any) since 2008. However, the Church organized its first branches in six cities and towns in 2023 - the most ever up to that point. In 2024, 14 cities, towns, and villages have had the first branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized. The Church's meetinghouse locator now reports official wards or branches operating in 43 cities, towns, or villages in the country. The number of cities, towns, and villages with a ward or branch has doubled since 2021. Moreover, the Church has begun to organize branches in small towns and villages in the DR Congo for the first time. This represents a major shift in historical area and mission policies and practices that have governed the growth and expansion of the Church in the DR Congo, as there has been a strong emphasis on establishing centers of strength and postponing the creation of branches in additional cities due to concerns with finite mission resources, leadership training, and ensuring quality baptismal standards for new converts. The number of missions in the DR Congo increased from just one prior to 2010 to seven as of late 2024 (eight if the Rwanda Kigali Mission is included which administers to branches in the eastern DR Congo near Rwanda and Burundi), and this has likely been a major catalyst to provide the needed mission president oversight and resources to effectively expand into so many previously unreached locations. The announcement of a permanent Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Kinshasa in 2024 has also provided for greater infrastructure to train local Congolese to staff these many new missions. The Church in the DR Congo has typically achieved member activity and convert retention rates in excess of 80% which numbers among the highest in the world. 

 A recent article noted that the number of Latter-day Saints in the DR Congo has surpassed 130,000 - an increase of more than 15,000 since January of 2024. Dozens of new wards and branches have been created and two new stakes have been organized since January of 2024. There are now 29 stakes and 3 districts. One temple has been completed and dedicated (Kinshasa in 2019) with three more temples planned (Lubumbashi, Kananga, and Mbuji-Mayi). Latter-day Saint statistical information for the DR Congo going back to 1987 can be accessed here.

The potential for continued rapid growth in the DR Congo appears favorable. Population estimates for the entire country typically range from 105 to 115 million. There remain dozens of large cities without an official ward or branch. Translations of the Book of Mormon are available in the first, second, or third language of most Congolese. There are only six cities with an official branch in the entire northern half of the country. Huge swaths of most areas of the country remain totally unreached by Latter-day Saints. Many cities have had isolated members or prospective members who have waited years, or even decades, for an official Church establishment, such as Kikondja and Fizi. Some cities have had two branches organized at the same time when an official Latter-day Saint presence is first established (such as Tshikapa and Kamanda).

The following 16 stakes appear likely to divide in the near future (next 2 years):

• Kananga Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (12 wards)
• Katuba Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (11 wards)
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (10 wards)
  
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Binza Stake (10 wards) 
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Kimbanseke Stake (10 wards)
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Mpasa Stake (10 wards, 1 branch)
  
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Lukunga Stake (11 wards, 1 branch) 
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo N'Djili Stake (9 wards, 2 branches)
  
• Kolwezi Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (12 wards, 2 branches)
  
• Katoka Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (12 wards) 
• Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (11 wards, 1 branch)
  
• Luputa Democratic Republic of Congo Stake (9 wards, 1 branch)
  
• Malandji Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (11 wards)
• Mbuji-Mayi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (9 wards)
• Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (9 wards, 2 branches)
• Ruashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake (11 wards, 1 branch)
  

The following 2 districts appear likely to become stakes in the near future (next 2 years):

• Kisangani Democratic Republic of the Congo District (6 branches)
• Matadi Democratic Republic of the Congo District (6 branches)
  

The following 9 cities (provided with the current number of branches in the area in parentheses) appear likely to have districts organized from mission branches in the near future (next 2-3 years):

• Bandundu (3 branches)
  
• Boma (2 branches)
• Bukavu (2 branches)
  
• Kamanda (2 branches)
  
• Kikwit (3 branches) 
• Luiza (2 branches)
  
• Muanda (2 branches)
• Tshikapa (2 branches)
• Uvira (2 branches)
  

The following 22 cities and towns appear likely to have official branches organized in the near to medium terms (cities in bold appear most likely):

• Beni
  
• Bumba
  
• Bunia
• Butembo
• Fizi
  
• Genema 
• Ilebo
• Inkisi/Kisantu
  
• Isiro
• Kamaniola
  
• Kasangulu
  
• Katanda
  
• Kikondja
  
• Kindu 
• Lisala
  
• Lodja
• Lukalaba 
• Lungutu
• Luvungi
  
• Mbanza-Ngungu 
• Miabi 
• Tshilenge
  

The following cities appear likely to have missions organized in the next 3-5 years:

• Bukavu
• Kinshasa (4th mission)
  
• Kisangani
• Likasi 
• Lubumbashi (2nd mission)
  
• Luputa
  
• Matadi
• Mwene-Ditu
  

The following cities appear likely to have temples announced in the next 5-7 years:

• Kinshasa (2nd temple)
• Kolwezi
• Likasi
  
• Luputa
• Matadi
  
• Mwene-Ditu

I predict that by the year 2030, the Church in the DR Congo will likely have the following if current trends continue:

• 300,000 members
• 50 stakes
• 700 official congregations (i.e., wards and branches)
• 10 districts
• 15 missions
• 70 cities, towns, and villages with an official Church presence
• 10 temples
• 1 area that also includes the Republic of the Congo
  

Three Member Groups Organized in Juba, South Sudan

In the past few weeks, the Uganda Kampala Mission has organized three member groups in Juba, South Sudan, where the Juba Branch was reinstated earlier this year. The member groups are the Jebel, New-Site, and Shirkat Groups. Last Sunday, the groups had a combined attendance of approximately 80 people - nearly half of whom attended the Juba Branch. This marks the first time that the Church has operated multiple congregations in Juba. Member groups had previously functioned in a couple cities outside of Juba in the early 2010s, although these groups may not function anymore (such as in Akobo) or were never official member groups (like in Nyamliell). The creation of the member groups is a major development that has good potential to expand outreach and establish a center of strength for the Church in Juba. However, the unstable political situation in South Sudan poses a major barrier for the success of these fledgling member groups. Moreover, some countries where a similar approach to expansion has been pursued where only one branch operates in the capital city, most notably Mali, have had significant challenges and delays with member groups maturing into their own independent branches. It is unclear whether mission leaders have made efforts yet to establish member groups outside of Juba yet. Moreover, full-time proselytizing missionaries do not appear to have been assigned to Juba, and this may result in difficulties with these member groups growing in the near future.