Three New Stakes Created in Brazil

In the past couple weeks, more new stakes have been created in Brazil. This brings the total number of stakes to 223 in the country. Below is a list of the new stakes created

• - The Fortaleza Brazil Messejana Stake was created from a division of the Fortaleza Brazil East Stake. The Fortaleza Brazil East Stake has seen very strong growth in the past few years and was created in 2005 with five wards. There are now 12 stakes in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza and I think it is extremely likely a new temple will be announced in the city, especially considering a new stake has been added each year for the past four years. The first stake in the city was organized in 1981.
• - The Imperatriz Brazil Stake was created from the Imperatriz Brazil District. This stake becomes the second in the Brazilian state of Maranhao, which now has no districts and a population of over six million. Imperatriz became a district in 1995.
• - The São Paulo Brazil Casa Grande Stake was likely created from the Diadema Brazil Stake and possibly another nearby stake. There are now 36 stakes in the São Paulo metropolitan area (if I counted right) and 28 with the city of São Paulo in their name.