Angola
The first LDS district in Angola named the Luanda Angola District was organized today and includes three branches in the capital city of Luanda (Cassequel, Luanda 1st, and Luanda 2nd). The first LDS congregation in Angola was organized in the mid-1990s and full-time missionaries were first assigned in the late 2000s. Angola currently has 932 Latter-day Saints meeting in three branches and several groups scattered throughout the country. Prospects for a future LDS mission based in Luanda are extremely likely for the immediate future.
Malawi
The first LDS district in Malawi named the Blantyre Malawi District was organized a week ago and includes four branches in Blantyre (Blantyre 1st, Blantyre 2nd, Ndirande, and Zingwangwa); the latter two branches were organized at the same time the district was created. Concentrated LDS missionary activity in Malawi commenced in the early 2000s in Blantyre. Malawi will be included in the new Zambia Lusaka Mission which will be organized this July and include Malawi and Zambia. Additional church growth developments in Malawi include the creation of the Lilongwe Branch in late 2007 and a second branch in Lilongwe a couple months ago (the Kauma Branch). Both branches in Lilongwe do not pertain to a stake or district. The first organized branch in Malawi, the Sitima Branch was discontinued a few years ago due to its remote location and administrative challenges. Missionaries report that recently an LDS group has officially been organized for church services in the nearby, more populated city of Liwonde. Currently there are six branches, one home group, and 925 members.
Cananda
The Saguenay Quebec District was recently discontinued and the three branches of the former district are now administered by the Longueuil Quebec Stake. Few active members, long distances between the three branches, and few priesthood leaders likely contributed to the closure of the district.
Comment on new missions-
ReplyDeleteI've observed several key factors that I suspect are impacting opening or closing missions under President Monson's administration:
1. Net new missions will likely continue to be stagnant (up a few / down a few each year) as long as the number of total full-time missionaries doesn't increase.
2. Low baptizing missions are likely to continue to be consolidated, especially if there are a handful of mature stakes that can pick up the load or if there are two missions in the same city or nearby. (Think Europe, Asia, and North America Central, NA Southeast and NA Northeast areas.)
3. A mission isn't likely to divide until there are a dozen or so branches and a functioning district or two that can help. (Think Benin and Zambia this year) I speculate this is so missionaries aren't such a high percentage of attendance that they make it not a local Church. Angola is not even close to that point!
With the new Christian country of South Sudan, I wonder if branches there, plus the existing ones in Ethiopia wouldn't be a more likely next new mission in Africa Southeast Area rather than Angola
Rick (@ldschurchtemples) reported the reorganization of the Manama Bahrain Stake into the Abu Dhabi Stake and the creation of the Manama Bahrain District. Any information about or ideas on the motivation for these changes? Possibly a reaction to the regional unrest?
ReplyDeleteRipple Project,
ReplyDeletethere appears to have been 2 new branches created in Bahrain in the past week or so.
1 ward, 2 branches; 1 stake and one district.
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ReplyDeleteThis article in the LDS Church News helps explain some of the great things that are going on for the Church in that region.
ReplyDeleteThis morning, 9 Oct 2011, at the Provo Utah Edgemont North Stake Conference, Elder Nelson mentioned to the audience that he would be in Africa over the course of the next two weeks, and he would be dedicating Malawi at that time.
ReplyDeleteGreat news! The Church has recently taken off in Malawi with the number of branches doubling within the past year.
ReplyDelete