New District in Cambodia; Districts Discontinued in Russia, Venezuela, and Brazil

Cambodia

The Church created a new district in Cambodia last Sunday.  The Phnom Pehn Cambodia East District was organized from the Phnom Pehn Cambodia South District and includes the following four branches: The Chamkarmorn, Kean Svay, Ta Khmau 1st, and Ta Khmau 2nd Branches.  Four branches were retained in the Phnom Pehn Cambodia South District.

It is unclear why the Church created a fourth district in Phnom Penh as missionaries have reported that mission leadership was striving to create two new stakes in Phnom Penh sometime this year.  The creation of the new district may indicate that additional branches will be organized in the two districts or that the Vietnamese-speaking district may be consolidated with Cambodian-speaking districts.  At present, the only district in Phnom Penh with enough branches to become a stake is the Phnom Pehn Cambodia North District which has six branches.

Russia
The Perm Russia District was discontinued earlier this year.  The decision to close the district appeared motivated to consolidate resources and increase the number of active members in the city into a single branch.  There are now 10 districts and one stake in Russia.

Venezuela
The La Fria Venezuela District was discontinued and all four branches pertaining to the former district were reassigned to the San Cristóbal Venezuela Pirineos Stake.  Within the past couple years, the Church has experienced an increase in congregational growth in southwestern Venezuela.  The consolidation of the district with the neighboring stake may have been prompted to provide more local resources for the four branches and facilitate each of the branches to become wards in the stake.  There are now 33 stakes and seven districts in Venezuela

Brazil
A district was discontinued in southern Brazil.  The Santiago Brazil District was closed and one of the three branches in the city was discontinued.  The two remaining branches in the city now pertain to the Brazil Santa Maria Mission.  Slow membership growth and few active members likely prompted the closure of the district and one of the branches in the city.  There are now 242 stakes and 47 districts in Brazil.