Missionaries serving in the Philippines report that the Philippines Baguio Mission will divide this summer to create the new Philippines Urdaneta Mission. One district from the Philippines Olongapo Mission will also be transferred to the new mission (Alaminos). The new Philippines Urdaneta Mission will include five stakes (Bayambang, Dagupan, Lingayen, Rosales, and Urdaneta) and five districts (Alaminos, Aguilar, Calasiao, Mandgaldan, and Mapandan) whereas the Philippines Baguio Mission will contain only three stakes (Baguio [currently part of the Philippines Laoag Mission], Candon, and San Fernando) and two districts (Agoo and Bauang). The new mission will bring the total of LDS missions in the Philippines to 18.
I have received multiple reports from various mission presidents that the LDS Church News will announce the creation of new missions in this weekend's issue.
I have been looking forward to learning about what the new missions will be.
ReplyDeleteI note that the Palmarejo Ward was created on Sunday in the Praia Cape Verde Stake. The stake now has 8 wards and 1 branch.
I am going to guess that the Democratic Republic of the Congo Lubumbashi Mission is going to split, with a new mission in the central part of the country with the Kananga and Luputa stakes and the Mbuji-Mayi district in the new mission.
ReplyDeleteWith 7 stakes in Kinshasa, plus a district and several branches in a number of other countries (Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Gabon), I can easily see the Kinshasa mission also splitting, perhaps with a mission headquartered in either the Republic of the Congo or Cameroon.
Sorry to keep throwing out comments, but another thought occurred to me. There are 11 stakes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 10 in Ghana. Ghana is noted for fast growth and the gospel has been rooted in Ghana longer. Ghana has a temple in operation and an area office, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo is announced and not yet under construction. And yet 11 stakes instead of 10.
ReplyDeleteOf course, 3 times as many people live in the DR Congo than Ghana (72 vice 24 million), but there are three missions in Ghana and two in the DR Congo. The DR Congo has about ten times the area, so it is much more spread out.
I guess I am amazed how quickly it has taken DR Congo to get to 11 stakes and I think a couple of more are possible soon. Of course, Ghana could in the near future have as many as three or four new stakes.
To Mike Johnson:
ReplyDeleteThe cdol is only showing 6 wards for Cape Verde. Is there another new ward besides Palmarejo?
With regard to comparisons between Ghana and DR Congo, membership growth has been close to 8% annually in Ghana and 12 1/2% in DR Congo in recent years, so DR Congo will probably be getting new stakes and mission(s) soon.
Interesting. These are the units I have for the Praia Cape Verde Stake:
ReplyDeleteAssomada Ward
Palmarejo Ward
Praia 1st Ward
Praia 2nd Ward
Praia 3rd Ward
Praia 4th Ward
Praia 5th Ward
Tarrafal Ward
Ribeirão Manuel Branch
Thanks Mike.
ReplyDeleteThis morning's cool report shows 8 wards and one branch instead of the 6 wards and 2 branches shown yesterday, so one of the former branches was raised to ward status. Also Cape Verde is in the Europe Area, even though it's off the west coast of Africa and congregations have grown from 18 to 24 just since Jan. 1, 2012.
I have a friend reporting two new missions in Arizona. might want to verify that if possible.
ReplyDelete