Top Five Encouraging LDS Missionary and Church Growth Developments for 2013

On cumorah.com, I just posted a new case study highlighting what I believe to be the five top encouraging LDS growth developments for 2013.  These developments include:

1. The Worldwide Surge in the Full-time Missionary Force and Hastening the Work of Salvation
2. Website Launched for the Church in China
3. Rapid Growth in West Africa
4. Progress Achieving "Real Growth" in Central and Western Europe  
5. Translations of the Book of Mormon Completed in Malay and Slovak

Click here to access the case study to read more about these developments.

New Stakes Created in Samoa, the Philippines, Ghana, and Utah; New District in Ghana; District Discontinued in Ghana

Samoa
On December 8th, a new stake was created in Samoa.  The Apia Samoa Central Stake was organized from the Apia Samoa and Pesega Samoa Stakes and includes the following six wards: The Alafua, Alamagoto, Motootua, Pesega 2nd, Vailima, and Vaimoso Wards.  There are now 19 stakes in Samoa.

Philippines
On December 8th, a new stake was created in the Philippines.  The San Gabriel Philippines Stake was created from the San Gabriel Philippines District and includes five wards: The Biñan, Bulihan, Carmona, Gma, and San Gabriel Wards.  There are now 88 stakes and 82 districts in the Philippines.

Ghana
On December 15th, a new stake was created in Ghana.  The Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake was organized from the original Kumasi Ghana Stake and the former Konongo Ghana District and includes the following five wards and five branches: The Asokwa, Buokrom, Dichemso, Kwamo, and University Wards and the Atonsu, Daban, Domeabra, Konongo 1st, and Konongo 2nd Branches.  The Konongo Ghana District was discontinued as the three branches in the Konongo area were reassigned to the new Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake.  The three branches in the Nkawkaw area now fall under the Ghana Kumasi Mission and will become their own district within the near future.

On December 22nd, a new district was created in Ghana.  The Obuasi Ghana District was organized from three mission branches in Obuasi (Obuasi 1st, 2nd, and 3rd).  Missionaries report that a fourth branch will be organized in the near future.

There are now 11 stakes and eight districts

Utah
On December 15th, a new stake was created in Utah.  The St. George Utah Boulder Ridge Stake was organized from the St. George Utah Little Valley Stake and includes the following seven wards: The
Crimson Cliffs, Foothills, Quail Valley, Sage Hollow, Stone Cliff, Stonehedge, and Treasure Valley Wards.  There are now 566 stakes and one district in Utah.

Map Comparing LDS and Community of Christ (RLDS) Congregation Distributions in French Polynesia

As part of a new case study I am writing for cumorah.com, I have created a map that provides the location for LDS and Community of Christ (RLDS) congregations in French Polynesia.  The population of all inhabited islands in French Polynesia is also provided.  The case study will likely not be posted on cumorah.com until early 2014 but I thought that many readers would appreciate me posting this map now.  The LDS Church and the Community of Christ are among the largest Christian denominations in French Polynesia and some islands are predominantly LDS and Community of Christ.  The first full-time missionaries assigned to serve a foreign language and foreign culture mission began serving in French Polynesia in 1844.

Click here to view the map.

New Stake Created in Tonga

Last Sunday a new stake was created in Tonga.

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Malapo Stake was organized from the Nuku'alofa Tonga Mu'a and Nuku'alofa Vaina Stakes and includes the following six wards and one branch: The Alakifonua, Holonga, Malapo,  Pelehake, Vaini 3rd, and Vaini 4th wards and the Longoteme Branch.  The neighboring Nuku'alofa Tonga South Stake was also realigned and several wards were transferred to the Nuku'alofa Tonga Vaina Stake.  The new stake becomes the third new stake created in Tonga since 2008.

View Wards and Branches on 'Eua and Nuku'alofa (Tonga) in a larger map
There are now 19 stakes and two districts in Tonga notwithstanding a tiny population of 106,000.

Cumorah.com Site Revamped

At cumorah.com, we have recently revamped our website to include additional resources such as statistical profiles for each country and a missiology encyclopedia.  We have also re-categorized our country-specific resources and made some additional changes.  Check out the new website here.

Landmark LDS Almanac Now Available on Kindle - Volume II

David Stewart and I have recently published our new book Reaching the Nations: International Church Growth Almanac: 2014 Edition, Volume II (Asia and Africa) on amazon.com for Kindle.  We are listing the Kindle edition for $20.  Click here for order on amazon.com.  We hope that many will utilize the Kindle edition of this massive comprehensive work considering Volume II is 942 pages.  Volume I (the Americas, Oceania, and Europe) can be ordered here.  Most of the information presented in both volumes is current as of mid-2013.  No other resource available provides as a complete and thorough examination and analysis of LDS growth trends on a country and regional level.

Landmark LDS Almanac Now Available on Kindle

David Stewart and I have recently published our new book Reaching the Nations: International Church Growth Almanac: 2014 Edition, Volume I (the Americas, Oceania, and Europe) on amazon.com for Kindle.  We are listing the Kindle edition for $20.  Click here for order on amazon.com.  We hope that many will utilize the Kindle edition of this massive comprehensive work considering Volume I is 976 pages.  The Kindle edition for Volume II (Asia and Africa) will be available within the next day or so.  Most of the information presented in the almanac is current as of mid-2013.  No other resource available provides as a complete and thorough examination and analysis of LDS growth trends on a country and regional level.

New Stakes Created in Bolivia, Guatemala, and Texas

Bolivia
Last Sunday a new stake was created in Bolivia.  The El Alto Bolivia Litoral Stake was organized from the El Alto Bolivia Stake and includes the following five wards: The Brasil, Dieciseis de Febrero, Litoral, Río Seco, and Unión Wards.  The new stake becomes the ninth stake in the El Alto/La Paz metropolitan area.  There are now 27 stakes and 10 districts in Bolivia.

Guatemala
A new stake was recently created in Guatemala.  The Escuintla Guatemala Stake was organized from the Escuintla Guatemala District.  The Church once operated a stake in Escuintla between 1988 and 1994 but discontinued the stake and downgraded it to a district.  It is unclear whether the Church will consider the new stake as a new stake creation or a reinstated stake.  No information is available on which branches became wards.  I will post this information under comments once it is available.  There are now 42 stakes and 18 districts in Guatemala.

Texas
The Church created a new stake in Texas two Sundays ago.  The Round Rock Texas East Stake was created from the Round Rock Texas Stake and includes the following seven wards and two branches: The Georgetown, Old Settlers, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Serenada, Stony Point, and Taylor Wards and the Palm Valley (Spanish) and Rockdale Branches.

First Stake to be Created in Togo This Sunday

Missionaries serving in the Benin Cotonou Mission report that the Church will organize its first stake in Togo this Sunday.  The Church in Togo organized its first and only district in Lome in December 2009 making just four years for the district to become a stake - perhaps the shortest period of time in the history of the Church in modern times for a district to become a stake in a country that has previously never had a stake organized before.  The Church has also experienced rapid congregational growth as the number of branches has increased from one in 2005 to five in 2012 and 11 early 2013.  Missionaries also report that a twelfth branch will be organized shortly (Kodjoviakope) and that a new member group or branch will also be created soon in the Baguida area.  The advancement of many of the branches into wards is a testament to good member activity and convert retention rates as recently organized branches have quickly reached the minimum standards to function as wards.

For more information on the Church in Lome please refer to a recently completed case study here.

District Discontinued in Argentina

A district was recently discontinued in Argentina.

The Reconquista Argentina District was consolidated with the neighboring Goya Argentina District to organize the new Rio Paraná Argentina District.  Organized in 1992, the Reconquista Argentina District had three branches.  The newly realigned Rio Paraná Argentina District now has six branches.  This move was likely done to help prepare the area for the creation of a stake sometime within the foreseeable future.

There are now 72 stakes and 34 districts in Argentina.