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.

November 2013 Monthly Newsletter

We have posted our November 2013 monthly newsletter on cumorah.com providing updates on recent church growth developments worldwide and recently posted resources on our website.  Click here to access the newsletter.

Gabon Dedicated for Missionary Work

On November 5th, LDS apostle Elder David A. Bednar dedicated the Central African country of Gabon for missionary work.  Approximately 80 members, investigators, and visitors attended a special fireside held after the historic event.  The Church assigned its first senior missionary couple earlier this year to Gabon and missionaries report that the first young proselytizing missionaries will arrive any day to begin formal proselytism efforts.  The Church organized the Libreville Branch approximately a year ago.  Gabon is assigned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission and has a population of 1.6 million people.  Prospects appear highly favorable for the Church to divide the mission in 2014 and create a separate mission headquartered in Cameroon to service Cameroon and Gabon.

Thank You for Your Comments and Discussion

I wanted to thank those of you who read my blog and leave comments.  Your discussions and points you make regarding LDS Church growth and missionary work are interesting and add a lot of depth and perspective.  Unfortunately my extremely busy schedule limits the time I can spend participating in these discussions, but I want everyone to know that I do read all of your comments and that I appreciate them. 

District Discontinued in Papua New Guinea

A district was discontinued in Papua New Guinea.

Originally organized in 1993, the Nine Mile Papua New Guinea District was consolidated with the Gerehu Papua New Guinea District.  The realigned Gerehu Papua New Guinea District includes the following five branches: Eight Mile, Gerehu, Makana, Nine Mile, and Tokarara.  Two branches were closed in the former Nine Mile Papua New Guinea District (Morobe and Saivara) and one branch was closed within the original boundaries of the Gerehu Papua New Guinea District (Waigani).  The consolidation of the two districts may be part of plans for the district to become a stake within the foreseeable future.  See below for an updated map of LDS units in the Port Moresby area.

View Wards and Branches in Papua New Guinea in a larger map
The Church has experienced congregational decline in the Port Moresby metropolitan area within recent years whereas rapid congregational growth has occurred in many other areas of the country during this time.  Earlier this year one of the wards in the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Stake was closed and the stake now has a mere four wards and two branches.  A lack of LDS growth in Port Moresby may delay the announcement of a temple for Papua New Guinea as the Church currently lacks a sufficiently large center of strength that could support its own temple.

There are now two stakes and 11 districts in Papua New Guinea.

New Stake in Missouri; New Districts in Nigeria

Last Sunday, a new stake was created in Missouri in West Plains from a division of the St Robert Missouri Stake.  No information is currently available on whether additional stakes were involved with the creation of the new stake or what units pertain to the new stake.  This information will later be posted as a comment to this blog post.  There are now 15 stakes in Missouri.

Last Sunday, two new districts were created in Nigeria from a division of the Asaba Nigeria District.  The Agbor Nigeria District appears to include two branches (Agbor 1st and Agbor 2nd) whereas the Ogwashi-Nsukwa Nigeria District appears to include five branches (Adonte, Nsukwa, Ogwashi-Uku 1st, Ogwashi-Uku 2nd, and Ogwashi-Uku 3rd).  The strategy of the newly organized Nigeria Benin City Mission appears to center on helping each of these districts progress into stakes as opposed to facilitating the original Asaba Nigeria District to become a stake.  The realigned Asaba Nigeria District now appears to include just five branches (four in Asaba and one in Illah).  There are now 22 stakes and 21 districts in Nigeria.

New Stake in Colorado

Two Sundays ago, a new stake was created in Colorado.

The Brighton Colorado Stake was organized from a division of the Denver Colorado North Stake and includes the following six wards and one branch: The Brighton, Fort Lupton, Henderson, Monte Vista (Spanish), Reunion, and Riverdale Wards and the Northridge YSA Branch.  The new stake becomes the Church's 33rd stake in Colorado and the second new stake to be created in the state this year.

Several additional stakes appear likely to be organized in Colorado within the foreseeable future.  The Colorado Springs North Stake currently has 14 wards and may divide in the near future.  The Castle Rock Colorado and Highlands Ranch Colorado Stakes each have 11 wards at present and may divide to create a new stake headquartered in the Lone Tree area.  The Greeley Colorado and Loveland Colorado Stakes each have 11 wards and may divide to create a new stake. 

New Stake in Utah

Two Sundays ago, the Church created a new stake in Utah.  The Highland Utah Central Stake appeared to be created from at least two stakes in the Highland area, including the Highland Utah West Stake.  I will post which units are assigned to the new stake as a comment once this information becomes available. 

There are now 565 stakes and one district in Utah.

Reaching the Nations: International LDS Church Growth Almanac Available for Order

Approximately four years in the making, David Stewart and I have published our book Reaching the Nations: International LDS Church Growth Almanac (2014 Edition).  The almanac may be purchased through amazon.com.  Due to its thorough and comprehensive nature, the book is divided into two volumes.  We are also planning on having an eBook edition available.  See below for links to these volumes:

• Volume I
• Volume II

LDS Church Becomes Officially Registered with the Rwandan Government

At the end of last month, missionaries serving in the Uganda Kampala Mission reported that the Church had officially obtained government registration in Rwanda.  The Church had begun the registration process a year or two earlier and assigned the first young full-time missionaries in September 2012.  Government registration will now permit the Church to assign additional full-time missionary companionships and openly proselyte whereas missionaries previously worked off of member referrals.  The Uganda Kampala Mission had taken steps to expand outreach prior to receiving official registration.  Within the past year, the mission opened two new branches in Kigali and local members report steady increases in active membership in two of the three currently functioning branches.

Unprecedented Growth in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

Within the past two years, the Church has begun to experience unprecedented growth in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.  The number of wards in Abidjan has increased from 30 at year-end 2011 to 46 at present; a more than 50% increase in less than two years.  This phenomenal growth stands as perhaps the most rapid church growth experienced within the past decade considering it takes the Church often a decade for 50% growth in church units to occur for even locations where high receptivity occurs. 

See below for a map of LDS units in Abidjan.


View Wards and Branches in Cote d'Ivoire in a larger map

October 2013 Newsletter

We have posted our October 2013 edition of our monthly newsletter highlighting recent church growth developments and new and updated resources on cumorah.com.  Click here to access the newsletter.

Survey Request

As part of developing the best resources and references on LDS Church growth and missionary work available online, I periodically request returned missionaries and members to fill out surveys I created for returned missionaries and members.  Since August 2012, I have collected nearly 500 returned missionary surveys and almost 300 member surveys which have provided valuable data utilized for writing case studies and reporting on church growth developments.  These may be filled out anonymously if desired.  Responses are kept confidential and used for research purposes.  I am particularly interested in obtaining more member surveys and returned missionary surveys from members who have recently completed their missions.

The returned missionary survey can be found here and the member survey can be found here.

New Stake in Ecuador

Last Sunday a new stake was created in Ecuador.

The Quito Ecuador Turubamba Stake was organized from a division of the Quito Ecuador Chillogallo Stake and includes the following six wards: The Argelia, Asistencia Social, Manantial, Oriente Quiteno, Solanda, and Turubamba Wards.  The creation of the new stake marks the first time in four years that the Church has created a new stake in Ecuador. 

There are now 35 stakes and nine districts in Ecuador.

Rapid LDS Growth in Ghana - Predictions for New Stakes and Districts

The Church in Ghana is currently experiencing rapid growth as evidenced by the creation of new wards and branches on a regular basis, the opening of previously unreached cities to proselytism, and significant increases to the number of full-time missionaries assigned to the country.  The number of LDS missions in Ghana has increased from one in 2004 to four in 2013.  No other country in the world had only one mission in 2004 and today has as many missions as Ghana. 

With a significant increase in the size of the full-time missionary force and strong receptivity to the Church, there are currently several areas that appear likely to have new stakes and districts organized within the next three years.  Below is a map identifying these locations.  Current stakes and districts are indicated by yellow and green markers, respectively, whereas likely future stakes and districts are indicated by red markers (with dot = stake, without dot = district).


View Stakes and Districts in Ghana (with future predictions) in a larger map

Makeni, Sierra Leone Opening for Missionary Work

Missionaries serving in the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission report that Makeni will have full-time missionaries assigned for the first time beginning next missionary transfer.  Furthermore, mission leaders taught, interviewed, and baptized the first 11 converts in the Makeni Group and report that the group will soon become the first branch in this city of over 100,000.  Currently there are approximately 70 people attending group meetings, including 50 members who were baptized in other cities that have relocated to Makeni.  Additional cities may open to missionary work in Sierra Leone within the next few months as more than 60 new missionaries will arrive before the end of the year.  Missionaries also indicate the districts in Freetown East and Bo will likely become stakes in the near future.

See below for a map of LDS units in Sierra Leone.


View Wards and Branches in Sierra Leone in a larger map

15 Million Member Milestone Reached

This morning, President Thomas S. Monson reported that the Church reached the 15 million member milestone just two weeks ago.  Membership growth rates for 2013 thus far have not appeared to significant differ from other years within recent memory notwithstanding the massive surge in the full-time missionary force.  If membership growth rates achieved within the first nine months of 2013 are maintained for the remainder of the year, there will likely be a nominal membership increase of 290,000 for 2013 - approximately 50,000 less than the nominal membership increase of 341,000 for 2012.

Furthermore, with a worldwide membership activity rate estimated at 30%, it appears that 10 million of the current 15 million members are inactive or less-active members.

Church Releases Limited Demographic Data on Full-time Missionary Force

Yesterday the Church published an article providing information on the number of young men, young women, and seniors serving full-time missions for October 2012 and September 2013.

The Church currently reports 79,800 full-time missionaries serving worldwide; 21,100 more than a year earlier (36% increase).  Young elder missionaries number 54,200 (68%) whereas young sister missionaries total 19,300 (24%).  Senior missionaries number 6,300 (8%).  In October 2012, there were 58,700 missionaries serving including 44,800 young men (76%), 8,100 young women (14%), and 5,800 seniors (10%).

The percentage increase in young women serving missions is particularly impressive (140%).  To contrast, the number of young men serving missions increased by only 21% whereas the percentage of seniors serving missions increased by 8%.  Prior to the announcement adjusting the minimum age for missionary service, the percentage of young women comprising the full-time missionary force appeared constant for several years as in 2007 the Church reported that sisters comprised 13% of the worldwide missionary force compared to 14% in 2012.

It is important to note that the Church has also experienced a significant increase in the number of seniors serving full-time missions over the past year (8%) notwithstanding no "age adjustment" or other change in church policy that would explain a sudden increase in this missionary demographic.  The Church has recently (2011) made missions more flexible for seniors to accommodate their unique needs and living situations.  The implementation of this policy may have contributed to some of the recent increase in the number of senior missionaries serving.

The current number of missionaries serving is less than I originally predicted for the one year anniversary of the adjusted mission age announcement.  In an article for cumorah.com, I predicted that there may be as many as 89,000 missionaries serving by October 2013 "due to a net increase of 31,000 missionaries (15,000 missionaries from lowering the mission age for men, 7,500 missionaries from lowering the mission age for women, 5,000 from hypothetically increasing the percentage of single men in North America who serve a mission by five percent, and 3,500 missionaries from the Church perpetuating its six percent annual growth rate for the number of missionaries serving that has occurred over the past two years independent of lowering mission ages)."  It appears that the Church has not reached 89,000 missionaries at the one-year anniversary primarily due to a smaller-than-expected increase for young men serving missions worldwide.

Most Populous Metropolitan Areas in the Middle East and North Africa and Status of LDS Outreach Map

We have completed our map displaying all metropolitan areas in the Middle East and North Africa with one million or more inhabitants and the status of LDS outreach in each location. Each metropolitan area contains extensive LDS statistics regarding the growth and size of the Church. Past successes and opportunities and challenges for future growth are examined for each location. See below to view the map.


View Major Metropolitan Areas in the Middle East and North Africa in a larger map

Top Five Temple Predictions for October 2013 Conference

After receiving requests from readers, I have decided to post my top five temple announcement predictions for this weekend's General Conference.  The Church has announced five new temples during four of the five past October General Conferences whereas the Church announced only two temples during last year's October General Conference.  It is unclear whether the Church will make any temple announcements this weekend, especially considering no temple dedications have occurred since last conference and two temples were announced last April.

1. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire -  The LDS Church News reported earlier this year that, "Three of the five [Cote d'Ivoire] stakes are among the top 25 in the Church in the percentage of adults who submitted family names for temple ordinances during 2012."  The Church in Abidjan continues to experience rapid growth, with four of the five stakes having been organized since 2000.
2. Managua, Nicaragua - Nicaragua is currently the country with the most members without a temple.  In 2012, LDS Apostle Elder Russell M. Nelson predicted that a temple would be built in Managua one day.
3. Puebla, Mexico - Puebla is currently one of the metropolitan areas in the world with the largest number of stakes without a temple.  The Mexico City Mexico Temple currently has one of the largest number of stakes assigned to a temple district worldwide.
4. Layton, Utah - Perhaps as many as 35-40 stakes could be serviced by a temple constructed in Layton.  The Ogden Utah Temple currently has one of the most stakes in a temple district in the world with 75 stakes.
5. Brasilia, Brazil - Missionaries and church leaders have talked for many years about the possibility of a temple being constructed in Brazil's capital city.  A future temple in Brasilia would likely serve as many as 13 stakes and four districts in areas that are distant from the Campinas Brazil Temple.

For a map displaying additional locations that appear likely for temple announcements within the foreseeable future, click here.

New District Created in Brazil

Members in Brazil report that last Sunday the Church created a new district in the Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission.  The Divinópolis Brazil District was created from a division of the Contagem Brazil Stake and appears to include the following four branches: The Divinópolis 1st, Divinópolis 2nd, Pará de Minas, and Itaúna Branches.  The new district becomes the Church's first new district to be created in Brazil since 2010.

There are now 249 stakes and 40 districts in Brazil.

September 2013 Newsletter

We have posted the September issue of our newsletter for cumorah.com.  Click here to access the newsletter.  To view previous editions of our newsletter, click here.

New Stake in California

Last Sunday a new stake was created in California.

The Lake Elsinore California Stake was created from a division of the Menifee California Stake.  The new stake includes the following seven wards: The Canyon Lake, El Cariso Ward (Spanish), Lake Elsinore, Newport YSA, Ortega, Temescal Canyon, and Wildomar Wards. 

There are now 157 stakes in California.

New Stake in Colorado

Last Sunday a new stake was created in Colorado.  The Aurora Colorado South Stake was created from a division of the Arapahoe Colorado and the Aurora Colorado Stakes and includes the following seven wards: The Aurora Highlands, Crestmoor, Denver 4th (Spanish), Hampden Hills, Heather Ridge, Meadowood, and Seven Hills Wards.  The realigned Arapahoe Colorado Stake now includes eight wards whereas the realigned Aurora Colorado Stake includes six wards and one branch.

There are now 32 stakes in Colorado.

LDS General Conference Priesthood Meeting to be Broadcast Live and Online

Yesterday the Church announced that for the first time members of the Church could view the priesthood session of General Conference via the internet and television within their own homes.  Prior to the announcement all priesthood sessions of General Conference were televised only to LDS meetinghouses.  The Church indicates that the decision to permit members to view priesthood session proceedings away from church buildings is part of an ongoing effort to make conference proceedings more accessible to membership around the world.  Click here to access the article on this news development.

This development will likely have little, if any, influence of LDS growth trends around the world.  The Church publishes talks for all General Conference sessions on its internet site in video, audio, and written forms in scores of languages within just a week after conference concludes.  The translation of General Conference into additional languages has potential to accelerate growth if missionaries and church leaders ensure that these conference resources are utilized among populations who speak these languages.  At last count, the Church translated General Conference into 93 languages.

New Stake Created in the Philippines

Last Sunday, the Church created a new stake in the Philippines.  The San Jose Del Monte Philippines Stake was created from the San Jose Del Monte Philippines District.  Prior to becoming a stake, the district had six branches and most, if not all, of these branches have likely become wards in the new stake. 

There are now 87 stakes and 83 districts in the Philippines.

Most Populous Metropolitan Areas in Sub-Saharan Africa and Status of LDS Outreach Map

We have completed our map displaying all metropolitan areas in Sub-Saharan Africa with one million or more inhabitants and the status of LDS outreach in each location.  Each metropolitan area contains extensive LDS statistics regarding the growth and size of the Church.  Past successes and opportunities and challenges for future growth are examined for each location.  See below to view the map.



View Major Metropolitan Areas in Sub-Saharan Africa in a larger map

New Stake in France

Last Sunday, the Church created a new stake in France.  Contrary to some missionary reports I received, only one new stake was organized and I apologize for the misinformation.  The Paris France South Stake was organized from a realignment of the Angers France, Paris France, and Paris France East Stakes and includes the following five wards and five branches: Antony, Évry, Le Mans, Melun, and Orléans Wards and the Alençon, Blois, Bourges, Chartres and Tours Branches.  The Church consolidated the Lorient France District with the renamed Angers France Stake (Rennes France Stake) and none of the six branches in the former district became wards.  The Bordeaux France Stake also gained two units that previously pertained to the original Angers France Stake.  With the realignment of stakes and the creation of the new stake, there are now no member districts in France. 

Currently there are 10 stakes in France.  Missionaries report that groundbreaking on the Paris France Temple may occur in the coming weeks.

New Stake in Italy

Yesterday the Church created its second stake in Rome from a portion of the original Rome Italy Stake and the Napoli Italy and Sardegna Italy Districts.  The Rome Italy West Stake includes the following five wards and seven branches: The Cagliari, Caserta, Ladispoli, Roma 1st, and Roma 4th Wards and the Battipaglia, Castellammare, Flegreo, Napoli, Olbia, Oristano, and Sassari Branches.  The realigned Rome Italy Stake was renamed the Rome Italy East Stake and includes the following five wards and two branches: The Pescara, Roma 2nd, Roma 3rd, Roma 6th, and Terni Wards and the L'Aquila and Roma 5th Branches.  The creation of the new stake was primarily made possible due to strong active membership and congregational growth within the original Rome Italy Stake (organized in 2005).  The Roma 6th Ward, for example, was created from the Roma 3rd Ward; a ward that split just last year to form the Roma 5th Branch.  It is likely that additional branches in both stakes will mature into wards within the foreseeable future.  See below for a map of LDS units in the Italy Rome Mission.



View Wards and Branches in the southern Italian Peninsula, Sardegna, and Sicily (Italy) and Malta in a larger map
There are now nine stakes and three districts in Italy.

Updated Potential New Temples Map

In preparation for General Conference in early October, I updated my potential new temples map.  Likely stakes and districts serviced by these potential new temples are provided for each location.  Only a few minor changes were made, including the removal of Cedar City, Utah and Rio de Janiero, Brazil due to temple announcements in these locations and the addition of La Paz, Bolivia.



View Potential New Temples in a larger map

The 10 Countries and Dependencies with the Most Members without a Temple Announced, Under Construction, or Operating

In preparation for General Conference next month, I have provided an updated list of the countries and dependencies with the most members without a temple.  The Church has announced new temples at every October General Conference since 2008.  Membership data is as of year-end 2012 whereas stake, district, and congregational data is current.  Temples that service stakes, districts, and mission branches in each country are identified.  Old lists are also available for mid-2011, late 2008, and late 2007.

1. Nicaragua

• 80,605 members
• 9 stakes, 6 districts
• 101 congregations
• Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple

2. Zimbabwe

• 23,117 members
• 5 stakes, 2 districts
• 60 congregations
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple

3. Russia

• 21,709 members
• 2 stakes, 3 districts
• 98 congregations
• Kyiv Ukraine Temple, Helsinki Finland Temple, Seoul Korea Temple

4. Papua New Guinea

• 21,265 members
• 2 stakes, 12 districts
• 76 congregations
• Sydney Australia Temple

5. Puerto Rico

• 21,174 members
• 5 stakes, 0 districts
• 41 congregations
• Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple

6. Cote d'Ivoire

• 18,602 members
• 5 stakes, 1 district
• 62 congregations
• Accra Ghana Temple

7. Haiti

• 18,165 members
• 4 stakes, 3 districts
• 43 congregations
• Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple

8. Thailand

• 17,424 members
• 1 stake, 5 districts
• 38 congregations
• Hong Kong China Temple

9. Kiribati

• 16,279 members
• 2 stakes, 0 districts
• 26 congregations
• Suva Fiji Temple

10. American Samoa

• 15,629 members
• 5 stakes
• 38 congregations
• Apia Samoa Temple

Two New Stakes to be Created in France

Missionaries serving in France report that the Church will organize two new stakes in a couple weeks within the boundaries of the France Paris Mission.  Missionary reports indicate that the Church will realign stakes in the Paris area to create a third stake in Paris and that the Lorient France District will also become a stake.  The Angers France Stake appears like to be affected by the creation of these two stakes and several congregations in the Angers France Stake will likely to reassigned to one of the new stakes.

Currently there are nine stakes and one district in France.

New Post on LDS Congregational Growth in the United States

After several months of not updating my blog on congregational growth in the United States, I have just completed a new post detailing new unit creations, unit discontinuations, and unit upgrades and downgrades since late May.  Within the past few months the number of wards in the United States increased by over 30 and the number of branches increased by approximately five.  Click here for more details.

August Newsletter Posted

We have posted our August newsletter for cumorah.com providing updates on recent church growth developments and additional resources added to the website.  The newsletter can be accessed here.

Major Metropolitan Areas of the World and Status of LDS Outreach

On cumorah.com, I am in the process of creating maps that identify all metropolitan areas of the world with one million or more inhabitants and the status of LDS outreach.  These major metropolitan areas - which currently number over 500 - are important urban centers for the Church to target due to high population densities, easier accessibility than smaller cities and rural areas, and their cultural, economic, and societal prominence in their respective region or the world as a whole.  The establishment of the Church in these cities and its subsequent growth are vital towards the Church establishing additional centers of strength from which to base future outreach expansion efforts into surrounding areas and to bolster international self-sufficiency of the Church. 

These maps will include the most recent population estimate for each metropolitan area as well as current statistics on the Church (i.e., year LDS presence established, number of stakes, estimated percentage LDS, ect.) and a brief analysis of successes, opportunities, and challenges for growth.  I am hoping to receive quality feedback on this project from interested readers.  Click here to view the preliminary regional map of Sub-Saharan Africa where city profiles are complete for Freetown, Sierra Leone and Monrovia, Liberia.

New Stake in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Last Sunday a new stake was created in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic (DR) of the Congo.

The Kisanga DR Congo Stake was organized from the Katuba DR Congo Stake and includes the following seven wards and two branches: The Gecamines 1st, Gecamines 2nd, Katuba 3rd, Kisanga 1st, Kisanga 2nd, Mampala, and Plateau Wards and the Kasambalesa and Kipushi Branches.  The new stake becomes the Church's third stake in the Lubumbashi area.  The Church organized the first two stakes (Lubumbashi and Katuba) in 1997 and 2009, respectively, and the Church realigned these two stakes as a result of the creation of the new Kisanga stake.  All three stakes currently have seven to eight wards.  I estimate that approximately 0.41% of the city population of 1.73 million is LDS.

Prospects appear highly favorable for the organization of additional wards following the creation of a third stake.  However, inadequate numbers of current meetinghouses - which are often too small to meet the current size of wards in the city - pose a significant barrier to greater growth.  The Church recently instituted a new meetinghouse construction program which has potential to ameliorate this need.

There are now 12 stakes and three districts in the DR Congo.  Missionaries report that the Kananga DR Congo Stake will divide in the near future to create a second stake in that city.  The first stake in Kananga was organized only two years ago.

District Discontinued in Peru

A district was discontinued in Peru.

The Huaral Peru District was discontinued and both branches that previously pertained to the district (Chancay and Huaral) now report directly to the Peru Lima West Mission.  Organized in 2010, the district had four branches but two of the branches were closed in April 2013.  Member activity and convert retention problems and few available priesthood leaders to staff both branch and district callings likely contributed to the closure of the district.

There are now 100 stakes and 21 districts in Peru.

First LDS Stake to be Created in the Canary Islands in September

Members and missionaries report that the Church will organize its first stake in the Canary Islands this September.  Currently there are 10 branches in the sole district that operates in the islands.  It is unclear how many of the branches will become wards once the stake is officially organized.

The Church has a unique history in the Canary Islands.  Formal missionary activity began in the late 1970s and the population exhibited high receptivity to LDS missionaries.  In 1988, the Church organized a separate mission based in the Canary Islands (Spain Las Palmas) that also administered the Portuguese-administered Madeira Islands.  During the first year of operation, the Spain Las Palmas Mission baptized over 1,000 converts; essentially increasing the number of members on church records by 50%.  By 2001, there were three member districts (Fuerteventura, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife) and 18 branches in the Canary Islands.  Low member activity rates, a major decline in the number of convert baptisms, leadership development problems, and reduced missionary resources assigned to Europe resulted in the closure of the Spain Las Palmas Mission in 2006, the closure of two of the three member districts, and the number of branches declining from 18 to 10 by the early 2010s.  Missionaries reported efforts to create the first stake in the islands for many years.  The Canary Islands currently pertain to the Spain Madrid Mission.

Click here for an LDS Church News article on the Church in the Canary Islands written in 1990.

District Discontinued in Argentina

The Church has discontinued the Tres Arroyos Argentina District.  Comprising only two branches in the city of Tres Arroyos, the district was consolidated with the neighboring Necochea Argentina District.  Prospects appear favorable for the organization of a stake from the realigned Necochea Argentina District as the district now has seven branches.  Although the closure of districts generally correlates with problems pertaining to leadership development, member activity and convert retention rates, and small numbers of convert baptisms, this particular instance has appeared warranted due to the district containing only two branches for what has appeared to be its entire duration of operating from 2004 to 2013.

There are now 72 stakes and 34 districts in Argentina.

New District Created in Ghana

Yesterday the Church created a new district in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission.  The Twifu Praso Ghana District was organized from the Assin Foso Ghana Stake and appears to include the following six branches: The Kenkuase, Nuamakrom, Nyenasi, Twifu Hemang, Twifu Praso 1st, and Twifu Praso 2nd Branches.  The Church has experienced rapid growth in this area of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission within the past few years as the Assin Foso Ghana Stake was organized in 2011 and had nine wards and four branches just prior to the creation of the Twifo Praso Ghana District.  Of the six branches that appear to pertain to the new district, two previously functioned as wards (Nuamakrom and Twifu Praso 1st).  The Ghana Cape Coast Mission President reported approximately 500 people attended the conference to organize the district - a number comparable to many stake conferences held outside of the United States.   It is likely that the new district may mature into a stake within the next five to ten years if steady growth in the number of active members continues.

There are now 10 stakes and eight districts in Ghana.  Click here for a map of missions, stakes, and districts in Ghana.

July 2013 Newsletter

Click here to access our July 2013 newsletter of recent church growth developments and new resources added to cumorah.com.

Stakes Likely to Split in the United States

Below is a list of stakes in the United States that appear likely to split within the near future.  The previous list was posted in 2009.

• Wasilla Alaksa (13 wards, 1 branch)
• Taylor Arizona (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Thatcher Arizona (11 wards)
• Gilbert Arizona Higley (12 wards)
• Mesa Arizona Desert Ridge (13 wards)
• Phoenix Arizona (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Queen Creek Arizona North (13 wards)
• Queen Creek Arizona South (12 wards
• North Little Rock Arkansas (9 wards, 7 branches)
• Rogers Arkansas (11 wards, 4 branches)
• Los Angeles California Stake (12 wards)
• Menifee California (14 wards, 1 branch)
• Arapahoe Colorado (14 wards)
• Denver Colorado North (12 wards)
• Colorado Springs North (14 wards)
• Greeley Colorado (11 wards, 3 branches)
• Loveland Colorado (11 wards)
• Meeker Colorado (11 wards, 4 branches)
• Springfield Missouri South (11 wards, 2 branches)
• Billings Montana (11 wards, 4 branches)
• Henderson Nevada Black Mountain (12 wards)
• Las Veas Nevada South (13 wards)
• North Las Vegas Nevada (14 wards)
• Sparks Nevada (12 wards, 1 branch)
• New York New York (13 wards,1 branch)
• Apex North Carolina (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Keizer Oregon (12 wards, 4 branches)
• Providence Rhode Island (10 wards, 4 branches)
• Allen Texas (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Austin Texas (11 wards)
• Colleyville Texas (14 wards)
• Cypress Texas (12 wards)
• Dallas Texas (11 wards, 3 branches)
• Dallas Texas East (11 wards)
• Denton Texas (12 wards)
• Frisco Texas (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Round Rock Texas (12 wards)
• San Antonio Texas East (11 wards, 2 branches)
• San Antonio Texas West (13 wards)
• Spring Texas (11 wards)
• Alpine Utah North (14 wards)
• Bluffdale Utah (13 wards)
• Eagle Mountain Utah (12 wards)
• Herriman Utah Rose Canyon (12 wards)
• Herriman Utah South (12 wards)
• Highland Utah (13 wards)
• Highland Utah West (12 wards)
• Hooper Utah (13 wards)
• Huntsville Utah (12 wards)
• Kaysville Utah West (12 wards) 
• La Verkin Utah (12 wards)
• Lehi Utah Gateway (12 wards)
• Mapleton Utah (12 wards)
• Pleasant View Utah (12 wards)
• Saratoga Springs Utah South (13 wards)
• St George Utah Bloomington Hills (12 wards)
• St George Utah Little Valley (14 wards)
• Tooele Utah North (12 wards)
• Ashburn Virginia (12 wards)
• Fredericksburg Virginia (13 wards, 2 branches)
• Mount Vernon Virginia (13 wards)
• Bellevue Washington (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Maple Valley Washington (12 wards)
• Tacoma Washington (12 wards)
• Vancouver Washington East (11 wards)
• Laramie Wyoming (12 wards, 1 branch)
• Gillette Wyoming (10 wards, 5 branches)

Rapid LDS Growth in Gagnoa, Cote d'Ivoire

Within the last month, the Church organized three new branches within the city of Gagnoa, Cote d'Ivoire.  No wards or branches previously functioned in the city prior to the creation of the Babre, Garahio, and Ouragahio Branches, suggesting that the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission established multiple member groups in Gagnoa either through mission leaders traveling to visit isolated members and investigators in the city or through assigning full-time missionaries and starting multiple member groups.  Due to limited member and missionary reports from Cote d'Ivoire, I cannot confirm how the Church has established an initial presence in this large city.  However it appears that the Church has become more aggressive in its outreach expansion efforts in the Africa West Area as demonstrated by the recently opening of two additional major cities in Ghana (Tamale and Techiman) and significant congregational growth in Benin and Togo.  Two additional cities in Cote d'Ivoire have had the first LDS units organized recently included Bonoua and Bouafle.

See below for a map displaying the locations of wards and branches in Cote d'Ivoire.



View Wards and Branches in Cote d'Ivoire in a larger map

LDS Membership and Percentage LDS Map for the United States

As part of completing a project for cumorah.com, I have recently created a map of the United States displaying LDS membership and the percentage LDS by state.  See below to view the map.  Refer to the LDS International Atlas on cumorah.com for maps of other countries displaying estimated LDS membership and the percentage of members by administrative division.



View LDS Membership and Percentage of LDS members by Administrative Division in the United States in a larger map

Potential Mission Districts

I have provided an updated list of mission districts which I think are likely to be organized in the next couple years.  Mission districts are analogous to stakes as they administer multiple branches (usually three to ten) but they have less independence in church administration and leadership than stakes.  The creation of mission districts signals progress in church growth as it is an important step for the Church to establish a "center of strength" in a new location from a handful of mission branches into a more organized entity which has potential to become a stake.  The creation of a district from branches that were previously assigned to no stake or district but reported directly to the mission or area president suggests maturation in local leadership which can provide sufficient manpower and quality leaders to staff both branch and district callings.  Potential new districts listed below were identified based on recent congregational growth trends, missionary reports on the number of convert baptisms and activity rates, and distance and location from other nearby stakes and districts.  Previous lists are available for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012.

Like other administrative and congregational units, the creation of districts is approved by the First Presidency.  Information used to compile this list does not contain any unauthorized information and I take full responsibility for this work.

AFRICA

• Atta Nigeria (5) [Atta, Amaimo, Amakohia, Orlu, and Umundugba Branches - all currently administered by the Owerri Nigeria Stake]
• Awasa Ethiopia (2) [Awasa and Wendo Genet Branches; Dilla, Negele, and Shashemene Groups - all currently administered by the Addis Ababa Ethiopia District]
• Axim Ghana (3) [Agona Nkwanta, Axim, and Nkroful Branches - all currently administered by the Ghana Cape Coast Mission]
• Bujumbura Burundi (3) [Bujumbura 1st, Bujumbura 2nd, and Uvira Branches - all currently administered by the DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission]
• Francistown Botswana (1) [Francistown Branch and the Gerald and Monarch - all currently administered by the Botswana Gaborone Mission]
• Gulu Uganda (2) [Bar Dege and Gulu Branches and the Kitgum Group - all currently administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
• Ho Ghana (3) [Ho 1st, Ho 2nd, and Tsito Branches - all currently administered by the Kpong Ghana District]
• Kilungu Hills Kenya (4) [Ilima, Kilili, Kyambeke, and Matini Branches and the Matua Group - all currently administered by the Kenya Nairobi Mission]
• Kitale Kenya (5) [Kitale, Mautuma, Misikhu, Naitiri, and Sikhendu Branches - all currently administered by the Eldoret Kenya District] 
• Lilongwe Malawi (3) [Kauma 1st, Kauma 2nd, and Lilongwe Branches - all currently administered by the Zambia Lusaka Mission]
• Lira Uganda (2) [Adyel and Lira Branches - both administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
• Mombasa Kenya (3) [Bamburi, Changamwe, and Mombasa Branches - all currently administered by the Kenya Nairobi Mission]
• Pointe-Noire Republic of Congo (3) [Aeroporto, Mpaka, and Pointe-Noire Branches - all currently administered by the DR Congo Kinshasa Mission] 
• Rwanda Kigali (3) [Kigali 1st, Kigali 2nd, and Kigali 3rd Branches - all currently administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
• Sal Cape Verde (2) [Sal 1st and Sal 2nd Branches (missionaries report a third branch will be organized) - both branches pertain to the Mindelo Cape Verde Stake]
• Queenstown South Africa (4) [Queenstown and Sada Wards; Ilinge and Umata Branches - all currently administered by the East London South Africa Stake] 
• San Pedro Cote d'Ivoire (4) [Meagui, San Pedro, Seweke 1st, and Seweke 2nd Branches - all currently administered by the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission] 
• Yenagoa Nigeria (4) [Iboghene, Onopa-Ovum, Opolo, and Yenezuepie Branches - all currently administered by the Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission]

ASIA

• Guimaras Philippines (3) [Buenavista, Jordan, and Valencia Branches; also at least two groups in Comian and Sibunag - all units currently assigned to the Ililio Philippines Stake]
• Tagudin Philippines (4) [Balaoan, Bangar, Luna, and Tagudin Branches - branches currently assigned to either the Candon Phillipines or San Fernando Philippines Stakes]

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

• Barreiras Brazil (3) [Barreiras 1st, Barreiras 2nd, and Luis Eduardo Magalhaes Branches - all branches currently assigned to the Brazil Salvador South Mission]
• Cruzeiro do Sul Brazil (3) [Cruzeiro do Sul, Formoso, and Remanso Branches - all branches currently assigned to the Brazil Manaus Mission]

OCEANIA

• Aoba Vanuatu (6) [Apopo, Lobori, Lolotinge, Lovutialao, Navuti, and Redcliff Branches - all currently assigned to the Luganville Vanuatu District]
• Kiritimati Kiribati (3) [Banana, Christmas Island, and Fanning Island Branches - all currently assigned to the Marshall Islands Majuro Mission]
• Tanna Vanuatu (5) [Greenhill, Greenpoint, Saetsiwi, White Sands, and Whitegrass Branches - all currently assigned to the Port Vila Vanuatu District]

New Stake in Nigeria

A new stake was organized in Nigeria.

The Warri Nigeria Stake was organized from the Warri Nigeria District.  Information on which of the eight branches in the district were upgraded to wards is currently unavailable.  The new stake becomes the Church's first stake in the Nigerian state of Delta where only one other member district functions in Asaba.  In 1993, only one branch operated in Warri under the jurisdiction of a stake in Benin City.  In 1999, there were a sufficient number of branches in the city to organize a member district.  The district previously pertained to the Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission but as of July 1st the entire state of Delta now pertains to the newly created Nigeria Benin City Mission.

There are a large number of member districts in Nigeria that appear likely to become stakes within the next couple years - perhaps more than ever before in the Church's history in Nigeria.  Provided with the current number of branches in parentheses, districts that appear most likely to become stakes in the near future include the Abak Nigeria District (7), the Abeokuta Nigeria District (8), the Akamkpa Nigeria District (7), the Asaba Nigeria District (12), the Ekpoma Nigeria District (9), the Enugu Nigeria District (10), the Ibadan Nigeria District (7), the Ikot Ekpene Nigeria District (7), the Ile-Ife Nigeria District (8), Okpuala Ngwa Nigeria District (8), the Onitsha Nigeria District (10), and the Umuahia Nigeria District (11).  Most of these districts have had multiple new branches organized within the past couple years and have experienced rapid growth within the past decade.

There are now 22 stakes and 19 districts in Nigeria.

June 2013 Newsletter

Click here to read our June 2013 monthly newsletter from cumorah.com regarding church growth developments and recently posted resources on our website.

New Stakes Created in Brazil and Peru

Brazil
Two new stakes were created in Brazil from districts.  The Pirassununga Brazil Stake was organized from the Pirassununga Brazil District and includes the following five wards: The Leme, Mococa, Pirassununga 1st, Pirassununga 2nd, and Porto Ferreira Wards.  The Santo Ângelo Brazil Stake was organized from the Santo Ângelo Brazil District and the Brazil Santa Maria Mission and includes the following five wards and one branch: The Hortencia, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Santo Ângelo, and Sao Luiz Gonzaga Wards and the Santa Rosa Cruzeiro Branches.  With the creation of the two new stakes there are now 249 stakes and 39 districts in Brazil.

Peru
The Church organized its 100th stake in Peru last Sunday.  The Lima Perú Santa Patricia Stake was organized from the Lima Perú La Molina and Lima Perú Sucro Stakes and includes the following seven wards: The Chacarilla, La Molina Vieja, Mayorazgo, Monterrico, San Borja, Santa Felicia, and Santa Patricia Wards.  The new stake becomes the 42nd stake in Lima.

New Stakes Created in Costa Rica and Utah; District Discontinued in Costa Rica

Costa Rica
Two Sundays ago, the Church organized its sixth stake in Costa Rica.  The Heredia Costa Rica Stake was organized from the Alajuela Costa Rica Stake and includes the following five wards and two branches: The Belen, Flores, Heredia, Ojo de Agua, and San Francisco Wards and the San Rafael and Santo Domingo Branches.  As part of the new stake creation, the nearby Naranjo Costa Rica District was consolidated with the Alajuela Costa Rica Stake and two branches in the former district were upgraded to ward status.  There are now six stakes and four districts in Costa Rica

Utah
The Church organized a new stake in Utah last Sunday.  The Orem Utah Vineyard Stake was organized from the Orem Utah Sunset Heights Stake and includes the following seven wards and one branch: The Vineyard 1st, Vineyard 2nd, Vineyard 3rd (Spanish), Vineyard 4th, Vineyard 5th. Vineyard 6th and Vineyard 7th Wards and the Geneva Branch (Care Center).  There are now 564 stakes and one district in Utah.

First LDS Stake Created in Armenia

Last Sunday, the Church organized its first stake in the small Christian country of Armenia.  Located in the Caucasus Mountains and surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, and the Republic of Georgia, Armenia is the world's oldest Christian country where the majority of the population adheres to the Armenian Apostolic Church.  The LDS Church began missionary activity in Armenia during the early 1990s and the Church organized the first member district in 1994.  In 1999, the Church organized the Armenia Yerevan Mission from the Russia Rostov Mission.  Steady membership growth occurred during the late 1990s and the 2000s and several additional branches were organized in Yerevan and additional cities.  In 2008, the Church organized a second member district in Yerevan with the goal to eventually organize two stakes in Yerevan within the medium term.  In 2011, the two districts in Yerevan were consolidated into a single district and four branches were closed in preparation to create ward-sized units. During the past decade, the Church has struggled with inactivity problems incurred by quick-baptism tactics employed during many years in the 2000s and the emigration of active membership.

Information on which branches in the district became wards in the new stake is not currently available and I will post this information once it becomes available.  As of year-end 2012, Armenia ranked as the country with the thirteenth most members without a stake with 3,024 members, 11 branches, and one district.  The new Yerevan Armenia Stake becomes one of the Church's most isolated stakes in the world as the nearest stakes to Yerevan are located in Kyiv, Ukraine (approximately 1,000 miles away) and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (over 1,200 miles away).  Due to visa restrictions, only 57 missionaries serve in the entire Armenia Yerevan Mission which includes Armenia and the Republic of Georgia.

For more information on LDS Church growth in Armenia, refer to our statistical profile, country profile, and LDS International Atlas on cumorah.com.

100th Stake to be Organized in Peru

Members in Peru report that in two weekends the Church will organized its 100th stake in the country through a division of the Lima Peru La Molina Stake.  Currently only three countries have more than 100 stakes: The United States (1,503), Brazil (247), and Mexico (226).  One country (Chile) once had more than 100 stakes currently has 74 stakes as a result of the consolidation of over 40 stakes a decade ago due to inactivity and leadership problems.  Once the stake is organized there will be 42 stakes in the Lima metropolitan area - the second highest for any metropolitan area outside the United States after Mexico City.

For more information on this development, visit a Facebook page by clicking here.

New Stake in Zimbabwe; New District in French Polynesia

Zimbabwe
A new stake as created last Sunday in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.  The Nkulumane Zimbabwe Stake was organized from the Bulawayo Zimbabwe Stake and includes the following four wards and four branches: The Nketa 1st, Nkulumane 1st, Nkulumane 2nd, and Tshabalala Wards and the Emganwini, Mzilikazi, Nketa 2nd, and Nkulumane 3rd Branches.  There are now five stakes and two districts in Zimbabwe.

French Polynesia
Last Sunday a new district was organized in French Polynesia.  The Taiohae Marquesas Islands District was organized from two former mission branches in the Marquesas Islands (Hiva Oa and Taiohae).  Additional branches may be organized within the boundaries of the new district considering there are only two branches in the new district.  There are now eight stakes and four districts in French Polynesia.

New Stake Created in Peru; District Discontinued in Peru

New Stake
Last Sunday, a new stake was created in Lima, Peru.  The Lima Perú Pachacamac Stake was organized from the Lima Peru Villa Salvador Stake and includes the following six wards: The Floresta, José Gálvez, Las Lomas, Lurin, Pachacamac, and Villa Alejandro Wards.  There are now 41 stakes in the Lima metropolitan area.

District Discontinued
The Church recently discontinued the Marcona Peru District.  With originally only two branches, the former district had one of its two branches closed and was consolidated with the nearby Nazca Peru District (which had one of its three branches closed).  The Nazca Peru District now has three branches within its boundaries.

There are now 99 stakes and 22 districts in Peru.

May 2013 Newsletter

Our monthly newsletter from cumorah.com providing church growth news and a summary of recently added resources to the website is now available.  Click here to access the newsletter.

Updated Missionary Numbers

In an article in the Deseret News, the Church reported 68,700 full-time missionaries serving as of May 29th, 2013.  Currently 22,500 members have received their mission calls but have not yet entered the Missionary Training Center (MTC) and an additional 6,200 members are in the process of completing their missionary applications.  Church officials project that the number of full-time missionaries will reach 85,000 this fall; a 47% increase from the approximately 58,000 missionaries serving in October 2012.

For more information about the recent increase in the full-time missionary force for the LDS Church, please refer to the following resources:

• Lowering the Minimum Mission Age: Analysis and Predictions for Growth for the LDS Church
• Analysis of New Missions to be Organized in July 2013
• Raising the Bar and Increasing the Number of Members Serving Missions
• 2012 Annual Statistical Report (blog post)
• April 6th, 2013 Update on the Number of Full-time Missionaries Serving  (blog post)
• March 27th, 2013 Update on the Number of Full-time Missionaries Serving (blog post)
• January 8th, 2013 Update on the Number of Full-time Missionaries Serving (blog post)

New Stake in Australia

A new stake was created in Australia.

The Sydney Australia Fairfield Stake was created from the Liverpool Australia and Sydney Australia Baulkham Hills Stakes and includes the following seven wards: The Fairfield (Tongan), Oatlands, Parramatta, Prairiewood 1st, Prairiewood 2nd (Spanish), Villawood 1st, and Villawood 2nd Ward (Samoan) Wards.  This new stake creation is of particular interest as a couple of the wards in the new stake were previously assigned to the Sydney Parramatta Stake - the first and only stake of the Church to be discontinued in Oceania.  The Sydney Parramatta Stake was discontinued in 2011 and combined with neighboring stakes in the Sydney area, namely the present-day Sydney Australia Baulkham Hills Stake.  The creation of the new Sydney Australia Fairfield Stake does not appear to be attributed to any upswing in member activity or convert retention improvements in the area but rather due to steady growth in the Liverpool Australia Stake over the past decade.  Considering the Church created two new stakes each in Brisbane in late 2012 and Melbourne in early 2013, a second new stake in Sydney or New South Wales may be forthcoming.  The creation of the new stake may also coincide with the ongoing growth of the Church in Australia among Pacific Islanders as evidenced by one of the wards in the new stake now being designated as a Tongan-speaking unit whereas it appeared to be assigned only as an English-speaking unit.

There are now 37 stakes and nine districts in Australia.

Updated List of the Countries with the Most Members without a Stake

Below is an updated list of the countries with the most Latter-day Saints without a stake.  Membership totals are as of 2012 and congregational and district totals are current.  Membership totals for mainland China and Pakistan are estimates as no official statistics are available.  The number of branches and districts in mainland China is not provided due to the sensitive nature of the Church in that country.  Previous lists of the most countries without a stake can be found here.

1. Cambodia - 11,469 members - 28 branches - 6 districts
2. China - 10,500 members?
3. Malaysia - 8,967 members - 33 branches - 8 districts
4. Liberia - 6,709 members - 20 branches - 2 districts
5. Mozambique - 6,029 members - 21 branches - 2 districts
6. Jamaica - 5,580 members - 19 branches - 2 districts
7. Vanuatu - 5,491 members - 31 branches - 3 districts
8. Guyana - 5,415 members - 13 branches - 1 district
9. Federated States of Micronesia - 4,565 members - 4 districts
10. Belize - 4,240 members - 11 branches - 2 districts
11. Pakistan - 3,500 members - 13 branches? - 3 districts
12. Zambia - 3,044 members - 12 branches - 2 districts
13. Armenia - 3,024 members - 11 branches - 1 district
14. Romania - 3,002 members - 18 branches - 2 districts
15. Czech Republic - 2,369 members - 13 branches - 2 districts
16. Albania - 2,299 members - 11 branches - 1 district
17. Bulgaria - 2,296 members - 9 branches - 0 districts
18. Cook Islands - 1,862 members - 5 branches - 1 district
19. Togo - 1,861 members - 11 branches - 1 district
20. Poland - 1,780 members - 14 branches - 2 districts

Prospects appear most favorable for the formation of stakes within the next few years in Cambodia, Malaysia, Liberia, Mozambique, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, Belize, Zambia, Armenia, Albania, and Togo as all of these countries has at least one district that is close to reaching the minimum qualifications for a stake to operate.  Low member activity rates, an insufficient number of branches in individual member districts, and few full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders will likely continue to delay the organization of stakes in other countries for several more years to come.

Country Statistical Profiles on Cumorah.com

At cumorah.com, we have recently begun posting our country statistical profiles that provide the most exhaustive LDS statistics available on the internet.  In over a year in development, these profiles are part of a total revamp on the website that can currently be accessed through our development website.  Click here to access our statistical profile for Albania and access other profiles that we have posted thus far through the drop down on the top of the webpage.  We have yet to work on our homepage and the webpage layouts so if you notice any errors please overlook these for now.  We hope to have the revamped website and all our resources up within the next month or so.  I have hesitated sharing the link to these before we officially launch the website, but I felt that the public would benefit from having access to these statistical profiles to obtain accurate and detailed church growth data.

New Stake in Guatemala

Last Sunday a new stake was created in Guatemala.  The Antigua Guatemala Stake was organized from the the Chimaltenango Guatemala Stake and includes the following six wards and one branch: The Antigua, Ciudad Vieja, Jocotenango, Parramos, San Lucas 1st, and San Lucas 2nd Wards and the San Pedro Las Huertas Branch.  Unlike most stakes in the country, the Chimaltenango Guatemala Stake has experienced steady congregational growth within the past decade which has necessitated the creation of a new stake.

There are now 41 stakes and 19 districts in Guatemala.

Congregational Growth by Country: 2012

Below is a list of the countries where the Church reported a net increase of four or more units for the year 2012.  The annual percentage increase for the number of wards and branches is also provided:

1. United States +114 (0.8% increase)
2. Nigeria +35 (11.1% increase)
3. Ghana +19 (14.7% increase)
4. Philippines +16 (1.4% increase)
5. Cote d'Ivoire +11 (26.2% increase)
6. Zimbabwe +10 (20.0% increase)
7. Democratic Republic of the Congo  +9 (8.4% increase)
8. Australia +5 (1.8% increase)
9. Cape Verde +5 (27.8% increase)
10. Haiti +5 (13.5% increase)
11. Togo +5 (83.3% increase)
12. India +4 (11.1% increase)
13. Madagascar +4 (12.1% increase)

The net increase in the number of wards and branches in these 13 countries totals 242; a larger number than the net increase in the number of wards and branches for the entire Church for the year 2012.  Five countries experienced a net decrease of four or more units during 2012 including:

1. Mexico -15 (0.8% decrease)
2. Russia -10 (9.2% decrease)
3. South Korea -8 (5.9% decrease)
4. Argentina -8 (1.0% decrease)
5. Canada -5 (1.0% decrease)

Decreasing numbers of congregations in Mexico and Argentina are particularly concerning as the Church has experienced a net decrease in congregations in these two countries for several years now notwithstanding church membership increasing by tens of thousands. 

April 2013 Cumorah Newsletter

We have posted our April newsletter for the Cumorah Foundation detailing recent church growth news and additional resources posted to our website.  Click here to view newsletter.

New Stakes Created in Arizona and Mexico

Last Sunday new stakes were organized in Arizona and Mexico.

In Arizona, the Church created the Gilbert Arizona Williams Field Stake from the Gilbert Arizona Higley and Gilbert Arizona San Tan Stakes.  The new stake consists of the following six wards: The Chaparral, Fairview, Gateway, Pecos Park, Maplewood, and Stratland Wards.  There are now 95 stakes in Arizona.

In Mexico, the Church created the Mexico City Alamedas Stake from the Mexico City Valle Dorado Stake.  The new stake has the following five wards and one branch: The Alamedas, Lomas Lindas, Campestre, Colmena, and Nicolas Romero Wards and the Villa del Carbon Branch.  The Mexico City Valle Dorado Stake now has six wards.  The last new stake to be organized in the Mexico City area was in 2008.  For more information on the Church in Mexico City, refer to my case study here.  There are now 44 stakes in the Mexico City area and 227 stakes and 36 districts in Mexico.

New Stake in Mexico

A new stake was created in Mexico last Sunday.  The Córdoba México Stake was created from the Orizaba México Stake and includes the Córdoba, Escamela, Huilango, Nuevo Córdoba, and Ojo de Agua Wards and the Huatusco Branch.  The Church in Mexico has experienced stagnant congregational growth for the past several years but has had at least a couple new stakes organized each year during this period.  This suggests that member activity and convert retention rates remain problematic but there may be some progress in leadership development.

There are now 226 stakes and 36 districts in Mexico.

Membership by Country Statistics Released for 2012

Membership and congregation totals for nations with a reported LDS presence are now available on the Church's official website and can be found at http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/facts-and-statistics. Data is available under the country profiles on the right side of the site.

The 20 countries with the highest annual membership growth rates in 2012 are listed below. Lists for nations with the most rapid membership growth rates are also available for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.  The percentage next to the country name is the annual growth rate percentage which is followed by the country's LDS membership at year-end 2012. Countries in bold experienced a membership increase greater than 200. 

1. Benin - 59.9% - 1,081
2. Rwanda - 34.4% - 121
3. Solomon Islands - 31.5% - 509
4. Botswana - 27.1% - 2,152 
5. Malawi - 22.9% - 1,421
6. Angola - 20.9% - 1,257
7. Togo - 19.7% - 1,861
8. Jersey - 16.7% - 349
9. Cape Verde - 16.2% - 9,326
10. Ethiopia - 15.7% - 1,678
11. Sierra Leone - 15.7% - 11,664
12. Tuvalu - 14.9% - 200
13. Madagascar - 14.6% - 9,190
14. Cote d'Ivoire - 14.5% - 18,602
15. Liberia - 14.4% - 6,709
16. Democratic Republic of the Congo - 13.5% - 34,547
17. Namibia - 13.2% - 763
18. Malaysia - 13.1% - 8,967
19. Vanuatu - 12.9% - 5,491
20. Cameroon - 12.4% - 12.4%

Below is a list of the top ten countries by numerical increase in membership for the year 2012. Each country is provided with the national increase in membership and the percentage of this increase out of total Church membership increase. Lists are also available for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.  72.6% of 2012 LDS membership increase can be attributed to the following 10 nations. 

1. United States - 92,183 - 27.0%
2. Mexico - 44,501 - 13.0%
3. Brazil - 36,441 - 10.7%
4. Peru - 18,947 - 5.6%
5. Philippines - 13,568 - 4.0%
6. Argentina - 12,655 - 3.7%
7. Ecuador - 8,230 - 2.4%
8. Guatemala - 7,958 - 2.3%
9. Chile - 6,883 - 2.0%
10. Honduras - 6,249 - 1.8%

I will provide additional analysis of these country-by-country statistics in the coming couple days.  Some interesting developments with these 2012 statistics include a significant increase in church membership for Guatemala and Ecuador that has not been experienced since the 1990s, church membership in the Central African Republic declining by 50% likely due to updating membership records, and church membership continuing to experience small gains in Norway that first began in 2009 after two decades of stagnant membership growth.

Two Districts Discontinued in Russia

The Church has recently discontinued two districts in Russia.  The Rostov Russia and Volgograd Russia Districts have been discontinued and branches that previously pertained to these districts now directly report to the Russia Rostov Mission.  The Rostov Russia District previously included six branches whereas the Volgograd Russia District previously included four branches.  No branches were closed as part of dissolution of either district.

The Church discontinuing both of these districts suggests that there are no prospects within the foreseeable future for either of these districts to become stakes and that district leadership was siphoning limited priesthood manpower that was in greater need for allocation to individual branches.  I was surprised with the close of both of these districts as both had at least four branches and appeared to have enough leadership manpower for both branch and district callings.  This decision is reminiscent of the Church discontinuing the Canje Guyana District in 2011 as both this district also had a sizable number of branches.  In the Guyana example, leadership development problems was the primary reason for the district closure.  In Russia, low member activity rates, few convert baptisms, and leadership development problems have been responsible for ongoing congregational consolidations and district closures.

There are now two stakes and five districts in Russia.

Recently Completed Case Study Essays (October 2012 - April 2013)

It's been a while since I have provided an update on recently completed case study essays.  See below for some interesting topics that I have researched and written about within the past six months.  We will be categorizing these on cumorah.com to make navigation easier as we have now posted over 100 case studies.

• LDS Outreach among the Kuna Amerindians of Panama
  
• LDS Outreach among the Nivacle Amerindians in Paraguay
  
• Comparing the Growth of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses in Albania
  
• Solutions to Sustainable LDS Outreach Expansion in the Lesser Antilles
  
• LDS Growth in East Africa
  
• Lowering the Minimum Mission Age: Analysis and Predictions for Growth of the LDS Church
  
• Prospective LDS Outreach among the Sami of Scandinavia
  
• LDS Outreach among the Q'eqchi' of Guatemala
  
• Prospective LDS Outreach in Papua Province, Indonesia
  
• Recent LDS Church Developments in Kazakhstan
  
• Analysis of LDS Growth in Seoul, South Korea
  
• LDS Growth among the Otavalo Quichua Amerindians in Ecuador
  
• Recent Congregational Growth Trends in Argentina
  
• The 3,000th Stake Milestone: Analysis
  
• Understanding YSA Activity Challenges in the United States
  
• Analysis of LDS Growth in Kyiv, Ukraine
  
• Prospective LDS Outreach among the Fulani of West Africa
  
• Successful LDS Outreach Expansion in Botswana
  
• LDS Outreach among the Wayuu Amerindians in Colombia and Venezuela
  
• Prospective LDS Outreach Expansion in the Central African Republic and Gabon
  
• The Growth of the LDS Church in Texas
  
• Beginning LDS Missionary Work in Turkey
  
• Analysis of LDS Growth in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
  
• LDS Outreach among the Chinese of Southeast Asia
  
• LDS Outreach among the Indigenous Australians (Aborigines) of Australia
  
• Comparing the Growth of the LDS Church and Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
  
• LDS Church Growth Case Studies: Analysis of LDS Growth in South East Queensland, Australia
  
• LDS Outreach among the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula
  
• Recent Congregational Growth Trends in Nigeria
  
• Expanding LDS Outreach in Romania
  
• Rapid Outreach Expansion in Papua New Guinea
  
• Comparing Congregational and Membership Growth Trends in the LDS Church: 1950-2012
  
• LDS Outreach among the Mam of Guatemala
  
• Worldwide LDS Outreach Among Iranians
  
• Analysis of LDS Growth in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
  
• Analysis of LDS Growth in Mexico City
  
• LDS Outreach among the Garifuna of Central America
  
• LDS Outreach among the Inuit of North America
  
• Methods for Reversing Stagnant LDS Growth in Japan
  
• The Influence of Senior Missionary Couples on LDS Church Growth
  
• Rapid National Outreach Expansion In Ghana
  
• Recent Church Growth Developments in Rwanda
  
• Prospective LDS Outreach in Sao Tome and Principe