January 2014 Newsletter

We have posted our January 2014 newsletter for cumorah.com.  Our monthly newsletter includes a list of recently organized and discontinued stakes and districts, a list of cities recently opened and closed to missionary work, and a brief synopsis of significant LDS growth and missionary developments around the world.  New resources posted on the website within the past month are also summarized and listed in the newsletter.  Click here to access the newsletter.

Metropolitan Areas in South Asia and Southeast Asia with One Million or More Inhabitants and Status of LDS Outreach

Earlier this month I completed a map displaying the status of LDS outreach among all metropolitan areas with one million or more inhabitants in South Asia and Southeast Asia.  See below to view map.
View Major Metropolitan Areas in South Asia and Southeast Asia in a larger map

Metropolitan Areas in China with One Million or More Inhabitants and Status of LDS Outreach

As part of a project creating maps displaying the status of LDS outreach among all metropolitan areas in the world with one million or more inhabitants, I have recently completed the map for China.  No sensitive data on LDS Church operations in mainland China is disclosed in this map.  I take full responsibility for the content and the opinions presented. See below to view map.



View Major Metropolitan Areas in China in a larger map

Members Serving Full-time Missions from Burma (Myanmar)

Missionaries report that two members from Yangon, Burma have recently begun serving full-time missions. These new missionaries represent some of the first members to serve a mission from this country.  The Church has operated a branch in Yangon for many years and has had humanitarian senior missionary couples assigned to Yangon for over a decade.   Although the Church has not published official membership statistics for the country, there appear to be less than 200 members nationwide.

Young Proselytizing Missionaries Arrive in Gabon

Within the last week, missionaries serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission report that the first young, proselytizing missionaries have been assigned to the Central African country of Gabon.  The Church organized its first official branch in the country approximately a year ago and LDS apostle Elder David A. Bednar dedicated Gabon for missionary work just a few months ago.  There appear to be approximately 50 to 100 members on church records in Gabon although the Church has yet to release official membership statistics on the country.  Currently there are four young elders (two North American, two African) and one senior couple assigned to the capital city of Libreville.

Stakes Likely to Split Outside the United States and Canada

Below is an updated list of likely stakes to split within the near future.  The most recent list of likely stakes to split is from December 2012 and can be found here.

AFRICA

• Aba Nigeria (13 wards, 2 branches)
• Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon (12 wards, 1 branch)
• Abuja Nigeria (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Benin City Nigeria New Benin (10 wards)
• Benin City Nigeria Ugbowo (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Brazzaville Republic of Congo (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Cape Coast Ghana (11 wards, 2 branches)
• Cape Town South Africa (9 wards, 4 branches)
• Cocody Cote d'Ivoire (9 wards, 2 branches)
• Kananga Democratic Republic of the Congo (12 wards)
• Nairobi Kenya (9 wards, 2 branches)
• Owerri Nigeria (5 wards, 10 branches) - likely to split to form a new district
• Port-Bouet Cote d'Ivoire (9 wards, 3 branches)
• Takoradi Ghana (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Tema Ghana (9 wards, 3 branches)

ASIA

• Butuan Philippines (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Pasig Philippines (11 wards)
• Singapore (10 wards)
• Taipei Taiwan West (10 wards)

CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

• La Ceiba Honduras (10 wards)
• Managua Nicaragua (10 wards)
• San Salvador El Salvador La Libertad (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Ozama (10 wards)

MEXICO

• Amecameca Mexico (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Celaya Mexico (11 wards)
• Chalco Mexico (10 wards)
• Chilpancingo Mexico (10 wards, 5 branches)
• Ciudad Victoria Mexico (10 wards, 4 branches)
• Coatzacoalcos Mexico Puerto (13 wards)
• Colonia Juarez Mexico East (11 wards)
• Culiacan Mexico (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Jalapa Mexico (10 wards)
• Juchitan Mexico (10 wards, 3 branches) 
• Metepec Mexico (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Mexico City Anahuac (11 wards)
• Mexico City Chapultepec (10 wards)
• Mexico City Cuautitlan (11 wards)
• Mexico City Culturas (11 wards)
• Mexico City Iztapalapa (10 wards)
• Mexico City La Perla (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Mexico City Tecamac (11 wards)
• Mexico City Tepalcapa (11 wards)
• Mexico City Valle Dorado (11 wards, 1 branch)
• Oaxaca Mexico Monte Alban (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Veracruz Mexico Villa Rica (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Villahermosa Mexico Gaviotas (10 wards, 1 branch)

OCEANIA

• Ha'apai Tonga (9 wards, 5 branches) 
• Newcastle Australia (10 wards, 2 branches)

SOUTH AMERICA

• Brasilia Brazil Alvorada (10 wards, 2 branches)
• Buenos Aires Argentina Castelar (10 wards)
• Cochabamba Bolivia Jaihuayco (10 wards)
• Guayaquil Ecuador Pascuales (11 wards)
• Joao Pessoa Brazil Rangel (10 wards)
• Juiz de Fora Brazil (11 wards)
• Jujuy Argentina (10 wards, 3 branches)
• Lima Peru Canto Grande (10 wards)
• Luque Paraguay (10 wards, 3 branches) 
• Machala Ecuador (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Maipu de Cuyo Argentina (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Santa Maria Brazil (10 wards, 1 branch)
• Sao Luis Brazil (10 wards)

New District in the Philippines

The Church organized a new district in the Philippines on December 22nd.

The Jordan Philippines District was organized from the Iloilo Philippines Stake and includes the following three branches and two groups on Guimaras Island: The Buenavista, Jordan, and Nueva Valencia Branches and the Comian and Sibunag Groups.  The new district becomes the Church's first new district created in the Visayas since the organization of the Sogod Philippines District in 2007.  The opening of the Philippines Iloilo Mission in 2010 has coincided with expanded missionary efforts on Guimaras Island as two additional branches and two additional groups have since been organized.

There are now 88 stakes and 83 districts in the Philippines.

New Stake in Honduras

The Church organized a new stake in Honduras several weeks ago.

The Choloma Honduras Stake was organized from a division of the Fesitranh Honduras Stake and includes the following five wards and two branches: The Campana, Choloma, El Centro, Los Almendros, and Puerto Cortes Wards and the La Jutosa and Monterrey Branches.  There are now nine stakes in the San Pedro Sula metropolitan area and 23 stakes and seven districts in the entire country.

Stakes Soon to be Created in Albania and Jamaica

Missionaries serving in Albania and Jamaica report that the Church will likely organize its first stakes in each of these countries within the next few months.  In Albania, the first stake may be organized this March from the Tirana Albania District.  The district has experienced steady increases in the number of active members and mission leaders have concentrated their efforts on augmenting the number of active Melchizedek Priesthood holders in order to qualify to become a stake.  In Jamaica, the Church has sought for over a decade to organize a stake.  Missionaries report that the first stake should be organized sometime in early 2014 although no specific date has been given.  The first stake in Jamaica will be organized from the Kingston Jamaica District.  The organization of the first stake in a country is a significant LDS growth development considering stakes require self-sufficient local leadership and must meet certain activity standards in order to operate.

According to 2012 membership data, Jamaica currently ranks as the country with the sixth most members without a stake whereas Albania currently ranks as the country with the 15th most members without a stake.

December 2013 Monthly Newsletter

Click here to access the December 2013 newsletter for cumorah.com.  Our monthly newsletters provide a summary of recent church growth and missionary developments and identify recently posted resources on our website.