Thursday, January 9, 2014

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.

11 comments:

  1. Exciting news.

    The Jamaica Kingston Mission contains the following:

    Mandeville Jamaica District

    Hopeton Branch
    Junction Branch
    Mandeville Branch
    May Pen Branch
    Santa Cruz Branch


    Spanish Town Jamaica District

    Boulevard Branch
    Constant Spring Branch
    Kingston Branch
    Linstead Branch
    Old Harbour Branch
    Portmore Branch
    Spanish Town 1st Branch
    Spanish Town 2nd Branch


    Direct Report Branches (inside Jamaica)

    Jamaica Kingston Mission Branch
    Montego Bay Branch
    Negril Branch
    Ocho Rios Branch
    Port Antonio Branch
    Savanna-La-Mar Branch
    Yallahs Branch


    Direct Report Branches (outside Jamaica)

    Grand Bahama Branch
    Grand Cayman Branch
    New Providence Branch
    Providenciales Branch


    The Spanish Town District is the likely basis for the new stake, but it may include independent branches such as the Yallahs, Port Antonio, and maybe Ocho Rios.

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  2. The Tirana Albania District contains the following 9 branches:

    Durrës Branch
    Elbasan Branch
    Fier Branch
    Lushnjë Branch
    Tirana 1st Branch
    Tirana 2nd Branch
    Tirana 3rd Branch
    Tirana 4th Branch
    Vlorë Branch

    In addition to the Tirana Albania District, the Adriatic South Mission contains the

    Adriatic South Mission Branch
    Pristina Branch (in Kosovo)
    Shkoder Branch (in Albania)

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  5. The countries with the largest LDS population without a stake (members for 31 December 2012, rest from CDOL today):

    Cambodia: 11,469 members; 1 Missions; 6 Districts; 28 Branches
    Malaysia: 8,967 members; 0 Missions; 8 Districts; 33 Branches
    Liberia: 6,709 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 22 Branches
    Mozambique: 6,029 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 21 Branches
    Jamaica: 5,580 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 19 Branches
    Vanuatu: 5,491 members; 1 Missions; 3 Districts; 31 Branches
    Guyana: 5,415 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 13 Branches
    Micronesia: 4,565 members; 0 Missions; 4 Districts; 21 Branches
    Belize: 4,240 members; 0 Missions; 2 Districts; 11 Branches
    Zambia: 3,044 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 12 Branches
    Romania: 3,002 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 16 Branches
    Czech Republic: 2,369 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 13 Branches
    Albania: 2,299 members; 1 Missions; 1 Districts; 11 Branches
    Bulgaria: 2,296 members; 1 Missions; 0 Districts; 9 Branches
    Cook Islands: 1,862 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 5 Branches
    Poland: 1,780 members; 1 Missions; 2 Districts; 14 Branches
    Ethiopia: 1,678 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 6 Branches
    Swaziland: 1,522 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 4 Branches
    Malawi: 1,421 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 8 Branches
    Macau: 1,345 members; 0 Missions; 0 Districts; 2 Branches
    Suriname: 1,323 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 6 Branches
    Sri Lanka: 1,319 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 3 Branches
    Cameroon: 1,277 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 6 Branches
    Angola: 1,257 members; 1 Missions; 1 Districts; 7 Branches
    Tanzania: 1,220 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 6 Branches
    Latvia: 1,166 members; 1 Missions; 1 Districts; 6 Branches
    Estonia: 1,086 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 4 Branches
    Benin: 1,081 members; 1 Missions; 1 Districts; 11 Branches
    Bahamas: 959 members; 0 Missions; 0 Districts; 3 Branches
    Lithuania: 916 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 5 Branches
    Reunion: 882 members; 0 Missions; 1 Districts; 4 Branches

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  6. Micronesia from what I heard from youtube should be getting a stake very soon.

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  7. Iris and Craig, could you post the link to the youtube suggesting a stake will soon be created in micronesia?

    Thanks.

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  8. I guess it's actually in Pohnpei which is in the Micronesia mission. My bad. Still awesome, nonetheless.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9EhB4zFERs

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  9. Thanks, Iris and Craig.

    BTW, Pohnpei is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia. There is a district in each state, as well as a direct report branch in Palau.

    Micronesia Guam Mission (located in Guam):

    Kosrae Micronesia District

    Lelu Branch
    Utwe Branch


    Namoneas Chuuk District

    Mechitiw Branch
    Mwan Branch
    Nechocho Branch
    Pata Branch
    Romanum Branch
    Sapuk Branch
    Tonowas Branch
    Uman Branch
    Wichap Branch


    Pohnpei Caroline Islands District

    Kitti Branch
    Kolonia Branch
    Mand Branch
    Nett Branch
    Palikir Branch
    Sapwalap Branch
    Sekere Branch
    Uh Branch


    Yap Micronesia District

    Colonia Branch
    Thol Branch


    Koror Branch (in Palau)

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  10. Very interesting Youtube video. Thanks for sharing. I hope to see the Pohnpei district become a stake. This individual--apparently a former missionary in the Micronesia/Guam Mission (it used to be called the Guam/Micronesia Mission, but I guess with Guam and the Northern Marianas forming a stake and with the Church growing in the Federated States of Micronesia, the switched the order), seems excited about the work going on there.

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