We have posted our April 2013 newsletter for cumorah.com detailing recent LDS growth news and recently posted and updated resources on our website. Access the newsletter here.
One trend or pattern that I would love to know is: at what rate do returned missionaries end up marrying either A)someone of the culture that they served in, foreign or domestic and B) marrying people that they met in their mission, either another missionary or a local member/convert.
Since the 1970s I have seen enough cases of this happening that I wish I could compare where and who it happens to. This is part of how the Church of Jesus Christ, (not necessarily LDS per first mention, as a General Conference talk urges) grows in the heartland and abroad.
The increasing diversity of the countries and cultures exposed as the church expands also makes for fascinating mixing of cultures, and a changing dynamic of members.
Here is an article http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-temple-building-process from the LDS newsroom about temples. I was most encouraged to read of planning stages for the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. This may also explain why the current temples are taking longer than those built in 1998-2001. Since those were all generally on the same plan, there was a lot less local feel involved.
I personally married someone of the same culture of where I served my mission, though she was from a different state and mission (same country though).
Her father was on a mission tour once, but he only came with his wife. I never asked him about any daughters.
Man, I would LOVE to see the DRC temple designs! When they call that one out in particular, I wonder if it will be especially unique in its design. I wonder if the Church will be implementing a more "African" feel to the temple ... though admittedly I have no idea what that means in terms of architecture.
The new area leadership chart for this summer is out. http://www.deseretnews.com/media/pdf/1342792.pdf
Same number of areas as last year: 10 North America areas under the responsibility of the Presidency of the Seventy; 14 area presidencies located around the world; and the Middle East/Africa North Area (2 general authorities based in Salt Lake).
Over the past decade, there has been consolidation of areas (Europe Central and Europe West became Europe; Australia and New Zealand/Pacific became Pacific; Mexico North and Mexico South became Mexico; Brazil North and Brazil South became Brazil; South America North and South America West became South America Northwest; and South America South absorbed Chile). I have wondered about the consolidations--whether or not that means more authority granted to area seventies.
There was a time when there were about 25 area presidencies (including in North America) and the Presidency of the Seventy were the executive directors of the major Church-wide departments, where I used to compare the areas with Catholic diocese.
For a temple in its setting, I found Manaus via a totally unrelated video, you see it going both ways in this video. Especially going back to the southeast. It now is situated between two beaches, one to the southeast, and one just opened to the northwest.
It was shot shortly before Christmas day last year.
Total increase + 41 W&B; + 35 W, + 6 Br US + 15; + 21 W - 6 br + 2 Stakes - 1 district Outside US + 26; + 14 W + 12 Br Jan 1 through Apr 30 Total increase + 109; + 112 W - 3 br, + 15 Stakes + 1 dist. + 1 temple
April Growth by Continent: Africa + 19; + 6 W + 13 Br + 1 dist Cote d'Ivoire + 1 br + 1 dist. Dem Rep of Congo + 1 br Ghana + 11; + 2 w + 9 br Nigeria + 5; + 4 W + 1 br Sierra Leone + 1 br Asia + 7; + 2 W + 5 br China + 1 br Hong Kong + 1 W Philippines + 6; + 2 W + 4 br - 1 dist So Korea _ 1 W Europe + 3; + 1 W + 2 br Albania + 1 br France + 1 W Portugal + 1 br N Amer +17; + 22 W - 5 br + 2 st - 2 districts Honduras + 1 br Mexico + 1 W Panama - 1 district US + 15; + 21 W - 6 br + 2 st - 1 district Aust/NZ & Pacific +0; + 5 W - 5 Br Micronesia + 0; + 5 W - 5 br Vanuatu + 1 district S Amer - 5; - 1 W - 4 br Argentina - 3; - 2 W - 1 br Bolivia + 0; + 1 W - 2 br Brazil - 1; + 1 W - 2 br Uruguay - 1 W
2014 Growth through Apr 30:
Africa + 44 W & Br Asia + 19 W & Br (15 of which in the Philippines) Europe + 4 W & Br N Amer + 62 (56 of which in the US) Aust/NZ & Pacific + 0 S Amer - 20 (- 13 Argentina, + 8 Brazil)
Africa with less than 3% of membership of the entire Church accounts for over 40% of congregational growth.
Thanks as always for the stats Ray. Good to see the Philippines has finally turned the corner as they will be responsible for the bulk of the missionary force in Asia over the coming decades. I look forward to seeing the remaining South/Central American countries make similar strides.
Yes, the Philippines are adding units very fast (+ 15 so far this year).
Also, the big majority of African increase is just in the 4 West African nations of Cote d'Ivoire, + 11, Ghana, + 13, Nigeria, + 10, and Sierra Leone, + 3.
The other biggest gainer was Brazil, +8 (+10 earlier in April--Brazil's numbers are very volatile).
The 60 new wards and branches from these 6 countries, plus the 56 added in the US (+ 19 in Utah alone), account for almost the entire +109 growth through the first 4 months of 2014.
Even with declines in total units in the rest of South America (mainly Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay) this year's growth is by far the fastest in the five years I've been tracking monthly congregatonal growth.
Matt, For the membership totals in countries where membersh[p figures are not reported, did you take the total for all reported countries and then subtract that from the yearend total membership announced in Conference?
I checked your math and found the increase in nonreporting countries to be just a little less than 10.7%. Maybe I'm figuring wrong.
I think that there are over a dozen countries with unreported membership. The biggest majority of these countries only have a handful of members and many have only one branch or group of members.
Also very encouraging to see that there were about 20 new locations where the Church was introduced and not a single one where it was closed. I believe this is a reflection of the recent missionary surge.
15 comments:
The Kpayama Branch, Kenema Sierra Leone District, Sierra Leone Freetown Mission, was created on 27 April. There are now 6 branches in the district:
Burma Branch
Hangha Road Branch
IDA Branch
Kenema Branch
Kpayama Branch
Simbeck Branch
One trend or pattern that I would love to know is: at what rate do returned missionaries end up marrying either A)someone of the culture that they served in, foreign or domestic and B) marrying people that they met in their mission, either another missionary or a local member/convert.
Since the 1970s I have seen enough cases of this happening that I wish I could compare where and who it happens to. This is part of how the Church of Jesus Christ, (not necessarily LDS per first mention, as a General Conference talk urges) grows in the heartland and abroad.
The increasing diversity of the countries and cultures exposed as the church expands also makes for fascinating mixing of cultures, and a changing dynamic of members.
Here is an article http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-temple-building-process from the LDS newsroom about temples. I was most encouraged to read of planning stages for the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. This may also explain why the current temples are taking longer than those built in 1998-2001. Since those were all generally on the same plan, there was a lot less local feel involved.
To Ed Clinch:
I personally married someone of the same culture of where I served my mission, though she was from a different state and mission (same country though).
Her father was on a mission tour once, but he only came with his wife. I never asked him about any daughters.
Ed Clinch-I married someone I met on my mission in Mexico City.
Yes, a a lot of these marriages work. Not always. I would like to know more demographic stats, like which country has the highest rate?
Chile? Dennmark? Japan?
Man, I would LOVE to see the DRC temple designs! When they call that one out in particular, I wonder if it will be especially unique in its design. I wonder if the Church will be implementing a more "African" feel to the temple ... though admittedly I have no idea what that means in terms of architecture.
The new area leadership chart for this summer is out. http://www.deseretnews.com/media/pdf/1342792.pdf
Same number of areas as last year: 10 North America areas under the responsibility of the Presidency of the Seventy; 14 area presidencies located around the world; and the Middle East/Africa North Area (2 general authorities based in Salt Lake).
Over the past decade, there has been consolidation of areas (Europe Central and Europe West became Europe; Australia and New Zealand/Pacific became Pacific; Mexico North and Mexico South became Mexico; Brazil North and Brazil South became Brazil; South America North and South America West became South America Northwest; and South America South absorbed Chile). I have wondered about the consolidations--whether or not that means more authority granted to area seventies.
There was a time when there were about 25 area presidencies (including in North America) and the Presidency of the Seventy were the executive directors of the major Church-wide departments, where I used to compare the areas with Catholic diocese.
For a temple in its setting, I found Manaus via a totally unrelated video, you see it going both ways in this video. Especially going back to the southeast. It now is situated between two beaches, one to the southeast, and one just opened to the northwest.
It was shot shortly before Christmas day last year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCeXIrf6UEA&list=UUAuZaCos4OHjeLPXUoMrEig
Congregational Growth April 2014
Total increase + 41 W&B; + 35 W, + 6 Br
US + 15; + 21 W - 6 br + 2 Stakes - 1 district
Outside US + 26; + 14 W + 12 Br
Jan 1 through Apr 30 Total increase + 109;
+ 112 W - 3 br, + 15 Stakes + 1 dist. + 1 temple
April Growth by Continent:
Africa + 19; + 6 W + 13 Br + 1 dist
Cote d'Ivoire + 1 br + 1 dist.
Dem Rep of Congo + 1 br
Ghana + 11; + 2 w + 9 br
Nigeria + 5; + 4 W + 1 br
Sierra Leone + 1 br
Asia + 7; + 2 W + 5 br
China + 1 br
Hong Kong + 1 W
Philippines + 6; + 2 W + 4 br - 1 dist
So Korea _ 1 W
Europe + 3; + 1 W + 2 br
Albania + 1 br
France + 1 W
Portugal + 1 br
N Amer +17; + 22 W - 5 br + 2 st - 2 districts
Honduras + 1 br
Mexico + 1 W
Panama - 1 district
US + 15; + 21 W - 6 br + 2 st - 1 district
Aust/NZ & Pacific +0; + 5 W - 5 Br
Micronesia + 0; + 5 W - 5 br
Vanuatu + 1 district
S Amer - 5; - 1 W - 4 br
Argentina - 3; - 2 W - 1 br
Bolivia + 0; + 1 W - 2 br
Brazil - 1; + 1 W - 2 br
Uruguay - 1 W
2014 Growth through Apr 30:
Africa + 44 W & Br
Asia + 19 W & Br (15 of which in the Philippines)
Europe + 4 W & Br
N Amer + 62 (56 of which in the US)
Aust/NZ & Pacific + 0
S Amer - 20 (- 13 Argentina, + 8 Brazil)
Africa with less than 3% of membership of the entire Church accounts for over 40% of congregational growth.
Thanks as always for the stats Ray. Good to see the Philippines has finally turned the corner as they will be responsible for the bulk of the missionary force in Asia over the coming decades. I look forward to seeing the remaining South/Central American countries make similar strides.
Adam,
Yes, the Philippines are adding units very fast (+ 15 so far this year).
Also, the big majority of African increase is just in the 4 West African nations of Cote d'Ivoire, + 11, Ghana, + 13, Nigeria, + 10, and Sierra Leone, + 3.
The other biggest gainer was Brazil, +8 (+10 earlier in April--Brazil's numbers are very volatile).
The 60 new wards and branches from these 6 countries, plus the 56 added in the US (+ 19 in Utah alone), account for almost the entire +109 growth through the first 4 months of 2014.
Even with declines in total units in the rest of South America (mainly Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay) this year's growth is by far the fastest in the five years I've been tracking monthly congregatonal growth.
Matt,
For the membership totals in countries where membersh[p figures are not reported, did you take the total for all reported countries and then subtract that from the yearend total membership announced in Conference?
I checked your math and found the increase in nonreporting countries to be just a little less than 10.7%. Maybe I'm figuring wrong.
I think that there are over a dozen countries with unreported membership. The biggest majority of these countries only have a handful of members and many have only one branch or group of members.
Also very encouraging to see that there were about 20 new locations where the Church was introduced and not a single one where it was closed. I believe this is a reflection of the recent missionary surge.
Nice.
Post a Comment