Bahrain
On November 14th, the Church organized its second stake in the Middle East. The Manama Bahrain Stake was organized from the Manama Bahrain District and the Abu Dhabi Stake and includes the following two congregations in non-sensitive countries: the Kuwait Ward and the Bahrain Branch. The new stake likely has four or more wards in Saudi Arabia. The Church does not report the number and location of its congregations in Saudi Arabia due to its sensitive presence in the country. The Church in the Arabian Peninsula has experienced steady membership and congregational growth within the past decade due to Latter-day Saints relocating to the region for employment purposes. The Church originally divided the Abu Dhabi Stake (originally called the Manama Bahrain Stake and before that the Desert Springs Stake) in 2011 to create the Manama Bahrain District.
Nigeria
On November 16th, the Church organized a new stake in the cultural region of southwestern Nigeria known as "Yorubaland." The Abeokuta Nigeria Stake was organized from the Abeokuta Nigeria District and includes the following eight wards: the Ibara, Idi-Aba, Ilewo-Orile, Ita-Oshin, Kuto, Lafenwa,
Obantoko, and Odeda Wards. The new stake becomes the Church's second stake to operate within southwestern Nigeria outside of Lagos (the first stake in southwestern Nigeria outside of Lagos was organized in Ibadan last June). The Abeokuta Nigeria District was originally organized in 1993.
There are now 26 stakes and 20 districts in Nigeria.
Utah
On November 16th, the Church organized a new stake in Utah. The Kaysville Utah Deseret Mills Stake was organized from the Kaysville Utah West Stake and includes the following eight wards: the Barnes Park, Burton, Country Mill, Deseret, Francis Peak (Spanish), Kays, Mill Shadow, and Old Mill Wards.
There are now 574 stakes and one district in Utah
Updated ward and branch creations for November.
ReplyDelete2 November 2014
1. Guiginto Ward, Malolos Philippines Stake (6 wards, 1 branch)
2. Héroes Branch, Querétaro México Los Arcos Stake (5 wards, 3 branches)
3. Lehi 48th Ward, Lehi Utah North Stake (9 wards)
4. Mount Erie Ward, Mount Vernon Washington Stake (10 wards, 4 branches)
5. Mountain View Ward, Hemet California Stake (10 wards, 2 branches)
6. Mulberry Ward, St. George Utah Little Valley Stake (9 wards)
7. Paseos Branch, Querétaro México Los Arcos Stake (5 wards, 3 branches)
8. Plain City 8th Ward, Farr West Utah Stake (7 wards)
9. Kingasani 5th Ward, Kinshasa Dem. Rep. of the Congo Kimbanseke Stake (9 wards)
4 November 2014
1. Harbor Bay Ward, Saratoga Springs Utah South Stake (8 wards)
9 November 2014
1. Anyaa Branch, Accra Ghana Kasoa Stake (8 wards, 3 branches)
2. Castle Peak Bay Ward, Hong Kong New Territories Stake (7 wards)
3. Country Shadows Ward, Queen Creek Arizona Chandler Heights Stake (9 wards, 1 branch)
4. East London 4th Ward, East London South Africa Stake (11 wards, 1 branch)
5. Independence Ward, Bluffdale Utah South Stake (9 wards)
6. Ivins Veterans Home Branch (Care Center), Ivins Utah Stake (7 wards, 1 branch)
7. La Ceiba Ward, Amatitlán Guatemala Stake (9 wards)
8. Selmer Ward, Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Toit Rouge Stake (11 wards)
9. Seville Groves Ward, Queen Creek Arizona Chandler Heights Stake (9 wards, 1 branch)
10. Ihembosi Branch, Onitsha Nigeria District (11 branches)
11. Ndanu Branch, Kinshasa Dem. Rep. of the Congo Masina Stake (8 wards, 1 branch)
12. Bungarribee Ward, Sydney Australia Hebersham Stake (7 wards)
13. Southern Pines Ward, Fayetteville North Carolina West Stake (7 wards, 3 branches)
14. Telchaquillo Branch, Ticul Mexico District (8 branches)
16 November 2014
1. Ashley 3rd Ward, Vernal Utah Ashley Stake (8 wards, 2 branches)
2. Country Crossing 12th Ward, South Jordan Utah Country Crossing Stake (12 wards, 1 branch)
3. Eagle Park Ward, Los Altos California Stake (8 wards)
4. Ellison Park Ward (Spanish), Layton Utah West Stake (10 wards)
5. Kawama Ward, Lubumbashi Dem. Rep. of the Congo Stake (10 wards)
6. Lake Skinner Ward, Temecula California Stake (11 wards, 2 branches)
7. Melissa 2nd Ward, Allen Texas Stake (12 wards, 1 branch)
8. Mt. Talbert Branch (Spanish), Milwaukie Oregon Stake (7 wards, 1 branch)
9. San Diego Ward, San Jose Costa Rica Los Yoses Stake (10 wards, 2 branches)
10. Tanfeng Ward, Taipei Taiwan West Stake (11 wards)
I recently had commented that there were at least two LDS groups in Kuwait; one is located in Camp Arif Jan. I wanted to attend the meetings the week I was there but instead attended Protestant services, a Wednesday night evangelical type Bible study, and Friday night Jewish service. The camp is not far from Kuwait City where I presume the ward is located. Ali Assaleem is further up north and may be attached to the ward also. I guess there is only one ward for the whole nation, about the size of New Jersey. Great news about the stake. Next...Iran. Better chances than Yemen. Anything in Oman yet?
ReplyDeleteThis news of a new stake in the Middle East is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteBesides all the US and European members who are there with their jobs, so many members from Southeast Asia are laboring there and strengthen the local words and branches.
In fact, in the stake in Dubai only about one-fifth of the population of the UAE are citizens. Churches are limited by zoning laws to a small enclave on the outskirts of the city. I'm not aware of any synagogues in operation.
Although very few in numbers, the Middle East/North Africa Area of the Church has been growing at the highest percentage of all Church areas.
Great news about the new stakes including the stake in Bahrain.
ReplyDeleteI think "from the Phillipines" is the best way to describe most Church membership in the Middle-East.
ReplyDelete