We have completed our cumorah.com monthly newsletter for February 2015. Many noteworthy church growth developments occurred during the month. Please see the newsletter for more information by clicking here.
Updates on mission presidents. Well, we start off with President and Sister Cifuntes called to preside over the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. President Cifuentes is a native of Chile. They live in Wisconsin now. Sister Cifuentes was born in Wisconsin and has the maiden name of Sentz, which sounds German to me. President Cifuentes served his mission in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Mission, so that is most likely how they met. However I don't know. There was a sister from my ward who served her mission in Chile. She ended up marrying a man from the part of Chile where she served her mission, but he was on his mission in another part of Chile while she was there, although she did know his family. That sister is the only sister I really remember serving as a missionary from my ward the whole time I was in the youth program. We currently have 2 sisters serving missions from my ward.
I am not convinced that trying to start prosyliting in Azerbaijan at any point would have been wise. The country had major levels of pogroms against Armenians. The Church would have entered into a verritable mess of violence if it had tried to move in in the 1990s. Beyond that, getting in the door does not guarantee staying there. The Church has been proactively kicked out of a few countries in the past.
Thus far on par with last year as far as stake/district creation goes. 8 total (5 stakes, 3 districts) compared to 7 (6 stakes, 1 district) through the first two months of the year.
Xavier, where is Pres. Baehrel from? I haven't seen the biographical sketch come out yet. Some friends of mine (Franck and Véro Poznanski) mentioned he is their friend, but didn't say where from. (Franck also works for CES)
The speculation seems unfounded, but interesting in the change of callings: http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/2241502-155/mormon-woman-who-uttered-historic-prayer
TL;DR Sis. Stevens of he Primary presidency will be leaving with her husband to preside over a mission in London.
The Deseret News has published the answer to Grant's question:
Herve Jean-Claude Baehrel, 53, and Ginette Alibay Baehrel, three children, Aix-En-Provence Ward, Nice France Stake: Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission
President Baehrel was born in Pompey, Meurthe-et-Moselle however. That is in north-east France. In fact, the next department east of Meurthe-et-Moselle was part of Germany 100 years ago. Meurthe-et-Moselle also borders Belgium. Pompey is an industrial town of about 5,000.
On another note, he is a temple worker. My first guess is that he is a temple worker in the Bern Switzerland Temple, but I am not 100% sure.
Sister Ginette Alibay Baehrel was born in Madagascar. I am not sure though if she has ethnic origins in Madagascar or what. While she does have a dark complexion, she looks within the range of Europeaness. Not at all like the picture of the Mahafaly shown on Wikipedia, which is the ethnic group in the part of Madagascar in which she was born. On the other hand, her general apparence might be though of as Arab. Her father's first name was Hassanaly, which is definately Arabic sounding. Further study suggests there are Arab influences in Madagascar, so maybe she is Madagascarene. Another possibility is her family was Comorrian and in Madgascar for some reason. This has now intrigued me.
In total 2 this week are from Brazil, 1 from France and the remaining 5 from the US.
I just learned just how explosive growth is in Provo when it comes to the numbers of missionaries assigned to the current Provo mission ahead of the split, and how many they are expecting after the split once things are fully set up with both missions.
164 stakes in the Utah Provo Mission boundaries. 440 missionaries now 700 missionaries once everything is set up between the two missions. 10,000 discussions taught in January alone.
This from a report I got of a stake conference across town where the mission president for Utah Provo spoke. By the way, there were 118 missionaries 2 1/2 years ago when he first arrived to preside over Provo.
I've been out with them, mostly on reactivation visits, and it was rare we actually had a discussion, so two a day is not out of the question for a good average. Some get less, some get far more. Common for every mission but yes it does seem low given they want to really increase the number of missionaries in the future. One other thing, what might they be counting as a 'discussion taught' if that is low?
On the projected That would mean just under two companionships per stake on average, some would get one, some would get two and in a few cases some stakes would get more.
It's going to take a few from the extreme south end of Salt Lake County, partly to offset what everyone is going to take from the small mission being discontinued that is centered around Murray.
And my figuring on companionships is that the two missions will have 350 companionships between them once all the expansion of the numbers is complete, with between them about 175 stakes or so that is going to average two companionships per stake. Now some will get more and some will get only one I think. So they are probably looking at doing some major reactivation efforts once this happens. Sacrament attendance among members here is around 50 percent, some more, some less.
Exciting news for the Soldotna Alaska Stake! We have always heard the stake hasn't grown very much since it was created. This is big growth as there are now 5 wards on the peninsula.
Updates on mission presidents. Well, we start off with President and Sister Cifuntes called to preside over the Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission. President Cifuentes is a native of Chile. They live in Wisconsin now. Sister Cifuentes was born in Wisconsin and has the maiden name of Sentz, which sounds German to me. President Cifuentes served his mission in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Mission, so that is most likely how they met. However I don't know. There was a sister from my ward who served her mission in Chile. She ended up marrying a man from the part of Chile where she served her mission, but he was on his mission in another part of Chile while she was there, although she did know his family. That sister is the only sister I really remember serving as a missionary from my ward the whole time I was in the youth program. We currently have 2 sisters serving missions from my ward.
ReplyDeleteOverall only 2 of the 8 couples with biographies this week were residing outside the US when called. One is from Brazil and the other from Mexico.
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced that trying to start prosyliting in Azerbaijan at any point would have been wise. The country had major levels of pogroms against Armenians. The Church would have entered into a verritable mess of violence if it had tried to move in in the 1990s. Beyond that, getting in the door does not guarantee staying there. The Church has been proactively kicked out of a few countries in the past.
ReplyDeleteMy seminary coordinator in France, Hervé Baehrel, has been called to serve as a mission president in the Congo Kinshasa mission.
ReplyDeleteThus far on par with last year as far as stake/district creation goes. 8 total (5 stakes, 3 districts) compared to 7 (6 stakes, 1 district) through the first two months of the year.
ReplyDeleteXavier, where is Pres. Baehrel from? I haven't seen the biographical sketch come out yet. Some friends of mine (Franck and Véro Poznanski) mentioned he is their friend, but didn't say where from. (Franck also works for CES)
ReplyDeleteHe is from south of France.
ReplyDelete"We’re projecting out probably within four years, the baseline number for the missionary force will be something around 100,000." - Elder Holland
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hughhewitt.com/a-conversation-with-lds-elder-jeffrey-holland/
New Units
ReplyDelete1 march 2015
Dunkwa-On-Offin Branch, Twifu Praso Ghana District (7 Branches)
Harmony Branch, Crestwood Kentucky Stake (6 Branches, 5 Ward)
Lehi 49th Ward, Lehi Utah North Stake (10 Wards)
Logan YSA 51st Ward, Logan Utah YSA 6th Stake (9 Wards)
Maamobi Branch, Accra Ghana Tesano Stake (3 Branches, 7 Wards)
Pleasant View 7th Ward, Provo Utah Sharon East Stake (9 Wards)
Rancho Carrillo Ward, Del Mar California Stake (1 Branch, 8 Wards)
Worland 3rd Ward, Worland Wyoming Stake (7 Wards)
99 Units YTD
Africa 28
Asia 1
North America (USA,Canada, Caribbean, Mexico) 35
South & Central America 5
Utah & Idaho 23
Pacific 5
Europe 2
The biggest increase in missionaries the Church needs is more senior missionaries. I hope we see their numbers increase soon
ReplyDeleteThe speculation seems unfounded, but interesting in the change of callings:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/2241502-155/mormon-woman-who-uttered-historic-prayer
TL;DR Sis. Stevens of he Primary presidency will be leaving with her husband to preside over a mission in London.
The Deseret News has published the answer to Grant's question:
ReplyDeleteHerve Jean-Claude Baehrel, 53, and Ginette Alibay Baehrel, three children, Aix-En-Provence Ward, Nice France Stake: Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa Mission
President Baehrel was born in Pompey, Meurthe-et-Moselle however. That is in north-east France. In fact, the next department east of Meurthe-et-Moselle was part of Germany 100 years ago. Meurthe-et-Moselle also borders Belgium. Pompey is an industrial town of about 5,000.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, he is a temple worker. My first guess is that he is a temple worker in the Bern Switzerland Temple, but I am not 100% sure.
Sister Ginette Alibay Baehrel was born in Madagascar. I am not sure though if she has ethnic origins in Madagascar or what. While she does have a dark complexion, she looks within the range of Europeaness. Not at all like the picture of the Mahafaly shown on Wikipedia, which is the ethnic group in the part of Madagascar in which she was born. On the other hand, her general apparence might be though of as Arab. Her father's first name was Hassanaly, which is definately Arabic sounding. Further study suggests there are Arab influences in Madagascar, so maybe she is Madagascarene. Another possibility is her family was Comorrian and in Madgascar for some reason. This has now intrigued me.
In total 2 this week are from Brazil, 1 from France and the remaining 5 from the US.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI just learned just how explosive growth is in Provo when it comes to the numbers of missionaries assigned to the current Provo mission ahead of the split, and how many they are expecting after the split once things are fully set up with both missions.
ReplyDelete164 stakes in the Utah Provo Mission boundaries.
440 missionaries now
700 missionaries once everything is set up between the two missions.
10,000 discussions taught in January alone.
This from a report I got of a stake conference across town where the mission president for Utah Provo spoke. By the way, there were 118 missionaries 2 1/2 years ago when he first arrived to preside over Provo.
Growth in Church units Jan. and Feb.:
ReplyDeleteJan + 32 W & B; + 31 W +1 B + 2stakes
US + 9; + 11 W - 2 B + 2 ST (Ut & AZ)
Outside US + 23; + 22 W + 1 B - 1 dist Argentina
Feb + 38; + 28 W +10 B + 3 St - 1 dist
US + 8; + 8 W +0 B +2 ST (Ut, Tx)
Outside US + 30; + 20 W +10 B + 1 ST -1 Dist (Mozambique)
Countries of greatest growth:
US + 16
Ghana + 10
Nigeria + 8
Cote d'Ivoire + 7
James Anderson, 10,000 discussions in January would be less than 2 per day for each companionship. That can't be right at all.
ReplyDeleteI've been out with them, mostly on reactivation visits, and it was rare we actually had a discussion, so two a day is not out of the question for a good average. Some get less, some get far more. Common for every mission but yes it does seem low given they want to really increase the number of missionaries in the future. One other thing, what might they be counting as a 'discussion taught' if that is low?
ReplyDeleteOn the projected That would mean just under two companionships per stake on average, some would get one, some would get two and in a few cases some stakes would get more.
Won't the Orem mission go past the point of the mountain into the Salt Lake Valley?
ReplyDeleteAny idea how many SL County stakes it will include?
It's going to take a few from the extreme south end of Salt Lake County, partly to offset what everyone is going to take from the small mission being discontinued that is centered around Murray.
ReplyDeleteAnd my figuring on companionships is that the two missions will have 350 companionships between them once all the expansion of the numbers is complete, with between them about 175 stakes or so that is going to average two companionships per stake. Now some will get more and some will get only one I think. So they are probably looking at doing some major reactivation efforts once this happens. Sacrament attendance among members here is around 50 percent, some more, some less.
Unit Creation update
ReplyDelete1 March 2015
Ciudad Victoria México North Stake (1 Branch 5 wards)
Padilla Branch
Carrera Ward
Flores Ward
Libertad Ward
Tamaulipas Ward
Villas Ward
Ammon 32nd Ward, Ammon Idaho Foothills Stake (12 Wards)
8 March 2015
Adzope 2nd Branch, Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Mission ( 6 Branches, 4 Stakes)
Kalifornsky Beach Ward, Soldotna Alaska Stake (2 Branches, 6 Wards)
Kanata Ward, Ottawa Ontario Stake (2 Branches, 7 Wards)
Mountain View 4th Ward, Lyman Wyoming Stake (10 Wards)
103 ytd
Exciting news for the Soldotna Alaska Stake! We have always heard the stake hasn't grown very much since it was created. This is big growth as there are now 5 wards on the peninsula.
ReplyDeleteTwo lessons per day would be great in my opinion.
ReplyDelete