New Temple Prediction Map - March 2015 Edition

With General Conference only a couple weeks away, I have updated my temple prediction map. This most recent iteration of the map includes two additional sites for temples that may be likely to be announced within the near future, namely Lagos, Nigeria and Lubumbashi, DR Congo. A couple of the potential locations for new temples have also been adjusted (i.e. Cagayan de Oro, Philippines changed to Davao, Philippines). There have been some noteworthy LDS growth developments within the past six months that may contribute to a decision by the Church to announce temples in the 48 potential locations identified in this map (i.e. the maturation of many districts into stakes, accelerated congregational growth in many areas of the world). Also, I have included temples that are announced, under construction, or in operation in this most recent version of the temple prediction map.

And lastly, here's my top 10 picks for new temples that may be announced in April 2015:

• Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire 
• Bangkok, Thailand OR Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Belo Horizonte, Brazil
• Davao, Philippines
• Guam OR Tarawa, Kiribati
• Harare, Zimbabwe
• Layton, Utah
• Managua, Nicaragua
• Puebla, Mexico
• Rogers, Arkansas

110th Translation of the Book of Mormon Published

The Church recently announced the translation of the Book of Mormon into Kosraean. Unlike many languages which have recently had the entire Book of Mormon translated, there was no previous translation of select passages of the Book of Mormon into Kosraean. Kosraean is the 110th language into which the Church has translated the Book of Mormon. Other translations of the Book of Mormon that have been completed within the past seven years include Malay, Slovak, Serbian, and Yoruba.

A recent article on lds.org also notes that there are plans for the Church to publish three additional new translations of the Book of Mormon and five additional new translations of the triple combination (Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price). Likely candidates for a translation of the Book of Mormon include Burmese, Georgian, Kikamba, and Nepali. Likely candidates for a translation of the triple combination include Amharic, Aymara, Hindi (India), Hmong, Kiribati, Marshallese, Slovenian, Telugu, Tswana, Turkish, Xhosa, and Zulu. There also appear many languages with current translations of select passages of the Book of Mormon that are likely to have the entire Book of Mormon translated within the near future including Bengali, Cakchiquel, Chuukese, Efik, Farsi, Hiligaynon, Kuna, Mam, Maya, Navajo, Niuean, Palauan, Pampango, Papiamento, Pohnpeian, Quechua (Bolivia), Quechua (Peru), Quiche, Quichua (Ecuador), Tamil, Tzotzil, and Waray.

Stake Discontinued in Utah; Stake Created in Mexico; District Created in Namibia

Utah
The Church recently discontinued the Salt Lake 1st Stake. Originally organized in 1950, the stake had five wards and one branch prior to its consolidation with the Salt Lake Married Student 2nd Stake (renamed the Salt Lake Married Student Stake). The small number of wards in the stake and the closure of two of the five wards appeared responsible for the discontinuation of the stake. The last stake to be discontinued in Utah was in 2011.

There are now 575 stakes and one district in Utah.

Mexico
The Church organized a new stake in Xalapa, Veracruz State last Sunday. The Xalapa México Macuiltepetl Stake was organized from the Xalapa México Stake and includes the following six wards: Casa Blanca, Estación, Macuiltepetl, Museo, Olivo, and San Bruno Wards. The Church has organized three new wads in Xalapa within recent months suggesting increasing numbers of active members. The original Xalapa México Stake was organized in 1986.

There are now 230 stakes and 37 districts in Mexico.

Namibia
The Church organized a new district in Namibia last Sunday from the Botswana/Namibia Mission. The Windhoek Namibia District appears to include two branches in Windhoek and a member group in Swakopmund. The Church once operated a district in Namibia during the early 1990s but discontinued it after one of the two branches in the district was discontinued. Prior to the organization of the new district, Namibia was the country or territory with the sixth most members without a stake or district. The Church has experienced slow but steady growth in Namibia. The Church has experienced chronic problems with obtaining foreign missionary visas and consequently full-time missionaries have inconsistently served within the country during the past decade.

New Stake in Mexico

The Church created a new stake in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas on March 1st. The Ciudad Victoria Mexico North Stake was organized from a division of the Ciudad Victoria Mexico Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Carrera, Flores, Libertad, Tamaulipas, and Villas Wards and the Padilla Branch. Prior to the organization of the new stake only one stake operated in the city which was organized in 1976.

There are now 230 stakes and 37 districts in Mexico.