Monday, June 29, 2015

Exploratory Visits from LDS Leaders to Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal

The Church has begun to explore opportunities for missionary work in two Sub-Saharan African nations: Sao Tome and Principe and Senegal. This information was obtained through reports from senior missionaries and mission presidents. Neither Sao Tome and Principe nor Senegal has an LDS presence despite widespread religious freedom and the operation of many other missionary-focused Christian groups in both of these nations.

Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe has a Portuguese-speaking population of approximately 180,000 people. The nation shares many cultural similarities with other Lusophone African nations such as Angola and Cabo Verde. Most the population adheres to Catholicism or Protestantism.

The Angola Luanda Mission president visited Sao Tome and Principe within recent months. The mission president was accompanied by Sao Tomean members who had joined the Church in Angola. A small sacrament meeting was held with a handful of isolated members and investigators who reside on Sao Tome. No member group appears to have been organized.

Click here to read a case study I wrote in 2013 on prospective LDS outreach in Sao Tome and Principe.

Senegal
Inhabited by 13.6 million people, Senegal is a country located in West Africa that is 94% Muslim, 5% Christian, and 1% followers of indigenous religions. Dakar is the capital city and had an estimated population of 3.2 million people. French is the official language and there are three indigenous African languages spoken by more than one million people (Fulani [Pulaar], Serer-Sine, and Wolof). 

Senior missionaries serving in Accra, Ghana report a recent visit to Dakar to meet with isolated members and investigators. Missionaries reported that a member group currently operates in Dakar. The group operates under the Africa West Area Branch. However, none of the members in the group are native Senegalese. Most, if not all, members in the group appear from other West African nations. 

Click here to read a case study I wrote in 2014 on prospective LDS outreach in Senegal.

3 comments:

Joseph said...

New Unit Update

June 14
Rexburg Idaho YSA 10th Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 6th Ward
Rexburg YSA 9th Ward
Rexburg YSA 26th Ward
Rexburg YSA 30th Ward
Rexburg YSA 34th Ward
Rexburg YSA 42nd Ward
Rexburg YSA 46th Ward
Rexburg YSA 68th Ward
Rexburg YSA 74th Ward
Rexburg YSA 107th Ward (NEW)
Rexburg YSA 108th Ward (NEW)
Rexburg YSA 109th Ward (NEW)

Rexburg YSA 99th Ward, Rexburg YSA 110th Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 1st Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 100th Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 2nd Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 101st Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 3rd Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 102nd Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 5th Stake (11 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 103rd Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 6th Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 104th Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 7th Stake (12 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 105th Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 8th Stake (10 Wards)
Rexburg YSA 106th Ward, Rexburg Idaho YSA 9th Stake (12 Wards)

Mucuri Branch, Porto Seguro Brazil District (5 Branches)

June 21
Agona Ghana District (5 Branches)
Agona Branch
Agona Ghana District Branch (NEW)
Asamang Branch
Effiduasi Branch
Mampong Branch

El Refugio Ward, Puebla México Mayorazgo Stake (10 Wards)
Maase Branch, Koforidua Ghana District (7 Branches)

June 28
Fanling Ward, Hong Kong, Stake info missing(?!) Now not listed (https://cdol.lds.org/cdol/organization/org-summary.jsf?id=4067110)
Tin Sau Ward, Hong Kong New Territories Stake (8 Wards)

17 May (just added)
Macau China District
Macau 1st Branch
Macau 2nd Branch
Macau 3rd Branch

YTD 274(10.96/week 25)
Africa 94
Asia 8
Europe 7
North America 85
Pacific 21
South and Central America 26
Utah & Idaho 55

Totals no-sensitive
Areas Temples Miss Stakes Dist Wards Branch Totals
Global 25 147 409 3,135 547 22,364 7,350 33,977
Us/Can 11 80 130 1,587 11 12,497 2,075 16,391
US n/a 72 123 1,540 8 12,161 1,923 15,827
Utah n/a 15 11 576 1 4,659 328 5,590
Canada n/a 8 7 47 3 336 152 553
Out 14 67 279 1,548 536 9,867 5,275 17,586

With Sensative
Global 25 147 409 3,135 559 22,368 7,439 34,082

Joseph said...

Missed a number
YTD 296(11.38/week 26)

Plus Pictures From the Sao Tome Visit
http://merrillsangolamission.blogspot.com/2015/05/sao-tome-principe.html

Aaron and Kamyra said...

Matt, is there any info about what is happy with preaching of the gospel in south sudan? I remember you posting some very positive press a couple of years ago.