Philippines
The Church has organized two new stakes in the Philippines.
The Mandaluyong Philippines Stake was organized from a division of the Makati Philippines Stake and the Manila Philippines Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Mandaluyong 1st, Mandaluyong 2nd, Mandaluyong 3rd, Mandaluyong 5th, and San Juan Wards. A special conference was held as part of the stake organization as the new stake became the Church's 100th operating stake in the Philippines.
The Calasiao Philippines Stake was organized from the Calasiao Philippines District on September 17th. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Calasiao 1st, Calasiao 2nd, Malasiqui 1st, Malasiqui 2nd, and Santa Barbara Wards. There are now four stakes in the greater Dagupan metropolitan area.
There are now 101 stakes and 74 districts in the Philippines.
Utah
The Church in Utah organized two new stakes on September 10th, and one new stake on September 17th.
The South Jordan Utah North Shore Stake was organized from a division of the South Jordan Utah Oquirrh Lake Stake (renamed the South Jordan Utah Eastlake Stake). The new stake includes the following six wards: the North Shore 1st, North Shore 2nd, North Shore 3rd, North Shore 4th, North Shore 5th, and North Shore 6th Wards.
The South Jordan Utah Garden Park Stake was organized from a division of the South Jordan Utah Founders Park Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Garden Park 1st, Garden Park 2nd, Garden Park 3rd, Garden Park 4th, Garden Park 5th, and Garden Park 6th Wards, and the Sagewood Branch (Care Center).
The Morgan Utah West Stake was organized from a division of the Morgan Utah Stake and the Morgan Utah North Stake. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Enterprise, Milton, Morgan 4th, Morgan 6th, Morgan 8th, Peterson, Silver Lake, and Stoddard Wards. The new stake is the first new stake to be organized in Morgan County since 1981.
There are now 589 stakes and one district in Utah.
Cote d'Ivoire
The Church organized a new stake in Cote d'Ivoire on September 10th. The Anonkoua Cote d'Ivoire Stake was organized from a division of the Abobo Cote d'Ivoire East Stake and the Abobo Cote d'Ivoire West Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and six branches: the Agnissankoi, Anonkoua 1st, Assomin, Avocatier, and Sagbe Wards, and the Anonkoua 2nd, Anonkoua 3rd, Banco, Bocabo, Celeste, and Sodeci Branches. The new stake is the Church's eleventh stake to be organized in Abidjan. No other metropolitan area on the continental landmass of Africa, Asia, and Europe has as many stakes.
There are now 12 stakes and 13 districts in Cote d'Ivoire.
Nigeria
The Church organized a new district in Nigeria on September 3rd. The Makurdi Nigeria District was organized from three mission branches in the city of Makurdi, namely the Makurdi 1st, Makurdi 2nd, and Makurdi 3rd Branches. The Church organized its first branch in Makurdi in November 2015.
There are now 43 stakes and 17 districts in Nigeria.
Vietnam
The Church organized its second district in Vietnam on September 17th. The Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam District was organized from a division of the Hanoi Vietnam District. Moreover, three new branches were also organized in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas. The new district includes the following six branches: the Binh Duong, Phu My Hung, Quan Sau, Tan Son Nhat, Thao Dien, and Thu Duc Branches. District leadership and branch leadership positions appear minimally staffed at present. The organization of these new branches has appeared to be in response to efforts to reduce travel times to church for members and investigators, and to expand proselytism efforts in the Vietnam Hanoi Mission. Moreover, the mission has also reported an increase in the number of missionaries assigned to the mission. The organization of the new district also coincided with the redesignation of the Hanoi Vietnam District Branch as the Vietnam Hanoi Mission Branch to administer members who reside in areas outside of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Missionaries report that branches may also be organized in additional cities in Vietnam in the foreseeable future pending government approval.
There are now two districts and 10 branches in Vietnam. In contrast, there were only four branches and one district in Vietnam at the beginning of 2017. Convert baptisms have appeared to occur more frequently in recent months in many of the branches.
Really good news in all these places.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Morgan County!
Utah. Don't lose your savor.
Great report. Thanks, Matt! I have enjoyed following the way so many new units have been created within the last several weeks. After the two week break (as I doubt any new stakes were created yesterday because of the Women's Session the day before, and due the 5 remaining sessions of General Conference that will take place this weekend), it will be very interesting to see how many new stakes are created in the 13 Sundays that will occur during the remainder of this year. I am always excited to hear about how the Church has continued to grow and expand. It will be wonderful to see that continue in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. Thanks again for this great update.
ReplyDelete"One cannot have been to Vietnam as I have on a number of occasions, and felt in some small measure the dreadful sorrow of the land, without making a plea for peace a part of his daily prayers. This war, like others, is fraught with terrible evil and unspeakable tragedy. I minimize none of these.
ReplyDelete"But notwithstanding the evil and the tragedy, I see a silver thread shining through the dark and bloody tapestry of conflict. I see the finger of the Lord plucking some good from the evil designs of the adversary. I see coming out of this conflict, as I have witnessed in other conflicts in Asia, an enlargement of the Lord's program."
- Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, April 1968