Click here to access our February 2018 monthly newsletter for cumorah.com. These newsletters provide updates regarding LDS growth developments around the world.
The growth of the church in vanuatu is quite encouraging.
On another note, the Temecula California Stake just lost its YSA branch. That still leaves the stake with 13 wards, which makes it possible that it could be split.
Between the three island groups I always assumed that Polynesia had a higher rate of LDS, but maybe Melanesia and Micronesia are catching up in numbers.
Deseret News reporting that Barbados was just dedicated for the preaching of the gospel (apparently it had previously been dedicated collectively with other islands in the 1980s): https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865696460/Apostle-dedicates-Barbados-visits-Caribbean-nations.html
One factor is that the Church has been in Polynesia a lot longer. The first missionaries there came in the 1840s and tthe Church has had a presence in most Polynesian nations since the late 19th-century.
On the other hand Elder Groberg for the short part of his mission he was in Fiji in the 1950s was among the earliest missionaries there.
The ipening of Micronesia in general dates to the 1970s. However there are island groups in French Polynesia that were only opened a few decades ago. Even in Micronesia there are places like Kiribati opened in the 1970s where I believe over 10% of the population is Church members.
I hope other Caribbean nations will be individually dedicated too. In 1988, Elder Marvin J. Ashton dedicated the West Indies from Barbados (not sure if ALL the West Indies were dedicated, or only the islands then included in the West Indies Mission). Trinidad and Tobago, which was then part of the West Indies Mission, was later separately dedicated in 1990 by Elder M. Russell Ballard. Other Caribbean nations to have been dedicated include Jamaica (1978), Dominican Republic (1978), Haiti (1983), and the Bahamas (1997).
There are several countries that surprisingly don't have record of any dedication (at least none that I could find). These include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, India, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Netherlands, Samoa, Tonga, and the United States. Does anyone have any information on any of these country dedications?
Australia and New Zealand were not dedicated until 1993.... https://www.scribd.com/document/372980182/Ensign-March-1994-Australia-New-Zealand-Insert
Im getting married June 23rd. We will do a short honeymoon that weekend and a loner one to the Bahsmas in July. However we will only be in the Bahamas during the week so wont make it to Church.
Me and my fiancee have also started an SRS Find a better job class. It is somewhat like the old employment workshop but much better. Although I have a teaching job with Detroit Public Schools I need to find summer and other supplemental employment.
Matt, thank you for your work on this important topic. I appreciate your commitment to this global perspective.
ReplyDeleteThe growth of the church in vanuatu is quite encouraging.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, the Temecula California Stake just lost its YSA branch. That still leaves the stake with 13 wards, which makes it possible that it could be split.
Between the three island groups I always assumed that Polynesia had a higher rate of LDS, but maybe Melanesia and Micronesia are catching up in numbers.
ReplyDeleteDeseret News reporting that Barbados was just dedicated for the preaching of the gospel (apparently it had previously been dedicated collectively with other islands in the 1980s):
ReplyDeletehttps://www.deseretnews.com/article/865696460/Apostle-dedicates-Barbados-visits-Caribbean-nations.html
Nice. I know various couple that have served there. One opened Kouva branch.
ReplyDeleteOne factor is that the Church has been in Polynesia a lot longer. The first missionaries there came in the 1840s and tthe Church has had a presence in most Polynesian nations since the late 19th-century.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand Elder Groberg for the short part of his mission he was in Fiji in the 1950s was among the earliest missionaries there.
The ipening of Micronesia in general dates to the 1970s. However there are island groups in French Polynesia that were only opened a few decades ago. Even in Micronesia there are places like Kiribati opened in the 1970s where I believe over 10% of the population is Church members.
I hope other Caribbean nations will be individually dedicated too. In 1988, Elder Marvin J. Ashton dedicated the West Indies from Barbados (not sure if ALL the West Indies were dedicated, or only the islands then included in the West Indies Mission). Trinidad and Tobago, which was then part of the West Indies Mission, was later separately dedicated in 1990 by Elder M. Russell Ballard. Other Caribbean nations to have been dedicated include Jamaica (1978), Dominican Republic (1978), Haiti (1983), and the Bahamas (1997).
ReplyDeleteThere are several countries that surprisingly don't have record of any dedication (at least none that I could find). These include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, India, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Netherlands, Samoa, Tonga, and the United States. Does anyone have any information on any of these country dedications?
Australia and New Zealand were not dedicated until 1993....
https://www.scribd.com/document/372980182/Ensign-March-1994-Australia-New-Zealand-Insert
Canada was privately rededicated in 2015 or 2016 by Elder Ballard in Ottawa, I was told about it by relatives who were present for it
ReplyDeleteIm getting married June 23rd. We will do a short honeymoon that weekend and a loner one to the Bahsmas in July. However we will only be in the Bahamas during the week so wont make it to Church.
ReplyDeleteMe and my fiancee have also started an SRS Find a better job class. It is somewhat like the old employment workshop but much better. Although I have a teaching job with Detroit Public Schools I need to find summer and other supplemental employment.
@ John
ReplyDeleteCongrats on getting married!