Monday, August 5, 2019

Cumorah Website Down

I have received many inquiries into www.cumorah.com as the site is currently down. We had a hosting problem and hope that the site will be back up soon. I will publish the July newsletter once the site is restored so that way the links are active for the country profiles updated during the month, which include Bangladesh, Brunei, and Timor-Leste (East Timor).

57 comments:

James G. Stokes said...

No worries, Matt. If you were on the same server or a similar server as the websites for KSL and the Deseret News, both of those sites were down for quite a while over the weekend. And as far as the weekend newscasts went, on Saturday, they wound up preempting the first half-hour, currting in to substitute programming towards the end of the first half-hour to do a mini-newscast (only around 4 minutes with major highlights), then coming back on the air an hour later when the problem was fixed. And it was not until sometime yesterday that both the KSL and Deseret News websites were back up and running. I think I can speak for everyone reading this blog when I say that we'd rather ensure you have access to the resources you need than we would prefer that you'd just publish the newsletter for last month with the information you have, even if it is incomplete.

Don't stress about anything on our account. Take whatever time is needed to get the server fixed, then, when you have access to the correct resources, we will look forward to the July 2019 Church Growth newsletter whenever you can provide it. In the meantime, thanks for letting us know what is going on, and best of luck to you as you work on the issue in question. Keep up the great work!

Chris D. said...

Also during my research, I have found 68 of the 164 current constructed Temples (41% of total) which have a Stake Center next to it. Although several of the remaining 96 Temples, have a Meetinghouse next to it used as a Ward Building, which could be used as Stake Center. It seems the trend in Temple construction these days. To be built next to an existing Stake Center, or to build a Meetinghouse next to the new Temple to house a Stake. This I believe going back to the old Prophecy stating "All Stake Centers would be a Temple". So many of the current Temples in construction or planned have an additional meetinghouse built on the lot.

I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case of the Temples in varying stages of Renovations. That way the closest Stake to the site can use the building. Or in the case of the Taipei Taiwan Temple there are 4 Stake Offices in building next door. Possibly due to high costs in construction in Taiwan.

Chris D. said...

Here is a list of those 68 of 164 Temples with a Stake Center on the lot :

ABA NIGERIA
ACCRA GHANA
ANCHORAGE ALASKA
BATON ROUGE LOUISIANA
BERN SWITZERLAND
BISMARCK NORTH DAKOTA
BOISE IDAHO
CARACAS VENEZUELA
CEBU CITY PHILIPPINES
COLUMBIA RIVER WASHINGTON
DETROIT MICHIGAN
DRAPER UTAH
EDMONTON ALBERTA
FORT COLLINS COLORADO
FORTALEZA BRAZIL
FRANKFURT GERMANY
FRESNO CALIFORNIA
GILBERT ARIZONA
GUADALAJARA MEXICO
HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA
HAMILTON NEW ZEALAND
HERMOSILLO SONORA MEXICO
HONG KONG CHINA
IDAHO FALLS IDAHO
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
KANSAS CITY MISSOURI
KINSHASA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
KONA HAWAII
LAIE HAWAII
LUBBOCK TEXAS
MADRID SPAIN
MEDFORD OREGON
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
MEMPHIS TENNESSEE
MERIDA MEXICO
MERIDIAN IDAHO
MONTERREY MEXICO
MONTREAL QUEBEC
MOUNT TIMPANOGOS UTAH
NASHVILLE TENNESSEE
NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA
NUKU'ALOFA TONGA
OAKLAND CALIFORNIA
OQUIRRH MOUNTAIN UTAH
ORLANDO FLORIDA
PALMYRA NEW YORK
PERTH AUSTRALIA
PHOENIX ARIZONA
PRESTON ENGLAND
RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA
REDLANDS CALIFORNIA
REXBURG IDAHO
ROME ITALY
SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA
SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR
SAO PAOLO BRAZIL
SEATTLE WASHINGTON
SPOKANE WASHINGTON
ST. PAUL MINNESOTA
TAIPEI TAIWAN
TAMPICO MEXICO
TEGUCIGALPA HONDURAS
TORONTO ONTARIO
TUXTLA GUTIERREZ MEXICO
TWIN FALLS IDAHO
VERACRUZ MEXICO
VERNAL UTAH
WASHINGTON D.C.

Chris D. said...

"Here's what to expect for the Hong Kong China Temple renovation
Rendering of the Hong Kong China Temple.

By Spencer Williams
Updated 6 AUG 2019

https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2019-08-06/hong-kong-china-temple-renovation-50432

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

@Chris

Is the church building next to the Louisville, Kentucky Temple not a stake center?

Chris D. said...
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Chris D. said...

See the first interior photos of the Haiti Port-au-Prince Temple

https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2019-08-06/haiti-port-au-prince-temple-interior-photos-50434

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Thanks for the clarification Chris. :)

Unknown said...

Chris, what about the church next to the Columbus Ohio Temple? I think it is a stake center.

Chris D. said...
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Chris D. said...
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L. Chris Jones said...

There are one or more not on this list that haven't a stake center or meeting house across the street. Such as St. George Utah.

Omar Valenzuela E said...

In the temple of Santiago de Chile, next to it there is a meeting center that also serves for Institutes, there are the church offices.

In Colombia Bogota also have a chapel next door

Bryan Dorman said...

The temple of Villahermosa MX was built on what once was the Stake Center. Due to limited space however, they had to tear the SC down and rebuild it a kilometer south in Anillo Deportivo.

A planned spot for the upcoming Puebla Temple is not near a Stake Center but is close (roughly 500m, one third of a mile), from the Aquiles Serdan chapel.

L. Chris Jones said...

with the Joseph Smith Memorial building in Salt Lake City count as a meeting house. I understand there's a chapel on one of the floors of that building. And it is on Temple square.

twinnumerouno said...

Yes, part of my family lived in SLC's Avenues for a couple years and met in the JSM Building for their church services.

MainTour said...

The JSM Building in SLC holds a large sacrament meeting every Sunday for the Temple Square missionaries. That would count as chapel. Similarly the NYC Stake Center Chapel is on the 3& 4th floors of a Manhattan skyscraper.

MainTour said...

The NYC Stake Center is inside the same Manhattan skyscraper housing the NYC Temple. I

Chris D. said...
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Chris D. said...
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Chris D. said...
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James Anderson said...

Wards also meet in the Salt Lake JSB, I have also attended preconference family history meetings and had a dinner in the chapel's adjacent relief society room, it has a small French-registered pipe organ with 47 stops, somewhat more than most you find in a few buildings around, our electric organs have fewer also.

Chris D. said...
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Eduardo said...

Haiti needs more blessings, great to see...
Is there a way to measure the results of vicarious ordinance temple work overall, or even temple by temple?

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

@Chris

Ah, so it did used to have the Crestwood Stake in it. I knew I wasn't crazy.

Unknown said...

@Chris

Can you give some more context on the prophecy you mentioned that says all stake centers will be temples? Also, do you happen to have a copy of the prophecy you could share? I have never heard that before but would be very interested to know more!

Chris D. said...

Unknown, I apologize. I may have misquoted the "Prophecy". I am searching the internet for reference from the Brethren in regards to Temples and Stakes. The only article even close to my statement was this article in the "Ensign January 1991" from a speech given by Pres. Ezra Taft Benson.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1991/01/strengthen-thy-stakes?lang=eng

"First Presidency Message

“Strengthen Thy Stakes”
By President Ezra Taft Benson

..."3. ...We only build temples in stakes. The blessings and ordinances of the temple prepare one for exaltation. Of course, it is not possible for every stake to have a temple, but we are presently witnessing some remarkable—yes, miraculous—developments in the building of temples in different parts of the world. Such a program permits members of the Church to receive the full blessings of the Lord."

Although I don't remember from years ago where I heard the original statement of A Temple in every Stake (center).

If anyone else has any other reference, I would appreciate knowing also.

Chris D. said...

New Stake in Veracruz Mexico today, Estaca Veracruz México Puerto (Veracruz México Puerto Stake) - 2143976

Assigned wards :

Altamirano Ward (57231) from Veracruz México Villa Rica Stake
Buenavista Ward (209287) from Veracruz México Villa Rica Stake
Constituyentes Ward (99783) from Veracruz México Villa Rica Stake
Libertad Ward (271276) from Veracruz México Villa Rica Stake
Reserva Ward (271144) from Veracruz México Stake
Tecnológico Ward (113689) from Veracruz México Stake

https://classic.churchofjesuschrist.org/maps/#ll=19.192934,-96.116134&z=14&m=google.road&layers=stakecenter&q=Altamirano%20Ward&find=ward:57231

Eduardo said...

I have attended special temple dedications, like Mexico City or Nauvoo, through closed circuit television where we were in stake centers in Santa Monica or San Bernardino as temple worthy attendants. In that sense every stake center became a temporary temple.

John Pack Lambert said...

In a truly bizarre suit that hopefully goes no one someone has sued the Church trying to claim that the fact the Church has not proclaimed that Joseph Smith used a seer stone in a hat as part of the Book of Mormon transalation process, at least not in general conference, is grounds to hold the Church liable for fraud under RICO laws.

I posted a longer explanation here https://memberoftherestoredcofjcmichigan.blogspot.com/2019/08/suing-mormon-corporate-empire.html on my blog.

Anonymous said...

MainTour, the NYC Stake Center was changed to a building on the East Side more than a few years ago, but there may still be a meetinghouse there. The building housing the temple is 5-6 floors, so not a skyscraper.

L. Chris Jones said...

It appears that the tower next door to the Manhattan New York Temple is connected or somehow related to the property. I also found this article online: The New York Times › archives › t...
Tower for the Mormon Church Is Being Erected at Lincoln Sq. - The New York ...

L. Chris Jones said...

It was from an April 22,1973 New York Times article.

L. Chris Jones said...

I also found a shorter article in the June 1973 Ensing.

John Pack Lambert said...

Laie was built 17 years before Hawaii had a stake, and when that stake was formed in was based in Honolulu nor Laie, so the stake center is much younger than the temple. On the other hand this is why when my grandfather started his mission his mission did not cover Oahu, since at that time stakes were not assigned as part of missions.

In my mission more and more units do not have any missionaries assigned to them. Two adjacent bbranches in northwest Ohio, Wauseon and Bryan, lack missionaries. The same is true of one of the wards in Ann Arbor, the Brighton Ward in Brighton Michigan, the Bloomfield Hills Ward (with the Detroit Temple in its boundaries) and the Troy Ward. Just during the time the missionary I was on splits with tonight has been out the mission has gone from about 180 missionaries down to about 110.

On the other hand he did mention that there is an attempt to start up several Spanish groups in the mission. He mentioned it but I did not follow up more.

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Hey, guys.

John Pack Lambert did a pretty good job explaining that law suit against the church on his blog.

His post got me interested in reading more about the Josiah Stowell trial and seer stones. I came across this article that had some info I hadn't heard before. I shared it in a comment on John's post, but thought I might share it here, as well.

https://www.fairmormon.org/conference/august-2002/the-1826-trial-of-joseph-smith

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Wasn't the Ukraine temple announced before there was a stake there?

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

@Eduardo:

I can back that up. I attended the Nauvoo broadcast on my mission in Louisville, Kentucky; the Winter Quarters temple broadcast to Stevensville, Montana; and a recent one broadcast here in Ogden a couple of years ago (Provo City Center, I believe - it's hard to remember, Utah dedicates a lot of temples).

twinnumerouno said...

The Fort Collins temple dedication was broadcast to at least all stake centers in Colorado. Not sure if my stake (the former Meeker Colorado stake, which has now been split) had special arrangements because of how big an area it covered, but we actually had it in our chapel which is not a stake center.

James G. Stokes said...

I have fond memories of attending temple dedications which were broadcast to my Stake Centers, among which were, most notably, Palmyra New York, Winter Quarters Nebraska, Nauvoo Illinois, and the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple dedication. It appears the Provo City Center Temple dedication was broadcast more widely than I seem to recall, but that is probably because my wife and I were not feeling well enough to attend it at our local stake center on the day of its' dedication.

I also know that in some instances, in a couple of places where I live, Churchwide or local broadcasts have been able to be viewed by my family and me from our own ward buildings, rather than from the stake center. I don't recall that ever being the case for temple dedications, but I wouldn't be shocked if that were the case elsewhere in the US or throughout the world, where greater distances from stake centers would necessitate having a closer option for the members wanting to participate in such broadacsts.

L. Chris Jones said...

In my Ammon Idaho stake. Even though all buildings are relative close to each other, we broadcast all stake conferences to each building. (It's possible for shut-ins to get the stake conference at home online).

John Pack Lambert said...

Laie was built 17 years before Hawaii had a stake, and when that stake was formed in was based in Honolulu nor Laie, so the stake center is much younger than the temple. On the other hand this is why when my grandfather started his mission his mission did not cover Oahu, since at that time stakes were not assigned as part of missions.

In my mission more and more units do not have any missionaries assigned to them. Two adjacent bbranches in northwest Ohio, Wauseon and Bryan, lack missionaries. The same is true of one of the wards in Ann Arbor, the Brighton Ward in Brighton Michigan, the Bloomfield Hills Ward (with the Detroit Temple in its boundaries) and the Troy Ward. Just during the time the missionary I was on splits with tonight has been out the mission has gone from about 180 missionaries down to about 110.

On the other hand he did mention that there is an attempt to start up several Spanish groups in the mission. He mentioned it but I did not follow up more.

John Pack Lambert said...

I attended the Palmyra Temple dedication at the Marriott Center at BYU, which is a basketball arena, although also heavily used for devotionals, young adult firesides (it was up until March of 2000 always the origin place for such firesides, now it is only occasionally such) and various regional conferences. The Nauvoo Temple dedication I attended at a chapel adjacent to BYU (the stake center for the stake covering Wymount if I remember correctly). I am not sure if there was a decision that the Marriott Center was too big for such a function or if there were other factors.

Merril J. Bateman's remarks about how he felt about the use of the Marriott Center for the didication makes me think that it was deemed appropriate, although I do remember having to ask the people behind me to be quieter and they responded "I though this was where they played basketball" or something to the effect. I do remember at the end President Bateman telling us that although he didn't want to break the spirit, we should get up and go to class. The fact the Palmyra dedication was on a Thursday and not a Sunday was irregular.

Nauvoo was dedicated during the summer so there were not as many students at BYU. I believe it was on a Sunday so the logistical issues of allowing students to get to class quickly were less present. I was on my mission when Winter Quarters was dedicated, so attended the dedication at the stake center of the Las Vegas Nevada Warm Springs Stake. I do not know where the dedication was broadcast at BYU.

As far as I know these are the only three dedications broadcast Church wide. I know the Mexico City dedication was broadcast to the US.

I hope that the Salt Lake City Temple rededication will be broadcast worldwide.

Chris D. said...
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Ray said...

I was waiting for the August Church growth on Cumorah to mention the number of new wards and branches, but with the site still down, here is the July growth in Church congregations:
July + 40 Wards and Branches; + 36 W + 4 B + 5 stakes - 4 districts
US + 17 W&B; + 7 W + 10 B, + 1 st + 0 d
UT + 4 W&B; + 3 W + 1 B + 0 st
Africa + 13 W&B; + 6 W + 7 B + 1 st + 1 d
S America + 9 W&B; + 9 W + 0 B + 2 st + 0 d
YTD + 237 W&B; + 228 W + 9 B + 29 st + 3 d
US + 93 W&B; + 93 W + 0 B + 9 st - 1 d
UT + 51 W&B; + 53 W - 2 B + 6 st + 0 d
Nigeria + 55 W&B, Brazil + 25, Peru + 13, Ghana + 10, Cote d'Ivoire + 10, Philippines +
9, Bolivia + 8; Chile - 21, Venezuela - 5

Chris D. said...

Once again, I am going to try to give the Google Maps link to 1 of my Area Maps that I have been working using Google Earth Pro app. This link is an unfinished Map of a possible future Africa Central Area (with the Kinshasa DRC and Nairobi Kenya Temples). The location for the Nairobi Kenya Temple is just an approximate. I placed the marker within the city, since the official site location has not been announced by the First Presidency.

Also I was not able to add more details of road / air routes. Had hit the Layers limit for this map in Google MyMaps.

The other day I had forgotten to change the Share options in file to anyone with the link. That has been changed today. Let me know if access is still blocked.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1K9DqTK_vi6ZmvWjJHTxeQd9I7xpo9UUe&ll=-1.3618220296664663%2C24.74001750000002&z=4

Ray said...

Add to report of congregational growth for the year through July:

Africa + 112 Wards and Branches; + 65 W + 47 B + 7 st + 11 d

Chris D. said...

Yesterday Classic Maps was updated with the "Ibague Colombia District", organized 07/1978, upgraded to the "Ibague Colombia Stake". Not known the Stake organized date.

Eduardo said...

California and Chile are similar in that both are consistently losing units but both have recent temple announcements.
Yuba City will be the Golden State's 8th and Antofagasta will be Chile's 3rd. I think Chile should get another 3.
Yuba City should help more for hundreds of miles of rural northern California.
I bet being a member in the tri-county marijuana zone, Humboldt and Mariposa, etc., would be a difficult prospect.
Is there any other rural part of our country that is as drug dependent? I guess if we count alcohol, parts of Kentucky are all about the bourbon...

James G. Stokes said...

Hey, Eduardo, not sure whether you knew about this, but on the Church's official temple website and on Rick Satterfield's temple website, the name of the temple in Yuba City is now listed as the Feather River California Temple.

As for other Californian temple prospects, I still have my eye on Bakersfield for the near future. And regarding other Chilean prospects, I have Vina del Mar on my more imminent list, with 1-3 other Chilean cities on other lists for the future.

I am thinking of possibly doing some analysis on my blog in the near future examining temple announcements made by President Nelson a little more thoroughly. I will give that some additional thought for sure.

Eduardo said...

Feather River. Good to know. Sounds like a shout out to native Americans.
Sad to learn that within 10 years of the Gold Rush (discoverer a remnant of the Mormon Battalion?) the native population of California dropped from over 330,000 to into the 30 thousands. Disease and I suppose the lack of health care contributed to this devastation.
My wife and I visted San Juan Capistrano Mission last summer. California has an interesting history. I hope it does get more temples. And the forgotten dead are redeemed... Let's do our parts.

Christopher Nicholson said...

This article is outside the usual scope of discussion on this blog, but it offers unique and, I believe, important thoughts on what can be done by lay members to address the Church's declining growth and high rate of disaffection. https://www.mormoninterpreter.com/welding-another-link-in-wonders-chain-the-task-of-latter-day-saint-intellectuals-in-the-churchs-third-century/?unapproved=107444&moderation-hash=69de332adaa54f908a1ecffb276f5078#comment-107444

Christopher Nicholson said...

My bad, that link goes straight to the comment I left at the bottom. Try this one instead: https://www.mormoninterpreter.com/welding-another-link-in-wonders-chain-the-task-of-latter-day-saint-intellectuals-in-the-churchs-third-century/

twinnumerouno said...

My understanding of the Gold Rush discovery is that it was a non-Mormon employee at Sutter's Mill who discovered it- but several who had been soldiers in the "Mormon Battalion" were also working there, and one of those church members, named Bigler, recorded it in his diary thus giving us the exact date the gold was discovered.

James G. Stokes said...

That's correct. For further corroboration, that gold rush is also detailed to certain degrees in both chapters and endnotes of Church History in the Fullness of Time and Volume 9 of Elder Gerald N. Lund's The Work and the Glory series. In the former, the indexed entries in that respect may also be illuminating. Hope this information helps.

John Pack Lambert said...

California has not seen loss of stakes in the general region for the Feather River Temple. In fact I think the Sacramento Temple may cover more stakes now than when dedicated. Also the push for more temple worship means we can have more temples with the same number of members.

Chile and California are still way ahead of Australia and Canada in stakes per temple.

John Pack Lambert said...

I have to say that I think individualized out reach and face to face communication are key. I also think we need to better utilize the gospel topics essays. Missionaries should not come to Detroit not having read the race and the priesthood essay.