New Stake Created in Mozambique, New Districts Created in the DR Congo and Lesser Antilles, District Reinstated in Russia

Mozambique

The Church organized a new stake today in Mozambique. The Nampula Mozambique Stake was created from the Nampula Mozambique District. The new stake includes the following six wards and two branches: the Matutope, Murrapaniua, Muatala, Mutauanha, Nampula, and the Napipine Wards, and the Luaha and Nacala Branches. The Church in Nampula has achieved some of the most rapid growth ever reported by the Church in modern times. This is evident in that there was only one branch in Nampula prior to October 2017. The first branch in Nampula was created in 2005. In October 2017, the Church organized two new branches in Nampula and created a district with three branches. The Church originally planned to organize the first stake in Nampula in April 2020, but the creation of the stake was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the period of time between the organization of a second branch in the city and the creation of the first stake within the city is one of the shortest ever reported by the Church.

There are now five stakes in Mozambique.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

The Church organized a new district in the DR Congo on January 10th. The Matadi DR Congo District was organized from four mission branches within the western city of Matadi. These branches include the Buima 1st, Buima 2nd, Matadi, and Nzanza Branches. The Church organized its first branch in Matadi in 2010. Branches in nearby Boma (created in 2018) and Muanda (created in 2019) are not included in the new district.

There are now 23 stakes and six districts in the DR Congo.

Lesser Antilles

A new district was organized in the northern Lesser Antilles, albeit it is unclear where the district is headquartered. The Lesser Antilles North District includes the following six branches: the Portsmouth, St Croix, St John's, St Kitts, St Thomas, and Tortola Branches. The new district includes the nations and territories of Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, and the United States Virgin Islands. This is not the first time the Church has organized a district in this area of the Lesser Antilles. For example, the Church operated a district headquartered in St Kitts and Nevis from 2004 to 2010.

Russia

The Church reinstated the Ufa Russia District on December 20th, 2020. The district was organized from branches in the Samara Russia District and the Yekaterinburg Russia District. The reinstated district includes the Izhevsk, Kazan', Orenburg, Perm, Ufa, and the Ufa Russia District Branches. The Church used to operate a district in Ufa until 2010 when it was discontinued. At one point, there were four branches in the city of Ufa, whereas today there is only one branch. The reinstated district also includes Perm - another city that used to have its own district until 2012.

There are now three stakes and nine districts in Russia.

Amended December 2020 Monthly Newsletter

Click here to view the amended December 2020 monthly newsletter. A couple corrections were made in regards to congregational growth totals for the year 2020, namely for Brazil and Nigeria.

Mission Discontinued in Wyoming, Districts Discontinued in Malaysia and the Philippines

Wyoming

The Church discontinued its only mission in Wyoming at the beginning of 2021. The Wyoming Mormon Trail Mission was discontinued and consolidated with Colorado Fort Collins Mission. The mission was organized in January 2015, but its purpose appeared primarily related to managing Church history sites in central Wyoming rather than proselytism. The mission boundaries included an extremely small geographical area in and nearby Martin's Cove. The decision to discontinue the mission was likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacting public use of these Church history sites. With the closure of the mission, there are now 107 missions in the United States.

Malaysia

The Church discontinued one of its districts in Malaysia in late 2020. The Ipoh Malaysia District was consolidated with the Kuala Lumpur Malaysia District - the only remaining district in West Malaysia. The former district had only two branches: one in Ipoh and one in Penang. In contrast, the Church used to operate four branches in the district, but closed branches in Butterworth and Sitiawan in the mid-2010s. The Church has struggled for many years with very slow membership growth and continued branch consolidations. In contrast, the Church in Malaysia reports some of the most rapid growth in the worldwide Church in the late 2000s and early 2010s. However, convert retention rates were low during these period of rapid growth. Leadership development has been a major challenge, especially considering most converts come from ethnic minority groups or migrant workers from other countries. Malaysia is the country with the most members without a stake which is primarily attributed to low member activity rates nationwide combined with membership scattered in several of the most populous cities such as Bintulu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Miri, and Sibu. The decision to consolidate the two districts in West Malaysia may be in preparation to form a stake, albeit there do not appear to be any imminent plans or prospects for the district to become a stake. Most recent reports from returned missionaries suggest that Kuching is most likely to be where the first stake in Malaysia will be organized.

There are now five districts in Malaysia.

The Philippines

The Church discontinued the Burgos Philippines District in early January 2021. The Burgos Philippines District included five Ilokano-speaking branches, namely the Burgos, Calinguian, Catabban, Gamu, and Mabini Branches, prior to its closure. Four of the five branches were reassigned to the neighboring Roxas Philippines Isabela District, whereas the Gamu Branch was reassigned to the Ilagan Philippines Stake. The Burgos Philippines District and the Roxas Philippines Isabela District were originally organized in 2005 after the Burgos Philippines Stake was discontinued. Any wards in the stake were downgraded to branches and divided between the two new districts. The original Burgos Philippines Stake was organized in 2001 from the Roxas Isabela Philippines District and included eight wards and three branches. The Burgos Philippines Stake numbered among the six stakes discontinued in the early and mid-2000s following a major restructuring of the Church's congregations, stakes, and district to rectify problems with local leadership development and low numbers of active members in individual congregations. The closure of the Burgos Philippines District has been an anomaly as only two other districts in the Philippines have closed since 2007, namely the Camiling Philippines West District (2017) and the Mapandan Philippines District (2014) - both of which were discontinued and combined with a neighboring district to create a stake shortly thereafter. Thus, the consolidation of the Burgos Philippines District with the Roxas Philippines Isabela District was likely motivated to create a stake in the foreseeable future. Many, if not most, of the branches in the Roxas Philippines Isabela District appear to have enough active members to become wards. 

There are now 116 stakes and 61 districts in the Philippines.

Top Ten Most Encouraging and Top Ten Most Discouraging Growth and Missionary Developments for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2020

Click here to access the Top Ten Most Encouraging and Top Ten Most Discouraging Growth and Missionary Developments for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2020.

New Stakes Created in Brazil, Idaho, Nigeria, and Wyoming; District Created in Utah; Stake Discontinued in California; District Discontinued in Nigeria

Still trying to catch up with everything. I apologize the following analysis is so delayed.

Four new stakes were recently created in late 2020

Brazil

The Church organized a new stake in Tocantins State, Brazil. The Palmas Brazil North Stake was organized from a division of the Palmas Brazil Stake on December 6th. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Luzimangues, Miracema, Palmas 1st, Palmas 2nd, and Paraíso Wards. The stake is the Church's second stake in Tocantins State where 1.6 million people reside. The Church organized its first stake in Tocantins State (the Palmas Brazil Stake) in 2007. The Church created its first branch in Tocantins State in 1990.

There are now 279 stakes and 39 districts in Brazil

Idaho

The Church organized a new stake in Nampa, Idaho on November 22nd. 26. Nampa Idaho Ridgevue Stake was organized on November 22nd, 2020 from a division of the Nampa Idaho North Stake and the Nampa Idaho West Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Nampa 1st, Nampa 3rd, Nampa 4th, Nampa 12th, Nampa 13th, Nampa 36th, and Nampa 41st Wards. There are now six stakes in Nampa.

There are now 135 stakes in Idaho.

Nigeria

The Church organized a new stake in Delta State, Nigeria on November 29th. The Ekete Nigeria Stake was organized from a division of the Warri Nigeria Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards and three branches: the Ekete, Orhuwhorun, Ovwian 1st, Ovwian 2nd, Ughelli 1st, Ughelli 2nd, and Ughelli 3rd Wards, and the Aladja, Otujeremi, and Ozoro Branches. The new stake is the Church's second stake to be organized in the Warri metropolitan area. The Church also discontinued the Sapele Nigeria District (organized in 2019) and reassigned the four branches that previously pertained to this district to the Warri Nigeria Stake. This decision was likely made to enable larger branches in the city to become wards in the foreseeable future, and to reduce the administrative burden on the Nigeria Benin City Mission - one of the missions in Africa with the most stakes and districts assigned. 

There are now 60 stakes and 18 districts in Nigeria.

Wyoming 

The Church organized a new stake in Wyoming on December 6th. The Casper Wyoming East Stake was organized from a division of the Casper Wyoming Stake. The new stake include the following six wards and one branch: the Casper 2nd, Casper 3rd, Casper 6th, Casper 10th, Douglas, and Glenrock Wards, and the Lusk Branch. The new stake was the second new stake organized in Wyoming in 2020 following the creation of the Sheridan Wyoming Stake.

There are now 19 stakes in Wyoming.

Utah

A new district was organized in Utah. The Great Salt Lake Utah District (Correctional Facility) was organized on January 3rd. The new district includes the following nine branches: the Lone Peak  (Correctional Facility - Male), Olympus (Correctional Facility - Male), Oquirrh (Correctional Facility - Male), Promontory (Correctional Facility - Male), Timpanogos 1st (Correctional Facility - Female), Timpanogos 2nd (Correctional Facility - Female), Uinta (Correctional Facility - Male), Wasatch 1st (Correctional Facility - Male), and Wasatch 2nd (Correctional Facility - Male) Branches. The district is the Church's first district that is specialized for members who are in correctional facilities. Branches that in the new district previously pertained to ordinary stakes in the area.

There are now 612 stakes and two districts in Utah. The other district in Utah is headquartered in Wendover and has three branches.

California

A stake was discontinued in southern California. The Placentia California Stake (organized in 1954) was discontinued and retained wards were reassigned to neighboring stakes. There were five stakes in the stake prior to its discontinuation. This marked the second time in 2020 when a stake in California was discontinued as the Granada Hills California Stake closed earlier in the year. The closure of the stake in southern California is unsurprising and has been long overdue due to the steady decline in the number of active members in the area (northern Orange County). Tens of thousands of active Latter-day Saints have moved away from southern California in the past several decades. Few new converts have joined the Church and remained active to replace departing members. Moreover, non-White converts appear to comprise the majority of new members in the area, particularly among Spanish-speakers, which has further hampered efforts to strengthen existent English-speaking congregations. The Church in southern California has discontinued approximately one stake per year within the past decade. Additional stakes that have been discontinued in California in recent years include the Torrance California Stake (discontinued in 2019), the Garden Grove California Stake (discontinued in 2017), the San Diego California Sweetwater Stake (discontinued in 2016), Covina California (Spanish) Stake (discontinued in 2015), Huntington Park California West (Spanish) Stake (discontinued in 2012), and the Escondido California South Stake (discontinued in 2011).

There are now 151 stakes in California. The Church in California reached its all-time high for the number of stakes in 1995 when there were 162 stakes. The last time a new stake was organized in California was the Lake Elsinore California Stake back in 2013. The Church in California reached its all-time high for the number of congregations (i.e., wards and branches) in 2005 and 2006 when there were 1,386 congregations. There were 1,229 congregations in California as of year-end 2019. There were at least three new congregations organized in California in 2020 (all Spanish-speaking branches), whereas there were 13 wards and three branches discontinued in California in 2020 (most of which were English-speaking wards).

Most Encouraging and Discouraging Church Growth Developments for 2020

 I am still finishing up this article, and I will post a link to it in the next couple days.

Updated Country Profile - Ethiopia

Click here to access the updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Ethiopia. The Church in Ethiopia experienced slow growth in the 1990s and for most of the 2000s, and again since the mid-2010s. There was a five-year period from the late 2000s to mid-2010s when the Church experienced rapid membership growth and the organization of new congregations. However, these efforts have since dramatically reversed due to problems with local leadership development and disruptions to the continuity of full-time missionary outreach. Ethiopia ranks among the least reached countries of the world by Latter-day Saints among countries with populations of at least 100 million people. In contrast, most missionary-minded Christian groups report steady growth rates that range from moderate to rapid.

See below for the Future Prospects section of this article:

President Hinckley visited members of the Church from Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda in Nairobi, Kenya in February 1998 and predicted that the Church would grow in Kenya and surrounding countries. He stated, “Here there are now hundreds, there will be thousands, there will be tens of thousands. This gospel is true; it will spread over the earth."

In 2020, this prediction had yet to be fully realized. The small size of the Church in Ethiopia today comes as the result of the large, rapidly growing population of Ethiopia that has been highly underserved as a result of few missionaries assigned to the country, the relatively short time in which the Church has operated in the country, modest membership growth, and stagnant congregational growth that has persisted for more than a decade. The newly organized Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission was desperately needed given Ethiopia’s large population, high potential for self-sustaining church growth if consistent outreach is extended, long distance from prior mission headquarters, and few mission resources devoted to the country. However, the outlook for growth appears mediocre in the near-term, as the mission will likely utilize its resources to primary strengthen existing membership and leadership and develop more effective teaching approaches, including more formalized Amharic language study for foreign missionaries. More significant growth in the medium term appears likely once there are sustained increases in the number of active members in the three Church centers in the country.

December 2020 Newsletter

 Click here to access the December 2020 monthly newsletter for cumorah.com.