Today, the Church organized its second stake in the West African nation of Benin. The new stake, the Cococodji Benin Stake, was organized from the Cococodji Benin District. The Cococodji Benin District was organized from a division of the Cotonou Benin Stake in late 2018. It is unclear whether any units from the Cotonou Benin Stake were reassigned to the new stake. A video of the conference can be found here. Likely thousands of members appear to be attending the conference in the video. For those French speakers, please try to find where the information is presented on the new stake organization and let me know which units were assigned to the new stake and which branches became wards.
I have received information from local members and leaders in Benin that estimates for member activity rates in Benin contained in the updated Reaching the Nations article are significantly less than what they actually are. Recent numbers indicate as much as 85% of recent converts continue to regularly attend church services. The Cotonou Benin Stake reported more than 80% of members regularly attend church services during early 2021, and there were approximately 100 converts baptized in the stake in 2020. These activity and retention rates stand in stark contrast to reports I had received from returned missionaries 2-4 years ago who reported the emergence of member inactivity and leadership development problems. I apologize for the inaccurate data, and I am very grateful for the updated information which appears likely to be very accurate. As with any updates I provide on this blog, or updates to the Reaching the Nations articles or other resources on cumorah.com, if you ever find inaccurate data please contact me so that way we can do our best to present accurate information. I will be amending the Benin country profile report sometime in the next week to reflect the new data we received.
23 comments:
The San Diego California Stake was dissolved today. Half of the wards (coastal region) were transferred to San Diego North Stake and the inland wards transferred to San Diego East Stake. The East stake was then renamed as San Diego California Stake. Additional boundary changes were then made impacting 6 stakes in the San Diego region.
I apologize if I don't quite get the spellings correct
Agla Ward
Cococodji Ward
Cococotomey Ward
Fidjrosse Ward
Hevie Ward
Aibatin Ward
Gbegame Branch
Hilacondji Branch
The Porto Novo Branch was also added to the Cotonou Stake
Major realignment of 6 stakes announced in San Diego today.
San Diego North Stake and Santee Stake were dissolved.
Half of Santee Stake went to San Diego East Stake, other half to El Cajon Stake. Former San Diego Stake went 3 different ways to Chula Vista Stake, San Diego North, and San Diego Stakes. The San Diego North Stake was renamed as the "new" San Diego Stake.
@Matt
The infromation about the creation of the new stake, with it's units, start at 42 minutes into the video.
As far as i understood the following branches became wards in the new stake:
Hevie, Cococodji, Cocotomey, Agla and Fidjrosse branches. The Aibatin Ward and the Gbegame Branch where transfered from the Cotonou stake and the Porto Novo branch was assinged form the Mission to the Contonou stake.
It did not hear anything about the Hilacondji Branch. So i think this branch will not be part of the new Cococodji stake.
I have a nephew from California that served his mission in Sierra Leone. While the temples in the Golden State are awesome, maybe someday there will be more faithful members in West Africa than the West Coast of of the United States.
Interesting times that we live in.
By the way, I have lived in 3 CA temple districts: LA, Redlands, and Oakland.
I interviewed people for their endowments and sealings in some of them.
No feelings meant to be hurt by any assessments given.
Miro - Hilacondji is mentioned at 44:35
Keep in mind Nigeria alone has 200 million people, or roughly 5 times the population of California. So having more fairhful members in West Africa than California us a very easy spot yo reach.
That said, 40 years ago people thought Xalifornia might soon have more members than Utah. Tge intervening history has lead to Utah's membership growing hugely. So predictibg tge future is often very hard.
Confirmed on Classic Maps today, the "Ijebu-Ode Nigeria District - 615250" was renamed "Ijebu-Ode Nigeria Stake - 615250".
https://classic.churchofjesuschrist.org/maps/#ll=6.871964,3.836071&z=9&m=google.hybrid&layers=stakecenter&find=stake:615250
Also confirmed the on Classic Maps, the "Cococodji Benin District - 2125889" was renamed "Cococodji Benin Stake".
https://classic.churchofjesuschrist.org/maps/#ll=6.343586,1.996478&z=8&m=google.hybrid&layers=stakecenter&find=stake:2125889
And the "Fujisawa Japan (previously Yokohama Japan South) Stake - 528587" was discontinued and consolidated with the "Yokohama Japan Stake -507288 ". And the "Yokohama Japan Stake was renamed the "Kanagawa Japan Stake - 507288", with 10 wards.
https://classic.churchofjesuschrist.org/maps/#ll=35.519152,139.653571&z=11&m=google.hybrid&layers=stakecenter&find=stake:507288
Locations announced today for Farmington, Grand Junction, and Burley: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-temple-locations-announced-in-three-western-us-states
Not going to lie, Grand Junction's size kind of surprises me. Figured it'd be one of the 10k SF temples. Love the locations of all three. I'd expect Grand Junction and Farmington to be based on the Pittsburgh floor plan, and Burley at two stories and 38k SF probably on the Feather River, CA/Richmond, VA floor plan.
Speaking of locations. I came across a very interesting listing from 2019 that might be of interest to the community: https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/-8rDtWxXzfdC0B24LBYZTV82wdcOYchQ-lxqaDFO2hU/document.pdf
https://www.loopnet.com/property/17142-bastanchury-rd-yorba-linda-CA-92886/06059-33421204/
Looks like the Church listed one of the Yorba Linda chapels for sale about two years ago to the date. I suspect that's where the Yorba Linda temple is going. That chapel currently only holds the YL 1st and 3rd wards; there are two neighboring chapels with a single ward each (another in YL and one in neighboring Placentia). So the existing wards attending could easily be relocated. And Yorba Linda doesn't exactly have a lot of free land for development; the only empty lot I could find that wasn't clearly meant to be open space was a massive 30-40 acre lot just to the east on Bastanchury. I tried to confirm ownership, but apparently CA law is such that parcel ownership is not publicly available. My guess is that the Church would rather reuse the chapel land than buy a massive property for development.
The "Yorktown Ward" in Ossinning, NY has been reassigned to the "Westchester New York Stake" from the newly reorganized "Fairfield Connecticut Stake (previously known as the Yorktown New York Stake)".
I have noticed in recent past the Church in general has been reorganizing Ward and Stake Boundaries along the State/Province/Department boundaries wherever possible. If you look closely at the Classic Maps boundaries you will see the Stake and State boundaries match exactly in many areas now. I'm not sure if it is intentionally done due to COVID travel restrictions in some states/provinces? So all the Wards/Branches in a stake are located geographically in the same State/Province. Not just here in USA but I see the same in Canada and my 2nd home, Argentina. (My wife's family lives in Mendoza Argentina (just a few blocks from the new Temple site).
EP, the Church also owned 23 acres in Yorba Linda on top of the hill at 4225 Fairmont Blvd, Yorba Linda for many years for a potential temple site. That site has been sold recently by the church.
However, rumors in the local stake (Anaheim East Stake) prefer that the Church is building the temple possibly on 12 acres that City of Yorba Linda owns on Bastanchury. So near the existing Bastanchury Bldg, but not replacing it.
Also the Nohl Ranch Bldg in Anaheim Hills,where Anaheim 6th Ward currently meets, is being sold. That ward will be moving over to the other Yorba Linda Bldg. So each Bldg in the stake, will have 2 Wards meeting in them.
On a sidenote, the Korean branch in Fullerton is planning to move over to the Placentia Bldg soon.
Matt, are the 12 acres you’re talking about part of that bigger piece of open land bordered by Bastanchury to the south and Lakeview to the north? I thought that would be a great spot but couldn’t find ownership information online.
It is really sad to see the Church having to put up old chapel lot for sale. But based on the size of that lot, which includes a baseball field, I think its a safe bet that's where they are planning to build the temple. Perfect size. I expect the Yorba Linda Temple to be at least the size of the Feather River Temple given that the Newport Beach Temple is so incredibly busy.
The drawback with the Bastanchury Bldg as a potential site for the Yorba Linda Temple is that the building and land scopes down from the road, and not every visible.
The other parcel nearby owned by the City of Yorba Linda is more prominent and visibly seen.
Starting this morning, the Church News has begun covering the 2021 Seminar for New Mission Leadership:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/category/mission-leadership-seminar
In covering remarks given by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the opening session, the Church News noted he was "concluding a three-year assignment as chair of the Church's Missionary Executive Council":
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-06-24/elder-uchtdorf-mission-leadership-seminar-most-worth-217299
Based on that report, I monitored new coverage on the seminar. And this afternoon, the Church News provided a "home page" for coverage from the seminar:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-06-24/mission-leadership-seminar-virtual-2021-217339
The top image of that page shows several members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles sitting together. Immediately to the right of President Nelson in that photo is Elder D. Todd Christofferson. And if you look back at the image galleries from the seminars held in 2018 and 2019, Elder Uchtdorf was the member of the Quorum of the Twelve who sat immediately to the right of President Nelson.
With that in mind, my theory is that, given that President Nelson has been Church President for 3 years, he and his counselors, aling with President Ballard, have determined to reshuffle some or all of the apostolic assignments. I assume that it will be confirmed or clarified in some way tomorrow or Saturday, but it wouldn't shock me in any way if the Church News coverage on Elder Christofferson's remarks indicate he is the new Chair of the Missionary Executive Council. Just wanted to put that out there for any who may be interested in the information.
Unexpected announcement this morning: October and November open house and December rededication set for the Mesa Arizona Temple:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/mesa-arizona-temple-to-be-rededicated
My analysis on that announcement:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2021/06/breaking-temple-news-opening.html?
Also, there has been further coverage provided on the New Mission Leadership Seminar:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/category/mission-leadership-seminar
Confirmation on who will replace Elder Uchtdorf as chairman of the Missionary Executive Council is still pending, but I'm assuming that it won't be Elder Bednar or Elder Christofferson, since nothing in that regard was mentioned in coverage of the remarks of either of those Quorum members. So that means that the assignment has most likely been given to either Elder Jeffrey R. Holland or Elder Quentin L. Cook.
My thanks once again to you all.
My friends from Ogden are moving to Grand Junction. Turns out their house will be just 4 minutes from the new temple site!
Anyone else think they might renovate the Los Angeles Temple once they get the Yorba Linda one going/done?
Subsequent coverage on the Mission Leadership Seminar has not yet detailed who is succeeding Elder Uchtdorf as Chair of the Missionary Executive Council, And since coverage has ben provided on counsel given by Elders Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, and D. Todd Christofferson, the lack of confirmation that any of them are serving as the new Chair of the Missionary Executive Council is somewhat revealing by its' omission. After I read a couple of days ago that Elder Uchtdorf was completing his assignment as Chairman of that Council, I felt impressed to review the remarks given by President Nelson from the annex of the Salt Lake Temple on January 16, 2018. I quote from an excerpt of those remarks:
"When a President of the Church passes away, there is no mystery about who is next called to serve in that capacity. There's no electioneering, no campaigning, but only the quiet workings of a divine plan of succession put in place by
the Lord Himself. Now, each day of an Apostle's service is a day of learning and
preparing for more responsibility in the future. It takes decades of service for an Apostle to move from the junior chair to the senior chair in the circle. During that time, he gains firsthand experience in each facet of the work of the Church. He also becomes well acquainted with the peoples of the earth, including their histories, cultures, and languages, as assignments take him repeatedly across the globe. This process of succession in the leadership of the Church is unique. I know of nothing else like it."
My reason for again quoting that protion of President Nelson's remarks is that what he said underscores what is happening now. It seems to be safe to assume that, since Elder Uchtdorf is completing an assignment as the Chairamn of the Missionary Executive Council, he will likely be assigned oversight, by virtue of his status ax a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, for one or more of the Church's other Executive Councils or Committees. And since the other members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have served together as a group for the last three years, it would not shock me to see major reshuffling in the membership of all Exeuctive Councils and Committees in the Church.\
So that leads me to the crux of my point in mentioning all of this: the coverage of Elder Uchtdorf's remarks mntion specifically that he has completed (or will soon complete) his assignment with that Council. And because none of the articles summarizing the remarks from Elders Holland, Bednar, or Christofferson make any reference to any of them being the new Chairman of that Executive Council, then of the senior membership of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, there are only 2 possiblities left in terms of which apostle might succeed Elder Uchtdorf: Acting President M. Russell Ballard or Elder Quentin L. Cook. The role of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in administering the missionary program of the Church is naturAlly directly supervised by President Ballard, but I cannot recall the last time I rmeember hearing that the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was taking direct oversight of any of the Execuitve Councils of the Church.
Of course, that doesn't automatically eliminate the prospect that President Ballard has taken that role on that Council. But until a source is cited either way on that question, my assumption will be that Elder Quentin L. Cook has concluded his assignment as the Chairman of the Priesthood and Family Executive Council of the Church, and has been reassinged as the Chairman of the Church's Missionary Executive Council in Elder Uchtdorf's place. It will be interesting to see what happens in that respect. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all for continuing to wade through the meandering nature of my latest comments on this matter here, and my thanks to Matt as well for approving each of those comments.
It is interesting to observe what the apostles of the Lord do in order to grow the Kingdom of God, how they organize, how they minister, how they instruct and invite.
The personal touch from them to us as leaders and followers is always interesting. General conference affects some more than others, as do priesthood and other stake and ward meetings. They help us see ways and means to be better disciples of Christ, how to involve the Spirit, how to continue ministering with love.
It is hard for a hand full of men and women to do this. I wanted the youth pamphlets of goals to be more integrated churchwide and locally, to help our youth as we transition out of Scouting.
Interesting times.
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