Sunday, February 4, 2024

Two New Stakes Created in Utah

Two new stakes were recently organized in Utah which appear to be the first new stakes organized in 2024.

The Herriman Utah Mirabella Stake was organized on January 14th from a division of the Herriman Utah Pioneer Stake (organized in 2015) and the Herriman Utah Butterfield Canyon Stake (organized in 2003). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Mirabella 1st, Mirabella 2nd, Mirabella 3rd, Mirabella 4th, Mirabella 5th, Mirabella 6th, and Mirabella 7th Wards. There are now 10 stakes in Herriman.

The Hyrum Utah Central Stake was organized on January 21st from a division of the Hyrum Utah Stake (renamed the Paradise Utah Stake and organized in 1901), the Hyrum Utah North Stake (organized in 1979), and the Hyrum Utah West Stake (organized in 2021). The new stake includes the following seven wards and one branch: the Hyrum 6th, Hyrum 7th, Hyrum 8th, Hyrum 9th, Hyrum 11th, Hyrum 15th, and Valle Hermoso (Spanish) Wards and the Blacksmith Fork Branch (Care Center). There are now seven stakes in the southern Cache valley.

There are now 635 stakes and two districts in Utah.

45 comments:

  1. Matt, Just a recap of my previous post 2 days ago.

    "Chris D. said...
    Matt, Can you please confirm if, and or when, the "Midvale Utah North Stake (517739)" has been consolidated? In reviewing my list of Stakes and Districts, I no longer can find it on the official Meetinghouse Locator mapsite. Even though as of this moment it is still listed on Rick's Jordan River Temple site.

    https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/search?q=517739

    https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/jordan-river-utah-temple/district/

    February 2, 2024 at 2:56 PM"

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  2. And to answer my own question, another member who has access to the CDOL told me that it became "historic" unit on January 14th, 2024.

    It has since been removed from Rick's Temples site.

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  3. Also, to clarify the Hyrum Utah Stake (500445), not the Hyrum Utah North Stake (511994), was renamed the Paradise Utah Stake (500445). And the Hyrum Utah North Stake (511994) was renamed the Hyrum Utah East Stake (511994), in the process of realignment.

    https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/500445

    https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/511994

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  4. Were these stake creations likely in process prior to the changes made to unit requirements, or do we think this is the first of many such new units to be created in Utah?

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  5. My best guess is that these were initiated before the standards were changed, but that unlike some other stakes that were supposed to be created early this year but didn't meet the new standards, these were "let through."

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  6. Also, this is Reddit, so take it with a grain of salt...but this is extremely interesting. While there has been some good documentation of large numbers of converts from mainland China getting baptized in Hong Kong, the detail about the branch in Longjing is surprising and encouraging. There are hundreds of cities more populous than Longjing in China, and obviously a couple that have around or more than 100 times the population of Longjing.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/171ay7q/comment/k3std8c/

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  7. Thanks for the correction Chris D on which stake was renamed. I have corrected this. I will add the discontinued stake in the next post on new and discontinued stakes and districts.

    Pascal - I wouldn't trust this writer on this reddit post. Yes, it is true Sunrider has played a major role with the growth of the Church in China and most of these Sunrider employees who have joined the Church have joined the Church en masse outside of China, but that is where most of the accurate information ends. This was mostly the case about 20 years ago and not so much now. The Church has an excellent relationship with the Chinese government, and this has come because of the Church's care with ensuring that no laws are broken to avoid jeopardizing the Church's operations there for both foreigners and PRC citizens. There is no branch in Longjing anymore, although there was a branch there about 15-20 years ago (it might be a group now?). There are approximately 60 or so branches in mainland China, and few, if any, new branches have been organized since COVID. There are multiple reasons for why this seems to be the case, but I am not going to go into it because of the sensitive nature of the Church in China and some of this being my own speculation. The number of cities with a branch or group likely ranges from 100-200, although many of the branches are very small. The groups seem to be quite dynamic based on people moving and staying active. Most of the growth in China these days appears to be due to converts baptized in other countries in isolated incidents and not en masse like before and also relatives who are baptized in China by fellow relatives. Branches have operated in mainland China since about 2004, and nearly all were organized prior to 2012. The China Area Unit (CAU) administers all the PRC members in China, and it is well organized and carefully administered. That is probably all the information I will share for now about it, but there are very good reasons why the Church is quite secretive about its operations there. Most of the information made publicly about it has come from apostles, like President Nelson and Elder Ballard, who have shared bits and pieces about it here and there. There are other areas of the world with this level of sensitivity for Church operations, specifically native converts in the Middle East such as in Iraqi Kurdistan. However, none come close in terms of scope and number of members as China.

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  8. Cool experience yesterday.

    An elderly couple was baptized in my ward by the missionaries. It was the last Sunday in the ward for one of the Elders, who'll be transferred to Wyoming today. I've had the chance over the last 6 months to get to know these Elders well and work with them.

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    1. The exterior rendering was also released:

      https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/2/5/24061827/san-luis-potosi-mexico-temple-first-presidency-groundbreaking-date-rendering

      I think we'll see at least 5 groundbreakings set to occur before the April General Conference, with several more announced to occur thereafter. My thanks once again to you all.

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  10. Hopefully we will have 1 new ground breaking announced a week from now until General Conference.

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  11. 5 groundbreakings before general conference would be nice and a step towards moving forward at the rate of announcements. To keep up with the current rate of announcements, three groundbreakings per month (average) would be needed.

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  12. I took a look at the current numbers to try and get an idea as to the number of groundbreakings per month that may be needed to get the # of Temples under construction to be greater than the number announced.

    This makes a few assumptions so is not absolute.

    Right now, we are looking at 52 Under Construction and 95 Announced.

    By the April General Conference, we can say for sure that will be at at 52/94 split after the Red Cliffs dedication and the San Luis Potosi groundbreaking.

    AI am sure there will be other groundbreakings, but for now am leaving them out.

    Currently, there are 6 Dedications scheduled for between April and October.
    That would bring things to a 46/94 split.

    If there are 15 Temples announced in April, the split by October goes to 46/109 before other groundbreakings.

    There are likely to be a few dedications between April and October. I am setting them aside for now, but they may offset any groundbreakings between now and April, at least partially.

    That means 63 or so more Temples announced going into the October General Conference than those under construction. Cut that number in half since every Temple moved from Announced to will increase the number under construction. That means about 34 groundbreakings needed between April and October to get things even in time fir any Temples announced in October.

    So, by my calculations, a schedule of 5-6 groundbreakings per month would need occur.

    I think it could be done, but it may end up being that the number announced will exceed the number under construction until there is a possible alteration in the number of Temples announced.

    As to whether that might happen and if so, when, I will not speculate on.

    Craig H

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  13. With about 7 weeks until April 2024 Conference, does anyone want to begin their list of possible announcements this round? I know that Matt hasn't updated his map with More/Less potential locations yet since December. I have only seen a few adjustments in James Stokes April 2024 Possible Locations posted so far.

    https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1W60CDwd4qDDMA3tW74z8g-2WxNw&ll=-3.81666561775622e-14%2C0&z=1

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Rd7_oImbB_r0QkZpR3TIcbjrnFWJlkoOsDvqpXRuGU0/edit

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  14. Chris, I will be back with more specific predictions a little later, but for now, I wanted to note that I am predicting that another 35 temples will be announced this year, and I am anticipating that will be either a 16/19 or 19/16 split. I have added to my temple list, as you said, but I am not yet finished with potential additions. Just wanted to put that out there for now. More to come later.

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  15. On a separate note, the latest edition of the Church news podcast was released Tuesday:

    https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2024/2/6/24063726/episode-174-rootstech-2024-theme-remember-reaches-across-nationalities-religions-and-generations

    Among the interesting insights gleaned from that is that the Family Discovery Day will feature a prerecorded video of never-before-seen interviews with the late President M. Russell Ballard and that the Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction this year will feature Elders Neil L. Andersen and Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. That indicates that Elder David A. Bednar has been replaced by Elder Andersen as the Chair of the Temple and Family History Executive Council. That is just one of many changes made to the assignments of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles following President Ballard's death and President Jeffrey R. Holland's appointment. My thanks once again to you all.

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  16. Also, I have completed my update of the document showing my temple predictions. With that update complete, I will have some more specific thoughts about the top locations likely to have a temple announced ready at some point later today, tomorrow, or Friday. My thanks once again to you all.

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  17. James, I like your choices. On a side note, Couer d'Alene Idaho is special to me, being the birthplace of my mother. So I am hopeful. Thank you for all your research and suggestions again.

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  18. Thanks Matt, for the detailed answer to my earlier comment. I really don't think Reddit is that great of a place for information but this one stood out because of the colorful detail. On second thought though, it is quite easy arithmetically to figure out how many members there are in China, and it doesn't quite align with the idea of "busloads of people" getting baptized week after week, year after year. I do, on the other hand, believe that this encouraging number of branches and groups may one day be helpful in more officially establishing the Church in China.

    China is in a demographic crisis that will almost certainly worsen in the coming decades; for the CCP, allowing more freedom of religion may be the lesser of two evils, as religiosity in general and especially family-focused faiths like ours are tightly affiliated with higher fertility rates. Greater personal freedoms are likely essential as well for securing higher levels of foreign investment and foreign workers. Ultimately, I believe that yearning for economic growth will force the CCP to take a more liberal approach to organized religion. My hope is that the Church is ready for this day (which frankly might be several decades away or just a few years) and doesn't repeat the largely botched opening to the former USSR. I hope there is a plan on a floppy disk somewhere.

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  19. I have heard that an announcement for the Snake River Temple groundbreaking will happen soon. The event is in the early planning stages.

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    1. One problem: there is no Snake River Temple on the Church's official list. Are you suggesting a temple will be renamed? If so, which one?

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    2. He probably means the Teton River Temple because it is in the Upper Snake River Plain.

      Delete
  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. Anonymous is probably referring to the Teton River temple.

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  22. Pascal,

    China in recent year has reversed course in allowing more freedom of religion. I'm not sure how the church is impacted by it, if you look at what is being done to the Uyghur Muslims or the Tibetan Buddhists, these populations in the country that were once tolerated are being persecuted harder than ever, at least in recent history.

    Xi Jinping, their self-made dictator want's to basically take the role of God; and I don't see him wanting to give it up anytime soon.

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  23. Is the Church News starting up its almanac again? So far a detailed listing and description of each temple is all I see in the almanac.

    https://www.thechurchnews.com/almanac/temples

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  24. The Liahona ran an article on the Presiding Bishopric and its work. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2024/02/06-4-principles-we-can-learn-from-the-way-the-presiding-bishopric-works?lang=eng

    This includes a part ontemple development. This suggests temple department and presiding bishopric suggest to 1st Presidency cities. Once a city is approved, the presiding bishopric and temple department special projects division choose a specific site. Once this is done it is announced in general conference. Then they design the building. Why not announce sites at general conference more specifically. I am not 100% sure, but I think preliminary licsl approvals and maybe in some cases finalizing purchases may be some of the factors.

    I have to admit it feels too soon you start on April 2024 temple predictions. Maybe I am still just do euphoric about Mbuji-Maye (I am still probably misspelling it), Luanda, and Piara that I have not been able to focus my thoughts.

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  25. I believe new temples are appropriate to discuss at any point when there's an interest in such a discussion, especially here, where new temples are a key indicator of Church growth. Those who feel it may be "too soon" to do so aren't under any obligation to read or respond to those comments unless and until they are inclined to do so. Getting back to the subject of potential new temples for those of us who are interested in discussing that now, I had some free time tonight, so I have put together my more specific thoughts on that subject.

    President Nelson has announced 35 temples per year for the last 2 years. so I have no doubts he will do so again. Both last year and the year before, he announced a lower number of temples in April, then a higher number in October. If he does that again, it's my feeling we're looking at a 16/19 split. So if 16 temples are announced, I have picked out the top 16 (along with three alternates) that seem most likely.

    The projections for that can be found in the following document, at the bottom of the page:

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AHEJOqAjEJDN7aXQLlfrkzc2yTVer6E0TRR5eYdNKB8/edit?usp=sharing

    My thanks once again to you all.

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  26. Hey everyone, I've been enjoying this blog and the comments on it for a while now and I figured I'd add my two cents re: upcoming temple announcements.

    I've been maintaining a list of around 140 (changes regularly) prospective temple locations sorted by likelihood. I've gone through those and narrowed down my top 30 locations:

    Neuquen Argentina
    Corrientes/Resistencia Argentina
    Rosario Argentina
    Flagstaff/Prescott Valley Arizona
    Araçatuba Brazil
    Florianópolis Brazil
    Santa Maria Brazil
    Daloa/Gagnoa/Yamoussoukro Côte d'Ivoire
    Santiago Dominican Republic
    Machala Ecuador
    Santa Ana El Salvador
    Des Moines Iowa
    Chihuahua Mexico
    Ciudad Obregon Mexico
    Poza Rica Mexico
    Abuja Nigeria
    Port Harcourt Nigeria
    Uyo Nigeria
    Cincinnati/Dayton Ohio
    Chimbote Perú
    Edinburgh/Glasgow Scotland
    Bo Sierra Leone
    Taichung Taiwan
    Lomé Togo
    Kampala Uganda
    Eastern Salt Lake County Utah
    Spanish Fork/Springville Utah
    Maracaibo Venezuela
    Valencia Venezuela
    Milwaukee Wisconsin

    If you want to see my full lists, you can find them at this link:
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16fEj-5hfS38I50UUu_37kSZ9KyGRoukjeUBn-vwkcSo/edit?usp=sharing

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  27. Jonathon F., That is a great list. I have added all of those to my ongoing combined list of both my copy of Matt's Cumorah Potential sites list and James Stokes April 2024 lists. Thanks.

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  28. I think my comment about it being "too soon" was misunderstood. I have no objection to anyone posting a list. I just do not feel ready to post one yet. That could change fairly quickly.


    I think eventually both Dayton and Cincinatti will get temples. I am thinking Cincinatti will get one first. It is on my list of top picks.

    Florianopolis, Abuja and Spanish Fork are also on my list. I have not thought it through fully yet.

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  29. Here are my top 17 for temple announcements, thoughts?

    Osorno, Valdivia
    Santa Cataria Coast
    Santa Ana El Salvador
    Chihuahua MX
    Santiago DR
    Lima South

    Marshall Islands
    Angeles, PH
    Kampala
    Glasgow
    Tirana

    Cincinnati
    Houston South
    Coeur d'Alene
    Henderson NV
    Price
    Herriman
    Des Moines

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  30. The list I am about to post is more like a list for all 2024. I will still probably revise it later.

    I know the last time a temple was announced for a country that did not have an operating temple but had another temple announced was October 1876 when the Logan Temple was announced 6 months before St. George was dedicated and with Salt Lake also in progress. Germany was 2 countries in the 1970s so Frankfurt and Freiburg do not count. I strongly suspect we will have that trend end this year

    Here is my list
    Spanish Fork, Utah
    Lehi, Utah
    Herriman, Utah
    I suspect all 3 this year, but not more than 2 in April.
    Henderson, Nevada. - I was hesitant both based on the size of the Las Vegas Temple and with it being not that far from Henderson, but I think it will happen.
    Ventura County, California
    Temecula, California
    San Francisco, California
    Tempe, Arizona (I hope they build it literally above the Institute building)
    Flagstaff, Arizona
    Mexicali, Mexico
    Chihuahua City, Mexico
    Ciudad Obregon, Mexico
    Poza Rico, Mexico
    El Paso, Texas
    Sugarland, Texas
    New Orleans, Louisiana
    Jackson, Mississippi
    Sarasota or Naples, Florida
    Charleston, South Carolina
    Wilmington, North Carolina
    Norfolk, Virginia
    New Brunswick, Trenton, Morristown, Newark or Jersey City, New Jersey
    Des Monies or Ames, Iowa
    Appleton, Wisconsin (or less likely Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
    Salem, Oregon
    San Luis Valley, Colorado
    Topeka, Kansas
    Rapid City, South Dakota
    Cincinatti, Ohio
    Manchester, New Hampsire
    Bourdeaux, France
    Milan, Italy
    Glasgow, Scotland
    Bo, Sierra Leone
    Yamosoukro, Ivory Coast
    Abuja, Nigeria
    Enugu, Nigeria
    Port Harcourt, Nigeria -my guess is the 1st 2 now, and Port Harcourt in October, with a possible 4th temple for Nogeria this year, but I am less sure where
    Kolwezi, DR Congo
    Kampala, Uganda
    Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
    Maputo, Mozambique
    East London, South Africa
    New Delhi, India
    Sendai, Japan
    Majuro, Marshall Islands
    Ha'apai Group, Tonga
    Christchurch, New Zealand
    Hobart, Australia
    Canberra, Australia
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Victoria, British Columbia
    Tabuai, French Polynesia
    Santa Ana, El Salvador
    Another temple in Guatemala
    Kingston, Jamaica
    Santiago, Dominican Republic
    Maracaibo, Venezuela
    Barcelona, Venezuela
    Medellin, Colombia
    Machala, Ecuador
    Otavalo, Ecuador
    Bucaramanga, Colombia
    3rd Lima Peru Temple
    Pisco, Peru
    Chimbote, Peru
    Rosario, Argentina
    Resistencia, Argentina
    Santa Maria, Brazil
    Florianopolis, Brazil
    Cuiaba, Brazil
    Sorocaba, Brazil
    Tacuarembo, Uruguay
    Albany or Utica, New York
    Angeles, Philippines
    Legazpi City, Philippines
    Caloocan, Philippines

    OK, at 75 that is probably too long a list. Legazpi City will probably not come this year. I think it will happen, but maybe North until after Naga is done. Maybe sooner. The big issue right now is it would have 1 Drake and 4 districts, the sooner some of those districts move to stakes, the sooner Legazpi City will be likely.

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  31. I think Lome, Togo is also a strong possible temple to announce.

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  32. Above I meant stake when talking about Legazpi City. Sorry for the typo.

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  33. @John Pack...I would say that Tempe, AZ is a hard no. They have been closing wards the past 2 decades as Tempe is land locked and aging. Many of the members have moved further East. Tempe has 5 freeways that run through it or are very close making it very easy to get to the 3 temples already in the Greater Phoenix Area. 25-30 minutes to Gilbert Temple, 20-25 minutes to Mesa Arizona Temple and 35 minutes to Phoenix Temple.

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  34. The Tempe Arizona Temple as I propose it would be built there to provide better access to the temple to Arizona State University students.

    I also meant to include Baltimore, Maryland in my list.

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  35. So, my list isn't as refined as I would like. I messed up my map and haven't really taken the time to fix it. This is just an updated list I made after the last conference.

    AFRICA
    -Daloa, Ivory Coast
    -Enugu, Nigeria
    -Kampala, Uganda
    -Lome, Togo
    -Maputo, Mozambique
    -Port Harcourt, Nigeria

    ASIA
    -Olongapo, Philippines

    CENTRAL AMERICA
    -Chihuahua, Mexico
    -Poza Rica, Mexico
    -Reynosa, Mexico
    -Santa Ana, El Salvador
    -Santiago, Dominican Republic

    EUROPE
    -Dublin, Ireland
    -Edinburgh, Scotland
    -Milan, Italy
    -Palermo, Italy
    -Prague, Czechia
    -Seville, Spain
    -Tirana, Albania

    NORTH AMERICA
    -Camarillo, California
    -Cincinnati, Ohio
    -Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
    -El Paso, Texas
    -Evanston, Wyoming
    -Everett, Washington
    -Fairfield, California
    -Flagstaff, Arizona
    -Henderson, Nevada
    -Lehi, Utah
    -Manchester, New Hampshire
    -Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    -Mobile, Alabama OR Pensacola, Florida
    -Nampa, Idaho
    -Pleasant View, Utah
    -Price, Utah
    -Queen Creek, Arizona
    -Spanish Fork, Utah
    -Victorville, California OR Lancaster, California

    OCEANIA
    -Hobart, Australia

    SOUTH AMERICA
    -Curico, Chile OR Talca, Chile
    -Florianopolis, Brazil (built in Sao Jose)
    -Resistencia, Argentina
    -Rosario, Argentina
    -Santa Maria, Brazil
    -Tacna, Peru
    -Temuco, Chile OR Valdivia, Chile

    There are 17 locations that have not already been named in these comments. To sum:
    -Kampala, Uganda
    -Maputo, Mozambique
    -Olongapo, Philippines
    -Reynosa, Mexico
    -Dublin, Ireland
    -Milan, Italy
    -Palermo, Italy
    -Prague, Czechia
    -Seville, Spain
    -Evanston, Wyoming
    -Everett, Washington
    -Fairfield, California
    -Mobile, Alabama
    -Nampa, Idaho
    -Pleasant View, Utah
    -Queen Creek, Arizona
    -Curico, Chile

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    Replies
    1. I also had Kampala, Maputo, Olongapo, Reynosa, Milan, Prague, Seville, Evanston, Nampa, and Queen Creek on my list.

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  36. I know I named Maputo, Mozambique and Kampala,Uganda. I am pretty sure I named Milan, Italy.

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  37. I think geographically Charleston, West Virginia needs one. A few more places in Chile and Argentina, for sure.

    Pakistan may not get a temple for cultural/security reasons, but I think the numbers are getting better there. Maybe Mumbai sometime as close as it could go for them. How is the Church growth in Sri Lanka these days? Anything in the Maldives? That seems like a tough archipelago to get things going.

    New temples in Spain is an ambitious plan, but that would be amazing.

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  38. Not sure how I missed those. I copied everyone's locations to a list, and thought I removed all duplicates. Obviously, I did not.

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  39. @Eduardo, the growth of the church in Pakistan has been miraculous in my opinion. I had the opportunity to visit some of the members and missionaries there a number of years ago, and they are truly remarkable. A temple in Mumbai, whether to serve them or others, is unlikely in the extreme at this time. There is only one branch in Mumbai, and due to the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan it is very difficult for citizens of either country to obtain visas for the other. Bangkok, Manila, and Dubai (when it is built) are all far easier locations for Pakistanis to get to than Mumbai, in spite of the distances on a globe.

    --Felix

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  41. A temple will not be announced for Henderson, Nevada for many, many years. With a temple in Henderson, the original Las Vegas Temple might as well shut down as it would only service five or six stakes, at most once the Lone Mountain Temple opens.

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