Ghana
A new stake was created in Ghana on March 3rd. The Sofokrom Ghana Stake was organized on March 3rd from the Mpintsin Ghana Stake (organized in 2016) and includes the following six wards and one branch: the Daboase, Essipon, Inchaban, Shama, Sofokrom 1st, and Sofokrom 2nd Wards and the Beposo Branch. There are now three stakes in the Takoradi/Sekondi metropolitan area where the Church will organize a new mission this summer from a division of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission.
There are now 30 stakes and 11 districts in Ghana.
Utah
A new stake was created in Mapleton, Utah on February 25th. The Mapleton Utah East Stake was organized from a division of the Mapleton Utah North Stake (organized in 1997) which had 14 wards prior to the splitting of the stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Mapleton 2nd, Mapleton 6th, Mapleton 7th, Mapleton 15th, Mapleton 23rd, Mapleton 29th, and the Mapleton 31st Wards. There are now four stakes in Mapleton. The two other stakes in Mapleton were organized in 1975 and 2016, and both of these stakes (Mapleton and Mapleton West) appear likely to divide within the near future as they have 12 wards and 11 wards and one branch, respectively.
Two stakes were also discontinued in Utah. The Midvale Utah East Stake (organized in 1968) and the Midvale Utah North Stake (organized in 1985) were discontinued after many wards have been discontinued in the Midvale area during the past couple of years. Retained wards in the Midvale Utah North Stake were reassigned to the Midvale Utah Stake, whereas retained wards in the Midvale Utah East Stake were reassigned to the Midvale Utah Union Fort Stake and the Midvale Utah Union Park Stake.
There are now 635 stakes and 2 districts in Utah.
Bulgaria
The Sofia Bulgaria District was reinstated on February 18th. The district used to operate from the early 1990s until 2011 when all branches in Bulgaria were reassigned to the Bulgaria Sofia Mission. All seven branches in Bulgaria were assigned to the district, including the Blagoevgrad, the Bourgas, the Plovdiv, the Ruse, the Sofia, the Stara Zagora, and the Varna Branches. The Church in Bulgaria has reported essentially stagnant membership growth for the past decade, and the number of branches in the country has remained unchanged since 2018. Prior to the reinstatement of the Sofia Bulgaria District, Bulgaria was the country with the most members (2,398) without a stake or a district.
Iceland
The Reykjavik Iceland District was reinstated on February 25th. The district includes all four branches in Iceland, including the Akureyri, the Reykjavik 1st, the Reykjavik 2nd (Spanish), and Selfoss Branches. The district was first organized in the 1980s and discontinued in 2006 when the number of branches in Iceland decreased to one after the closure of the military branch. The Church in Iceland has made a significant turnaround in the past 15 years, with three new branches being organized. However, the district presidency is minimally staffed given few members in the country. There were 382 Latter-day Saints in Iceland as of year-end 2022. Membership has increased by approximately 100 within the past five years. Iceland pertains to the Denmark Copenhagen Mission.
187 comments:
Interesting there is a Spanish branch in Iceland
After finishing this post, I realized I had forgotten to include the two districts recently discontinued in British Columbia and Guatemala. I will report on these when I make my next update.
I am hoping Takarodi or Sekondi gets a temple announced soon. I donot expect it until at least 2025 but would love to be surprised. I believe Elder Morrison, the only Ghanaian general authority to date and the youngest general authority at present, is originally from Takarodi, if not it is Sekondi. He and his wife presided over the Cape Coast mission. They were originally called to preside over the South Carolina Columbia Mission. That was in 2000 and the reassignment was probably in part because Covid made transportation harder. Their fluency in Fante, a language the missionaries called to serve in Cape Coast are not taught, was a blessing though.
A new stake was created from the Meridian Idaho West Stake today. I am not sure of the name yet. Ironically, this happened two weeks after they had stake conference.
I came here to say this. Anyone have any details?
Gabe - My guess would be immigration, but most immigrants to Iceland are polish, so I'm not too sure
Also has come to my attention that the Placer Philippines District just was reorganized as the Tubod Philippines Stake;
https://www.facebook.com/tubodstakecommunication
I was curious which temple will be the last temple dedicated that has an angel Moroni. Excluding temples that have a dedication date (of which 5 of them have statues), the only temple I see that has a rendering with a statue is the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple. As far as I can see, no other temple renderings have them. Is this the case?
Looking at renovations, I know the Anchorage Alaska Temple will be losing its statue, and the Provo Utah Rock Canyon and Kona Hawaii Temples do not have them in their new renderings. Aside from the Hong Kong China Temple are there any other dedicated temples that no longer have statues?
it looks like the Stockholm Sweden Temple will be keeping its angel Moroni statue as well as the Manhattan New York Temple. Obviously, the Salt Lake Temple will be keeping theirs.
Was Midvale Utah East stake discounted in 2023 or 2024? It is currently listed under both years.
I attended the Reykjavik regular and Spanish branches in February of last year, only weeks after the latter was stood up. One of the counselors was from central Chile, near the coast. Turns out I knew the gentleman's brother while in my Concepcion Mission in the early 1990s! This was a nice coincidence and caused us some joy. It rained that day, but we were happy to meet and speak of his younger brother, who he called Jimmy.
Most of the Spanish-speaking families seemed to be migrants from Venezuela. They were medium-sized families. There were also some young single adults, primarily from Venezuela; one young lady was engaged to a local Icelandic member who spoke seven languages, among them Norwegian and Faroese. His Spanish was coming along, and his fiance (Venezuelan) seemed to be pretty happy.
Iceland had good jobs for them. One brother had a job related to construction or shipping at the port and docks. He was trained well for this in Venezuela.
Caleb, according to my knowledge, Midvale Utah East Stake was discontinued late 2023, more precisely on December 3rd, 2023. Told by someone with access to the historical records in CDOL.
Hope that clarifies your question.
Ryan, I believe you're correct that Abidjan will be the last new temple dedicated with an Angel Moroni statue. I also believe that so far, Anchorage, Provo Rock Canyon, Kona, and Hong Kong are the only ones that will lose or have lost statues in the process of renovation. Aside from Kona, all of the renovated Hinckley-era temples so far have kept their statues. It seems like the plan is largely to keep statues on temples that have them, but I have no idea how the decision-making happens for a situation like Kona, for example. That one seemed arbitrary, but I have no idea if there was a larger reason.
Are we expecting a low growth year of units in 2024? So far, less than half of the stakes created up to mid-March 2023 have been created up to today in 2024.
James - We will likely see a low unit creation year for 2024 in terms of wards and stakes due to the higher standards for all areas of the Church regardless of geography. I imagine that things will be delayed for some areas due to the new standards going into effect and making revisions to previous submissions to create/discontinue/realign units. So far in 2024, we have had many new wards being created in Idaho, but otherwise there hasn't been anything too out of the ordinary.
I said this elsewhere already but I am excited about Iceland and Bulgaria. Goes to show that there is and there continues to be some good progress in Europe; not just in the old core of the Church but also in newer regions with a more recent expanding presence.
Talking of which, preparations for the Germany Hamburg Mission splitting off of Frankfurt and Berlin are in full force. The Frankfurt Mission will receive as many as 40 (!) new young missionaries this next transfer in mid-April. I assume it will be about the same for Berlin to assure that all four missions headquartered in Germany will be fully staffed after July. I cannot definitely confirm this but there are second-hand rumors that some members who live in areas farther away from established Church outposts have been asked if they own or have access to rental properties where missionaries could stay. Germany is in a major housing crisis, and apparently the Church has been having a hard time finding missionary apartments - especially in areas where there are no established congregations and no local "street credit" (for lack of a better term). Either way, expect several cities in Germany to open to missionaries for the first time - either in a long time or for the first time ever - within the next year or two.
Specific language units have a lot more to do with how many members are in the sending country that how many people from that sending country are in the receiving country. While there are areas with many Tongans and Samoans, you have Tongan and Samoan units places where you have much larger immigrant groups that do not have units.
There are of course exceptions. There are more Iranian units of the Church in Southern California than in Iran, but the issues are complex.
My stake only has to my knowledge ever had one non-English speaking unit. It was a Hmong branch in the 1990s. It would probably have been a group under current rules. We also had branches deliberately drawn to be all African-American in membership. We no longer have such, but we have many more African-American members in the suburbs that we did in the 1890s.
We do have an Arabic group, and as best I can tell we have designated one of our wards as a magnet ward for Spanish speakers.
Some of the issues here are very complex.
On an unrelated note, I am sad there were no temple announcements today. The Eastern videos look to be very exciting but I have not seen them.
JPL- I share your disappointment concerning the dearth of temple news this week.
By the way, I didn't realize you were around in the 1890s!
I have a theory that, because there were two apostolic Easter videos released on Monday, the decision was made to forego the temple news this week. We have two more Mondays before General Conference weekend, so I think we'll see major temple news both weeks. In the meantime, we can look forward to the announcement of more new temple leaders on Friday. I'm hopeful we'll get at least the first leaders for the Salvador Brazil Temple. I've been somewhat surprised at the number of temple leaders that have been replaced this year after only serving for a year or two.
As was posted in the comments above and added to Matt's list of newly organized Stakes.
The Meetinghouse Locator has added the new Meridian Idaho Fuller Park Stake (2251701).
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2251701
According to the CDOL, the Meridian Idaho Fuller Park Stake was organized on March 17, and includes the following units: the Cherry Lane, Haven Cove, Meridian 1st and 12th, Parkside and Peregrine Wards.
I meant 1980s. I turned 10 in 1990, so how much I was aware in the 1980s is also debatable.
Two additional stakes created in Africa West:
Ghana Kumasi Ejisu
Onna Nigeria
The church organized these two new stakes in the Africa West Area on Sunday 17 March 2024
Nigeria
A new stake was created in Nigeria, the Onna Nigeria Stake from Church units in the Ikot Akpatek Nigeria Stake and Ikot Akpaden Nigeria Stake, whose boundaries are now realigned. The new stake includes the Ikot Nkan Branch, Ikot Anang 1st Ward, Ikot Anang 2nd Ward, Udo Ward, Okom Ward, Asong Ward, and Ukpana Branch.
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/the-church-of-jesus-christ-creates-new-stake-in-onna--akwa-ibom-state--nigeria?fbclid=IwAR0jdhEs_kUF9J6LgyUaobShUiWZ-4f2DyiePbkd5CbH6y03sEPvLfrDZII
Ghana
A new stake was created in Ghana, the Ghana Kumasi Ejisu Stake from existing wards from the Ghana Kumasi University Stake, the Ghana Kumasi Dichemso Stake, and the Ghana Kumasi Suame Stake.
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-of-jesus-christ-creates-new-stake-in-kumasi--ghana?fbclid=IwAR3O9i5AiMaTsTa09KgduL4MoOZmvBNTJmKnFcTeDUlghQ18Bzg4ILAGRsY
I attempted a couple of times yesterday to leave a comment about temple construction, but for whatever the reason, it was not approved here. Anyone interested in those latest updates can see that comment on my blog. My thanks once again to you al.
The Church just released its humanitarian spending numbers for 2023. They show a 33% increase spending, from $1.02 billion to $1.36 billion. That means the Church spent $34 million more 2023. A little of this is due to inflation ,but very little. In the program I know most well, the South East Michigan winter clothing distribution we went from 5 locations in 2022 to 7 locations in 2023. There was also some increase in amount donated per location. This is probably not a high costs operation, since 90% of the clothing was donated, but there are various coasts.
This is a very impressive rise in the amount of spending. I am shocked that the Church was able to increase spending so much actually.
Is that new stake in Nigeria in Akwa Ibom State? That may be the first state in Nigeria to get 2 temples. I think Port Harcourt will be announced before a 2nd in Akwa Ibom State.
I just realized my first post today was off by an order of 10. The Church increased spending in humanitarian related serves by $340 million dollars last year.
The Church gave aid in 191 countries. There are evidently only 195 countries worldwide.
Two new districts organized in Utah.
Salt Lake Basin District
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2253550
Wasatch Shoreline Youth District
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2253674
Both serve correctional facilities. All the various branches used to be assigned to various stakes in the area, but are now grouped together as two districts.
Matt, Small correction on official names. The Newsroom article calls the new Stake in the Kumasi Ghana area, the "Kumasi Ghana Ejisu Stake". But the Meetinghouse Locator map has given it the name of "Ejisu Ghana Stake (2251248)"
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2251248
Can you confirm from the official CDOL list which is the official name?
Kumasi Ghana Ejisu Stake
or
Ejisu Ghana Stake
Also a recent Ministerial high ranking church visit to Armenia, Georgia and Kazakstan in Eurasia.
"21 March 2024 - SALT LAKE CITY Featured Stories
President Freeman, Sister Dennis See Future Leaders of the Church in Eurasia
Visit to Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan shows how small groups of Latter-day Saints are part of the gathering of Israel"
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-freeman-sister-dennis-see-future-leaders-of-the-church-in-eurasia
Chris, the CDOL calls it the Ejisu Ghana Stake.
Thanks, James S., I had trusted the correct source was the official Meetinghouse maps. Since it draws directly from the CDOL list. Maybe Matt can correct his sidebar list.
I know the 191 of 195 was directly from the report but it is somewhat misleading. There is a surprising lack of agreement on what constitutes a country (let alone a territory, which is also part of the numbers) but by many counts, that is in the 200s. For example, the is a lot of disagreement on how to classify Taiwan, Palestine, Hong Kong, South Ossetia, Western Sahara, Niue.. the list goes on
In response to Jakes Stokes comments about Temple Presidents serving a year or two I wonder if those serving actually served a full three year tenure but started during construction and renovation so they didn’t serve a full three years in an operating temple.
I can confirm that none of the temples whose presidents served one or two years had renovations during that time. Each of them served only one or two years in an actively operating temple.
The next 9 biographies of new temple leaders have been shared (including the first leaders of the Auckland New Zealand Temple and the replacement of current leaders of one temple after only 2 years of active service:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/03/22/9-new-temple-presidents-matrons-rome-auckland-argentina-mexico/
And the First Presidency has announced that Derrick Porter will replace Lloyd Newell as the voice of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/music-spoken-word-derrick-porter-replaces-lloyd-newell
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/03/22/first-presidency-announces-new-spoken-word-host-derrick-porter-tabernacle-choir/
My thanks once again to you all.
In the 18 temples presidents and matron whose calls were published today there is only 1 American by birth. That is President Harline who was born in Redwood City and will lead the Trujillo Peru Temple. The catch is President Harline lives in Peru, and his wife was born in Trujillo. I did some deep dives and it appears the Harlines lived in Texas from at least 1989 until 2010 or later, Brother Harline was head of theatre productions at Texas Woman's University. They then went to Peru as missionaries and stayed. So they are the closest we have to an American couple being assigned abroad, but Sister Harline is a Peruvian national whose birth name was Maria Garcia, her father was Juan Garcia. They seem to have been in Peru only 2 years or so, but that is more than the norm for new temple presidents at one time.
The new leaders of the Porto Alegre Temple were called from Sao Paulo,but they are natives of Rio Grande do Sul state.
The Auckland New Zealand leaders are from Aukland currently. They were originally from Samoa. We also have Rome getting the Luis from Verona replacing the American expatriate couple, the Torontos. President Toronto was my stake president in Provo for a short time.
The new leaders of the Tijuana Temple are from Mexicali. Well now Mexicali but the matron is a native of another Colorado River Valley town.
We got a couple from Cordoba, Argentina leading that Temple, one from Costa Rica leading there, couple from Villahermosa and Hermosillo Mecico leading in those cities, and that rounds it out. So only 1 more beware Temple leader announced. We are at 49 so far announced this year. I think there will be at least 16 more announced this year.
My 4th cousin A. Legrand Richards was only president of the Provo City Center Temple for about a year I believe. He was not its first president. I believe it may have been due to health issues with him or his wife, but I am not sure if I know that.
The 1st president of the Cape Verde Temple served maybe 15 months, but I am not sure how long he was there before. He was a Brazilian and he was replaced by a Cape Verdean.
Health does play an issue though. 2 Las Vegas Temple president died while I was a missionary there, unless the second died just after I finished my time as a missionary. The second was a member of the ward I started my mission in. We have not had a Detroit Temple president released due yo health, but we have had counselors released due to health, sometimes on the part of the counselor and sometimes on the part of the assistant matron.
Derrick Porter is 42. This makes him 4 or so years younger than Elder Isaac Morrison, the Ghanaian who is the youngest general authority at present. He is roughly the age of Sister Yee.
He is a bishop, and he and his wife have 6 children. There seems to be a death of background information published on him sk far. With a last name like Porter a search brings up lots of Derrick Porters so I am not sure I can say more.
He is the oldest to take this position. Richard L. Evans was 23. Spencer Kinnard was about 31. Lloyd Newell was 34. If the trend continues Brother Porter will be replaced by someone who is 45, but that is unlikely before 2043, and might not be until much past 2050. The line tenure of the announcer for Music and the Spoken Word seems to in general run linger than choir directors serve, even if you include time as both director and assistant director. It also far exceeds most choir presidents time in that position.
One more comment. Richard Elliott has been a Tebernacle organist since 1991. They seem to rival the time the music and the spoken word voice serves. However there are multiple organists, but just one main music and the spoken word voice.
JPL, only 9 temple presidents and matrons had biographies published today. Not sure where you got 18.
Mack Wilberg and Richard Elliott are both near 70, so we may see both of them replaced in the next few years.
Unless you are counting the presidents and matrons individually rather than as a couple.
I was counting them individually. Their birth places are not always the same, even at the country level. In this case 1 of 18 was born in the US.
Can anyone confirm from CDOL, the merger of the "Nueva Tolten Chile District (377910)", originally organized on May 13th, 2001, into the neighboring "Villarrica Chile District (609951)"?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/609951
And can provide me the date the District leadership was released recently? If you have access to the Historical units. Thank you.
Michael Leavitt, the president of the Tabernacle Choir was born in 1951. That makes him older that Mack Wilberg by 4 years. Richard Elliott's age is not given in Wikipedia, but he is about as much older.
Bishop Causse has been the advisor to the Tabernacle Choir for some years. I think before him it was President Monson.
President Leavitt has been in since August 2021. Ronald Jarrett was in for 9 years, Mac Christiansen for 12. The first David Smith, a son of Joseph F. Smith was in for 30 years, from 1908-1938. From its start in the 1850s until 1908 the Choir did not have a president.
To be fair President Leavitt is the first president with counselors, and Sister Leavitt has a role in the organization not filled by any previous presidents wife. I would not be surprised if Mike Leavitt serves a shorter term than most of his 7 predecessors.
I read Michael Hicks so called biography of the Tabernacle Choir. It was an interesting book, but not as informative as it could have been. For example in the 1965-195 era the Choir travels to Mexico City (twice), to Jerusalem, to Tokyo, and I believe to Moscow, and maybe other places in those parts of the world. From 1995-2022 the Choir only travels to places in the US, Canada and western Europe. Why?
To be fair I believe even in 1965-1995 much of the travel in to the US and western Europe. The Choir going to the Philippines last month was the first time they had even been there.
One more think, the Wikipedia article on Mike Leavitt mentions him becoming the Tabernacle Choir president. It says nothing about his time as president. That is crazy. Under President Leavitt the Choir rephrased its mission to mention all the world, started an initiative to have international singers at general conference, went to the Philippines for the first time, and switched to shorter tours about twice a year instead of longer ones every 2 years, with the tours switching from performances in concert halls with paid tickets to performances in arenas, much bigger venymues, with free tickets and live internet broadcasts. In the Philippines they wore locally sensitive costumes for the first time. As president we can connect much of this change to President Leavitt. The style of the concerts has also shifted to be in line with the Christmas concert, with guest artists, guest narrators and at least in the Philuppines incorporating local youth performers.
The Wikipedia article clearly needs to say something.
David A. Smith, the first president of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, filled that position at the same time he was Charles W. Nibley's and then Sylvester Q. Cannon's counselor in the presiding bishopric.
Some things I read suggest that shortly after Michael A. Leavitt became Choir president they hired a business manager. That was basically what the early Choir presidents were. Mr. Mac was a continuation of that role, although he was a business impresario in many ways.
I have a sense that the role thry are calling on President Leavitt to file is something different. I think he still is ultimately over many of the business decisions, but he has moved into thinking broadly about the mission and realigning it. Mack Wilberg makes the artistic decisions, but Leavitt is over broad strategic decisions about mission.
I would say the Wikipedia article on Mack Wilberg is also lacking. He was basically the moving force behind the Christmas concerts being what thry are today. The article on him does not capture that.
I have to admit I would live to see the Church History Department write a book on the Tabernacle Choir. Or maybe music in the Church more broadly. This subject is in need of treatment by a variety of scholars.
I am hoping we see Saints Vol. 4 this year, but it may wait. Vol. 4 is a hard volume to write. I hope they bring it at least to Spring 2019 and the dedications of the Rome and Kinshasa Temples. Although it might technically end a little earlier than that with those dedications covered in afterwards.
So it looks like Richard Elliott and Mack Wilberg might have their time with the Choir end in the next year or two. There are enough organists that they might not even replace Elliott soon, and even if he is in some ways the head organist, that is not a very defining distinction as far as I can tell.
It seems most likely that Ryan Murphy will replace Mack Wilberg. It will be an ascendant day for the Irish in the Church. We have an Irish-American president of the quorum of the 12, President Hollands fathers family were Irish people who came to Utah as miners. His maternal grandmother and father were both Converts. We just got an Irish citizen in the 12. True Elder Kerron is also a British citizen and seems never to have lived in Ireland, but he is an Irish citizen, and his first name is Patrick. I am not sure of just his dad or both his parents are Irish. I am not sure exactly how Irish Ryan Murphy is, but he has the most Irish of names.
They will either call as new assistant director when Brother Wilberg leaves, or thry might call one sooner to make an even smother transition.
Back in the 1970s the Tabernacle Choir leaders were sustained in general conference. Then the list was too long. Still part of me feels it would be nice if changes in such leadership were announced over the pulpit in general conference.
More likely would be this. Go to announcing changes in general advisor councils, Tabernacle Choir leadership, and maybe a few other things with general church implications at the leadership meeting, and publish them in them in the same way as we do with the area seventy changes.
Matt and all who are interested :
Nueva Tolten Chile District (377910) is now a historical unit, and Villarrica was reorganized on March 17 with branches from both.
Villarrica Chile District (609951)
- Ancahual Branch (283207)
- Freire Branch (325457)
- Gorbea Branch (288195)
- Loncoche Branch (155306)
- Pitrufquen Branch (283053)
- Pucón Branch (288179)
- Volcán Branch (117307)
I am missing the context or do not understand some of the above. Does "historical unit" mean retired or decommissioned? Was there a unit in Nueva Tolten and it no longer exists?
What does "branches from both" mean? Villarica District brought its own and combined branches from the former Nueva Tolten District?
Chile is coming along. The 11th mission will be created this summer, I think out of Coquimbo, mostly dividing the present Antofagasta Mission. New temples are necessary across the nation, especially isolated places.
Eduardo,
Chris can correct me if needed, but I believe he means they consolidated the Nueva Tolten Chile District in with Villarrica Chile District.
Today I rewatched the Be One Celebration. Some things there make more sense in hindsight.
The opening prayer was given by Tracey Browning from West Jordan, Utah. I recognize who she is now. Also Ahmad Corbitt is seated next to President Eyring during the first part of the meeting. Elder Corbitt was born in Philadelphia and baptized in New Jersey. President Eyring was born in New Jersey and baptized in Philadelphia.
They gave a figure of 20 temples announced for Haiti, the Dominican Republic, African and Brazil. I believe the figure today is 50 (Haiti, DR, 22 in Brazil and 24 in Africa). I hope it is higher in 2 weeks. However we probably should include Puerto Rico and get to 51. London with a Ghanaian president and matron could be I included as an honorable mention.
In 2018 they could not even fill the 3 man general authority Presidency of the planning committee fully with men of African descent. Today with currently serving general authorities you have 8.
Lastly they mentioned that year membership in Africa would surpass 600,000. I wonder how close it is to a million today. You take the 3 areas in Africa plus membership in Cape Verde. I guess you would also need to add membership in Egpt and other North African areas in the Southwest Asia/North Africa area, but I am sure that is enough to much effect your total.
I just realized my above temple count was off. I had somehow forgotten about the Brazaville Republic of Congo Temple.
We are as of today at 189 dedicated temples, and Urdeneta next month will take us to 190. It was 18 as of the day I was born and hit 19 about 2 months later with Seattle being dedicated. So at 43 90% of temples have been dedicated in my lifetime. My Dad hit that pointless at age 48. President Nelson hit it at about 74. There are only 2 temples dedicated in the 28 years between President Nelson's birth and my Dad's birth.
President Hinckley was 76 when 90% of temples had been dedicated in his life. For President Nelson it was less than a week before he turned 75 that the 60th temple was dedicated. President Benson was 87 when this point was reached in his life. President Kimball and President Lee did not reach this point, although President Kimball died less than year before that point was reached.
President Joseph Fielding Smith on the other hand was born when there were no operating temples, so by most accounts he could not reach that point. President Monson was 72 when 90% of temples had been dedicated in his lifetime. President Hunter was 78, although he would be 79 the next month. President Oaks was 67. President Eyring 66. President Holland as well as Elders Uchtdorf and Cook were 59. Elder Kearon was 44. So too was Elder Stevenson. Elder Stevenson was born only a few months before the Swiss Temple was dedicated. Elder Soares was 46 when 90% of temples were dedicated in his lifetime, since he was born about 2 months after the London Temple was dedicated. I think Elder Isaac B. Morrison was only 40 when 90% of temples were dedicated in his lifetime. He was born in 1977 when there were 16 temples, and the 160th temple was Concepcion Chile dedicated in 2018, but I believe just shy of his 41st birthday. It looks like there is no point where we get over 90% of temples less than 40 years old. Sine 40 years ago there were 28 temples, it will be a bit before we get that low. Will there be 280 temples operating by this time in 2027 so we can keep at 43 years? We shall see.
My Ultimate Temple Wishlist (w/ Expected/Possible Timeframes):
Starting April, 2023
(When I first created the list.)
1-3 Years from April, 2023:
-Glasgow or Edinburgh Scotland (6 Stakes - Sep ‘23) (1-3)
-Lima, Peru - Metro 3rd (1-3)
-Florianópolis/São José, (Santa Catarina State) Brazil (1-3)
-(Elder Christofferson & Bishop Causse Visited Florianópolis for a Conference in late Oct. '23)
-Santa Maria, Brazil (8 Stakes 2 Districts - as of Sep '23) or Passo Fundo, Brazil (5 Stakes - as of Sep '23) (both in Rio Grande do Sul and Far from Porto Alegre) or Friendship Frontier (Livramento/Rivera) (1-3)
-Cuiabá, Brazil (2 stakes, 2 districts) (remote) (State of Mato Grosso) or Campo Grande (3 stakes) (State of Mato Grosso do Sul) (Both in Central Brazil) (1-3)
-Yamoussoukro/Daloa/Gagnoa, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) (4 stakes, 7 districts - Sep ‘23) (far) (central) (1-3)
-Triple Frontier/Foz do Iguaçu (3 stakes, 3 districts) (State of Paraná) or Ciudad del Este (1 stake, 1 district), Paraguay (Triple Fronteira/Triple Corner/Triple Border of Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina)
(Foz do Iguaçu/Puerto Iguazu/Ciudad del Este) (PY/AR/BR) (1-3)
-Rio Branco (State of Acre), or Porto Velho (State of Rondônia), Brazil (1-3)
-Abuja, Nigeria (3 Stakes) (Nigeria's Capital, Far From Other Temples) (Elders Bednar and Kearon visited Abuja in Feb ‘24) (1-3)
-Lehi, Utah (1-3) (20 stakes) (or Eagle Mountain) (land contracts for Lehi possibly already in place as of Spring 2024)
1-5 Years:
-Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (1-5 years)
-(Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls/Hayden, Idaho)
-Rigby, Idaho (1-5 years)
-Dublin, Ireland (2 stakes, 1 district - Sep ‘23) (1-5)
-Central Chile:
-Osorno/Puerto Montt (6 stakes, 4 districts as of Feb ‘24) and/or Valdivia/Temuco (3 stakes, 3 districts as of Feb ‘24) (1-5)
-Springville/Mapleton/Spanish Fork Area, UT (1-5)
-North Ogden/West Weber County (announced after Syracuse & Layton Completed) (1-5 years)
-Possibilities:
-West Haven
and/or
-Pleasant View/North Ogden
-Price, Utah (1-5)
-Jackson, Mississippi (1-5)
-Majuro, Marshall Islands (1-5)
-Tirana, Albania (1-5)
-Kingston, Jamaica (1-5)
-Port of Spain, Trinidad (1 stake, 7 districts - as of Sep ‘23) (1-5)
-Santiago, Dominican Republic (7 stakes in area + districts - distant from Santo Domingo) (1-5)
-Santa Ana, El Salvador (1-5) (4 stakes)
-Sorocaba, Brazil (Western São Paulo State) (5 stakes, 2 districts - as of Sep 23) (not too far from Sao Paulo & Campinas) (1-5)
-Bo, Sierra Leone (4 stakes) (1-5)
-Tacna, Peru (southern tip of Peru/border w/ Chile) (1-5)
-Poza Rica, Mexico (6 stakes, 1 district) (1-5)
-Tacuarembó, Uruguay (8 Stakes and remote from Montevideo and Buenos Aires) (1-5)
-Rosario, Argentina (10 stakes, 7 districts) or Santa Fe, Argentina (3 stakes, 3 districts) (1-5)
-Tarija, Bolivia (2 stakes, 5 districts) (far) (south) (1-5)
3-5 Years:
-Pisco, Peru (South of Lima) (3 stakes - Sep '23) (3-5)
-Puno, Peru (East of Arequipa) (3 stakes - Sep '23) (3-5)
-Chimbote, Peru (South of Trujillo) (4 stakes, 2 districts - Sep '23) (3-5)
-Huánuco, Peru (Central) (4 stakes - Sep '23) or Pucallpa (3-5)
-São LuÃs (Maranhão State) or Palmas (Tocantins State), Brazil (3-5)
-Uberlândia (Minas Gerais State), Brazil (3-5) (2 stakes, 1 district as of Feb ‘24)
-Araçatuba (5 stakes, 2 districts as of Feb ‘24) or São José do Rio Preto (São Paulo State), Brazil (3-5)
-São Paulo #3/South (10-12 stakes as of Feb ‘24) or São José dos Campos (São Paulo State), Brazil (3-5)
-Hanoi, Vietnam (Elder Rasband visited members in Vietnam in late Oct '23) (3-5)
-New Delhi, India (3-5) (after Bengaluru is finished)
-Lahore, Pakistan (or other, Pakistan) (3-5) (after Bengaluru is finished?)
-Kalispell, Montana (3-5) (after Missoula completed?)
-Mobile, Alabama/Pensacola, Florida (near each other) (4 stakes) (distance) (3-5)
Matt, that is exciting news about both Chile and Ecuador. Thanks for the update. We know usually when "one door closes, another one opens". As is the case of the closing of the Nueva Tolten Chile District last week, but this week the new Puerto Varas Chile Stake and Puyo Ecuador District organized.
Reminder to add the Nueva Tolten Chile District under the Disorganized list from March 17th.
My temple predictions for this conference:
Kampala Uganda, Abuja Nigeria, Yamoussoukro Cote d'Ivoire, Bo Sierra Leone, Florianopolis Brazil, Rosario Argentina, Neuquen Argentina, Valdivia Chile, Tacna Peru, Chimbote Peru, Medellin Colombia, Maracaibo Venezuela, Santa Ana El Salvador, Acapulco Mexico, Poza Rico Mexico, Aguascalientes Mexico, Durango Mexico, Chihuahua Mexico, Thousand Oaks California, Lancaster California, Blackfoot Idaho, Tremonton Utah, Roy Utah, Murray Utah, Lehi Utah, Spanish Fork Utah, Price Utah, Richfield Utah, Flagstaff Arizona, San Luis Valley Colorado, Houston Texas (south), Cincinnati Ohio, Grenada Spain, Porto Portugal, Milan Italy, Angeles Phillipines
"First Presidency releases site of Tacloban City Philippines Temple
Announced in October 2021, the Tacloban temple is one of 13 houses of the Lord dedicated, under construction or in planning for the Philippines
By Scott Taylor25 March 2024, 2:03 PM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/03/25/tacloban-city-philippines-temple-site-announced/
Also these items:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/kirtland-temple-historic-nauvoo-public-tours
https://noticias.laiglesiadejesucristo.org/articulo/nuevo-templo-de-la-iglesia-de-jesucristo-abrir-aacute--sus-puertas-al-p-uacute-blico
My thanks once again to you all.
Gallup recently released a poll regarding church attendance for various religious groups. Per the poll, 67% of self identified Latter-day Saints attend weekly or almost weekly, down 1% from 20 years ago and down 8% from a decade ago. Interesting that there has been no real meaningful change over the past 20 years.
Here's the link for anyone interested: https://news.gallup.com/poll/642548/church-attendance-declined-religious-groups.aspx
Champaign 1st and 2nd wards combined this past Sunday.
Stake president mentioned something interesting:
The new rules for a new ward are for 100 participating adults at a minimum. He said that with the exception of this newly combined ward, there isn't a unit in the stake that hits that requirement. Makes me wonder how many wards are out there that meet the 100 participating adults requirement vs. do not.
In my new stake in the midwest (I've moved from Illinois), out of 7 wards I know of, none of them have 100 participating adults.
Huaral Peru District created 03/24/2024
Is there now only one ward on Champaign? I wonder if the Champaign and Springfield stakes will have to be combined in the near future? Either with each other or with the Peoria stake.
There are still quite a few units that cover part of the Champaign-Urbana metro area, but the only other ward would be Mahomet. Which I've personally not been to, but I always assumed to be reasonably sized, just because of the concentration of stake leadership that lives in that ward.
Besides that, there are the YSA and Spanish branches, and the branch in Tuscola which used to extend to Savoy/Pesotum if I remember correctly. I believe Tuscola will eventually get discontinued. In fact, I am surprised at least a little that Champaign 2 got discontinued rather than trying to close Tuscola and rearranging boundaries.
I don't personally believe that there will be a consolidation of stakes in central Illinois for a while. The footprint of the existing stakes is a bit too big in my opinion, and it would likely look a lot like Rapid City or Kearney with a lot of branches and a few consolidated wards in the larger cities, spread out over a massive area. I think the Church would not quite want to do this unless things get really bad.
Agree with Pascal here. So, Champaign is the center of the stake, and has the following units:
Champaign 1st Ward (now consolidated, and the only family ward encompassing Champaign-Urbana and Savoy).
YSA Branch
Spanish Branch
Mahomet Ward (suburb of Champaign about 15 minutes from the stake center)
Then you have really spread out towns across east-central Illinois that have really small wards or branches in the stake (Tuscola, Paris, Effingham, Danville, etc.). Danville is declining because it's just not a good place to live, Tuscola is tiny as Pascal mentioned, and the state in general is seeing a lot of out-migration.
It's kind of wild that only one ward encompasses all of Champaign, Urbana, and most of Savoy. That's an area of ~200,000 and a large college town, and it isn't an area that has seen as much migration because of the stability a college town brings. The population of that specific area hasn't declined like the rest of the state. It's actually gone up, slowly but steadily, over the past 20 years at least.
I agree with Pascal that they won't consolidate stakes because it would make an already unwieldy stake in a large geographic area more difficult to manage. But it's also hard to envision any unit growth in the next 10-20 years for this entire area. Kind of seems like the Champaign Stake will be stuck like this for a while.
One way to maybe interpret unit growth going forward is that if a new ward is created, it has to be really justified, and can be seen as a legitimate signal of growth in the area. If you need 100 participating adults per unit, that means for a ward to split you'd need 200 participating adults (or at least enough excess from 3+ units in the surrounding area to be able to create a new unit of 100).
On the other hand, because the old rules were grandfathered in, we may see a lot of small wards stuck where they are and not consolidating. So any actual consolidation is likely also a pretty credible signal of contraction in an area. The SP for Champaign Stake said that in order to merge these two wards they had to make sure they hit the new requirements for a new ward, which was kind of weird to me. He essentially said they were creating a new unit here, so they had to consolidate two units that were small enough to justify consolidation, but big enough to hit the 100 participating adults target. I don't know if that was just his interpretation of the new rule or if that will be the requirement everywhere going forward. It would mean that a lot of units out there will be stuck as a single small ward for a long time without the ability to consolidate or split.
Even six years ago when I was serving in the St. Louis mission, we all expected to lose the Springfield IL stake any day. The Decatur 1st and 2nd wards in particular each only had maybe 60 active, participating members. We had branches with better attendance. The only reason, in my opinion, that those wards haven't been merged is that it would take the stake down to just four wards. If we do see consolidation in south-central IL, I expect it to start in Springfield, not Champaign. None of those rural IL wards are doing especially great attendance-wise, but we always saw Champaign as a much healthier stake than Springfield.
One interesting exception is Paris, which was a struggling branch when I was in the mission and has grown by leaps and bounds since then. It's a ward now! I don't know why that particular area has experienced such church growth, but that was nice to see.
Nephi, of the new Huaral Perú District, I only see 2 branches in the vicinity. Both the Huaral Branch and the Chancay Branch that could reasonably be part of the new District. It is not unheard of just 2 Branches in a District. But i would think staffing both Branches and the District Leadership may be an issue. Unless they plan to take the further south, Villa de Ancón Branch from the Lima Perú Miramar Stake as the 3rd branch in the District. or another Branch that has been formed and not added yet to the meetinghouse website.
Thoughts, anyone?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/303690
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/2137682
Jonathon F., yes, Paris IL branch seems to be the exception. The ward was created a few years ago. It has grown but wouldn't meet the requirements for a ward today. I attended once in the past couple of years and there were only 30-40 that Sunday. I think they must have hit the minimum for Priesthood holders at the time but don't really have the traditional look of a ward.
Paris has North American Lighting, an auto parts manufacturer with a sizable recruitment pipeline to BYU. The CEO was a high counselor and attended Church with us in Mattoon, but most of the NAL recruits ended up in Paris Ward. They've also had a sizable number of convert baptisms usually. And it's not a bad place to live. Paris is reasonably nice, and so are Casey and (to a lesser extent) Marshall, the two other sizable towns in the ward boundaries.
Oddly enough the Placer Philippines District (617229), has not been updated to "Tubod Philippines Stake (617229)" in the meetinghouse locator mapsite yet?
It was organized March 10th, 2024 as a Stake?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/617229
The Huaral Peru District was created on March 24. The district includes:
-Chancay Branch
-Huaral Branch
-Valle Hermoso Branch
Additionally, I can confirm the creation of the Peralvillo Group, the Chancay and Huaral branches were divided and it can be said that the Valle Hermoso branch and the Peralvillo Group were reinstated since they existed previously when they discontinued the district in 2013, I can confirm that. By the way Huaral (109,000 inhabitants) was the most populated city with a branch in Peru. It is not the first time that this district has been reinstated, but according to the local members there is optimism about the growth, due to the fact that the Huaral branch may be divided again in the future and the inauguration of the Port of Chancay (Chinese megaproject) where it is estimated that the population will quadruple (currently 65,000). In recent years there were many immigrant members.
One thing to keep in mind is that participating members include all who pay thing. So if your ward has lots of elderly shut ins who pay at least partial tithes you get there. Also, in includes calling holders no matter how rarely thry come out. My branch is only about 16 shy of 100, even though our weekly attendance rarely breaks 75, and that includes children, urbanized and maybe a few non-tithe payers who come out but lack callings. We have a few calling-holders who might be released soon if they do not start coming out. I am not sure how many Sundays my daughter can miss and stay a primary teacher.
I lived in Springfield for several years. One of the most supportive, family-like wards I've ever been in. Shortly after I moved out, they realigned the ward boundaries, because the 2nd ward had grown significantly larger than the 1st ward, with a lot more young families with kids. As I said, wonderful stake, but fairly high turnover. We would get a lot of very active families moving in after getting a job in the area, but this was nearly matched by a steady stream of families leaving when other opportunities out West, closer to family, became available. I asked my bishop once why they didn't combine the two wards , and he said that would have left the stake with only 5 wards.
I grew up in Champaign. The constant struggle there was trying to balance the the two wards to provided some modicrum of youth in each ward. It was very difficult; no matter what was tried, the ward on the Champaign side (Centennial HS) always had significantly more youth than the Urbana side (Urbana HS and Central HS).
The work dynamics were very interesting also. Much of the Church leadership taught at the University of Illinois, but you had a fair amount of members who came to work in manufacturing. With the near-complete drop-off in manufacturing [political comment silenced], the U of I is the only real game in Champaign, which cuts the number of Church families by about 1/3. Bloomington/Normal, Peoria, Decatur, and Galesburg have had similar declines in manufacturing and membership. Springfield is marginally better because of the state government influence.
When I was there, the stake went from in Indiana border almost to the Mississippi River and was over and hour's drive north-south. It was far too big to administer well. The leadership treated it as two de facto stakes; those of us in Champaign almost never saw or interacted with people in Springfield.
Making two stakes out of three (Champaign, Springfield, Peoria) on a north/south axis might be very interesting. It would allow for some geographic changes that would make travel easier (Pittsfield, Litchfield) and allow for consolidation of wards and branches that could eventually make the church stronger.
The Pittsfield and Litchfield branches are already in the Springfield stake, unless something has changed in the last couple of years, so I'm not sure travelling would be easier to those locations if the stakes were combined.
I always thought it was interesting that there weren't more members working on the ag industry in central Illinois. So many people with experience in that field from SE Idaho and rural Utah.
Sunday the 24th
Liberty Missouri Stake created its 13th Unit - North Brook Park Ward
Far West Missouri Stake created its 14th Unit - Mill Creek Ward
There are additional units planned currently for the greater KC area.
Seems like those stakes would be ready to split soon. The Church must be much bigger in KCMO than in St Louis
It is much bigger in the KC area than St. Louis. The St. Louis metro area has four stakes (five if you count O'Fallon IL across the river). The KC metro area has six stakes, and they tend to be larger than most of the St. Louis stakes.
Creating two stakes out of three in Springfield, Peoria, and Champaign is an interesting idea. It would allow for the two Decatur wards to finally be put out of their misery (Decatur MIGHT be able to support one large, reasonably healthy ward at this point) and we could see a couple branches consolidated, maybe. Only problem I see with it is that it might be an unworkably huge area geographically to cover with just two stakes. The Springfield stake by itself is already probably 3.5 hours across.
St George Tabernacle to close for maintenance and repairs. Expected to last 90 days. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2024/03/27/prc-cherished-landmark-st-george-tabernacle-to-close-for-reconstruction/?fbclid=IwAR0Z32j0EVJZ1JJkjp48LU9mEg8K4ExYEVKguLJv46eaj6IHeqrO6Abgx1g
Andrew, I had never considered combining the Peoria/Champaign/Springfield stakes into 2. That's honestly a fantastic idea. The issues with Decatur being spread thin could be fixed that way.
As for the 2 Champaign wards, they even tried splitting them most recently along Kirby/Florida street so it was split N/S instead of E/W, and both wards had either the north side of C-Urbana or the south side of both towns. But that didn't work. For at least 10 years they have been combining the youth night for both wards.
I agree the decline in manufacturing is happening, but the overall population of Champaign hasn't declined, so kind of weird. The church is the largest private landowner in Illinois, but they mostly lease the land to corporate ag companies.
What's odd is to compare college towns by size and units. By 2021 population:
Champaign-Urbana: 127,795 1 ward.
Bloomington, Indiana: 79,968 2 1/2 wards (one of them extends beyond the city limits).
State College PA: 39,525, 2 wards.
West Lafayette and Lafayette: 115,507, 3 wards.
Iowa City: 74,596, 3 wards
So Champaign-Urbana is severely underperforming, even relative to its midwest college town neighbors.
I think a lot depends on recruitment pipelines for university faculty, students, and staff. It's mostly going to be out-of-state recruitment because native young adults usually move out west, at least until they get married - but often forever. U of I strategically doesn't seem to do much recruiting in the western US, instead focusing on international students (usually from China) and in-state students from Chicagoland. Eastern Illinois (the other university in the Champaign Stake) is much smaller and recruits primarily from India and the southern Chicago metro, with a smaller pipeline to Metro East. Now some of these recruits get baptized, which is great, but in my experience they don't stay past graduation. Not an LDS phenomenon specifically - I think this almost applies to everyone.
All in all, there just aren't that many members who live in the main recruiting funnel for those two universities. LDS professors and administrators are probably overrepresented at both universities still, but that is changing. Once that balance tips, there isn't just much pull for other students to come in and potentially settle. Academia is hard if you are not part of the (a)religious mainstream.
There also are very few employers other than the university that would reasonably retain graduates in Champaign. Busey (which probably most people outside of downstate Illinois have never heard of, but which is by far the second-largest "professional-type" employer in town), Jimmy John's, and that is almost the end of the list. Within an hour drive, there's Rivian, Consolidated, and Rural King. And a lot of corn.
Again, I believe a small temple could help make the place more attractive for people to settle long-term (it could also be in Bloomington for all it's worth). And I know that's something I and the rest of the Illinois crew on this forum probably disagree on.
most lds are conservative so illnois is not a welcome place
Downstate Illinois is (much) more conservative than Utah or Idaho, and also more conservative than Church membership on a national level. I doubt the problem is socio-political in nature (it might actually be a tad bit extreme for Utah/Idaho transplants). Now, of course, Illinois votes a certain way due to Chicago, but local governments have a pretty significant history of not enforcing Chicago-type legislation downstate, be it Covid restrictions or limitations to the Second Amendment (just two examples on a very long list). Property taxes are the only real political issue conservatives would have in a place like central or southern Illinois, but that gets absorbed in reality by the fact that property is really, really cheap - so over a lifetime you probably still pay much more out west.
I know that this is not a political discussion board so I would be happy to leave it at that.
Another really great societal survey on religion for anyone who is interested: https://www.prri.org/research/religious-change-in-america/
Key takeaways for Latter-day Saints:
We are holding steady as a percentage of the population, with gains equalling losses. About 1/3 raised in the church leave, and about 1/3 of the current self identifying membership are converts (which has been consistent for at least a decade). We have very high rates of self reported church attendance, scripture reading, and prayer. We scored highest on the "God reveals his plans to modern prophets" scale (although surprisingly around 30% of all Americans agreed). Unfortunately we also scored very high on the prosperity gospel belief that God always rewards his followers financially and with good health.
Overall, definitely good to take these results with the understanding that self reported data is almost always more positive, and of course only counts for self-identifying Latter-day Saints. But I think the last two major religious surveys that have been released in the past weeks are very encouraging that we are holding steady at a time of major religious upheaval.
Among the new Temple leadership posted today. The first President and Matron of Salvador Brazil Temple have been called recently to begin in September this year.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/03/29/10-new-temple-presidents-and-matrons-brazil-to-british-columbia/
Chris, the article actually notes that the other 9 presidents will begin serving in September and that the Salvador Brazil Temple's leaders will begin serving when that temple is dedicated. Based on my latest calculations, that may be October at the earliest.
Some pushback on the proposed Lone Mountain Temple from the local area.
Thought people here might be interested.
https://www.fox5vegas.com/2024/03/28/neighbors-oppose-lone-mountain-lds-temple-proposal-church-leader-says-they-will-address-concerns/?outputType=amp
Looking over the Meetinghouse Locator map in the south of Chile after the Puerto Montt Chile Stake was recently split to create the new Puerto Varas Chile Stake.
I wonder if the seperate, mission branch of Chaiten Branch (325090), could be assigned either to the Puerto Montt Chile Stake (517011), to the north of the branch. Or to the Coyhaique Chile District (430609), to the south of the branch.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/325090
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/517011
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/430609
Any thoughts?
The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple just got its third president and matron called. The first served almost 2 and a half years, the next 3 years. The first were American expatriates, the next Congolese and so are the new ones.
The Egombe's live in Kinshsa. Brother Engombe is a sealer and patriarch. His only listed previously callings are member of a high council and counselor in a bishopric. Having put those to the test, there are almost always calling that were listed gor people when called to lead missions that are no longer on their bio when they are called to lead temples. However I cannot locate much more on President Egombe.
He was born in Kisangani. It may have still been known in some circles as Stanleyville when he was born, not that I know for sure when he was born. His predecessor was only in his 40s, but seeing as how the handbook very strong recommends against calling anyone under age 54 as a patriarch, I strongly suspect that Brother Egombe was born before 1970. The name Kisabgani was officially adopted in 1966 but had been the one most used in Swahili since the 1920s or earlier. The origins of the city date to 1883 and the activities of Stanley, although the area was a key fishing date earlier. Kusangani has over 1 million people and is the largest city in the north of Congo. There is a district there, I believe organized last year. Brother Egombe almost certainly joined the Church after he left Kisangani. He clearly was elsewhere, most likely Kinshasa, when a high councilor and in a bishopric.
The other factor here is Sister Egombe comes from a different part of the country. She was born in Kamina, Aldo the city where general authority seventy Elder Alfred Kyungu was born. This is in the eastern half of Congo, but far to the south. It is I believe a mining city.
I also noticed that with the leaders of the Forteleza Brazil and Oaxoaxca Mexico Temples, the state in the country thry were born in is specified. I like this detail being included.
President Sinjoux of the Tahiti Temple has a very deep connection to the temple. https://news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-benjamin-t-sinjoux-begins-service-as-area-seventy
This article explains. He was a teacher at the elementary school the Church imusdd to operate on the site where the temple is now. He later was head of records and then manager of the Church's Tahiti service center. He served his mission in Quebec and has a degree from BYU-Hawai'i.
i lived in illnois and i know alot of people leaving who are members and people who arent members all leaving due to the democrats and their dumb polices
Can someone verify for me in CDOL, the new "Faisalabad Pakistan District (2259303)"? and when it was officially organized?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2259303
Faisalabad Pakistan District. Organized 17 Mar 2024 with Faisalabad 1st and 2nd Branches as well as the Mian Channu Branch.
Thanks, David. For verifying. That now makes 4 Districts in the country. I guess it will be some time now before the Lahore Pakistan District evolves into a Stake, since it just split to organize the Faisalabad District.
There have even been cases where a district split and part of it became a stake all at once. That may have at one point happened in Monrovia.
This article talks about the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa I nrs in Notse. The role of the king in Togo 8 think need more explanation. In Togo kings have ceremonial office but not governmental standing. This is somewhat from the coast, but still very much in the southern half of Togo.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/03/30/africa-church-leaders-meet-government-officials-togo-benin-nigeria-ghana-kenya/
This is the article I meant to include with my last post.
If anyone is interested, the Church News, today posted an interesting article with maps showing the current 335 Temple locations on 6 Maps of the different continents worldwide.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/03/31/maps-of-335-latter-day-saint-temples-six-maps/
I hope you enjoy as much as I did reading it.
Also there isnt alot of jobs in illnois it why everyone leaving bad policies that run businness out of the state
Chris, thanks for sharing that article about the temple maps. For any who may be interested, later tonight, as the first quarter of 2024 draws to a close, I will be publishing a review of the temple construction progress that has been made during this quarter. That will be published about 4 hours from now at the following link:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com
My ongoing thanks to Matt for allowing me to continue posting such updates here, and my thanks once again to you all.
During Gathering of the Tribes conference, Elder Echo Hawk urges Native American attendees to actively participate in the gathering of Israel
https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/03/29/church-news-mesa-arizona-gathering-tribes-conference-elder-larry-echo-hawk/
I highly recommend watching that speech, for anyone who gets a chance. I got to watch part of it with my mom after it came up in youtube, and Elder Echo Hawk had some amazing experiences that he shared.
An update on the new hymnbook that will be released in full in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese in 2026:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/hymns-for-home-and-church-may-2024
2.5 hours until the next anticipated major temple construction announcement. My thanks once again to you all.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/04/01/current-status-for-153-temples-announced-by-president-nelson/
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/queen-of-zulu-nation-in-south-africa-pays-visit-to-church-leaders-
My thanks once again to you all.
It seems we did not get any announcements relegated to temples today.
It is possible that since it is the day after Easter they were put off until tomorrow.
It is also possible the preparation for general conference caused a decision to not make any announcements today.
I do not know beyond that.
I am very excited about the hymn release. I am glad that French was included. I do hope that Swahili, Mandarin, German, Tagolog and Japanese get their first round releases in not too long.
I am very glad that "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" will be included. That was a hymn we sand a limit in my mission. My mission president's wife had been in the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square so she had us do lots of singing.
It would be neat to have some insight into the Church News's publication cycle. They *usually* release new stake presidencies on Sundays, but once in a while they do in the middle of the week. They make temple site, rendering, location, and groundbreaking/dedication/open house announcements on Mondays. I think that having a weekly temple need release has only become necessary or possible in the current era of increased temple building. Maybe they will announce something tomorrow! I also feel like it's unlikely they'll make another announcement after conference next Monday. They'll probably spend the effort on highlighting new temple announcements.
When the Church News publishes mission presidents, stake presidents and temple presidents is largely an internal decision, possibly with some insight from people outside the news staff, but since they are the only ones publishing initially, they control that.
The announcements of temple cites, artistic renderings, ground breaking dates and open house and dedication dates are issues by the First Presidency, as well as announcements of renovations of various types, at least that rise to a level where a temple will be rededicated. The Church News, and the Church newsroom, which are two different things, try to publish these very quickly after they are announced. At least for the last year and a half, maybe longer, these announcements have often been done on Mondays. However there have been cases where they were done on Tuesdays.
In the past these things were handled differently. In the 1998-2000 era in which the number of temples doubled in 3 years almost yo the day. At October 1997 general conference there were 50 operating temples, at October 2000 general conference there were 100. During that time site announcements and renderings were normally given with the temple announcement. To be fair all the renderings were the same, and President Hinckley announced a general plan for 32 temples.
I believe in April 1980 when 7 temples were announced at once, in a press release just before general conference, pretty much the full details of location, size and the rest were all released then. To be fair the Apia Samoa Temple at that point represented a total change from the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple announced about 3 years before.
Thanks James. I look forward to seeing phase I of the new hymnbook.
Another reason they might not have released any temple announcements yesterday is to avoid people thinking it was an April Fool's prank.
Such as this one. ;)
"LDS Church Purchases Westminster Abbey"
https://www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/lds-church-purchases-westminster
Johnathan, that's hilarious
I wonder why the news releases about the 12 hymns added to the hymnal only named one of those hymns?
Apparently we are adding many more new hymns to the hymnal - and that 12 of them will be available next month.
Why not name all 12?
Wondering if we will be singing "Amazing Grace"(1779) in Conference ... and if that has also been restored to our hymnal?
And did some of these hymns also make the list?:
"Be Thou My Vision" (6th Century)
"It is Well With My Soul" (1873)
"O Holy Night" (1843)
"Great Is They Faithfulness" (1923)
"Blessed Assurance" (1873)
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (1855)
"All Hail the Power of Jesus Name" (1779) (we do have the tune, but with different words)
"Angels From the Realms of Glory" (1816)
"Go Tell It On the Mountain" (1907)
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (1851)
"Just as I am" (1835)
More hymns are always good.
Exciting times ...
Thomas, my understanding is that Amazing Grace is going to be in the new hymnal. As for why only Come thou Fount of Every Blessing was named; I imagine it has something to do with how especially beloved it is.
Also, revealing the full list today would leave us with nothing to look forward to aside from the release of those selections. By naming just one, the anticipation of finding out what the others are is more pronounced and significant.
The majority of new hymns added will be newly written rather than common hymns adapted from earlier versions of the hymnbook and from other denominations. In fact, that ratio is likely going to be very lopsided in favor of newly written hymns based on what I have seen. 400-500 hymns total with selection still ongoing. No children's hymnbook.
This is all I am allowed to say right now.
Per this news release from last year, children's songs will be included in a single volume, and the hope is that more hymns will be sung in Primary and more Primary songs will be sung in Sacrament Meeting:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sacred-hymnbook-to-help-unite-uplift-latter-day-saints-of-all-ages-worldwide
I actually did not know that this had been made public. Now I feel a bit better about spilling the beans... ;-)
Glad I could help.
Another possibility is that they have not actually decided which 12 hymns yo release
Although that seems something you would know by now. However they may still not have fully decided.
I think this pre-releasing is a good plan. In about 1998 I still had a choir director who would treat hymns added in 1985 as unknown new hymns.
The 1985 hymnbook was less bold than the original plan from about 1974. That plan had hoped for more cultural diversity in hymn origins, but it eventually was backed down from.
With this plan they really are trying for something new. I think it is over 10,000 hymn submissions, or maybe only 7,000. The process has been long and involved.
I was recently at a baptism where they had us sing a song from the primary children's songbook, but had neglected to provide us easy access. This new unified hymnvook will allow for us to move beyond assuming sacred works are limited to one age.
My mission leaders were comfortable with us singing everything from Nephi's Courage to Come Thou Fount and even "If you chance to meet a Frown".
The new hymnbook will no longer have overly patriotic hymns. I hope it also drops hymns that exist yo praise Utah. There is only "A Wintry Day Descending to a Clise" that falls in that group.
I do wonder if the hymn by President Nelson will be included.
I am thinking the gradual release will allow us to know the hymnbook better than an all in one release would.
What's going on ? Westminster Abbey ?
April first, LOL...
How many of the existing hymns will be retained? Also I hope that "Placenter os nos Trabajar" from our Spanish language hymnal will be translated and included. Will "How Great Thou Art" be included. Due to copyright it is available in our Physical hymnal but not on the digital gospel library app.
Or the hymn by President Hinkley, that was sung at his funeral. Will hymns that are not retained still be available digitally for use?
I won't guess as to locations, but want to go on the record guessing there will be 15 temples announced by President Nelson at conference.
I am pretty excited about the new hymns coming out too- in fact I'm going to find it hard to wait until they come out. Hopefully they release sheet music too because I'm going to want to start learning to play them, and our choir director may want to have us start introducing the new hymns to our ward. (I am currently serving both as choir pianist and ward organist in my ward in Colorado.)
I think they know the 12 that will be released already, and the release schedule details for the other hymns. You don't announce x amount of hymns will be released on such and such a date unless you have some ideas of what the release schedule is to be.
The hymn "Our Prayer to Thee" with words by President Nelson is already available from the Music Library on the church website, with separate links for the audio file and the sheet music- I am including the former here:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/music/songs/2022-04-our-prayer-to-thee?lang=eng
(Incidentally, the music for that is an arrangement by Brother Wilberg from Hymn 337, which is one of those hymns glorifying "my own dear mountain home", presumably Utah.)
I looked for "What is This Thing That Men Call Death" with words by President Hinckley but found only the sheet music, along with a sound recording of someone reading the lyrics, no music. (But he also wrote "My Redeemer Lives" which is hymn #135.) He also wrote a song published in the Friend called "Don't Ever Forget to Pray" which also has sheet music and a recording of the lyrics.
For those who are interested in other songs written by apostles, the Music Library also contains a recording of a choir singing "This is the Christ" with words by James E. Faust (and a separate link to sheet music), along with a song I recently discovered called "One by One" (with words by Elder Bednar) which was published in the New Era in 2016.
The current hymnal also includes hymns written by John Taylor, Joseph Fielding Smith, and several other latter-day apostles.
On a different note, another hymn I suspect may be included in the new hymnbook is "Faith in Every Footstep."
I am not sure whether it was in the release to which I linked earlier or in some other source, but the Church did confirm at some point that "Faith in Every Footstep" was to be included as well. I distinctly remember reading that.
Yup. That was mentioned by name in the same release to which I linked above. Glad I wasn't mistaken on that.
About half of the current English hymn book will likely be retained, with some preference given to "popular" hymns, hymns frequently sung at General Conference ("Arise o God and Shine" and "Sing Praise to Him" are examples of common Conference hymns that in my experience get sung less at the congregational level - I can confirm that as of now these two are in, although changes remain possible).
There are also changes to many existing hymns, even if they are ultimately retained: verses added, verses removed, wording changes for better clarity and translatability, ...the amount of work that has gone and is still going into this project is massive and it is not stopping at just adding and translating hymns. It will be quite a big accomplishment to have it all finished.
One less comment: There are lots of volunteer opportunities for translating and reviewing translations of the hymns for those not part of English-speaking congregations. Typically the Church does not have enough volunteers to fill these roles and will recruit for them quite openly (I got this translation review gig through a fireside but I know for German, there was still a form you could fill out online as of last week). This will be especially true once we move deeper into the less-spoken languages.
I would really like to see some more Easter-themed songs aside from the 4 that we have (arguably, the Sacrament hymns could be counted). It seems "That Easter Morn" is the least popular of them, since it's tune is much slower and not as upbeat as "He Is Risen" or "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today." I'm really glad that the Church has been encouraging more and more of the Saints to celebrate Easter. I feel that (generally speaking), Easter was way too overlooked when compared to Christmas. At least during Christmas, I can find religious-themed decorations at any store, while with Easter, its almost 100% the commercialized holiday it's become.
I'm really glad that "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is being added. On my mission, there was an obsession over singing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" to that tune, and I honestly came to hate it because of how overdone it was. I very much preferred singing "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" with its tune in the hymnbook, or just outright singing "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing."
I hope that songs like "O Ye Mountains High" and "They, The Builders of the Nation" are kept. Another song I am wondering if they would add, just not sure how it will be implemented, is "Strength Beyond My Own." It's a "hidden gem" song I've come to love, but with the current sheet music, it seems intended to be sung solo.
@Religlang
:)
Ryan Searcy, I really like Sally DeFord's Easter hymn "In the Silent Garden", and that was one I personally recommended when filling out the online feedback. (Not to be confused with the more commonly known "In the Garden).
I had the opportunity to submit a translation of "In the Bleak Midwinter" to the committee for the new Portuguese hymnal. I didn't receive any feedback, but I once spoke with Elder Koch from the area presidency about the selection process and the chances of approval of the proposals...
New district (and four new branches!) created in Benin. Bohicon Benin District. Surprising as it was created on Easter Sunday, I didn't think the Church typically unit creations on holiday Sundays.
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-district-and-four-new-branches-created-in-benin?fbclid=IwAR37sNgQEa3NCpkLKUhbEeWA8cL3MmuR62Hw1e7YkTtb1yVJYjEUECFG8s0_aem_Aa3EKahY2dZqSkmqK9OcprmDROSN43zy9zXSEJ7Hmk7AWCyYORAP6Wn9CnR9fPCnk5nhUa2XuZsbsByJKUE05zua
Anybody do any temple trips lately? (and to where?)
Our ward just went on a Temple Trip up to Canada (Cardston) on Saturday. I got assigned by the Bishop to help the Youth find and bring their own family names this time for baptisms! So, I got to attend with them (and with 3 of my nieces and nephews). It was my first time in the Cardston baptistry.
I was in the Memphis Temple Baptistry watching our youth do baptisms last Saturday. They also brought their own names to the temple.
I don't think there's ever been a time when the youth of the church has been so involved in temple and family history work as the present.
I am all for "Faith in Every Footstep". I think "They the builders of a nation" needs out. Having grown up in a ward too full of griping Utah expatriates who over complained about Michigan, I say trash "O Ye Mountains High".
My Dad grew up a Utah expatriate with annual return trucks to the fatherland, I did not and I rejoined the day when we got Michael J. Lantz as our stake president, a man raised in our stake boundaries, baptized in Vietnam, who understood how wide the divide on 8 mile road was, and who was only sealed in the Salt Lake Temple because no closer temple existed to Michigan. The fact that at one point Mike Lantz's job was janitor for the stake center made him far different than the Utah expatriate doctors, lawyers and businessmen who had so often been our stake presidents. The fact that he did not live in the boundaries if the Bloomfield Hills Ward may have been most shocking.
Still, like all stories it is a little too simple. Mike Lantz was later bank manager of a bank near Oakman and Livernois where he was the only white employee with an all black customer base. Even later he worked in management and sales for a company based in Almont, Michigan.
To call all his predecessors Utah/Idaho expatriates in also inaccurate. For George Romney it works, he may have been born in Mexico, but Colonia Dublan and Colonia Juarez were in 1905 essentially Utah transported elsewhere, just like the areas south of Gridley, California which is why I should never have been surprised by the Feather River Temple.
However W. E. Barry Mayo, released as our stake president when I was about 9 was not only a convert but an immigrant. He was a youth not a young adult when he joined the Church, and his immigration did not cause stake change, because it was before Lonfon Ontario Stake was formed, when Windsor was still in our stake.
The Utah expatriates were never that dominant after 1975. In a very broad hymnbook OH Ye Mountains High can have a place, but I still think They the Builders of a Nation has none.
One other note on Utah expatriates. My mom's mom was a convert from Judaism, and her father's family had moved from SLC to LA when he was 1-year-old. Growing up her grandparents lived in Southern California and she in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was no Utah expatriate.
Of me and my 4 married siblings 2 of us married convers whose mothers also joined the Church, and 2 married children of convers. Those people joined the Church in Michigan or Illinois. The closest to a Utah expatriate is my one brother-in-law on my side not my wife's. Eben he his father is a Michigan raised convert who joined the Church as a young adult and served a mission in Brazil. His mother may have been born outwear, but I think she was born in Indiana and she clearly was raised there and most of her family lives there.
I saw someone guess as a reaction to the Salt Lake angle Moroni statue returning that the open house would attract 1 million visitors. Does anyone know what the record number of open house visitors that has occurred to dare is.
I am sure that Salt Lake open house will get many members visiting who then want to do Temple work. Taylorsville, Bountiful, Jordan River, Oquirrh Mountain, Draper and probably other temples need to plan now for the flood.
I hope there is already an open house planning committee in place. I know that is hard with the end of the Reconstruction not yet clear, but it should be considered.
The 91 flags by the Church Office Building gave gone up.
I assume that the 12 newly released will come with full musical notations.
I am now entering if digital files of them being sung will be released. I am h I ping yes, but we might only get the physical words and music.
The hymnbook has "Up Awake Ye Defenders of Zion" is by Charles W. Penrose, the last "adult" convert apostle before Elder Kearon. It was written by him prior to have even come to Utah and as a call for action as Buchanan's invading force was coming. It was originally more militaristic than now "wrongs of Missouri" is now "trials of Missouri", foe example.
It was written about 35 or more years before Elder Penrose became an apostle. Joseph Fielding Smith was an apostle when he wrote "Does the Journey Seem Long", just after he had had his wife die on him for a second time. He then managed to outlive his 3rd wife. Despite the fact that he was 63 and she only 36 when thry married. Joseph Fielding Smith's 3rd wife Jessie Evans Smith was a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square and the aunt of Susan Evans McCloud. I think her connection to the choir was widely known at the time.
What is much less well known is that at one time Joseph Fielding Smith was a member of the Tabernacle Choir. He was a member of the choir under Evan Stephens. This fact is not mentioned in the bio of Joseph Fielding Smith coauthored by his namesake son, nor in Francis M. Gibbons bio of President Smith. I only know it because Michael Hicks mentions it in his "biography" of the Tabernacle Choir. He does not bother to tell us when exactly or how long Joseph Fielding Smith was in the choir. It seems likely it was before his brother David was choir president.
Hicks wording almost seems yo say that Joseph F. Smith Jr. as he was then sometimes known may have been in the choir back in the 1890s. I think he uses the word "youth". However Michael Hicks is annoyingly unclear if he is using the tern as it is in the Church today, to cover those 12-18, or if he is using it more broadly, to also cover young adults yo a certain age.
Another hymn by an apostle is "How Long O Lord Most Holy and True". It is the plea of the dead for us to do their work in temples. This was a work very close to the heart of its author, John A. Widstoe. It is probably fitting that the oldest building operating as a temple in Europe was first dedicated by Elder Widstoe. Without his leadership of the European mission, both towards doing family history work and other matters of Church progress, There would have been no way yo get temples in Europe in the 1950s. Elder Widstoe in the early 1950s oversaw a committee that brought about the translation of the endowment into about a dozen European languages. He died before the Swiss Temple was dedicated though.
My above wording was precise and odd deliberately. In about 1931 Elder Widstoe dedicated a meeting house in Copenhagen, Denmark. This building was later remodeled into the Copenhagen Denmark Temple.
Not all hymns of praise and worship to God lend themselves easily to being sung by a congregation. Some call for the skill of a choir. Others logistically make more sense as solos. I am wondering if the new hymnbook will exclude the latter two groups, or if they will embrace them.
One more thought and I promise not to post gor awhile.
My parents are the directors of the family history center in outer stake. Up until a few weeks ago my mother in her late 60s was the youngest member on the staff. They just gad a new person called who is a teenaged youth.
I previously had a calling at that family history center. I believe I was by quite a wide measure the youngest person assigned there, and I started when I was 25. I last was involved when I was 32 and believe I was still the youngest there.
What I most like about Temple baptisms is the shift to encouraging parents to bring their children installed of just focusing on ward sponsored groups. We still get both, but I love how much we get family groups. To be fair the latter were logistically very difficult before the changes implemented at the start of 2018 making it so the priesthood requiremt to baptize in and outside the temple was uniform. Even then it is really only with the change yo the rule of who can be witnesses that you really can expect a family to provide their 9wn staffing to do baptisms without outside support. If two parents come with 3 children, 1 of whom is a priest, they can do the baptisms and only need help with confirmations.
JPL,
Let's do an experiment. The Taylorsville and Layton Utah temples will be dedicated in coming months. An endowed member can see and track how full their sessions are. If there's a significant increase/decrease in attendance of nearby temples during an open house, then the same will likely be true for temples around Salt Lake when its open house is going on.
while there will be some traveling in, most members attending an open house live close enough to make it a day trip.
For newly dedicated temples, I have experimented and noticed new temples are booked out right at first, manytimes taking attendance form other nearby temples and then it drops off. The Memphis Tennessee Temple district did not lose any stakes to Bentonville, but it did lose some members as some prefer to go to the new temple.
Here is a new video which I assume will play some role in the General Conference Leadership Training that will be underway in about 8 hours or so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipRn6YAasEs
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News site just posted a list of all 73 new Temple Presidents and matrons called for 2024.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/04/04/see-the-73-new-temple-presidents-and-matrons-called-in-2024/
@David McFadden
I think you may be right. :)
I taught the youth how to use ordinances ready and they were surprised by how easy it was to find names (and I was equally surprised at how fast they picked it up - much faster than the adults I usually teach).
Each kid was baptized four or five times and there were about 15 youth on the trip this time. We completed dozens of ordinances that day. :)
A couple stake conferences ago, the visiting GA noted that the Church would phase out the word "temple" similar to the way it has phased out the word "Mormon." I've not heard much about this since but certainly it has been referred to much more often as "House of the Lord."
I do not see a full phasing out of the word temple as likely. Unlike some other words, the Church has deliberately used the word, it is not an outside imposed nickname.
"House of the Lord" is sometimes used for other things. I just do not see the name change happening. I could be wrong.
I just did the math. It took 212 years to get the first 50 temples, 3 to get the second, 16 to get the third and it is looking like it will be 8 for the 4th. Hopefully the 5th 50 temples come faster, but I am not sure we can quite make it to under 3 years.
The Salt Lake Temple is special and will attract people in a way no other temple will. A few other temples play out this way as well. There are several reasons why I was willing to take my family to the Washington DC Temple open house, but did not to the much closer Columbus Temple open house. I wish I had, but the draw of DC made me overcome a lot.
The same factors play out in Salt Lake City, but only more so. It is the capitol of the Church. It will get people, both those who have been baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and those who have not been, coming in ways that no other temple will.
My guidance counselor in high school thought she knew somewhat about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was convinced the Salt Lake Temple was uniquely sacred in a way no other temple was. Ideas like this, and many other factors, will cause there to be a turn out for the Salt Lake Temple like no other.
I have heard through the proverbial grapevine that the Salt Lake Temple open house may last 18-24 months, and that the rededication of that temple could take place over a few weeks, with sessions carried to pretty much every part of the world. In such a scenario, it seems likely that each of our apostles could preside at at least one dedicatory session apiece and that this would allow most general leaders to participate.
The prophet has released a General Conference message extolling the virtues of having older leaders rendering full-time service for the remainder of their lives:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/april-2024-general-conference-social-media-president-nelson
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/04/04/president-nelson-april-2024-general-conference-age-health-leaders/
He also noted some leaders may need help getting to and from their seats, that some might sit while speaking or pre-record their remarks.
As I mentioned previously, the Salt Lake Tribune recently revisited the idea of emeritus status for some apostles. As I outlined in a blog post responding to that article, that's not the Lord's way and never will be. I hope the prophet's message, which also may serve as his pre-conference endorsement of the messages this weekend, might quash the talk of emeritus status for apostles, but I won't hold my breath. My thanks once again to you all.
I think you meant 112 years to get the first 50 temples !!!
Sorry if this seems to be a silly question - is there a confirmation of when the Midvale Utah East Stake was discontinued? It's listed twice on the discontinued stakes list, one showing it was discontinued in late 2023 and the other showing in 2024.
For those who may follow the past stakes of the Church history, I just came across this tidbit of history about the most recent known Stake organized late last month in southern Chile. The Puerto Varas Chile Stake, which has been given a new assigned Unit Number in the CDOL as 2257114 on March 24th, 2024.
Was originally organized on March 9th, 1997, as reported both on these 3 sources
https://www.thechurchnews.com/1997/8/23/23251825/new-stake-presidencies-199/
and 2013 Church Almanac pg. 457. or
https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/1/28/23229077/country-information-chile/
And was active for a short 5 years, until it was dissolved on March 10th, 2002.
As was reported on the 2010 country information Chile sited above and the 2013 Church Almanac pg 457 also mentioned above.
There is definitely a shift to using the phrase "House of the Lord" to refer to temples. You'll see this in Saints, Volume 4, which will be released later this year.
Actually it is 121 years, 1876 to 1997.
The new area seventies were called. We have some from Ghana, Nigeria, DR Congo, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Several from Brazil. In Mexico and the Caribbean we get to the first one I can comment much on.
Fritzner Joseph they mention is currently a temple sealer. Also that he is the assistant to the director of temporal affairs in his work. They mention he was a counselor to a mission president, mission president, district Presidency counselor and bishop. From other sources I know he has been a self reliance services missionary and full time missionary, but they seem not to mention missions in Area Seventy bios. He was also an elders quorum Presidency counselor, which I am less clear why it was not included, but there is only so much space. However they also do not say Fritzner Joseph was temple president, yes temple president. How that was left out I am not sure. He was temple president from 2019-2023. Yes 4 years. I am now vaguely hoping there is a slight chance next year he will be called as a general authority seventy. Yes I know he would most likely only serve 3 years,less than he was either mission president (1992-1997 or so, it was almost 5 years, but I might be 1 off on the start year) or mission president. He would be the first temple president since Marriner W. Merrill to become a general authority. Elder Merrill stayed on as temple president after his call as an apostle and filled both callings simultaneously until his death.
John Kauwe, the current president of BYU-Hawai'i was also among those called as area seventies. He was serving as a primary teacher at the time of his call. 1 other called was a current primary teacher and another was a current primary activity days leader.
"O Ye Mountains High" is one of my favorite hymns. I hope they keep it in some form in the new hymnal. Singing the phrase from the chorus, "O Zion! dear Zion! Land of the free," often brings a tear to my eye, and the hymn makes me grateful for those who came before and paved the way.
Though that hymn and "They, the Builders of the Nation" were originally written generally about the United States (and specificity about Utah), I believe there's enough symbolic language in them to still be appreciated, especially if you consider the "nation" in question to symbolically be the "New Jerusalem" or the community of "Zion" (the Lord's Holy City (or the society of the "pure in heart") that He has endeavored to establish throughout the ages in different lands).
"O Ye Mountains High" is full of those metaphors, referencing temples specifically, and mountains (another metaphor for a temple).
The song also makes reference to the concept of a "Holy City," mentioning "shining towers" in the third verse, and a specific reference to the City of Enoch in the second verse: "O Zion! dear Zion!...Tho thou wert forced to fly to thy chambers on high..."
So, it seems even Charles W. Penrose was aware enough that the concept of "Zion" in his song didn't just refer to Utah or the USA, but had wider applicability. The third verse also uses language referring to the concept of a "City of Zion" being a refuge from the world and worldliness. I think that still has applicability even now, with so many temples being built in so many cities of the world as refuges or symbolic "mountain retreats" for the saints to gather to.
It also reminds me a bit of the symbolic language of "Ye Elders of Israel." The concepts of being of "Israel," leaving (metaphorical) "Babylon" behind, and going to the "Mountains of Ephraim" to dwell can all be taken both literally or or figuratively, based on your point of view.
The songs also remind us of our church's pioneer past, which will always be a part of our history (plus, those literal early Mormon pioneers weren't just all Americans, but many came from Europe, etc.). And the "pioneers" and "founders" referenced could also be applied to anyone from any nation who has helped pioneer or found the church in said nation.
Some editing or adaptation of the text of those songs might be useful to make them more universally applicable. As one alternative, they could change the title to "They, the Builders of the Nation(s)" to drive home the point with that song.
If the church announces the use of "Houses of the Lord" rather than "temples", it would be contrary to what President Nelson has been announcing in recent general conferences.
Here is my final Temple prediction 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
Honolulu, Hawaii
Rigby, Idaho
Nampa, Idaho
Cover d'Alene, Idaho
Pullman, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Everett/Bellingham, Washington
Tempe, Arizona (I hope they build it literally above the Institute building)
Queen Creek, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Mexicali, Mexico
Chihuahua City, Mexico
Ciudad Obregon, Mexico
Poza Rico, Mexico
Acapulco, Mexico
El Paso, Texas
Gilmer, Texas or maybe Longview, Texas
Sugarland, Texas
Waco, Texas
New Orleans, Louisiana
Jackson, Mississippi
Huntsville, Alabama
Metro Atlanta Georgia south
Macon, Georgia
Sarasota or Naples, Florida
Charleston, South Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Norfolk, Virginia
Baltimore, Maryland
Charleston, West Virginia
New Brunswick, Trenton, Morristown, Newark or Jersey City, New Jersey - OK, Scotch Plains or Orange might also work
Des Monies, Iowa
Appleton, Wisconsin (or less likely Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
Milwaukie, Wisconsin
Champaign, Illinois
Somewhere in the middle or southern section of the city of Chicago, Illinois
Salem, Oregon
San Luis Valley, Colorado
Topeka, Kansas
Rapid City, South Dakota
Cincinatti, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio -but probably not until 2025
Manchester, New Hampsire
Bourdeaux, France
Milan, Italy
Glasgow, Scotland
Bo, Sierra Leone
Yamosoukro, Ivory Coast
Takarodi or Sekondi, Ghana
Lome, Togo or Cotonou, Benin - the one not announced now will follow in Pctober 2024
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 Nigeria this year, but I am less sure where - Although expanding Aba might also happen, but I think that will make other Nigerian Temples more likely
Kolwezi, DR Congo
Kampala, Uganda
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Maputo, Mozambique
Gaborone, Botswana
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
Toronto City Center, Ontario - or maybe called Toronto with current temple renamed Brampton
Victoria, British Columbia
Tabuai, French Polynesia
Santa Ana, El Salvador
Another temple in Guatemala City
Matanango, Guatemala
Kingston, Jamaica
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Maracaibo, Venezuela
Barcelona, Venezuela
Medellin, Colombia
Machala, Ecuador
Otavalo, Ecuador
Bucaramanga, Colombia
Medellin, Colombia
Bogota Colombia 2nd Temple
Bogota Colombia 3rd Temple
3rd Lima Peru Temple
4th Lima Peru Temple
5th Lima Peru Temple
Pisco, Peru
Chimbote, Peru
Rosario, Argentina
Resistencia, Argentina
Santa Maria, Brazil
Florianopolis, Brazil
Cuiaba, Brazil
Aracaju, Brazil
Sorocaba, Brazil
3rd Soa Paulo Temple
4th Sao Paulo Temple
5th Sao Paulo Temple
Tacuarembo, Uruguay
Albany or Utica, New York
Angeles, Philippines
Olongapo, Philippines
Legazpi City, Philippines
Caloocan, Philippines
Manila, Philippines - with the existing temple renamed Quezon City
London England Hyde Park - this may also lead to renaming of the current London Temple
Reynosa Mexico Temple
My crazy picks:
Provo Utah Granville Temple
Provo Utah Slate Canyon Temple
North Ogden Utah Temple
Oceanside California Temple
Pasadena Californa Temple
Beaver, Utah Temple
Fillmore, Utah Temple
Blantyre, Malawi
Dar es Salam, Tanzania
Lusaka Zambia Temple
Soweto, South Africa Temple
Potosi, Bolivia
Fargo, North Dakota
Niutoputapu, Tonga
Nuka'alofa Tonga 2nd Temple
Luputa DR Congo Temple
Boma DR Congo Temple
Goma DR Congo Temple
Tirana Albania Temple
Palermo Italy Trmple
Aboh Mbaise Nigeria Temple
Etiman Nigeria Temple
Ibadan Nigeria Temple
Jos Nigeria Temple
Tamale Ghana Temple
Karachi Pakistan Temple
Islamabad/Rawaloindi Pakistan Temple
Is members of the 12 conducting sessions of general conference something that has not been done before?
I'm not sure, but I think it has usually been a member of the 1st presidency that conducts.
At least one Conference, Ezra Taft Benson conducted some sessions as President of the Twelve.
The last time a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles conducted a Gneral Conference session was when President Hinckley was the only functioning member of the First Presidency in the 1980s and he had President Benson as President of the Quorum of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assist him by speaking twice and helping President Hinckley conduct General Conference sessions. Prior to that, the only other example of which I'm aware was in the 1960s and 1970s, when President Joseph Fielding Smith served simultaneously as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, an active member of that Quorum, and as an additional counselor in the First Presidency. If I had to guess, I'd wager that the 3 senior members of the Quorum will conduct the 3 sessions. After Presidents Nelson and Oaks pass away, President Holland will be the Church President, so I assume they'll have him conduct a session. Elder Uchtdorf has been in the First Presidency before, so he'll probably conduct a session. And Elder Bednar could be in future First Presidencies in the future, so my prediction is that those will be the three.
Also, the statistical report was released this morning as well:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2023-statistical-report-church-jesus-christ
Matt, looking forward to your analysis.
It appears that the total (nominal) church membership has grown by a larger amount than the number of convert baptisms.
Total membership: 17,255,394
Less Baptisms: (251,763)
Equals: 17,003,631
Prior year ending membership: 17,002,461
Not sure what to make of this. I would assume that the number of deaths and record removals has remained consistent from prior years. Unless there has been some unusually larger number of individuals who have been rebaptized after record removal (which I would assume that Matt would have heard something about and could comment if so).
Maybe just an error, but I wouldn't think they would let that get to print.
Increase in children of record is also included in that total. Anytime a new baby is blessed, their names are added to the Church record. That could account for the difference you mentioned.
Ah, I see. For some reason I thought they were excluded. Can't believe I've been following this blog and church growth for almost a decade and didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying!
Good year for missionary work overall then.
No problem. That's why when a baby is blessed in the Church, the prescribed wording includes something to the effect of "the name by which he/she shall be known on the records of the Church and throughout his/her life is..."
The convert baptism number is pretty underwhelming considering all of the anecdotes reported here in 2023.
It's a pretty on-part number for the last 15 years or so. Back in the 90's, it was normal to have 300,000+ baptisms in a year. I think there's been a refocusing on quality instead of quantity since then--hence, fewer baptisms but continued stake growth.
Europe still had a great year, perhaps the best in several decades. That said, we are not and probably never will be the driving force behind worldwide convert baptisms.
I guess my theory was wrong (about President Holland and Elders Uchtdorf and Bednar) conducting the 3 sessions. I wasn't expecting Elder Stevenson to do that, but he totally crushed it. I wonder which two of the other 11 will be conducting sessions? My gut tells me that the two other Quorum members will conduct the evening session and one of the Sunday sessions, with President Oaks conducting the other one. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed like President Eyring was not doing well today and whenever he prerecorded his remarks. And I also noticed President Oaks struggling a little bit during the Sustaining of Church Officers this morning. That being said, it was good to see President Nelson attending the Saturday Afternoon Session. I look forward to the rest of the conference.
I had a thought that that might be President Eyring's last talk. I hope it was an unneeded off thought. I hope he is still with us in October.
I did notice lots of uses of the team "The House of the Lord" and a few "the Lord's house". However everyone who said those terms also said temple a few times as well. The analogy to the emphasis on using the full name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I do not think is what we have here per se. It is a clear part of broader trends tk make the role and centrality of Jesus Christ more visible. However I think it is mainly a much stronger emphasis on the role of the House of the Lord period.
I very much liked Sister Dennis' mention on how one does not need yo be preparing for a mission or marriage to go to the temple. I am now wondering when was the revision that set 18 and completed/no longer in high school as the point at which a person can be endowed included in the general handbook? Has this been lurking there a few years and we just noticed, or was the current wording only published in the last year?
JPL, I had the same thought about President Eyring, so it may not be just you. At the last conference, my wife, my mom, and I all felt that President Ballard was giving his final talk. And that was verified when he passed away one month later. Apostles have been known to rally. We know, courtesy of a social media post from Elder Renlund, that when then-Elder Holland was at his worst last year, Elder Renlund (who I believe replaced President Nelson as the Quorum physician) shared his medical opinion that Elder Holland might not make it. President Ballard replied: "We'll just have to exercise our faith". After they administered to him, Elder Holland rallied round by the next day. Similarly, President Eyring has not looked well off and on for a while now, as shown in pictures where governmental leaders have met with the First Presidency when President Eyring has been present. So he could be having good days and bad days with whatever's going on with him. I think we might possibly see one or two of the other apostles pass away before President Nelson does. Despite President Nelson's back injury, he has been coming in to work more regularly and reportedly does less in terms of participating in meetings remotely. I'm glad that the Lord knows the times and seasons of our lives.
With the First Presidency relying on the Quorum of the Twelve more (especially, as seen today, with two of the more junior members conducting General Conference sessions), that may negate the need for one or two additional counselors in the First Presidency. I think that, in terms of the current three, President Oaks is currently the healthiest of the 3 First Presidency members. Could that change? Certainly. But at least we can take comfort that there is a system in place where the Church will never be without a functioning leader.
I think we'll see President Oaks be the last speaker in tomorrow morning's session, and that President Nelson will conclude the conference with temple announcements as always. I am also looking forward to hearing Elder Patrick Kearon's first apostolic General Conference address and to seeing which apostle will conduct one of the sessions tomorrow. Hope these thoughts, such as they are, are helpful.
To be fair I believe President Eyring had some significant health issues around the time to his call to the 1st Presidency in 2007. So it is hard to know.
Am I remembering right that Sister Eyring died? She was about 8 or 9 years younger than him. This is not quite President Joseph Fielding Smith loosing his wife Jessie Evans who was 36 when he got married to her at 63, but it is also not the essentially same age Patricia T. Holland dieing on President Holland, and even that was very hard on President Holland. The furniture is hard to predict. I do not think anyone in December 1972 expected to have as President Kimball, and almost all would have predicted Presudent Lee would be the leader of the Chur h when it turned 150 in 1980.
Sister Eyring did pass away. In 2007, President Eyring was 16-17 years younger, so his age now is a more pertinent and relevant consideration when assessing him now than using his 2007 illness to assess him now would be. Older people have a harder time bouncing back from illness than younger people.
Post a Comment