DR Congo
Today, a new stake was created in the DR Congo. The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo UPN Stake was created from the Kinshasa DR Congo Mont Ngafula Stake (organized in 2006) which had 11 wards and one branch prior to the creation of the new stake. No information is available yet on which congregations were assigned to the new stake or whether congregations from additional stakes were taken to create the new stake. The new stake is the Church's 12th stake in Kinshasa and the first new stake to be organized in the city since 2019. Several additional stakes appear likely to be organized in Kinshasa in the near future, as most stakes in the city have enough congregations to divide.
There are now 29 stakes and three districts in the DR Congo.
Nigeria
A new stake was created in Nigeria on August 18th. The Calabar Nigeria Etta Agbor Stake was created from the Calabar Nigeria Stake (created in 2002 and renamed the Calabar Nigeria Tinapa Stake) and the Calabar Nigeria South Stake (created in 2015). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Atimbo, Etta Agbor, Mayne Avenue, Nyanghasang, Uwanse, and Yellow Duke Wards and the Akpabuyo Branch. The new stake is the Church's fourth stake in the city of Calabar where a temple was announced in October of 2023.
There are now 73 stakes and 13 districts in Nigeria.
Utah
A new stake was created in Utah on August 11th. The Provo Utah East Bay (Spanish) Stake was created from area stakes and includes the following nine wards: the Bonneville 7th (Spanish), East Bay 2nd (Spanish), Franklin Park (Spanish), Freedom 3rd (Spanish), Lakeside 5th (Spanish), Parkway 6th (Spanish), Slate Canyon 1st (Spanish), Slate Canyon 14th (Spanish), and the Sunset 2nd (Spanish) Wards. The new stake is the Church's second Spanish-speaking stake in Utah following the West Jordan Utah Wasatch Meadows (Spanish) Stake which was created in May of 2024.
There are now 641 stakes and four districts in Utah.
Gabon
The Church organized its first district in the Central African nation of Gabon on August 4th. The Libreville Gabon District was created with four branches that previously were administered directly by the Cameroon Yaounde Mission, namely the Libreville 1st, the Libreville 2nd, the PK12, and the Université Branches. The Church organized its first branch in Gabon in Libreville in 2012 followed by additional branches in 2016 (Libreville 2nd), 2022 ( Université), and 2024 (PK12). The Port-Gentil Branch is the only branch in Gabon outside of Libreville, and the branch remains under the direct supervision of the Cameroon Yaounde Mission.
French Polynesia
The Church's last two districts in French Polynesia were recently discontinued, and the branches that were assigned to the districts have been reassigned to stakes based on Tahiti. The two branches in the Taiohae Marquesas Islands District (organized in 2012) were reassigned to the Papeete Tahiti Stake. In the former Makemo Tuamotu District, the Makemo and Taenga Branches were reassigned to the Punaauia Tahiti Stake, the Fakarava Branch was reassigned to the Faaa Tahiti Tuamotu Stake, the Hikueru and Marokau Branches were reassigned to the Taravao Tahiti Stake, and the Hao Branch was reassigned to the Paea Tahiti Stake. The Makemo Tuamotu District Branch was the only branch that was discontinued. These changes were similar to the discontinuation of the Tubuai Australes District in 2016 and permits some of the larger branches in former districts to become wards and also reduce the administrative burden on the mission president to serve members living in districts. Moreover, this decision was also likely made because there were no feasible prospects for the districts to become stakes within the foreseeable future due to remote distance and small populations spread over large geographical areas.
There are now 11 stakes and zero districts in French Polynesia.
165 comments:
The Salt Lake Pioneer YSA stake reorganized all their English speaking wards today. The seven wards were reorganized into 5 wards. Three of the Wards are now designated as 26-35 old and two are designated as 18-25 year-old. This seems to be the first YSA stake to make this change. The Salt Lake Bonneville YSA stake did a pilot program last year with these age separations. However, they didn't make any boundary changes, they simply invited members to move their records to the appropriate ward.
It seems like the Pioneer stake is trying to have wards with at least 150 people attending. The number of households in the directory in each ward range from 250 to 600.
https://www.facebook.com/PioneerYSA/posts/pfbid02MWPhzy7og1QMig9trs1ineJNHFfKf4iUvkdmgJKx6A7CJBPrQpKkatrtKruV5fV3l
The Church News just posted an article comparing the statistics of the years 1924 and 2024. Basically showing how the church has grown in last 100 years.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-archive/2024/09/09/1924-2024-church-statistics-number-members-stakes-wards-temple-missions-book-of-momon-languages/
Other Matt here...
It would be helpful if the Church
designated these wards differently on LDS Tools or Maps.
Maybe..
YSA1 = 18-25
YSA2 = 26-35
YSA = 18-35
I noticed that the language option is back on the meetinghouse locator website.
I wonder if there will be any news about Temple updates today, considering the 100 Year Birthday Celebrations. Here in Utah, Governor Cox has declared the day as "President Russell M. Nelson Day"
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-russell-m-nelson-day-utah
This appears to be the link to a summary of temple announcements. Take a look every Monday after 2pm Mountain time to get the latest: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-news-house-of-the-lord-2024
"First Presidency announces Tarawa Kiribati Temple groundbreaking
Elder Jaggi of Pacific Area presidency will preside at Nov. 2 groundbreaking of the house of the Lord on remote atoll
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/09/09/tarawa-kiribati-temple-groundbreaking-november-2/
I am very glad we got a groundbreaking date for Tarawa. I hope to see more movement on other temples as well.
We also had the Wichita Kansas Temple have a groundbreaking on Saturday. With its size I am still hoping Topeka can also get a temple soon.
San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple had its media day today with Elder Duncan and the Atmrra Presidency, lead by Peruvian Elder Taylor Godoy. The temple will be dedicated on October 13, 1 week after General conference.
I am hoping we get several more temple announcements through the end of the month.
On a slightly different t note I recently came across information that Logan Utah will have a giving machine this year. Giving machines started with 1 on temple Square in 2017. Last year thry were in 61 cities. I hope the project grows to be even bigger this year
Here in Michigan we do an annual winter clothing distribution. It first began at 1 location in 2012. It has expanded over the years. In 2022 we had 5 locations, in 2023 we had 8 and this year we have 11. That includes Bowling Green Ohio in the Toledo stake which is in the Greater Detroit coordinating council. It includes also Lansing in a different coordinating council. Through about 2017 we only used buildings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However the buildings we have in Detroit are not big enough, and especially lack even remotely close yo full sized cultural halls/gyms. We used the 3 closest to the city suburban Charles, but were not reaching the point of greatest need. So we partnered with other groups to find adequate sized buildings in the city. The sane was done in Pontiac since the challenge in Clarkston was an inconvenient location for people to go to, especially to bring huge bags of coasts, boots and various other clothes from.
My count is a little off since technically Flibt is not one location but a cooperative location where we use a wide baroety of denominations churches to reach multiple points in the city. In some ways long term that might be a vetter method for Detroit. Some of the libraries I distributed flyers at last year I got push back from people saying out location, which was pretty close to the geographic center of Detroit was too far. The crazy thing is I got that message from the staff at 7 Mile close to Van Dyke, but at the library on Outer Drive by Warren Avenue, which is 4 to 5 miles further away from the Durfee Innovation Society building I did not hear that complaint. To some extent though people in Detroit imagine any crossing of Woodward making a destination mymuch fimurther away than it actually is.
I noticed that too, and I'm very happy about it!
Sorry if this is a strange (or stupid) question, but on Saturday, my dad and I visited a good chunk of temples in northern Utah (between Logan and Provo, minus Deseret Peak, Payson, Saratoga Springs, and Draper because of time constraints). When we went to the Provo City Center Temple, I saw that there was a gazebo (pavilion?) with a Christus statue inside and a staircase that went downstairs. I went downstairs to see what was there, but it started to look like part of the temple. Considering I didn't have a temple recommend and we had time constraints, I didn't look further, concerned I shouldn't be down there. However, there were no signs indicating what was down there and no recommend desk, just a hallway, so I now have this burning curiosity - what is down there? What COULD I have seen if I had more time?
I know what you're talking about. I had the exact same thoughts. Eventually I just happened upon a waiting room with a bathroom. I don't remember if there was anything else.
What you saw basically is all that there is there -- a waiting area with restrooms, coat closets, etc. If memory serves, it is possible to get to the temple from there, but you will encounter a recommend desk at that point. You also can get to the parking garage from there. It is basically a waiting area for people gathering after a wedding that joins together the pavilion, the temple, and the underground parking.
The Bountiful YSA stake realignment was also announced on Sunday, with one ward dissolved, several wards renamed, and 3 wards designated for the 26-35 age group, with the remaining 5 wards designated for the 18-25 age group (the changes go into effect after this coming Sunday, which will be the final Sunday for the old alignments and names).
The Tabernacle Choir performed with the glee clubs if Spellman College and Morehouse College yesterday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Chaple at Moorehoyluse College, which has a photo of President Nelson in it. One of the key figures at Morehouse College made remarks as part of President Nelson's birthday celebration and Madd reference to the concert that would be held later.
30 singers from the those glee clubs performed with the Tabernacle Choir back in October at music and the spoken word. They have I believe over 100 singers.
The glee clubs will also perform in the concert with the Tabernacle Choir on Wednesday at a large sports arena in Atlanta. Thurs Baily, an African-Amerivan former NBA player who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the announcers.
The Church News article mentioned one member of the choir who is a graduate of a historically black college, although thry did not say which one.
This is a major development, although since it was over 5 years ago that President Nelson spoke at the national convention of the NAACP it is not as unprecedented. I still would argue media coverage and Wikipedia content have not internalized these developments.
In the case of Wikipedia, it has the arguably anachronistically named Black Mormons, uses talk of 2013 as the present, ptlresenting that as the present place to speak of the number of black general authorities. It has edits mentioning black general authorities called through 2021, but does not mention those called in 2022, 2023 or 2024 at all. Nor is Tracey Y. Browning mentioned at all.
@Cory
I used to be a member of the Salt Lake Pioneer YSA Stake. Does the Cannon YSA Ward still exist?
@Johnathan Reese Whiting, It appears the old Cannon YSA Ward has been renamed or the one ward dissolved as mentioned above.
Here is the list of new wards in the Meetinghouse Locator Site. You can signin with your LDS login to see the new Ward Boundaries of each.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/522066
Or you can go to the Google Maps links posted in the Facebook article by @Cory
(Pioneer YSA 18-25 Wards)
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/viewer?fbclid=IwY2xjawFOeqxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbhbPY0WzGD_ha7zmbS2gMu1jhMuKTsXOvdqB8sBIK5kJFk4tsQVV3kjXA_aem_ipHoH3s3Tk9n07WneJh79w&mid=1PNDrKeRgIdtMMAMYNqd1BFVxNRX3SVM&ll=40.76087617955209%2C-111.99245565&z=12
(Pioneer YSA 26-35)
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/viewer?fbclid=IwY2xjawFOejVleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHUxh5MNBRsQiCDpT4JUMo5W5ZADe9tM55mLnG-XCKIy43lE_MXaAz5EGdw_aem_TlnCGr066JJa_HvIbpxfnA&mid=1OxWbn_s2G0tN-UDNOvemw2oa-EfXP24&ll=40.76061532265539%2C-111.9925387&z=12
And compare the approximate boundaries to the old Cannon YSA ward to the new Wards.
Using both sources, It appears that the old Capitol Hill YSA Ward has been renamed the new Marmalade YSA Ward (from YSA 26-35 group) with Bishop Evans presiding according to both sources.
The old Grant YSA Ward has been renamed the new Highland Park YSA Ward (from YSA 26-35 Group) with Bishop Harris presiding.
The old Poplar Grove YSA Ward has been renamed the Three Creeks YSA Ward (from the YSA 26-35 group) with Bishop Hammond presiding.
Also appears the old Liberty Park YSA Ward has been renamed the new Ensign Peak YSA Ward (from the YSA 18-25 Group) with Bishop Johnson presiding.
And the old Westminster YSA Ward has retained the same name as the new Westminster YSA Ward (from the YSA 18-25 Group) with Bishop Hiller presiding.
Of the total current 9 Wards listed on meetinghouse site, would leave the remaining 2 English speaking Wards dissolved? And the other 2 Spanish / Tongan speaking Wards remaining?
City Creek YSA Ward (1881213) with Bishop Paulsen.
Madison YSA Ward (3271) with Bishop Gray.
Salt Lake Pioneer YSA Ward (Spanish) (2132117) with Bishop Dominguez Pernalete.
Salt Lake YSA 2nd Ward (Tongan) (486973) with Bishop Hansen.
Matt, Two new Districts have been organized in Utah recently and verified on the Meetinghouse Maps.
Great Basin Utah District (Correctional Facility)
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2275597
Green River Basin Utah District (Correctional Facility)
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2275503
Please, I ask for your prayers for us here in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. The fires and drought are the biggest ever. The great rivers of the Amazon are drying up. The fire is spreading across the continent and children in every region are running out of water. Temperatures break records. Please join us in praying for central South America.
I reported earlier this week that the language feature is back on the meetinghouse locator site. In addition to wards and branches, I wish we could find groups on that site. For example there is an ASL group in Idaho Falls, idaho. Even though, though it's tied to an existing traditional family wars, there is no info on the group. How do people who are deaf know about the group when they move to or travel to the area? (Or if a family has a deaf child.)
The only reason I know about the group was because I lived in the family ward that was associated with it almost ten years ago.
Other Matt here...
Here's their Facebook Group.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1330979267489739
My brother was in the Poplar Grove YSA ward now the Three Creeks YSA Ward.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/09/11/tabernacle-choir-orchestra-world-tour-2024-florida-georgia-morehouse-spelman-glee-clubs/
Is an article on the press conference connected with the Tabernacle Choir being in Atlanta and performing with the Morehouse and Spellman College Glee Clubs. I was very excited but not at all surprised to learn Ahmad S. Corbitt was there. Elder Corbitt is the only person I have ever cheered when I knew he would be called as a general authority.
I found the facebook page. It looks like it says it is a branch now and in another stake. But I still can't find anything on meetinghouse locator.
Situacao muito perigroso isso dos incendios agora. Oracoes feitas pra vcs
Looking at the facebook page, it looks like the ASL branch in Idaho Falls was organized on September 1st this year, thus perhaps why it doesn't show in the meetinghouse locator just yet.
Muito obrigado Bryan. Que o Senhor os abençoe também
Praying for you and everyone in that area, Daniel. What an awful situation. If only there was something besides praying we could do.
That said, I'm sure Heavenly Father will not stand idly by and let even one of His children needlessly die from this. And He'll for sure protect His temples.
More hymns in the new hymnbook. Amazing Grace and This is the Christ are the ones most will likely recognize.
That 100 years of growth is interesting. If the last 100 years are an indication of the next 100, then in 100 years the church will have 483 million members, at an average of nearly 5 million net members added per year.
Matt, do you happen to know if the way church membership was counted was different back then? I presume that they didn't have policies like members of record from baby blessings? Did they have a policy on keeping people on records until 110 years old, unless verifiably passed on, like they do today?
Sorry, I think my math was a little off. In 100 years, the church would have 500 million members - I forgot to add back the already existing 17 million today.
New Stake - Bakersfield California West Stake 2263319
Thanks for the updates Matt. Just checked the new Calabar Etta Agbor Stake on Meetinghouse Locator. The Calabar Stake still exists on there and it seems that it was the Calabar North Stake that was renamed to the Calabar Tinapa Stake.
Dear James, there is no greater power than that of prayer. Today it's Brazil's turn, soon it will be another country. The fires in California, as well as in Greece or Australia and other places are also frightening, and it becomes increasingly clear that we are moving very quickly towards the return of our Master. What scared me the most is the fact that the most powerful rivers in the world are drying up or reducing their flow, while the fog has a more immediate and more dramatic effect, turning the sky red like on Mars. May we all be protected by the hands of the Lord as we witness the fulfillment of the most alarming prophecies.
The "Lesser Antilles North District" recently transferred from the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple District to the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple District.
Very strange for the Meadows and Highland Manor Wards to now be in separate stakes, since I served in both wards at the end of my mission. 1 transfer Meadows, then 4 transfers Highland Manor. Same part of town , same street names (at least north-south), same chapel.
Which also means the Bakersfield California Stake Center is no longer within its stake boundaries, with the stake center being within the Meadows Ward boundaries. Even though most of the active membership was on that side of Highway 99, they met in Oildale. Very curious.
Wow
Here https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/09/14/pittsburgh-temple-changing-spiritual-landscape-western-pennsylvania/ is an article on the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple and its impact. It will be dedicated tomorrow. They mention the Pittsburgh North Stake had 17 convert baptisms in 2022. 46 last year, and 37 through June of this year.
Spanish Fork Utah Sunny Ridge Stake (2271729) - created 15 Sep 2024
- East Bench Ward (278459)
- Spanish Fork 20th Ward (Spanish) (370371)
- Spanish Highlands 1st Ward (1077066)
- Spanish Highlands 2nd Ward (2041162)
- Sunny Ridge 1st Ward (555630)
- Sunny Ridge 2nd Ward (1218174)
- Sunny Ridge 3rd Ward (1955853)
Weslaco Texas Stake (2269228) - created 15 Sep 2024
- Hidalgo Ward (Spanish) (236357)
- Pharr 1st Ward (Spanish) (200131)
- Weslaco 1st Ward (153532)
- Weslaco 2nd Ward (Spanish) (40029)
- Pharr 2nd Branch (2189348)
McAllen Texas Stake (507652)
- Edinburg 1st Ward (154806)
- Edinburg 2nd Ward (Spanish) (542083)
- Edinburg 3rd Ward (Spanish) (2163020)
- McAllen 1st Ward (38172)
- McAllen 2nd Ward (Spanish) (38237)
- McAllen YSA Branch (1318977)
Mission Texas Stake (542008) - reorganized from the McAllen Texas West Stake
- La Joya 1st Ward (Spanish) (230154)
- Mission 1st Ward (154814)
- Mission 3rd Ward (Spanish) (1381970)
- Mission 4th Ward (Spanish) (2097788)
- Monte Cristo Ward (2111616)
- Sharyland Ward (544302)
- La Joya 2nd Branch (203416)
- Rio Grande Valley Branch (Sign Language) (2132109)
Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Binza UPN Stake (2268833) - created 15 Sep 2024
- Badiadingi Ward (380717)
- Binza UPN Ward (380709)
- Buadi Ward (2031957)
- Lukunga Ward (2260115)
- Nsanga Maba Ward (320080)
Looks like the Mercedes Ward (Spanish) (40029), previously in the McAllen Texas Stake. Has been renamed the Weslaco 2nd Ward (Spanish) (40029)
Chris, do you know if any new units were organized in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, with the new stake being created? A saw a post indicating that there likely were, but wonder how long that takes to show up in the tool that you are using to report this. It feels weird that a new stake would be organized with only 4 wards and 1 branch, so I'm hoping at least 1 new ward was created in that stake. Additionally, I find it weird that there are several branches to the northwest of McAllen that appear to just be mission branches, unassigned to stakes or districts. Why wouldn't they just assign them to the nearest stake? I get why it doesn't always happen in some countries due to extreme travel distances, but this doesn't seem to be the case for southern Texas. Thanks for the updates. Exciting to see new stakes being created.
Other Matt here
According to Facebook, looks like Pharr 2nd Branch is now a ward.
The Matamoros México Stake was transferred to the Mcallen Texas Temple District.
The Reynosa México East Stake was transferred to the Mcallen Texas Temple District.
The Tamaulipas México Río Bravo District was transferred to the Mcallen Texas Temple District.
The Valle Hermoso México Stake was transferred to the Mcallen Texas Temple District.
I love that there is a Spanish ward in Spanish Fork. I hope there is a Spanish stake there soon. Spanish Fork went up in likelihood of getting a temple there, Mapleton or Springville. Although we are at a point where I could see both Springville and Spanish Fork getting temples.
I really am hoping we see a Reynosa Mexico Temple announced soon.
Although I remain convinced Kampala Uganda and Abuja Nigeria are very needed temples.
Here https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/09/15/elder-uchtdorf-dedicates-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-temple-bridge-earth-heaven/ is a very interesting article on the dedication of the Pittsburgh Temple. They tell of the parents of the open house organizer, and her as a young child traveling from P8trsburgh area the nearest temple, the Salt Lake Temple,in 1962. Thry mention a camper trailer and a sewn canvas. Thry detail another couple that went to Manti in 1958. Thry cover also the meetings in rented spaces, cleaning the remains of parties before church meeting and the like. They also cover well what UT means to go from having to travel 4 hours to the DC temple to "under an hour" to the new Pittsburgh Temple. It is a well written article Although part of me wishes there was more.
Tacoma Washington Temple now has a site. It will be in Federal Way, Washington. It is an 11 acre site. The temple will be 2 stories and 45,000 square feet.
I was hoping for more, but we shall see. We are at 19 days until general conference starts.
On the note of General Conference, Relief Society President Camille Johnson on saturday, September 14th, was on a ministry tour of Milan, Italy in the Europe Central Area. (Between words, is a potential future announcement). And will soon minister to Prague, Czech Republic and Zagreb Croatia (possible future sites). and Budapest, Hungary.
https://news-europe.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-johnson-shares-hope-central-europe
I hope for a Reynosa Temple. Even with it's proximity to McAllen Texas. Due to the border issues I see it happening. I also hope for El Paso TX even if it is near Ciudad Juarez Mex. We have other temples near each other over our borders. For example, Vancouver and Victoria BC, near Seattle WA, or Tijuana Mexico, near San Diego CA. Brazzelville Rep of Congo near Kinshasa DR Congo. I think Toronto Ontario is not to far from Palmyra NY. When I look at potential temples, I like to look at the relationship and visa policies a country has with neighboring countries. Such as Benin and Togo or southern Peru and northern Chile. To see the ease or difficulty of international travel or border controls if the need to travel to the nearest temple. Some have open borders and some have closed, difficult or dangerous borders to cross. (Like the U.S. Mexican border) At least for Mexicans coming north or due to cartels in control in the south. Or in the example I first mentioned of Benin and Togo. They seem to have an open non-visa required policy with their neighboring countries. Which can make either country almost equal chance of having a temple soon.
@Cfunk, Here is what my source said about the Rio Grande Valley area.
"No new wards or branches were created."
Here's some news out of Logan:
Logan Utah YSA 8th Stake (2274213) - created 15 Sep 2024
- Logan YSA 4th Ward (18-25) (1129570)
- Logan YSA 6th Ward (18-25) (234850)
- Logan YSA 7th Ward (18-25) (236802)
- Logan YSA 10th Ward (18-25) (2210096)
- Logan YSA 24th Ward (18-25) (253014)
- Logan YSA 46th Ward (18-25) (232750)
I remember during the open house, that we entered from the underground parking, and finished the tour by emerging from the gazebo place. My understanding is married couples can use it as an exit location, ideal for photos.
From the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple District :
The Yacuiba Bolivia District was transferred to the Salta Argentina Temple District.
The Tupiza Bolivia District was transferred to the Salta Argentina Temple District.
The Bermejo Bolivia District was transferred to the Salta Argentina Temple District.
Any thoughts on what this might mean for a Temple in Tarija, one way or the other?
Craig H.
The district transfers to me means that Tarija Bolivia Temple becomes much more likely. It is a 2 stake potential temple district. Potosi is a vague possibility, but really Potosi and Sucre need a temple in 1 of those cities, and really need it announced today as well. Tupiza is helped the least by this. Travel time drops from 11 to 7 hours. Which means the time delay and or cost increase factor to cross the Bolivia to Argentina boundary is thought to be equivalent to less than 4 hours one way. Although if there is a branch in the district in Villazon, Where the travel time has been savings to Salta has gone up to 5 hours, and where bring so closely connected to La Quiaca travel across the border may be very common, the analysis may be a bit different.
Yucuiba the change is 16 and a half hours to 6 hours. Bermijo it is 18 hours to 4 hours. Both Bermijo and Yucuiba are surrounded on three sifmdes by Argentina. These changes mean your temple attendance is almost certain to go up for these places. Bermijo is so far from Cochabamba you may have huge numbers of members who just have not made it to the temple ever. It may even be key to moving some of these places to stake status.It also means that temple trips and or temple workers being called from these districts are likely enough events that church leaders actually care what temple district thry are assigned to. Since a member choosing to go to the temple or his or her own with family members can do so at will, and the temple patrons fund send people to wherever costs the least to get them to, you only pay attention to temple district assignments if you think wards and branches will organize trips, or you think there might be temple workers called.
This also puts Oran District and Tartagal Districts in Argentina as going to Tarija if it gets a temple. Which means Tarija is a potentially 2 stake and 5 district temple,which is likely, and becomes more likely if any new stake is formed. If Tarija got a 3rd stake it would be almost inevitable.
This also puts Bermijo in play as a potential temple. Especially the moment it gets a stake but maybe even today. It would be a dark horse smack, but we get one of those each conference. It is a dark hotlrse smack that works well with President Nelson's stated view that stake centers preceeding temples is not how things ought to be. True the line was stake centers bot stakes, but especially if Bermijo is even remotely close to stake status a temple might be announced before the stake is organized.
What I find interesting is there is only 1 district and 1 stake in all Jujuy. The stake is in San Salvador Jujuy, the district a little west. I wonder if there are any branches directly over the mission in northern and western Jujuy, and also if any Salta stake goes into part of Jujuy. The north and west of Jujuy seems isolated and mountainous, but there are communities there. Salta province forms a U around Jujuy province, so if you go directly north from San Salvador de Jujuy you end up in Salta Province, although Salta province is also south of Jujuy province all its length. Further west though Jujuy goes all the way north to the Bolivian border. It also borders Chile. So Jujuy province only borders Sakta province of provinces in Argentina. This is a little like New Hampshire being Maine's only US neighbor, Jujuy is landlocked, and it would be more similar if halfway between the cost and the Canada border New Hampshire's border went significantly further east.
This is a super interesting empirical research question: do temples in an area increase converts in that area? Is it a short-term or long-term effect?
Unfortunately, even the case here is difficult to ascertain. The mission dedicated a lot more financial and missionary resources in 2023 and 2024 to the area, so it isn't unexpected to see a shift in conversions. It isn't clear how much of the bump is due to the temple vs other factors.
The district transfers make everything about the temple more accessible, including the temple presidency (in stake conferences, leadership meetings, etc.), temple worker callings, and probably patron lodging, if applicable. Patrons can obviously attend whatever temple they'd like, but being assigned to a closer temple strengthens the people and helps them better prepare for a temple of their own.
I have started thinking about potential temple announcements not only by how "likely" they are but more so by how "soon" they will be. For example, a temple in Spanish Fork in my opinion is certain, with an announcement very likely within the next 2 years.
I have heard from a trustworthy source within the temple department that the Church is stepping up its hiring game for architects significantly and in a more decentralized way. Architects for temples will now also be hired more regularly within area offices as the Church seems to be struggling to fill the positions in Salt Lake. Either that, or a significant further uptick in announcements can be expected and the Church is seeking more local expertise in designing temples. I also know of one new European temple location that surprised me quite a bit. I will share more once it has been announced officially; whether it will be this conference or at one in the near future, I don't know.
Elder Quentin L. Cook recently traveled to Korea and Japan for a Ministry Tour. And during the tour, he visited the future site of the Osaka Japan Temple, which was announced 1 year ago in October 2023, and the site location announced a few months later in March of this year.
"On Sept. 15 in Osaka, Elder Cook met with local Saints at the site of the future Osaka Japan Temple.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/09/18/elder-quentin-l-cook-ministry-trip-south-korea-japan/
Pascal, My best guess is that you are referring to any of these future sites :
Eurasian Area:
YEREVAN ARMENIA
Europe Central Area:
BERLIN GERMANY
BORDEAUX FRANCE
DUSSELDORF GERMANY ( 4 + 0 )
ELCHE / CADIZ SPAIN
GRENADA SPAIN
LAS PALMAS SPAIN ( 1 + 2 )
LYON FRANCE
MALAGA SPAIN
MILAN ITALY ( 5 + 0 )
MUNICH GERMANY ( 3 + 0 )
MURCIA SPAIN ( 6 + 0 )
PALERMO ITALY
PRAGUE CZECH REPUBLIC
SEVILLE SPAIN
TIRANA ALBANIA ( 1 + 1 )
TOULOUSE FRANCE ( 3 + 0 )
VENICE ITALY
WARSAW POLAND
ZAGREB CROATIA
ZURICH SWITZERLAND
Europe North Area:
ACORES PORTUGAL
BELFAST NORTHERN IRELAND
BRISTOL ENGLAND
CARDIFF WALES ( 3 + 0 )
DUBLIN IRELAND ( 2 + 0 )
GOTEBORG SWEDEN
LEEDS ENGLAND
LONDON ENGLAND NORTH ( 8 + 0 )
PORTO PORTUGAL ( 3 + 0 )
RIGA LATVIA
SUNDERLAND ENGLAND ( 2 + 0 )
VILNIUS LITHUANIA
hi local SLC architect here. the church doesn't design temples - they hire firms to do that for them. their struggle is probably hiring project managers to manage the design consultants.
Steve, yes that may have been it. I guess it makes sense that the person responsible for the construction would be a PM, not an architect. This is a false mental connection I made here.
Chris, the location I am speaking of is indeed on the list.
Looking back it looks like I misworded my statement of Jujuy. I was wondering if there are any branches directly under the mission there.
Are there any direct mission branches in the US, or are all branches in the US directly in a district or stake? I think Canada in Northwest Territories may have some mission branches no in a district. I am not even sure Nunavut has branches.
I noticed FamilySearch just signed an agreement with the indigenous affairs council in the Phillippines yo begin an oral family history project. They will also involve indigenous tribes in signing formal agreements before beginning the project. There might not be quick results. I do hope to see a few more temples announced for the Philippines next month.
I believe at one point, there was a mission branch for Martin's Cove in Wyoming, but the area now seems to be under the Red Butte Ward in the Casper Wyoming Stake.
I know of three in Texas, the
-Zapata Branch in Zapata, Texas
-Roma Branch in Roma, Texas
-Rio Grande City Branch in Rio Grande, Texas
None of them seem to be affected by the creation of the Welasco Texas Stake.
The Yellowknife Branch pertains to the Edmonton Alberta Gateway Stake. The branch appears to have all of the Northwest Territories in its boundaries. All of Nunavut and most of Quebec are within the Canada Montreal Mission branch.
I do not know of any other congregations not part of a stake within the United States, aside from the possibilities of some territories.
I know this is a week late. I didn't see it in my newsfeed until last night.
Prayers to all the Typhoon Yagi survivors and their families and those who lost their lives in the flash flooding near Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, on September 11th/12th. At least 199 were reported deceased last week.
https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-flooding-typhoon-yagi-43af9564655861bafb2b6a211f8bd679
"Yagi swept across northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar more than a week ago, triggering floods and landslides that have killed 613 people across the region, according to official figures."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/myanmar-flood-death-toll-climbs-to-293-state-media/ar-AA1qRhiZ?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=7087b73681344983840581ef86186e9a&ei=96
Ryan mentioned the Montreal mission. I served there from '95 to '97 which kind of dates me. I'm curious if this has changed. When I was serving there was a branch in Val D'or that probably was a mission branch. In my atlas the town appears to be about 250 miles N from Ottawa and almost 300 miles NW of Montreal, so probably not part of any stake. The senior companion was the branch president, and the elders serving there always attended zone conference in both Ottawa and Montreal to give them more time to counsel with the mission president.
Stumbled across this, not sure if it was mentioned before. It appears the Baku Group in Azerbaijan has become a branch.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/487546
twinnumerouno - I have checked the map and located a town called Val-d'Or that seems to be the one you are referring to. It is located within the Abitibi Branch of the Sudbury Ontario Stake.
Nunavut has the unfortunate distinction of being the only state, province, or permanently inhabited territory in Canada/US/Mexico not to have a ward or branch. Probably this is in no small part because it is very sparsely inhabited -- Iqaluit, the capital and largest city in the territory, has 7,500 people, and the small settlements that do exist are very isolated, separated from each other by long distances. Language may be a minor issue as well, but probably is not a major barrier -- while a majority of Nunavut residents claim Inuktitut as their mother tongue, 96% can speak at least one of either English or French (mostly English). While I doubt there will be any big missionary push there in the near future (lots of other places in the world with far more people remain unreached), if the gospel is to reach every nation, kindred, tongue, and people then at some point we will need to take the gospel to Nunavut.
--Felix
I was checking temple districts, can anyone tell me why the Reynosa México Stake is not in the McAllan Texas temple district? The confusing thing for me is that the Reynosa México East Stake and 2 other Mexican stakes and 1 district are in the McAllen Texas Temple district.
Thanks, Ryan for the Baku update. Great News.
Also, on the Meetinghouse site, the new "Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Binza UPN Stake" that was reported by Matt previously as just the UPN Stake. Has been added.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2268833
miro, Yes, I asked that exact same question to my source from the CDOL. when i posted the other day the transfers from the Monterrey Mexico Temple District to the new McAllen Texas Temple District. I wondered why the Reynosa Mexico Stake was not transferred also since it is a few miles closer to the McAllen Temple then the Reynosa East Stakecenter on the map. I think it was just a clerical error in updating the CDOL list correctly. Or my source thought maybe part of the Reynosa Stake could be closer to the Monterrey boundaries, even if the Stakecenter was located further north part of the City.
Also the new "Logan Utah YSA 8th Stake" that i reported a few days ago, has been added to the meetinghouse site also.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2274213
Also, the above reported "Spanish Fork Utah Sunny Ridge Stake" has been added to the meetinghouse site.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2271729
And the Weslaco Texas Stake has been added.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2269228
And the McAllen Texas West Stake was renamed the Mission Texas Stake as reported above.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/542008
The Port Harcourt Nigeria Emuoha Stake was created on September 15th, 2024 with 4 wards and 4 branches.
I remember coming across this article a while back about the establishment of the first Kingdom Hall in Nunavut, provides a little insight into the religious environment of the area: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/jehovahs-witnesses-iqaluit-1.6559782
The Mbabane Eswatini District was transferred to the Durban South Africa Temple District.
The Paramaribo Suriname District was transferred to the Belem Brazil Temple District.
The Church News site just released a Biography of 10 of the MTC's worldwide Presidents and Companions to begin service on January 1st, 2025.
A curiosity is the President called to lead the Brazil MTC is Milton Camargo, in biography listed as the son of Helio da Rocha Camargo, whom if memory serves, was a Brazilian General Authority ?
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/09/20/10-new-missionary-training-center-presidents-and-companions/
Milton Camargo's father, Helio da Rocha Camargo, who sadly died this year, was the 1st Brazilian General authority, and I believe after Angel Abrea the 2nd from South America. Milton Camargo himself was in the general Sunday School Presidency until Aug. 1. I noticed Brother Owen who was general young men president, I believe since the one before president Lund, will be the president of the Privo MTC. The new head of the Mexico City MTC is a Mwxican. I know Elder Tenorio who was a general authority and earlier the first recorder of the Mexico City Temple, was president there, not long after they moved to the current site. I thought it would be awesome of he was the first temple ptmrwident there, but he is already 82 and thry have not yet broken ground, so I am now mainly just hoping he will still be with us when that Temple is completed.
If Reynosa is really right where you hit about equal travel time between Monterrey Mexico and McAllen Texas Temples, it would seem a good place to put a temple.
I am also thinking Port Harcourt becomes even more likely to get a temple with iylt getting another stake. Does that put the city to 8 stakes? With 4 in Aba. There are other stakes in surrounding places as well. Considering Aba Temple is only 12,000 square feet, I think Port Harcourt is a shew-in, but so are Abuja, Enugu and Etinan. I think Abuja and Port Harcourt will be next, but Enugu would put Nenue State where the church is definitely growing closer to a temple. Benue State will eventually get a temple in Makrudi, but that is a little further down the road.
We are basically at exactly 2 weeks until general conference starts.
Here https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/09/21/latter-day-saint-leaders-say-renovated-salt-lake-temple-to-include-significant-changes-preservation/ is an article by Tab Walch on the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple. They are trying to make you feel like you are in a Victorian Era Temple from the moment you step to the recommend desk. They also have lots of natural light in the north addition.
Either the North Addition is 100,000 square feet, or the temple overall will be 100,000 square feet bigger. That is bigger than most Utah Temples. It is 10 times as big as Cody Wyoming or Cleveland Ohio sized temples. This is a huge amount of space.
The two baptisties are being installed. They will both be in the North additional.
President Johnson recently travelled to minister to these 4 Central European cities. Which 3 of the 4 are on my possible future sites list for the European Areas. And one of them may be the location that was alluded to above in a previous post here.
Milan, Italy (on September 14th)
Prague, Czech Republic
Budapest, Hungary (already has a location and site announced)
Zagreb, Croatia
https://news-europe.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-johnson-shares-hope-central-europe
I ran the numbers for growth based on each of the last 10 decades. I.e. If the growth over the next 100 years is equal to the percentage growth of the Church over the decade ending in the year ending in 3.
Growth 1923-1933: 24.6% growth over the decade: Church size with each decade increasing by 24.6% from its current 17.25M is 156Million
1933-1943: 30.6% - 248M
1943-1953: 33% - 299M
1953-1963: 69.9% - 3.4B
1963-1973: 56.2% - 1.5B
1973-1983: 61.8% - 2.1B
1983-1993: 62.3% - 2.2B
1993-2003: 38.0% - 430M
2003-2013: 25.8% - 171M
2013-2023: 14.4% - 66.3M
The basic question is how to make the growth of the Church more like it was between 1943 and 1993 than it has been since 1993.
Friends, is there any place where you can see and compare the oldest renderings presented at the beginning of the Salt Lake Temple work with the most current ones? Rick's website only contains the most recent views, if I'm not mistaken.
Other Matt here.
Up in Los Angeles County, rumors are sadly Los Angeles Stake and Santa Monica Stake are combining together.
Unlike other areas of Southern California which is being experiencing stagnant or some growth (my Stake in Orange County is at 20 year high in convert baptisms) , Los Angeles proper has been struggling post-Covid with a lot member move outs to other parts of Southern California or moving out of state.
I made this google drive folder to compare the renderings previously released. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GndY3CQq_MDq3DoWqmd4ogo7j24G11ge?usp=sharing
@Chris D.
Thanks for letting me know. Sorry about the delay in responding. I was on a family trip.
I'm finally getting around to it, but here is my list of temple predictions:
Starting April, 2023
(When I first created the list.)
1-3 Years from April, 2023:
-Lima, Peru - Metro 3rd (1-3)
-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 (Sant'Ana do Livramento, Brazil/Rivera, Uruguay) (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) (creation of the Nigeria Abuja Mission in 2024) (1-3)
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)
-Ahuachapan or 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 or Papantla, Mexico (6 stakes, 1 district) (1-5)
-Tacuarembó, Uruguay (8 Stakes and remote from Montevideo and Buenos Aires) or Rivera/Artigas, Uruguay (all relatively close to each other) (or Salto/Paysandú, Uruguay - next to the Paraná River on the Argentine border) (all in Northern Uruguay) (1-5)
-Sucre or Tarija, Bolivia (2 stakes, 5 districts) (far) (south) (1-5)
Thanks, Cory!!
We were visiting LA yesterday and attended sacrament meeting at the Wilshire Ward. They announced that this merger (and the reorginization of the stake presidency) would be happening at a special Stake Conference next weekend (9/29)
Something appears to be going on with Gary E. Stevenson. He was previously announced to be a devotional speaker at BYU on Sept. 17. However, Jennifer and Patrick Kearon were assigned last minute to speak and they both spoke about their surprise about this last minute assignment.
https://www.deseret.com/faith/2024/09/17/elder-patrick-kearon-asks-byu-students-to-become-flecks-of-gold/
In the beginning of his remarks, he said that Elder Stevenson will "be here in a few months and he'll explain why he's not here today."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuM66r_ZLnk&t=71s
Then, on Sunday, Elder Rasband dedicated the Mendoza Argentina Temple, which was previously assigned to Elder Stevenson. The Church News noted: "he had been assigned by President Nelson to do the dedication a week before the actual event."
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/09/22/mendoza-argentina-temple-dedication-elder-ronald-a-rasband/
Perhaps this is a health scare or a family emergency, so we should be sensitive to that. But the comments from Elder Kearon and the proximity to General Conference lead me to speculate that something else is happening. The Kearons were very much surprised about what happened, I didn't sense anything somber about their words. My thought is that Elder Stevenson is being called into the First Presidency as an additional counselor, or taking the place of President Eyring. Just speculation, but these events lining up like this seem odd.
Temple Announcement Predictions
Top 10
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
North/Northwest of Ogden, Utah, USA
Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Taichung City, Taiwan
Lome, Togo
Poza Rica, Mexico
Tacna, Peru
Resistencia, Argentina
Pelotas, Brazil
Spanish Fork, Utah, USA
I think 20 will be announced, so here are 10 more guesses:
Lima#3, Peru
Sorocaba, Brazil
NW of Manila/Angeles, Philippines
Abuja, Nigeria
Maputo, Mozambique
Osorno, Chile
Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela
Aracatuba, Brazil
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Milan, Italy
It appears that we did not get any new temple announcements today. I was thinking we might not with the new release of the plans for the Salt Lake Temple. I very much like the planned look of the new annex of the Salt Laje Temple.
We also had Deseret Peak Utah Temple media day today with the pictures of it released.
Also the Mendoza Temple was dedicated by Elder Rasband yesterday
I also noticed the line about him being assigned a week ago. I remember him in a conference talk mentioning how for the Bangkok Thailand Temple he had prepared the dedication prayer months in advance.
I know Elder Rasband has now dedicated the Durban, Bangkok and Mendoza Temples? Has he dedicated any others?
On why Elder Stevenson was not at the devotional or dedication as originally planned I really do not know. The idea expressed above that he could be about to be placed un the 1st Presidency seems believable, but I do not claim any insight. Last April I had the idea that President Eyring might not be at another general conference, and that is now luckily looking to not be the case, President Eyring may not be in the best of health but he is still alive. So I really do not have any insight on the matter.
We ahall see.
I was doing a little bit of digging into how things are going in Texas, and for all the stakes that are headquartered in Texas, there has been net growth of 3 wards and 0 branches for the year thus far. Net growth of 2 wards and loss of a branch in the greater DFW area, net growth of 1 ward and 3 branches in the greater Houston area, net loss of 1 ward in the greater Austin area, net loss of 1 branch in the greater San Antonio area, net loss of 1 branch along the Rio Grande, and net growth of 1 ward in West Texas.
I'm still a bit puzzled as to why the Weslaco stake was created, as it is still showing only 4 wards and a branch there, making it the smallest stake in the state (the next smallest is the Laredo Texas Stake with 5 wards). Going from two strong stakes of 7 wards 2 branches and 8 wards 2 branches to three stakes of 5 wards 1 branch, 4 wards 1 branch, and 6 wards 2 branches is baffling. Not sure if anyone has any more insight into why that happened.
I don't know all the specifics of the places in Texas that you are looking at, but I know based on some family and friends in Northeast Dallas that their ward[s] are robust and super active. For example, one ward in Allen has dozens and dozens of young men, possibly as many as 70, which for outside of the Inter-Mountain West is quite impressive. As well as high numbers of active youth (by default their families), there might be membership activity of 70 percent, which again, is not the norm outside of the Deseret corridors.
Based on that reasoning and anecdotal evidence, I think a smaller unit stake could make a lot of sense, as is the trend to make smaller stakes anyway. That trend seems to mirror the efforts to get temples closer to the patrons: eliminating too much driving and travel time for all members involved, Sundays or throughout the week.
Texas is a booming work state with more affordable housing than many places. Also, missionary work among Latinos is generally better in the U.S. than the average Anglo or African-American parts. All these factors, plus the size of Texas and its distances could lead to the decision to make smaller stakes, and projecting that those wards as constituted now in smaller stake numbers may be getting ready to split.
I am comforted to know that Venezuela is doing okay Church-wise, plus the millions of emigrants are finding the Gospel where they go, like in Iceland or elsewhere.
Any other stories of Venezuelans prospering where they have gone in their current diaspora?
The Pharr 2nd Branch became a ward, so the Weslaco Texas Stake does have 5 wards (Just no update yet on the meetinghouse locator). Still, I agree that it is odd to create a stake with just 5 wards, while leaving a stake with just 5 wards and a branch, particularly if robust future growth isn't necessarily expected. For example, it feels less weird to create a 5 ward stake on the outlying suburbs of Eagle Mountain or in the outskirts of Kinshasa, DR Congo, as these areas are certainly going to continue to grow rapidly, and new wards will certainly be created within those areas in the next few years. However, that doesn't feel like a guarantee in a place like Weslaco, Texas, which has actually lost a ward within the last ten or so years. The Rio Grande Valley as a whole seems like a good place for future growth, due to a (at least for the US) receptive population and lots of immigration/immigrants passing through. Hopefully that is the case, and we see several new wards and branches in the area within the next 5 or so years.
October 2024
Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire
Abuja, Nigeria
Kampala, Uganda
Lomé, Togo
Angeles, Philippines
Santiago, Dominican Republic
Santa Ana, El Salvador
Santa Maria/Passo Fundo, Brazil
Pisco, Peru
Osorno, Chile
Milan, Italy
Green Bay, WI
Augusta, ME
Flagstaff/Prescott, AZ
Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls/Hayden, ID
Henderson, NV
Spanish Fork, UT
Renovation: Logan, UT (at opening of Smithfield temple)
Honestly not sure how likely this list is, but it seems good enough to me. It's so hard to guess anymore.
I just updated the new stakes created in 2024 list on the side bar. Please let me know if I missed any. I will add the soon-to-be discontinued California stake once it happens.
There are only 3 changes I'm aware of:
- Valle Verde Honduras District was discontinued sometime earlier this year, don't have dates.
+ Great Basin Utah District (Correctional Facility)
+ Green River Basin Utah District (Correctional Facility) - both reported by Chris D. on September 11th (comment posted - not date created).
In addition to those, Chris D. reported that the Logan Utah YSA 8th Stake was organized September 15th, and I believe Matt previously reported that the Port Harcourt Nigeria Emouha Stake was organized September 15th as well.
Ryan, I have Valle Verde Honduras discontinued approximately in June 2024. No specific date.
Also, the Great Basin start date, I have August 29th, and Green River on September 1st.
One small correction, the Kinshasa DRC UPN Stake is actually called the Kinshasa DRC Binza UPN Stake.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2268833
That analysis definitely makes sense, I agree that creating smaller stakes in areas with anticipated growth is a reasonable strategy, and also agree that Weslaco doesn't seem like an area that fits the bill. I don't know much about that part of Texas, but I would think the creation of those kinds of stakes would first occur in places like suburban Houston or DFW, where there is near-guaranteed growth due to new housing and lots of jobs. I think I'm mainly confused why Weslaco would be created before a new stake in the east Dallas area for example, where between the Dallas Texas East, Richardson, and Heath Stakes there are 32 wards and 3 branches. I appreciate the response Cfunk.
I agree that the church is extremely strong in Northeast Dallas, and have also spoken to several individuals about how large the wards and youth programs are up there (I've also heard about that ward in Allen with a massive youth program, it would be fun to be there on a Sunday). In my mind it would make more sense for new stakes to be created in that area given the high activity rates and likelihood of future growth due to jobs and housing. Maybe there will be a flurry of stake creations at some point, there are just so many double-digit ward stakes in the DFW area. Thanks for your response Eduardo.
Seems like 2024 may go down as a year with fewer stake closures than any prior year in the past decade-plus. A lot of that probably has to do with the changes in requirements to have/keep a unit, facilitating smaller stakes and wards, but interesting nonetheless.
"Church historian and recorder set to dedicate new Kanesville Memorial historic site
Elder Kyle S. McKay will dedicate the new memorial in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Sept. 28
24 Sept 2024, 11:00 AM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-archive/2024/09/24/kanesville-memorial-historic-site-iowa-church-history-dedication-elder-mckay-lds/
I get the impression that in Dallas area the current focus is on getting the 0lanned temple underway. The McKinney Texas Temple site is immediately across the street from Allen, Texas.
I really expect to see the announcement of additional temples in Texas, at least one and maybe 3, at general conference.
I believe I have also read that an issue in the Dallas area, especially north of Dallas is that pretty much all buildings are used to capacity.
That said I live in a branch where I think once there was only 1 other child at activity days besides my grandson. Another time my wife snuck off to help with young women because there would have been only one leader and one youth if she had not.
In my suburban Detroit ward we had over 50 youth my senior year of high school. The boundaries are not quite the same, and thry do not have quite those numbers, but I see lots of advantages to big wards. Because of building, distance and cultural factors I really do not think trying to replace the wards in my stake is even reasonable.
The same leader in the 1970s pushed to have an only inner city branch and in 2009 or so changed boundaries so all wards in the inner city stretch into suburban areas. I have known people in the suburbs who refused to go to their assigned building in the inner city and instead just went to attending others wards in the suburbs. I know there are other prleople who did not like the transition for a largely African-American branch in the inner city to a suburban ward with an all white bishopric, and who just stopped going to Church.
Some days I wonder if they should have held off on the attempt to unify across 8 Mile a bit longer. It is complicated because there were actually people moving across 8 Mile. Although when I was in high school I knew an African-American girl who was in my grade who was a Member of a branch in Detroit. Her family moved out of Detroit to Southfield about the start of our senior year. They just kept going to the branch in Detroit instead of going to Church in the Southfield Ward.
My main thought us that creating new wards from existing wards is not always the best move. Larger wards can give people hope and guidance. The central goal of the gospel is to invite all to come unto Christ. Sometimes that is achiev we d through more and smaller units, but other times it is achieved through strong units that give people strength and guidance.
That is a very intriguing theory. Of the two possibilities, I would say the most likely is that Elder Stevenson would be called as an additional counselor in the First Presidency. There is precedent for such action. The last time it happened was in July 1981, when then-Elder Gordon B. Hinckley was called as an additional counselor in the First Presidency, where he filled assignments that the infirm and octagenarian First Presidency (Presidents Spencer W. Kimballl, N. Eldon Tanner, and Marion G. Romney) couldn't fill.
The previous occasion in which an additional counselor was called to the First Presidency was when then-Elder N/ Eldon Tanner, who had been called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles just one year earlier, was stastained an additional counselor in the First Presidency to President David O. McKay. A few months later, Elders Thorpe B. Issacson and Alvin R. Dyer, Assistants to the Twelve, were also called, as was President Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who still retained his role in presiding over the Quorum and being a member thereof while taking the additional role in the First Presidency.
So there is precedent for such action. Elder Stevenson's potential call to the First Presidency would lower the average age of that current body by roughly 6 years. I also agree that I didn't see anything in the last-minute assignment changes to Elder Rasband and Elder Kearon that would be a cause for concern.
On a personal note, Elder Stevenson is one of my favorite apostles, so I would be thrilled to see him called into the First Presidency, where he could fill traveling assignments that the current members aren't able to fill. I would just add that I don't see President Eyring being replaced by Elder Stevenson as a very likely possibility. It would make much more sense if Elder Stevenson or another member of the Twelve were called as an additional counselor.
I have added such a prospect to the final edition of my October 2024 General Convernce predictions. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that theory. Elder Stevenson would be a fine addition (rather than a replacement) in the First Presidency.
For those interested, I just came across a proposal for a new Vatican-style Muslim microstate located within Tirana, Albania. It would be called the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order, said to allow consumption of alcohol and no restrictions on what women can wear. It would simply be where the Order's headquarters are in the city. Similar to the Vatican, citizenship would be restricted to clergy of the Order. The proposal for the state is said to be a gesture of religious tolerance and to counteract some of the negative stigmas of Islam.
Actually the first Presidency was not infirm at the time of President Hinckley's calling into it. That would change a few months later. Most of the time he was a counselor to President Kimball President Hinckley was second counselor, because I believe in 1982 President Tanner died. I would not be surprised if this gets covered in Saints Vol. 2 which goes to press next month.
The ages of the 1st Presidency were I believe 83, 84 and 86. The current 1st Presidency is 91, 92 and 100. So on average over 10 years later.
If this happens it will be interesting to see if they expand to 4 members of the 1st Presidency, or release 1. No member of the 1st Presidency has been released except due to a death caused event since Joseph Smith was the prophet. John W. Young, Daniel H. Wells, Rudger Clawson, Hugh B. Brown and Marion G. Romney and Dieter F. Uchtdorf were all ewleased by the prophet dying and not included in the next 1st Presidency.
Presidents Brown and Romney this seems to have mainly been due to age and health. President Romney was the senior apostle in the 12, but Elder Howard W. Hunter was made acting President due to how poor President Romney's health was.
I could see this going either way. So we might have a newly called member of the 11 this conference. I am going to go out on a limb and make Edward Dube my 1st guess and Arnoldo Vallenzuela my second guess, although Peter M. Johnson, Ahmad S. Corbitt and Hugo Montoya are also on my crazy list. With the two caveats that I am less than certain a call will be given, ad that my record on vein of prediction is not stellar. Fr example on my predictions of people who who will not be called as apostles I run 0%, and of those predictions I have been wrong on. I only once had the audacity to predict a specific person would not be called as an apostle. I think I had misunderstood some key issues, and since he is one of my 2-3 favorite members of the current Quorum of the 12 I will not repeat his name in this context.
The last 6 apostles called all have Wikipedia articles created by me well before there call,but this is because I was a key figure in bringing Wikipedia to having articles on every general authority. This was destroyed some years ago with a nomination rate of 5 or .ore articles a day,and a set of arguments that I think took far too broad a view of what was a source conteolledby the subject and made other demands on sourcing not applied in a lot of other circumstances.
I thinkany reasonable understanding of equivalence would hold that as long as Wikipedia treats all Catholic bishops as notable (it applies this rule to bishops in far smaller denominations, with far smaller diocese where the ecclesiastical importance of bishops as the gaurdians of the faith is less clear) than all General Authorities of The Church of JesymusCjrist of Latter-day Saints ought to be considered notable. General authorities as bishops in their respective churches are both seen as the arbiters of doctrine.While the similar membership numbers of areas and diocese might make people think area presidents and bishops are equivalent, the bishop inclusion rule at least as written extends to suffrage bishops (assistant who help run a diocese) and bishops with non-diocesan assignments. I actually will accept that the non-general authority President of the Eurasia Area is probably not notable).
Bishop's and general authorities are notable primarily based on their roles of the preservers of true doctrine, regardless of anything else. The number of Latter-day Saints per general authority is more than the number of Catholics per diocese at present, which is in turn a larger number than the number of Catholics per current bishop (ignoring those who are in retirement as we ignore emeritus general authorities in the count.)
Here https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/09/13/mybaby4me-initiative-naacp-memphis-nashville-senior-missionary-couples-needed/ is an article on MyBabyForMe it began as a collaboration between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Memphis NAACP. It has now expanded to Nashville where Catholic Charities is the main partner. There are plans to expand to Charlotte, North Carolima; Little Rock, Arkansas and New Orleans, Louisiana. Right now it is focused in inner city urban (read largely black) populations. There is a critical need for more senior missionary couples to help expand the program. Essentially the senior missionaries become the parents/grandparents who so many of these mothers lack as effective resources. Thry work to focus others to help them as well.
This is an outgrowth of the cooperation that the Church started with the NAACP. A few years back. There may however be a need for something similar in very rural areas. The logistics of doing it would be harder.
Elder Weatherford Clayton quoted in the article, is an emeritus general authority and I believe an ob/gyn. Elder Bekshi, another Latter-day Saint physician used yo be the area seventy assigned to the Memphis Coordinating council. He now oversees humitarian work for the North America Southeast Area.
If this works well after expansion hopefully we can import it to the North America Northeast Area. Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia. Canden, the Bronx, part of Boston, Bridgeport, abd several other large urban cities in the area would benefit from it.
You are technically correct about the First Presidency in 1981 not being in decline, but it should be noted that President Tanner had begun declining before that time. That is evidenced by the fact that, at a time when First Presidency counselors were speaking multiple times per conference, President Tanner only spoke once per conference beginning in October 1980. President Tanner did die in November 1982, but his decline began a couple of years prior to that.
I was also going to add that Arnulfo Valenzuela and Edward Dube were just added to the Presidency of the Seventy last month, and therefore might not be as strong contenders for an apostolic call, but then I remembered that Joseph B. Wirthlin and Quentin L. Cook were both called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles merely a few months after being called to the Presidency of the Seventy.
So there is definitely precedent that suggests Elders Valenzuela or Dube could be potential new apostolic picks. I stand by my opinion that it is unlikely President Eyring would be released, as he is still somewhat functional. But given the fact that the current First Presidency continues to set new records for the oldest one in Church history every day, injecting some youth by calling one or two additional counselors from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would seem to be a more likely scenario.
We have never seen a First Presidency member released during any prophetic tenure due primarily to ill health, and it's unlikely President Eyring would be released, since he is still able to function to a certain extent. As long as he's able to participate in the work of the First Presidency to any degree, I just don't see a scenario where he would be released and return to the Quorum of the Twelve while President Nelson is still living and serving.
But I do think Elders Valenzuela and Dube would be strong contenders for an apostolic call if Elder Stevenson or any other apostle(s) are called to the First Presidency. Could the current First Presidency function without an additional member? Of course. It's happened before. But it is interesting to me that Elder Stevenson was so abruptly pulled from two assignments without explanation. So I think it's entirely possible he could be called to the First Presidency.
In terms of the Quorum of the Twelve, I see a day when we have a native Mexican, a black apostle, a Filipino apostle, an apostle from the Pacific Islands, etc. How near term could any of that be? I'm less certain on that. But I absolutely think that Elders Valenzuela and Dube are both strong contenders for a future apostolic call.
I personally won't speculate on specific candidates, because we don't know for sure that an apostolic vacancy is imminent at this time. But I wouldn't be surprised by an additional counselor in the First Presidency and a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve. I would be absolutely floored if President Eyring were released. I just don't see that happening. But that's just my opinion as someone who is somewhat of an apostolic student.
This just posted in Church News website about organization of 2 new YSA "gathering places" in Nealtican and Oaxaca Mexico.
"Two new YSA gathering places are organized in Mexico
Young single adults in Nealtican and Oaxaca, Mexico, strengthen their faith together
27 Sept 2024, 9:08 AM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/09/27/ysa-gathering-places-organized-in-oaxaca-nealtican-mexico/
I was about to post a link about the gathering places in Mexico. This is an exciting move forward. Institute buildings provide a lot of fellowship and commraderie. I am glad to see plans to provide this more in more places. I thing Neaktican is now on my likely temples list. Nealtican is close to Puebla, so maybe I am bring too hopeful. I would love to see a temple in Nealtican.
It is about 50 minutes from Nealtican to the Puebla Temple. However you have 3 stakes concentrated right in Nealtican. The Nealtican would basically take in 4 stakes, while Puebla would keep 11. There may be a few more outlying stakes and a somewhat remote district or 2 that would go either way. There are temples bring built with these numbers of stakes but I think we normally are looking at further distances. I think it is doable, but if there were 1 more stake off to the west that could clearly go to Nealtican and maybe 1 more in the greater Puebla area that would stay with that templecI would think it a little more likeltmy.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Cody Wyoming Temple was held today.
"Ground broken for 3rd temple in Wyoming
Consecration of early Saints comes full circle in the Bighorn Basin with groundbreaking of Cody Wyoming Temple
27 Sept 2024, 6:26 PM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2024/09/27/groundbreaking-cody-wyoming-temple-third-in-state/
For the first time since COVID-19, the Conference Center will be filled to capacity for each of the five general sessions:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/09/28/temple-square-areas-open-closed-october-2024-general-conference-conference-center-capacity/
My thanks once again to you all.
But where are you going to park the it the parking downtown is horrible
The article explains that. Attendees are encouraged to carpool or use mass transit.
Everyone is encouraged to take public transportation.
Everyone is encouraged to take public transportation
With a conference ticket one can ride UTA busses and Trax for free. So one does not have to park downtown.
Does the Cody Trmple groundbreaking bring us to a point of no scheduled incoming groundbreaking? Also is there a chance Cody will be done in 2025, or do modular temples not get completed that fast?
On another note I learned today that Detroit, Michigan will be a sight of a Gi c ING Machine. I did not believe it would be Detrout until I was told the actual location. It will be at Campus Martius. Basically Campus Martius is the most downtown spot in Detroit.
The machine will later go to Toledo, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Michigan. There will also be a machine at Frankenmuth, Michigan. Now that I know this it makes sense. Frankenmuth is the location of the world's largest Christmas store. Campus Martius is the location of a large set of Christmas events.
I am wondering what the total count of giving machine cities will be this year. Keep in mind in 2017 the only giving machines were on temple Square. I think last year it was 54 total cities. I am hoping this year it will be over 100.
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I am also hoping the total giving yo help the poor and the needy in 2024 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sainrs will exceed $2 billion. I have no clue if giving machine costs are counted there. I suspect not, and because of the nature of how giving machines run, probably not revenue either. If year over year growth held steady we would hit $1.7 billion on so, but I am hoping we grow faster than 2023 did over 2022.
I am also hoping 2024 sees more new temples announced than new missions formed.
My stake, the Provo Utah Married 2nd Stake was split today to create the 4th stake. There remains 8 wards in the 2nd stake and 8 wards got moved to the new 4th stake. We were at 16 wards previously. There were probably 2000 at stake conference today. I wouldn’t be surprised if we split again in near future, most wards are growing quick.
Doesn't UDOT or something have a train that goes throughout the city of Salt Lake? When I was visiting my sister living in lower Sugar House, I remember crossing a railway where there was public transportation. Could not more people avoid the problems of traffic and parking by using the train?
I am glad that the Conference Center will be filled again, and that we should learn about places in the world that most of us mere mortals have never heard of before. Southern Chile needs more, for sure.
How many States do not have a temple? Eight? What about a new Canadian province? Or Mexican or Brazilian state?
Looks good for this weekend.
I thought that I posted a question about there being a train transportation system for Salt Lake City, allowing people to avoid the traffic and parking for the Conference Center at General Conference. I though I recalled driving past a crossing in Sugar House.
Also, I am ready for hearing about places getting temples that most have never heard of. Southern Chile should get one, at least in two places. Argentina side down there, too.
How many states without a temple? Eight? Mexico? Brazil? Canada needs one for Newfoundland, but hard to have the manpower.
More in Africa, that is really encouraging.
"On 23 September, Saints in the northwest coastal city of Madang celebrated the creation of the Madang Stake from the former Madang District. "
https://news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-latter-day-saint-stake-in-25-years-organised-in-papua-new-guinea
Thank you Anonymous - The article is incorrect about the Daru PNG Stake - it was organized as a district in 1999 and made into a stake in 2011.
L. Chris Jones: 10 US States do not have a temple dedicated, announced, or under contruction. Vermont, New Hamshire, Maine, Delaware, New Jersey (Although two temples are in metro areas that are close to its borders), Rhode Island, West Virginisa, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Wisconsion.
I have updated the new and discontinued stakes and districts lists on the side bar. Please let me know if I missed any!
The Port Harcourt Nigeria Emouha Stake was organized September 15th as well.
FYI, Matt. As a reminder, I have the organization date for the Bakersfield California West Stake, as September 8th, 2024. That you have listed also on the sidebar with no date.
Is it common for a Stake to be organized on a Monday? September 23rd? Traditionally in most countries, the weekday we call Monday is a working day, not associated with religious meetings. Or should the article have said 22 September, instead?
JPL, the Tarawa Kiribati Temple groundbreaking is set for November 2. As to your question on Cody, for perspective, the Cleveland Ohio Temple is also modular. When construction began, the Church Temples site set an initial estimate of mid-2027. With most of the modules now in place, the latest estimate is late 2025-early 2026 as of this morning.
For Cody, the speed of construction will depend on how quickly construction begins and whether any further legal action stalls construction. The POCN group has vowed to take their objections to the temple to the Wyoming Supreme Court.
Even if those efforts fail, the case could go to the US Supreme Court. Since Cody's construction has not yet begun full-scale, depending on how the legal challenges play out, the earliest I see Cody completed is sometime in 2026-2027. Btw, Tarawa will also be modular.
Thank you for the comments - I have made the updates. Again, please let me know if anything is missing.
Going through with some quick analysis based on the update stake-count:
21 stakes were created in the US for 54% of the total (not surprising considering the lower member numbers needed)
Utah leads with the highest number of stakes created this year at 13 (33% of the total), of which 4 are language stakes and 2 are student/YSA.
4 stakes created in Idaho, and one each in Nevada, Indiana, Texas, and California.
18 stakes were created outside of the US for 46% (which is roughly the same number through the end of September 2023, which was 20, though a lower overall percent, which was 55% last year)
12 of these stakes were in Africa (3 in Nigeria, 2 in DR Congo, 2 in Malawi, 2 in Ghana, and one in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Kenya)
4 of the stakes were in Asia/Oceania (2 in the Philippines and one each in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea)
2 stakes were created in South America - 1 in Chile and 1 in Argentina
Biggest takeaways for me:
The sharp decrease in stakes created in Central and South America compared to last year through September - from 11 to 2 (an 82% drop).
50% increase in stakes created in Africa compared to last year through September - from 8 to 12 - despite the higher standards.
Proportion of new Utah stakes compared to last year through September is 50% higher - in 2023 new Utah stakes were 22% of the total, this year it is 33%.
I am very impressed with Malawi going from 0 stakes to 2 with the updated standards. I think the data shows a heavy tilt towards areas with lots of members getting new stakes created with the lower standards, with only 3 US stakes being created outside the BoM belt. At some point I'll do a quick analysis of the districts as well
Masvingo Zimbabwe District (2275627) was created September 29, 2024 from the existing 4 mission branches in the Zimbabwe Bulawayo Mission.
I was hoping for some temple news yoday. Are we to no announced dates for groundbreakings? There are 153 temples in some stage of planning. I am hoping October brings some advancement on the temple front.
In East Africa growth is really taking off, so I am not surprised we have seen new stakes there. Places like DR Congo have such high member activity rates that the new standards do not change much. The biggest hurdle is participating members for areas that see lots of baptisms that do not translate into sustained church attendance.
I am hopeful we will see a second temple in Zimbabwe in Balawayo fairly soon and a 2nd temple for Papua New Guinea. I am not sure either are likely next month.
Bo, Sierra Leone; Yamasoukro, Ivory Coast and Maputo, Mozambique are the three main contenders to break the a lost 150 year streak of no second temple being announced for a country with a planned temple but no operating temples.
Taking public transportation to General Conference is a good idea every conference and will be an especially good idea this conference. Today while walking downtown in Salt Lake I noticed banners on the Delta Center advertising two UFC Championship fights at the Delta Center on the same Saturday as General Conference, so downtown will no doubt be extremely crowded, and parking probably nearly impossible to find. Conference attendees will be able to ride buses, Frontrunner (commuter rail), and Trax (light rail) for free to and from the conference with their Conference tickets.
--Felix
There is a TRAX light rail that runs through Salt Lake City the Green Line goes from the airport and run through downtown even the Blue Line passes by temple square, there's even a FrontRunner that goes from Provo to Ogden and has two stops in Salt Lake City, North Temple and Salt Lake City Central. There's even another TRAX line that's rumored to be built. Right now there's 3 TRAX lines Blue, Red and Green
The stake was actually created on September 22nd per the article, but maybe there was a celebration the next day. Also, the article title now says it is the first stake created in Papua New Guinea in 13 years, but the url wasn't updated to reflect this.
The Tabermacle Choir at Temple Square is going to Peru in 2025. It has never been to Peru before. This will mark 2 years in a row of going to a never before visited country. This year it was the Phillippines.
2022 and 2021 only saw the creation of one or two stakes in South America for the whole year. You might be right on your assesment but only time will tell.
"‘Good things are coming’ for the Church in Eurasia, Elder Christofferson says after gatherings in 3 countries
Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s ministry in Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan allows members, missionaries, friends and leaders of the Church to hear from an Apostle
2 Oct 2024, 11:59 AM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/10/02/elder-d-todd-christofferson-armenia-georgia-kazakhstan-russia-good-things-are-coming/
I can see Newark, New Jersey getting a temple and maybe Portland or Augusta, Maine, Green Bay or Milwaukee for Wisconsin.
Three new stakes were added to the side bar - two were created in Nigeria (Akure and Jos) and one was created in Cote d'Ivoire (San Pedro)
Jos is 5 hours from Abuja. I think this makes Abuja Temple more doable but at some point there will need to be a Jos Nigeria Temple. Jos is the furthest North stake in Nigeria.
Akure is just over 3 hours from Benin City. I thought this might put Ibadan in the running more, but basically it is the same distance either way. What this really means is there will some day need to be an Ondo or Akure Temple. Ibadan might come first, but Ondo or Akure is needed eventually.
San Pedro puts a Daloa or Yamousokro Temple at 6 stakes. Dallas actually would be more central to those stakes. They are spread out enough more temples will be needed eventually but either Temple greatly reduces the travel distance to Abijan. Yamosoukro is the capital and has the oldest stake in the area, so I suspect the temple will go there, but I am not certain.
It has been nearly 150 years since a country with no operating but an announced temple had another Temple announced. We will soon see if that street will be broken.
You also added the Soubre Cote d'Ivoire District (2062054) to the discontinued list. Also verified on the Map site.
Recently noticed that at least 4 new branches have been organized in Pakistan in the past couple months, including a 3rd branch for both the cities of Islamabad and Lahore and a 2nd branch in the for both the cities of Sialkot and Rawalpindi. This means that the Lahore Pakistan District and the Islamabad Pakistan District have 6 branches, so the first stake in Pakistan could certainly be formed in the next couple years. (This seemed less likely earlier this year, which the Faisalabad Pakistan District was formed from a division of the Lahore Pakistan District, leaving both too small to for a stake) Perhaps in the future these Pakistani members and there desendents could be crucial to taking the gospel into other Muslim majority countries.
Two YSA stakes were dissolved and combined into the remaining Logan YSA stakes
Two YSA stakes were dissolved and absorbed into the remaining Logan YSA stakes
We are at 64 minutes until conference starts.
I expect Kampala, Uganda and Spanish Fork, Utah to be announced for sure. I also expect at least Olongopo, Phillippines. 1 more temple in Brazil at least, but what location is harder to say. I expect at least 20 in total, but I cannot get a list close to that number very well.
I have no other strong predictions and will just see what happens.
Here https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2024/10/05/growing-global-missionary-force-increases-missionaries-missions-training-centers/ is an article on the status of missionaries and missions as of today.
The one big item is that the opening of the Kinshasa MTC has been delayed. Hopefully it will happen soon.
Figured I would post this before the temple announcements come out later today. My updated top 30 locations for this conference:
Corrientes/Resistencia Argentina
Neuquen Argentina
Flagstaff/Prescott Valley Arizona
Pelotas Brazil
Sorocaba Brazil
Osorno Chile area
Daloa/Gagnoa/Yamoussoukro Côte d'Ivoire
Santiago Dominican Republic
Machala Ecuador
Quevedo Ecuador
Santa Ana El Salvador
Nampa Idaho
Milan Italy
Aguascalientes Mexico
Poza Rica Mexico
Reynosa Mexico
Abuja Nigeria
Ibadan Nigeria
Port Harcourt Nigeria
Uyo Nigeria
Chimbote Perú
Tacna Perú
Angeles Philippines
Quezon City Philippines area
Bo Sierra Leone
Lomé Togo
Kampala Uganda
Mapleton/Spanish Fork/Springville Utah
Barcelona/Puerto La Cruz Venezuela
Milwaukee Wisconsin
As usual, I'll include this link to the full spreadsheet with my top 30, next 50, and less likely locations:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16fEj-5hfS38I50UUu_37kSZ9KyGRoukjeUBn-vwkcSo/edit?usp=sharing
Wow!
Well Kampala Uganda happened. My short list was not very good otherwise.
You got 5 right. That is better than me.
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