Utah
Four new stakes were created in Utah.
The Hurricane Utah South Stake was organized on March 30th from a division of the Hurricane Utah Stake (organized in 1929). The new stake includes the following six wards: Hurricane 4th, Hurricane 10th, Hurricane 15th, Hurricane 18th (Spanish), Hurricane 19th, and Three Falls. There are now four stakes in Hurricane; the Church organized its third stake in the city in 2019.
The Lehi Utah North YSA Stake was organized on April 13th from a division of the Lehi Utah Jordan River YSA Stake (organized in 2020). The new stake includes the following five wards: Cold Spring Ranch YSA, Hardman Farms YSA 1st, Hardman Farms YSA 2nd, Holbrook Farms YSA, and Lehi YSA 1st.
The Orem Utah Mountain View (Spanish) Stake was organized on April 13th from Spanish congregations assigned to various stakes in the Orem area. The new stake includes the following eight wards: Cherry Hill 8th (Spanish), Geneva Heights 1st (Spanish), Hillcrest 9th (Spanish), Lakeview 11th (Spanish), Sharon Park 13th (Spanish), Springwater 3rd (Spanish), Suncrest 8th (Spanish), and Vineyard 7th (Spanish).
The Provo Utah Edgemont East Stake was organized on March 16th from a division of the Provo Utah Edgemont Stake (organized in 1971) and the Provo Utah Edgemont North Stake (organized in 1988). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: Edgemont 4th, Edgemont 6th, Edgemont 9th, Edgemont 10th, Edgemont 11th, Edgemont 14th, and Quail Ridge Branch (Care Center). There are now 47 stakes in Provo.
There are now 643 stakes and six districts in Utah.
Idaho
Two new stakes were created in Idaho.
The Bonners Ferry Idaho Stake was organized on April 13th from a division of the Sandpoint Idaho Stake (organized in 1978). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: Bonners Ferry 1st, Bonners Ferry 2nd, Libby, Moyie Springs, Sunnyside, and Troy Branch. This marks the second new stake created in northern Idaho in recent years (the other being the Post Falls Idaho Stake in 2022).
The Burley Idaho Central Stake was organized on May 4th from the Burley Idaho Stake (organized in 1919) and the Burley Idaho West Stake (organized in 1983). The new stake includes the following seven wards: Burley 2nd, Burley 3rd, Burley 6th, Burley 7th, Burley 8th, Burley 9th, and Cassia (Spanish). There are now seven stakes in Burley and nearby communities.
There are now 145 stakes in Idaho.
Missouri
The Church created two new stakes on April 27th in Missouri.
The Grand River Missouri Stake was organized from the Far West Missouri Stake (organized in 2015) and includes the following eight wards: Far West YSA, Gallatin, Grand River Valley, Mill Creek, Spring Hill, Three Forks, Trenton (Tongan), and Yellow Creek.
The Branson Missouri Stake was organized from the Springfield Missouri South Stake (organized in 1995) and the Rogers Arkansas Stake (organized in 1991). It includes the following five wards and one branch: Bee Creek, Berryville, Branson West, Fall Creek, Harrison, and Branson 3rd (Spanish) Branch.
There are now 21 stakes in Missouri.
Oklahoma
The Church created two new stakes on March 30th in the Oklahoma City area.
The Deer Creek Oklahoma Stake was created from the Edmond Oklahoma Stake (organized in 2018) and the Stillwater Oklahoma Stake (organized in 1981). It includes the following seven wards: Deer Creek, Edmond 5th, Guthrie 1st, Oklahoma City 1st, Oklahoma City 4th, Scissortail, and Village.
The Noble Oklahoma Stake was organized from the Edmond Oklahoma Stake (organized in 2018) and the Norman Oklahoma Stake (organized in 1970). The new stake includes the following six wards: Ada, Noble, Norman 1st, Purcell, Seminole, and Shawnee.
There are now six stakes in the greater Oklahoma City area and 13 stakes in Oklahoma.
Arizona
A new stake was created in Arizona. The Snowflake Arizona Pioneer Stake was organized on May 4th, 2025 from the Centennial Arizona Stake (organized in 2016) and the Snowflake Arizona Stake (organized in 1887). The new stake includes the following six wards: Pioneer 1st, Pioneer 2nd, Pioneer 3rd, Pioneer 4th, Pioneer 5th, and Pioneer 6th. There are now four stakes in the Snowflake–Taylor area.
Also, three new districts were created in Arizona on May 4th to serve incarcerated members. Each of these three districts was created from branches that were previously assigned to stakes.
The Arizona Central District (Correctional Facility) includes the following 10 branches: Eyman Meadows, Gila River, Heritage Park, La Palma, Lewis, Oak, Perryville, Poston Butte, Ranchview, and Sweetwater.
The Arizona Northwest District (Correctional Facility) includes the following seven branches: Desert Canyon, Jacks Canyon, Little Reservoir, Maricopa County, Phoenix West, Sacramento Valley, and Sawmill.
The Arizona South District (Correctional Facility) includes the following five branches: Kimball 3rd, Silverlake, Tucson Wilmot, Whitewater Draw, and Yuma County.
There are now 119 stakes and three districts in Arizona.
Canada
A new stake was created in Canada. The Lethbridge Alberta Henderson Lake Stake was organized on May 4th from the Lethbridge Alberta North Stake (organized in 1997) and the Lethbridge Alberta East Stake (organized in 1974). The new stake includes the following seven wards: Coutts, Henderson, Park Meadows, Redwood, Stirling 1st, Stirling 2nd, and Stirling 3rd. There are now five stakes in Lethbridge (one of which is a YSA stake).
There are now 54 stakes and three districts in Canada.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)
A new stake and a new district were created in the DR Congo.
The Matadi DR Congo Stake was organized on May 4th from the Matadi DR Congo District (organized in 2021). Reports indicate that five of the six branches in the former district were organized into wards, although it is unclear which branches became wards in the new stake. The district formerly included a branch in the nearby city of Kimpese (organized in 2023), although this branch was recently reassigned to the direct supervision of the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission. Two new branches were also organized in Kimpese. A district appears likely to be organized in Kimpese in the near future. With a stake in Matadi and branches organized in nearby Boma and Muanda (each of which have two branches), a future mission appears likely to be organized in Matadi to serve the western DR Congo in Kongo Central Province, which has a population of approximately seven million.
The Lubunga DR Congo District was created on May 11th from a division of the Kisangani DR Congo District (organized in 2023), which had grown to 12 branches after six new branches were organized in November 2024. The new district comprises three branches (Bakonga, Lokele, and Lubunga) in the Lubunga area of Kisangani, which is south of the Congo River.
There are now 34 stakes and three districts in the DR Congo.
Cote d'Ivoire
A new stake was created in Cote d'Ivoire. The Ébimpé Cote d'Ivoire Stake was organized on March 16th, 2025 from the Agboville Cote d'Ivoire District (organized in 2016) and one ward (Attiesso) from the Abobo Cote d'Ivoire West Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and four branches: Agboville, Assoko (formerly the Blankro 3rd Branch), Attiesso, Azaguié, and Blankro 2nd Wards; and the Attinguié (formerly the Blankro 4th Branch), Blankro 1st, Blankro 5th, and Ebimpé Branches. Three branches were discontinued when the new stake was organized: Agboville 2nd, Agboville District Branch, and Azaguié 2nd.
There are now 23 stakes and eight districts in Cote d'Ivoire.
Florida
A new stake was created in Florida. The Orlando Florida Citrus Ridge Stake was organized on April 27th from a division of the Orlando Florida South Stake (organized in 1992), the Orlando Florida West Stake (organized in 2020), and the St. Cloud Florida Stake (organized in 2005). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: Buena Ventura (Spanish), Citrus Ridge, Davenport, Hunters Creek, Lake Toho, Lake Wilson, and Four Corners (Spanish) Branch. There are now seven stakes in the greater Orlando area.
There are now 33 stakes in Florida.
Nigeria
A new stake was created in Nigeria. The Gboko Nigeria Stake was created from the Gboko Nigeria District (organized in 2019) on March 9th, 2025. The new stake is comprised of the following five wards and three branches: Ahungwa, Akaajime, Mbagba, Mkar, and Uwua Wards; and the Agirigi, Atekombo, and Jingir Branches. The Church has experienced rapid growth in Gboko since the first branch was created in 2016, with baptismal services sometimes numbering close to 100 new converts in recent years.
There are now 80 stakes and 13 districts in Nigeria.
Tennessee
A new stake was created in Tennessee. The Johnson City Tennessee Stake was organized on March 9th from a division of the Kingsport Tennessee Stake (organized in 1980). The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: Abingdon, Bristol, Gray, Johnson City, and Watauga Wards; and Kingsport YSA and Marion Branches.
There are now 13 stakes in Tennessee.
Virginia
A new stake was created in Virginia. The Piedmont Virginia Stake was organized on March 23rd from a division of the Buena Vista Virginia Stake (organized in 1999), Greensboro North Carolina Stake (organized in 1961), Durham North Carolina Stake (organized in 1987), Richmond Virginia Midlothian Stake (organized in 2005), and Roanoke Virginia Stake (organized in 1970). The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: Danville, Lynchburg 1st, Lynchburg 2nd, Lynchburg 3rd, and Sandy River Wards; and Bedford, Gretna, and South Boston Branches.
There are now 24 stakes in Virginia.
Guinea
The Church organized its first district in the West African country of Guinea on March 30th, 2025. The Conakry Guinea District was created from the three branches in the greater Conakry area: Conakry 1st, Conakry 2nd, and Coyah. There were 162 members who attended the conference to create the first district. The Church created its first branch in Conakry in 2017. The Church has not published any official year-end membership statistics for Guinea since 2018, when there were 61 members. Current membership is likely between 250 and 400. The Conakry area is assigned to the Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission, whereas the rest of the country is not assigned to a mission and is instead under the direct supervision of the Africa West Area.
Kenya
Two new districts were created in Kenya.
The Vihiga Kenya District was created on March 23rd, 2025 from a division of the Kisumu Kenya District. The new district includes the following four branches: Bukura, Kakamega, Luanda, and Mbale—all organized between 2019 and 2024.
The Church created the Nakuru Kenya District from four mission branches (two in Nakuru and two in Naivasha). The first branch in Naivasha was created in 2012; the first branch in Nakuru was created in 2023.
There are now four stakes and seven districts in Kenya.
Malawi
A new district was created in Malawi. The Kasungu Malawi District was organized on March 23rd, 2025 from a division of the Lilongwe Malawi Stake (organized in 2024). The two wards in Kasungu were downgraded to branches, and a third branch was created in the nearby town of Linyangwa. The creation of the new district was unusual given the Lilongwe Malawi Stake was organized less than one year ago. This decision likely indicates that the congregations in Lilongwe were sufficiently strong to support their own stake without the wards in Kasungu. The change also likely aimed to reduce travel times for leaders and encourage growth in the Kasungu area, where there has been rapid expansion since the first branch was organized in 2020.
There are now two stakes and one district in Malawi. Malawi appears highly likely to have its own mission organized in 2026.
Sierra Leone
A new district was created in Sierra Leone. The Church created the Koidu Sierra Leone District on March 30th, 2025 from two mission branches in Koidu (Kapeteh and Koidu). Three new branches were organized the same day the new district was created (Lebanon, Kania, and Mount Zion). The first member group was created in Koidu in 2016, and the first branch was created in 2017. There are now 565 members in the new district, and the mission president reports rapid growth in the city.
There are now 11 stakes and three districts in Sierra Leone.
California
A stake was discontinued in California. The Antelope California Stake (organized in 1988) was discontinued in early 2025. There were five wards in the stake for many years prior to its closure. The three surviving wards in the former stake were reassigned to the neighboring Citrus Heights California Stake (organized in 1980). The greater Sacramento area has experienced slight decline for many years, resulting in multiple discontinued stakes over the past couple of decades.
There are now 146 stakes in California.
Russia
The Church discontinued one of its few stakes in Russia. The Saratov Russia Stake (organized in 2015) was discontinued and reverted to district status (the original district was organized in 1996). The war in Ukraine appears to be the primary reason for the discontinuation of the stake, with many active members reportedly leaving Russia in recent years. The stake previously had four wards in Saratov, one ward in Penza, and three branches (Balakovo, Engels, and Marks). The new district includes four branches in the area once covered by the original stake: Engels, Penza, Solnichhny, and Volzhski. The district also includes branches in Samara, Toliatti, and Volgograd, each of which was previously part of its own district. This development underscores the dramatic decline of the Church in Russia over the past decade, driven by emigration, restricted missionary efforts, government limitations, and historically low activity rates.
There are now two stakes and four districts in Russia.
Albania
A district was discontinued in Albania. The Elbasan Albania District (organized in 2020) was discontinued, and its branches were reassigned to the Tirana Albania Stake (organized in 2014). No branches were discontinued. The district was likely closed to strengthen the Tirana Albania Stake, which recently had one of its wards in Tirana discontinued. The Church in Albania has experienced moderate growth for the region, although it has slowed considerably in the past five years.
There is now one stake in Albania.
Brazil
A district was discontinued in Brazil. The Patos de Minas Brazil District (organized in 2016) was discontinued and combined with the neighboring Uberlândia Brazil Stake (organized in 1995). The three branches in Patos de Minas were consolidated into a single ward.
There are now 288 stakes and 36 districts in Brazil.
254 comments:
1 – 200 of 254 Newer› Newest»Has anyone heard of any new Stakes or Districts organized yesterday?
Also makes me wonder !!!
Yay! I always love a new update and there was quite a lot to read here. For some reason I am not able to read new comments on these posts after we pass 200 so I am always anxiously waiting for new updates.
What does the church do when it has announced a temple that doesn't appear likely for the next several years because of unforeseen events, like with Russia or Shanghai?
What I mean is, are those temples ever taken off the list of temples?
David, If you are on the post that reaches 200 comments, and scroll to the very bottom of the list. there should be a link after the 200th comment that says "Load More". If you click that link it will show you the rest of the comments made after. For example under Craigs May 18th, 2025 comment on the last thread.
I hope this helps you to follow the rest of the conversation,
Temples have previously been taken off the list (Harrison NY is the modern-day example that comes to mind).
I would not put it beyond the realm of possibility that the temple in Shanghai the way it was planned is already operational and that no public announcement was made about its establishment and dedication. But let's assume it is not for now; building a very low-key temple with basic ordinance rooms inside an office building would likely be able to happen rather quickly, as soon as the opportunity arises. At the speed that Chinese construction projects normally go, it would probably be completed within a month or less: recommend desk, lockers, one room for initiatories per gender, one instruction room that can be repurposed for sealings, one celestial room with some couches and a chandelier. Open on demand for living ordinances of native Chinese members and perhaps some proxy work for their deceased close relatives because I doubt that a regular temple that is open to any members at any time would work with the regulatory environment in China.
When the Church built the Freiberg Temple, they had an open house (in part because the government falsely assumed that no one would show up), but the temple itself was originally much smaller and much more modest than others on the inside. But because it was built as a standalone temple "in the boonies" and not in one of the world's most vibrant cities, the construction was likely a lot more apparent to local residents. If the Church quietly (at least facing the public) refurbished a couple floors in an office building in Shanghai, would anyone actually notice?
East Germany was a lot more secluded (including economically) and a lot more anti-western and anti-religion than modern-day China. I think it's a good precedent to look at, and I believe the Church will find a way to get it done.
Regarding Russia: I believe that the political environment within a reasonable timeframe (3-5 years) will likely pose a minor threat to temple construction compared to the significant emigration of active members. I could see it taken off the list, but the Church might strategically keep it on for now in order to not cause further attrition in the local membership base. The Church is likely planning for a time when conditions for it in Russia are becoming more favorable again.
I'm not buying that the Shanghai temple is built and operational. Such a "secret" would be leaked by now. Besides if that were the case then why bother publicly announcing that temple to begin with?
I agree with you on that. The Shanghai temple is not yet operational or even built. But President Nelson as an "old friend" of China has probably the best chance of getting it approved.
Reports I've heard from missionaries in the Salta Argentina Mission indicate that a new stake will be created in Salta this upcoming weekend from the Salta Argentina Stake (7 wards) and the Salta Argentina West Stake (9 wards, 1 branch).
Maybe it's just me, but I would imagine a bit of a headache if Shanghai was a "secret" dedicated temple. The Church would either have to "skip" a number in the dedicated temples, which would generate questions on why there appears to be a missing temple, or if the dedicated temple were to finally become publicly acknowledged, they would have to renumber the temples that were dedicated afterward.
I kind of imagine Shanghai getting something similar to the Endowment House, a place where ordinances can happen until such a time that a proper temple can be constructed and dedicated.
While reviewing random Meetinghouses on the Meetinghouse Locator map, I wonder how close the Tempe Arizona South Stake is to being consolidated.
With the Stake currently listing 4 Wards :
Corona Ward (101230) (originally called Corona 1st)
Lakeshore Ward (111066)
Twelve Oaks 1st Ward (190314)
Twelve Oaks 2nd Ward (253138)
Sometime after 2018, the Corona 2nd Ward (183709) was consolidated.
From my understanding from the General Handbook, a Stake must have a minimum of 5 Wards.
Or maybe it will be consolidated with neighboring Stakes at next Stake Conference in August. Or one of the 4 is getting ready to split to a 5th. Or it will take another ward from a neighboring Stake.
Any thoughts?
Sorry forgot to list my source.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/508268
I can see the possibility of the Tempe Rural Ward being transferred from the Temple Arizona West Stake. That would put both stakes at 5 wards each.
There are also a handful of stakes that currently only have 4 wards and have had such for many years. The Globe & Payson Arizona Stakes, the Regina & Saskatoon Saskatchewan Stakes, and the Sioux City Iowa Stake to name a few, there's certainly more.
The progress in Kenya is very encouraging. I am hoping we see more districts progress to stakes there in the near future.
Shanghai is only tied being the longest to go without an official site announcement after Russia. Dubai, United Arab Emirates was also announced at the same time as Shanghai.
That said none of these temples are even close to the time it was from when Guyaquil was announced until it had a groundbreaking. I believe Bogota, Colombia also beats out any currently in progress temple.
With Abijan, Ivory Coast dedicated everything is under a decade from announcement.
Every temple announced during Thomas S. Monsons tenure has major construction completed. Alabanga Phillipines and Harare Zimbabwe are the only temples announced during Thomas S. Monsons tenure without a dedication date announced. Both have major construction completed.
So I’m the next few weeks they could have dedication dates announced.
Who will dedicate the Syracuse temple? Does President Nelson get out of his apartment much anymore? He is still alert but physical strength is not great. Past 100 anyones health could go. President Eyring can’t walk for long periods either. President Oaks still walks pretty good.
There has to be some discrepancy about China temple. Saratov I don’t think will get Russia temple. Who watched Saratov approach about the kidnapped missionaries? Fortunately they survived. Russia for the most part I believe you have religious freedom. Strict in some ways.
Mid eastern countries allow members to go to church, but no proselyting allowed there yet. Stakes for expatriates there. Some things restricted. Nice to know info on temples in those countries.
I thought the 5 ward requirement was to create a new stake, not necessarily a requirement to maintain a stake.
My guess is that President Nelson will dedicate the Syracuse Utah Temple. He still goes in to Church headquarters and works every day he can. Despite his advancing age and recent back injury, he is still actively involved in the day-to-day deliberations of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
On days when he is physically unable to come in, he has been present virtually in the work of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Despite his advancing age, his back injury and trouble with his physical eyesight, he is still mentally and spiritually sharp as someone 2-3 decades younger than his 100 years.I wouldn't be surprised if he's still living a few years from now
Of the current Apostles, President Eyring appears to be the one with the worst health. He has been periodically absent from Church headquarters on bad health days. Insofar as I am aware, he doesn't tune in virtually to meetings on days when his health prevents him from being there in person. I have a suspicious feeling that he will likely be the next apostle to pass away.
As you correctly observed above, President Oaks is still doing well health-wise. So he will succeed President Nelson at some point, and he may well become the Church's second apostolic centenarian. President Holland is recovering well from his 2023 health ordeal, so I think he's out of the danger zone for now. I am not aware of any other Apostles who may be having health issues.
I project that the Burley Idaho Temple may have opening arrangements announced either tomorrow or next Monday, with the arrangements for Alabang announced either at the same time or 2-3 weeks later, and the arrangements for Harare following 4-6 weeks after that, based on the spacing we've seen between temple dedication announcements this year.
Since its announcement, I have projected that the Russia temple will be built in Moscow, but I think that the Church will have better success in getting the Russia and Shanghai Temples approved once the current Russian & Chinese governmental regimes are no longer in power. How soon that might be is anyone's guess
My guess is that we have a bit of a Benson situation on our hands (or Monson), wherein there are other apostles that are behind the scenes (1) helping run the church and carry out its initiatives and (2) planning for new initiatives when President Nelson dies. The worst kept secret for a while was President Nelson and others having plans for the church to be implemented for after President Monson died, which is why we saw a flurry of changes come through after his death.
President Oaks is the most obvious person to be doing this behind the scenes as the prophet-in-waiting, but I also have a source within the 70 who told me that Elder Bednar is also picking up a lot of the slack. He's heard that health issues within the 15 are usually not too big of a deal (e.g., Elder Holland being MIA for months last year with health issues), with the exception of the prophet, because of the structural deferral in governance to the President. We now have enough observations of this happening that I wonder if official adjustments should be made to allow emeritus apostleship.
I also was told the 5 ward minimum was for new stakes and not for maintenance as a stake. That said, at some point the active membership available to support a fully-staffed stake becomes questionable and you'd still see changes happening.
When the numbers required for new wards/stakes was changed last year, I was really hoping to see the requirements apply to EXISTING units as well. A 2-year average could be taken to accommodate fluctuations or something, but when I saw the news I couldn't help but think about the ward I was in - 50 total attendees including youth and children, with numbers sometimes dipping in the summer to 20-30 in Sacrament meeting. It was only recently that the stake finally consolidated our ward into the other one in our town (which was thriving in terms of attendance). I had already moved by then, but heard from all the ward members I used to attend with how the community premium of going to church skyrocketed after the consolidation, and people who had gone inactive decided to attend again because church seemed to offer more benefits it hadn't offered in our prior ward.
I think there has been talk of emeritus apostleshilp by High B. Brown. Don’t know how much of rise of modern mormonism is true though. Ed Kimball’s lengthen your stride said same thing.
Ezra Taft Bensons grandson wanted it when etb was incapacitated. He unfortunately left the church.Marion G. Romney was next in line when he was incapacitated. What would of happened if he lived Ezra Taft Benson. Didn’t happen.
Gordon B. Hinckley was called to fill vacancy in twelve do to additional member of first presidency during David O. McKay s tenure and became additional counselor himself. He was sole healthy member of first presidency for a few years during President Kimball’s tenure.
He ran day to day administration during President Bensons tenure but had President Monsons help.
Even when the President is unable to function have good backup plan. Nyerere will never be emeritus status formapostles. Besides the Seventy assists them now as well.
There's been speculation about emeritus apostleship for a long time, and I really doubt it's going to happen anytime soon. There are enough structural options available that don't involve it.
For example, the number of Apostles doesn't have to be capped at 15. Presidents McKay and Kimball both called members of the Q12 as extra counselors in the First Presidency and replaced them with new Apostles. It's also possible to call Apostles who aren't members of the Q12, which President McKay was the last to do. We could theoretically see all of the following approaches:
1. Members of the Q12 called as additional counselors and replaced in the quorum (i.e. Gordon B. Hinckley in 1981 and Hugh B. Brown in 1961)
2. Non-Apostles called as additional counselors, with or without being ordained Apostles (i.e. Thorpe B. Isaacson and Alvin R. Dyer in the late 1960s)
3. Additional Apostles called as 'Counselors to the Twelve' or some equivalent title (i.e. Sylvester Q. Cannon in 1938)
4. Actually expanding the Q12 past twelve members, which was done by Brigham Young in 1844 after Joseph Smith's death, when he added Amasa M. Lyman to the quorum despite it already having 12 members
Option 4 is pretty unlikely, but all of the others have been done within the last century.
On May 18th, the 50th stake in Lima, Peru was created. The Lima Perú La Victoria Stake was organized from a division of the Lima Perú San Luis, Lima Perú Limatambo, and Lima Perú Magdalena stakes.
The new stake includes the Balconcillo, El Porvenir, Jesús María, La Victoria, and Santa Beatriz wards.
Additionally, the Lima Perú Magdalena Stake was renamed Lima Perú Pueblo Libre Stake.
Lima is the city with the highest number of stakes outside of the United States.
It has also been reported that on June 22, a new stake will be organized the Cañete Perú Stake, from the Cañete Perú District.
I’m from Lima, and this milestone of Lima reaching 50 stakes truly deserves an in-depth analysis or a proper update on the matter on Cumorah or here.
An area authority told stake leaders in NW Arkansas that they will likely need 10 additional buildings built to meet coming demand. Due to 21 units meeting in just 4 buildings within the Rogers and Bentonville stakes, one ward whose boundaries are less than a mile from the existing Centerton building has to drive a half hour to Anderson MO to meet there.
A stake center in Centerton is expected to be completed later this year. Land has been recently purchased in Pea Ridge for a future stake center in the next year or two, as well in the Pinnacle area of Rogers. If all three of those were added with no new units created, there would still be 3 units in every chapel for just greater Bentonville/Rogers. In the Pea Ridge Ward alone, in the past 3 months we have had 33 members move in and just 2 leave, and still know of at least 20 more members who have already told us they are expecting to arrive later this summer.
The Liberty Missouri stake will be split on Sunday June 7 2025
I've been expecting this for quite a while. The Kansas City and Olathe Stakes also have Stake Conference On June 1. Given the size of the Stakes (Olathe especially), I wouldn't be surprised to see a Stake created from the two.
Here in UT county, at least where I live, 4 wards per building has become the norm. Many buildings have wards from more than one stake in them. I believe it’s due to temple building being the focus. It makes sense to me though because in the long term many buildings will likely go back down to 3 wards due to ward consolidations as kids move out and empty nesters stay put. Also, seems like there are way fewer stake-wide meetings and activities here as compared to places I’ve lived where membership percent is much lower.
James (not Stokes), I’d guess Elder Bednar will be called into the 1st presidency by the time Pres. Nelson and Eyring pass away.
https://news-pg.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/papua-new-guinea-s-fourth-stake-is-created-in-lae-city
FYI, The Groundbreaking Date has been announced today for the Vancouver Washington Temple.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2025/05/27/vancouver-washington-temple-groundbreaking-august-23-elder-mark-bragg/
Pretty insane that Lima has 50 stakes. That's more than any non-pioneer corridor metro area, except for perhaps Los Angeles, depending on how broadly you define the metro area. How is active membership doing in Lima? Is it climbing again post-Covid? While on my mission, I heard that active membership declined by about 40,000 during the two year period of Covid across the South America Northwest Area, but obviously many members have returned since then.
Matt, The Stake #32 should say Lima Perú La Victoria Stake (2295954), that was organized on May 18th, as posted above. The Lima Perú Magdalena Stake (507369), organized on December 1st, 1974. Originally as the Lima Peru West Stake, was only renamed Lima Perú Pueblo Libre Stake on the same day.
"Other" James, we are far distanced from "an ETB situation". President Benson was incapacitated early on in his prophetic administration and didn't speak in General Conference for the last several years of his prophetic administration, and he wasn't at all active in the day-to-day deliberations of the Church.
In contrast, President Nelson is in attendance and leads meetings at Church headquarters most days, and on days he can't come in physically, he has been present virtually. President Nelson at 100 is in far better health than President Benson when he was a decade or two younger than 100.
Apostles serve until their dying breath, full stop. That will never change because the Lord knows who he wants to preside over His Church, when, and for how long. As we've seen under President Nelson, the Twelve can and will fill assignments and some of the responsibilities of the First Presidency as they are assigned to do so.
So not only is there no need in the Lord's pattern of prophetic succession for "emeritus Apostles", but it could also be said that, with the way that the current prophet has delegated certain traditional First Presidency roles to the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, our current prophet essentially has 12 extra counselors who can be tapped for usual First Presidency roles and tasks as delegated by President Nelson.
We have seen prime examples of that in the delegation of conducting General Conference sessions, and in the report of at least one current apostle that he met with someone about the restoration of that person's priesthood blessings on behalf of the First Presidency.
This, emeritus status is not needed for Apostles. That is not and never has been the Lord's way. And with the First Presidency delegating some of their traditional duties to the Twelve, we may also never again see more than 3 members of the First Presidency going forward.
The Quorum of the twelve is capped at twelve. Do have more when the President of the church passes away. That situation only lasts a few days know.
The first presidency has a 1st and 2nd counselor. I don’t think they have numbers when they called additional counselors.
Brigham Young ordained several apostles not in twelve. Brigham Young jr was ordained apostle before being ordained to twelve. Decided seniority was entrance into quorum not when ordained apostle so he never was president.
The first presidency has had additional counselors from time to time. However the quorum of the twelve has to be twelve. Every apostle has been ordained to the twelve recently.
Pascal,
Shanghai is still listed as "announced" on the church website. I think the church would quietly remove it from their website before lying about it. But in either case, I think the church will openly announce. I don't know about our church in particular, but China has been persecuting and closing its doors on churches in general.
Russia is of similar case. Especially with being known as an "American" church, persecutions by both the government. The church's website has been blocked, FamilySearch centers have been closed, members let alone missionaries have been banned from proselyting. But we're still allowed to proselyte. The one that has probably done the most to bring the church to Russia is President Nelson.
The biggest surprise to me is the Dubai United Arab Emirates Temple as the church semi-officially announced that it will be built at the Expo 2020 site after the expo was completed. It also appeared that the government was on board and even encouraged encouraged the church to build it. The expo ended March 2022 and still no temple.
While the church isn't building these temples momentarily, I don't think the Church is going to pull any of these from the list, as I still feel the church wants to pursue building these - even if it takes several more years before groundbreaking.
Echoing some previous comments, I don't think the church is eager to consolidate a stake unless it's unable to sustain itself. Also, occasionally you'll see trends reverse itself. People may move out last year but come in this year. In almost all realignments I've seen, someone has gone less active stating that's the reason.
Wow 2000 people attending is incredible! I wonder how long until a second stake is made in that portion of the country.
James,
In todays church there are several that help the president of the church move things forward and it's not limited to staffers at the Church office building as each willing member helps in this.
JGS, People can change which includes government leaders. The problem includes that they would have to humble themselves or be compelled to change. I'm not sure if any of their successors will be any better as their successor is handpicked by themselves.
China is a one party system and Russia's essentially has become that way. China doesn't have freedom of speech and Russia has taken much of that away as well. It's hard to overthrow a strong-fisted government when the people must speak in favor of the government.
It is the second stake in that portion of the country. The first on that side of the island was created eight months ago. That put a prospect of a temple announcement there that much higher. It was already on my "Top 20" before knowing this stake being created.
Agreed, which is why I said headway will only be made on the Russia & Shanghai temples "once the current regimes are no longer in power." At the risk of this comment being too political, by that I mean when Putin and Xi and all their cronies are no longer in power. What is may take to enable that to happen is above my pay grade. But even in that, the Lord can and does move mountains when they're meant to be moved. So while I don't expect action to be taken on either temple for perhaps the foreseeable future, the temples were announced for a reason, and the Lord may make that possibility a reality sooner than any of us expect. I certainly hope that will be the case. And there are current apostles that can probably help to expedite those temples more in the near term.
Another option is Tempe SA Ward be transferred over to Tempe South Stake. That ward is pretty large, with 300+ attending.
The Grand Junction Colorado West stake will be split on June 8th.
Matt, The "Três Rios Brazil District (2064286)" from the Brazil Juiz de Fora Mission (1978136), originally organized April 17th, 2016, has recently been discontinued.
Here is the branch and mission links :
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/150622
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/missions/1978136
In 2018, the District included the following 5 Branches :
Ramo Paraíba Do Sul (RJ) Paraíba do Sul Branch (228230)
Ramo Três Rios Três Rios Branch (150622)
Ramo Valença Valença Branch (2081954)
Ramo Vassouras Vassouras Branch (348759)
Ramo Vila Isabel (RJ) Vila Isabel Branch (245372)
Adam, what is driving the growth rate in NW Arkansas? Is it specific to the church or is the area itself seeing rapid population growing?
Is anyone else having trouble accessing the units page on the temple site?
Yes. I get a 404 error (page not found) when trying to access it. It wouldn't shock me if it is down temporarily, but there is a possibility that it might be down permanently. I certainly hope that's not the case.
The Lehi Utah Cold Springs Ranch stake will officially be split on June 8th
It appears only 3 of the congregations remain, two now under the Petrópolis Brazil Stake (Paraíba do Sul Branch and Três Rios Ward, with Três Rios absorbing the Vila Isabel Branch, which seems to be the part of the city that currently shows no residential congregation assigned) and one under the Volta Redonda Brazil Stake (Vassouras Branch, seems to include the former Valença Branch).
Scooter, of the metro areas with at least 500k people, NWA came in 6th out of 107 for percentage growth. Anecdotally, it is a mix between Walmart and quality of life. They recruit heavily from BYU and BYUI and you can get a lot better cost of living in NWA than the BOM belt. We've had a lot of people who visit a family member and then decide to follow them, also have a lot of retirees as well.
@David McFadden
I've been wondering how the floods in Dubai last year have affected the temple's progress.
I'm guessing since the government there has had to focus resources and energy on city reconstruction, it's delayed the temple process a bit.
The main thing hindering the Dubai Temple was mentioned in a previous comment thread here as being that the Dubai government wants the temple in question to be bigger than the Church plans it to be. They are reportedly wanting a Los Angeles sized edifice while the Church is thinking much smaller. It's a rare switcheroo from what typically happens.
Rick, informed me the Google bots did something..so that more "private" page became too public and he's decided to take that page down permanently. I made the error in judgment to post the link to the updates page here. Sorry.
Very unfortunate. It was very handy to see changes in the temple districts. Guess we'll now have to try to find these changes ourselves.
Well the Vancouver Washington Temple now has an open house.
Abidjan is dedicated and Benin City had a ground breaking.
I think Sylvester Q. Cannon's calling is best understood as a prelude to the assistant to the 12 calling.
You also have to keep in mind no general authorities were given emeritus statis during Hugh B. Brown's lifetime. That does not happen until I think 1979, but I could be a year off. Hugh B. Brown died in 1975.
I made a prediction list (which I did not publish) of new general authorities for 2025. The only one of the 9 on my list called was John Amos. So I am not good at predicting the future.
Many things could happen. I have no idea what will. I am sure it will advance the work of the Lord in the way he wants, and it will make sense eventually.
President Hinckley was called as an apostle under President McKay, and an additional counselor in the 1st Presidency under President Kimball, not at general conference, and that is when Neal A. Maxwell was called to the 12.
On the other hand for basically all of 1983 there were only 14 total apostles. There were 2 conferences in a row in which a vacancy was not filled. That is not a record, even if we exclude the times in the 19th-century when it took years to reform the 1st Presidency. It was at least 3 years from when Parley P. Pratt died until he was replaced in the quorum of the 12 by George Q. Cannon.
Even more recently Elder Hales died during general conference and was not replaced until the next one, while Elder Ballard was replaced barely a month later.
Vancouver Washington's announcement was for a groundbreaking, not an open house.
I know some temples pages have them, but there are also some district changes that would otherwise fall under the radar, such as the transfer of the Milan stakes from Rome to Bern, or the switch up of what temples serve units in the middle east (used to be London, Frankfurt, and Bern, now it's just Rome).
Also, due to the ill health of Presidents Kimball & Romney, and because of the declining health of Elder LeGrand Richards, in 1983, there were only really 11 of the 14 apostles functioning that year. And no one knew Elder Hales was dying in 2017, but we now know that President Nelson was inspired to skip his lunch break and go straight to the hospital, arriving just before Elder Hales died. By that time, President Monson no longer had an active role in the day-to-day deliberations of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which is the only reason why the vacancy in the apostleship went unfilled until after President Monson himself had died. President Holland and Elder Kearon are the only current apostles appointed outside General Conference, so they are exceptions rather than the rule.
Fair point. The only ways around that of which I'm aware are either to run periodic checks on each temple district or to watch the maps site for unit or mission boundary changes, which generally result in temple district changes as well.
With regard to Elder Hales, I suspect that vacancy would have gone unfilled prior to President Monson's death anyway. Though different Presidents of the Church take different approaches, in general, it is normal for apostolic vacancies not to be filled until the next general conference. Even if President Monson had still been participating in Church affairs at that point, he probably wouldn't have moved to fill Elder Hales' seat until the April 2018 conference.
You make a fair point about Elder Hales' death. Given that it occurred between the last two sessions of General Conference, there wouldn't have been time to call a replacement and present whomever it was for a sustaining vote. The only reason the appointments of President Holland and Elder Kearon occurred outside of General Conference was that Presidents Hunter and Nelson were specifically inspired not to wait 4 months until the next General Conferences were held to fill those vacancies. It will be interesting to see how subsequent prophets handle apostolic vacancies, or how any other vacancies are handled during the remainder of President Nelson's prophetic administration.
I checked the page to see real time updates of new stakes and districts. I use to be able to see that on CDOL, but it seems that doesn’t work anymore. Do you know of any places to see real time updates of new stakes/units?
For any who are curious and/or interested, I just published my initial predictions for the October 2025 General Conference, including a revised and expanded list of prospective new temples:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2025/05/initial-predictions-for-october-2025.html
My thanks again to Matt for allowing me to feature such updates here, and my thanks once again to you all.
Hmm, I really should check what I wrote before posting. I meant that Vancouver Washington now has a ground breaking date announced.
We are down to only two Monsonian announced temples that have not been dedicated. Alabang Philippines and Harare Zimbabwe.
We also are down to one temple announced by President Kimball not yet dedicated. To be fair that temple was relocated first and eventually reannounced. That is Pago Pago American Samoa.
We also have one temple under construction that may have been prophesied of by President KcKay. At one point in the 1950s at a meeting held in Neiafu on the Vavau Islands of Tonga President McKay said he had had a vision of a temple "on these islands". It is not clear if "these islands" meant the whole collection of Tongan Islands, or just the Vava'u group. The Church history country profiles take the former view, and there is some validity to that. However if we instead assume President McKay meant the specific island group with a temple being built in Neiafu there is no question his vision is being fulfilled. The talk in question was given in Neiafu itself.
Other Matt here...
As for Dubai, the Church should build a grandiose larger temple. Perhaps some of the square footage doesn't have to be used or needed at the moment. Or they can incorporate a meetinghouse, Area office, or patron housing, visitors center all in the same building (along with the temple), to make the building be larger.
2 of the 3 area presidency members are overseeing the Middle East/Africa North Area from Church headquarters in Salt Lake, so there's no need for area presidency offices. Insofar as I am aware, there's not an established mission in that area, so no mission presidency offices are needed either. A meetinghouse inside the temple might work, but the Middle East/Africa North Area membership is mostly military personnel stationed in Dubai. In any case, the UAE doesn't currently have the hierarchical structure or Church presence to warrant a Los Angeles sized edifice. The Dubai government appears to feel that, just because they gave the Church permission to build a temple there that they can dictate the size, but they don't appear to have the understanding that a larger temple would require more of a hierarchical structure than they seem to want to allow. So something has got to give. And the answer shouldn't always be the Church compromising or caving from the plans the Lord has for His temples
@James Stokes, I'd definitely agree that we're closer to a Monson situation, but we are not that far off from a Benson presidency, either. President Benson didn't have the option of virtual meetings. And my friend in the 70 has told me that President Nelson's agenda is more and more sparse - often only a meeting or two a day - because his aging body can't handle more than that.
I think we're in agreement that a lot of work can be pushed to the Q of 12. And even beyond that. The roles of an apostle can be redefined to some extent. That isn't my point. My point is that my friend in the 70 acknowledged that there are certain duties that are reserved for the President, and that makes things tricky when the President is aging or more incapacitated because then the church faces a standstill of sorts.
You seem very convinced when you say, "Apostles serve until their dying breath, full stop. That will never change because the Lord knows who he wants to preside over His Church, when, and for how long," but you, yourself, gave examples of Apostles NOT serving until their dying breath because they are incapacitated. Presidents Kimball, Benson, Hunter, Monson, and now Nelson (5 out of last 6) have suffered from fairly severe mental and/or physical decline that diminished their ability to properly lead.
Personally? I strongly value dignity and end-of-life care. I find it to be questionable or possibly unethical to have people of that age continue serving. It exploits the frail or cognitively impaired like Elder Haight, and when frail leaders are kept in the public eye, it sacrifices their individual well-being for institutional symbolism.
From what I've seen the majority of people calling for emeritus status for apostles do so under the impression that they are too old and can't possibly relate to the youth and young adults, as if to say when you reach a certain age, your opinion no longer matters. You speak of the Church "exploiting" these men, but have you considered that these men WANT to be there?
The Lord understands our intentions. It appears to me that your concern is in fact, their health, which is a valid and very understandable thing, however I don't think that's enough to call for their dismissal. That's up to the Lord, and I fully trust that He will watch over His servants.
I'm being reminded of the story of Mary Fielding Smith who even being in poverty insisted on paying tithing. Someone actually suggested that she NOT pay tithing because of her situation and she replied "Would you deny me a blessing?"
None of the apostles you mentioned above were released from either the First Presidency or Quorum of the Twelve, so they absolutely retained their prophetic or apostolic authority and seniority, which they still have.. That alone in my mind is the textbook definition of serving until their dying breath. What you're talking about is physical functionality. Let's not confuse or obfuscate the two. If we were talking about a man-made system, I would be inclined to agree with you. But this is a divinely-appointed system for the Lord's true Church. His house is a house of order. What right do any of us have to interfere with or disrupt His purposes?
I am very convinced and certain of the assertions I offer here as one who has studied the Lord's system of apostolic succession. Looking at this through a worldly lens and trying to apply worldly logic to a divinely-appointed system will not serve any of us well, as we wind up with faulty logic and assertions. You absolutely have a right to your own opinions and assertions, as I do to mine. But to second-guess a divinely-appointed system or to assert we know better than the Lord does on matters of apostolic and prophetic succession puts us on dangerous ground. The Lord's system is the way it No offense intended and I hope none is taken.
This is very preliminary, and I'll likely make additional changes (map will be finalized in late August), but here are my current predictions:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1G7hdBBWl07qNmfixCPEyCf7dAOKzzjw&usp=sharing
Changes:
"Other 70" is reduced to "Other 65"
Added to my top 20:
-Evanston/Green River Wyoming
-Henderson NV
-Rio Branco Brazil
Moved Wasatch Front icon to eastern Salt Lake Valley. Although this may not be final placement due to this area being fairly well developed. As I mentioned before, one can drop an icon just about anywhere along the Wasatch front and readjust temple districts accordingly.
Dropped from top 20 to Somewhat Likely 40:
-Santa Maria Brazil (Riviera's announcement took some stakes. reducing the prospective temple district and likeliness). Also note: Angeles/Metro Manila Philippines is staying on my top 20 but is now just Angeles Philippiens.
Added to "Somewhat likely 40" from "Other 65"
-Foz do Iguaçu Brazil
-La Serena Chile
-Laputa DRC
Added to Other 65
-Macapá Brazil
-Delta Utah (also noticed Ely is closer to Delta)
Reduced form Somewhat Likely 40 to Other 65
-Fortaleza Brazil West
-Birigüi Brazil
-New Delhi India
Removed from "Other 65"
Vitória da Conquista Brazil
Hyderabad India
loosely limited Misc to 65 locations, even though it's not a prediction. After next conference, I'll likely limit "Other 65" to 60 temples and add another category of 60. Names for these two categories are yet to be determined. I'll also need to add the results for last conference (This one was a miss compared to others I've made). Only 4 of the 15 announced came from my "Top 20" list.
We had 2 teenagers baptized in my branch today. Things are moving forward.
The Connors are in the Lisbon Ward in thr Hiram Ohio Stake. Lisbon itself is 1 hour 26 minutes from the Cleveland Temple and 1 hour 4 minutes from the Pittsbugh Temple. I am not sure how large the ward is or what it's boundaries are so I am not sure exactly what their travel times are. Thr Church may officially place all the Hiram stake in the Clevflsnd district, although I think some will at least dometimes still go to Pittaburgh. On the other hand Hiram and the part of the stake in metro Akron us clearly closer to Cleveland Temple, the line where the distances are equal runs through Youngstown metro.
Palmira Valle Colombia South America stake to be created on the 7th and 8th of June during their first stake conference!
Overland Park Kansas Stake created today, split from Olathe Stake.
our temple president shared with us that elder bednar told him in a recent meeting that the continent of africa will have as many members as the church currently has (17mil~) within the next 25 years.
This is in the Kansas City metro, which will have three new stakes this year assuming Liberty Stake is split as expected.
Cool. I'm guessing, just like with the game, "telephone" this is a paraphrase. I'm guessing Elder Bednar started his comment with something like... "if the average growth rate of the last xyz years continues, then..."
I agree that we need to be really careful sharing these "projections" made by general authorities. In many cases, they are made based on excitement regarding trends but not actually based on data and are not claiming to be revelation. I've seen too many people get hung up on other projections made by general authorities that came nowhere near to being true.
That being said, Africa is definitely growing like crazy and I could see something amazing like this happening.
I agree with the previous two replies. That said, one thing that is different right now compared to the previous examples David gave is that worldwide church growth is firing on all cylinders, especially in Africa. In many parts of Africa, retention is also extremely impressive. Elder Stevenson's recent talk "Days Never to be Forgotten", and Elder Rasband's "Right before our Eyes" are based not just in optimism or even prophesy, but also are reflective of things that have been going right for the church in the post-pandemic period.
As mentioned above the Olathe Kansas stake split on 6 1 25 and the Overland Park Kansas stake was created. The Olathe stake has the Gardner, Iola, Olathe 1, Olathe 2, Olathe 3, Ottawa and Pioneer Trails wards. The Overland Park stake has the Overland Park 1, Overland Park 2, Overland Park 3, Heritage Park, Stanley and Paola wards and the Mound City branch.
I do think this could happen in all honesty; I see mostly two limitations.
Firstly, the Church would need to significantly increase the missionary force dedicated to Africa. At even the higher-than-historical rates now, we do not have enough native African missionaries to reach this target. Establishment of programs such as FSY and larger numbers of youth growing up in the Church over time as opposed to being adult converts will help. But even then, the Church is growing globally at an accelerated pace, even in places like Europe and North America - with many large and medium-sized cities in Eurasia still entirely unreached, for example, there is a lot of serious competition for assigning missionary resources. We should not simply pump everything into Africa because things are going well there. Almost the whole world needs more missionaries than now.
Secondly, leadership development, especially in rural Africa, remains a major challenge. When you think of bishops or stake presidents in parts of the world where the Church has reached some maturity, the Church is usually not the first/only place where these leaders have gained some experience. They are often also leaders in the workplace or in civic affairs. Often, these opportunities do not exist in Africa in the same way as in the western world. Coming at Church leadership from a different background likely safeguards against unrighteous dominion, pride, and the desire to accomplish things in one's own way rather than the Lord's. This is a generic callout, not necessarily based on first-hand experience.
The Church just announced this afternoon that President Russell M. Nelson will preside at the June 8 dedication of the Syracuse Utah Temple:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-syracuse-utah-temple
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2025/06/breaking-temple-news-church-president.html
I'm glad that, despite his back injury, aging eyes, and advancing age, he will be well enough to oversee this dedication himself. My thanks once again to you all.
The future is very hard to predict. It is hard to say what will happen in the future.
Creating an MTC in Kinshasa was a clear commitment to growth in Central Africa.
If some ways the two gold standards of successful church growth in Africa are in the South-South of Nigeria and in the Kasai region, especially Luputa, in DR Congo. In both cases it was nit missionary numbers driving growth at all. In the South South of Nigeria there were literally thousands of people waiting for the missionaries to come.
In the Kasai region the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was brought by Kasaian refugees fleeing violence and spread by subsistence farmers who were part time missionaries.
In the case of Luputa they got a stake before any full-time missionaries were sent to the area.
Last month there were two temple dedications and two temple groundbreaking in Africa. There are still a lot of temples on the continent that have not had groundbreaking, 14 I believe plus the one in Madagascar, with only 5 under construction.
I hope we see several more temples announced for the African continent in the next few years.
Nigeria may hit 100 stakes before it gets a second temple dedicated. DR Congo is only not on track to do the same because it got its second temple announced much sooner than any previous country. Mozambique of course now holds the record, since it's second temple was announced before the first was dedicated.
3 New Stakes created last weekend !!!
Africa would have to accelerate its rate of growth if it's to get to 17 million in 25 years. Only the fastest-growing countries in Africa are meeting that growth rate. Also, while still plentiful compared to the west, the number of countries available to be opened and areas within countries available to be opened is gradually declining - still lots of expansion potential even with it.
Another constraint is that the church has had to limit its growth in Africa due to lack of sufficient leadership. If this can be tackled, growth can then accelerate.
And finally, even in Africa, the birth rate is declining. Africa is now the only continent giving birth above the replenishment rate, but even there it's on the decline.
Turns out this was a false report
I don't know if this has been discussed before, but does anyone have any thoughts on when the church might be "caught up" with temple announcements, if at all? By that I mean, from what understadning I have of how fast the church is growing compared to how many temples are being announced, I have felt that the church is announcing temples faster than the church is increasing in the number of stakes (i.e. the number of stakes per temple announced globally is decreasing). Is this true? If it is, can it be predicted when the church might catch up to whatever ratio ends up as ideal and then only needs to build more temples as the growth happens? If not, well, that's an exciting thought, and then I'd ask if it's clear what number of temples need to be announced per year to keep up? I'd appreciate anyone's insights on this topic if they have time. This question/topic mainly stems from a re-reading of the Saints series I did late last year and at the end of volume two, a quote from Brigham Young is shared in which he stated that the church would build thousands of temples. Taken exactly, that means we need 2000 at the bare minimum to fulfill that prophecy. Just thinking about what would have to happen regarding church growth to see that many temples is facinating. If the church made it so we had one temple per two stake/district units (the smallest temple districts currently seen with three temples), we already have enough units and would then see a need for more than 2000, but regardless of the possibility of that scenario, applying that number of temples to anything just goes to show how much growth needs to happen either in units or temples to reach that point.
Moses Lake Washington East Stake was recently created. Not sure if it was this weekend, or a weekend or two ago.
What 3 stakes? Overland Park Kansas, Yaounde Cameroon, and maybe Moses Lake Washington East Stake?
NAME CHANGES
- The Orem Utah Sharon Park Stake was renamed the Orem Utah City Center Stake.
- The Fayetteville North Carolina West Stake was renamed the Sandhills North Carolina Stake.
- The Richmond Virginia Midlothian Stake was renamed the Midlothian Virginia Stake.
- The Richmond Virginia Chesterfield Stake was renamed the Chesterfield Virginia Stake.
NEW STAKES
Moses Lake Washington East Stake (2297124) - 1 June 2025
- Garden Heights Ward (274003)
- Larson Heights Ward (128104)
- O'Sullivan Ward (128112)
- Pioneer Ward (2035049)
- Ridgeview Ward (225363)
- Ritzville Branch (197238)
Assigned Mission: Washington Yakima Mission (2040417)
Assigned Temple: Moses Lake Washington Temple (2141647)
Mechanicsville Virginia Stake (2292041) - 1 June 2025
- Chickahominy Ward (213284)
- Meadowbrook Ward (46159)
- Mechanicsville Ward (169544)
- New Kent Branch (498491)
- Richmond Branch (231738)
- Scotchtown Ward (47856)
- Tappahannock Ward (112003)
Assigned Mission: Virginia Richmond Mission (2011409)
Assigned Temple: Richmond Virginia Temple (2119099)
Overland Park Kansas Stake (2290014) - 1 June 2025
- Heritage Park Ward (2009358)
- Mound City Branch (360341)
- Overland Park 1st Ward (83429)
- Overland Park 2nd Ward (2265613)
- Overland Park 3rd Ward (2265621)
- Paola Ward (92932)
- Stanley Ward (325961)
Assigned Mission: Missouri Independence Mission (2011506)
Assigned Temple: Kansas City Missouri Temple (1016032)
Thanks Chris!
The Yaounde Cameroon District also officially became the Yaounde Cameroon Stake!
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-creates-its-first-stake-in-yaound-eacute---cameroon?fbclid=IwY2xjawKsF8xleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFBQkNBWGtTbzlJUjV3VmkzAR7NNDBVzr7AxVDOhCMeIR7wuN3XS2mkYTzS3lU2kT0ad6h16CDU5FWzd2so0Q_aem_EG52QKPRhZOeiH-q9-xYFA
Paraphrases based on my understanding and memory:
-A member of the 12 (I think in the last 2-3 yrs) mentioned we would eventually have thousands of temples... may have been Bednar and maybe others?
-President Nelson was paraphrased as saying something like it was kind of backwards to make meetinghouses accessible before temples.
-President Nelson was paraphrased as mentioning, what sounded to me as being an aspirational goal, of eventually having a temple <1 hour from at least 95% of membership.
-President Nelson was paraphrased as wanting to have a temple in instances where "2 strong stakes" are close to each other, but not close to a temple.
Note: My own personal quick analysis of these two comments from President Nelson's is that a temple announcement will be considered in instances where there are: 2 strong stakes, with membership concentrated in a small geographically area that is >2 hours round trip from the nearest temple. I don't think this necessarily precludes temple announcements for some very remote areas that have a strong, sustainable core of members, especially where projections show the location is clearly on route to qualification. I DO think there are lots of other qualifications used for prioritization of announcements though.
Lastly, as membership continues to grow, I find it would be very unlikely to achieve President Nelson's above state desires without continuing to announce and build temples at a historically fast pace. I could see the pace change if/when we approach achieving President Nelson's goal.
Note: Again, these are just my thoughts.
From the link, for those that don't want to read it:
The new stake comprises five wards—Bastos, Mimboman, Ekounou, Eleveur, and Anguissa—and four branches—Biyem-Assi, Obili, Messassi, and Soa.
I could see Emeritus Apostleship becoming possible, I don't think there is a specific scriptural requirement for apostles to serve until death. On the other hand, we have had the same system for apostolic succession since Brigham Young, with the longest serving apostle in the quorum being the next in line. This would have to be revised.
I think it is more likely that we will continue to incorporate the Seventy into church administration at the highest levels, including formally or informally filling some assignments traditionally held by the twelve.
Of note, is the recent attendance to the Colombo Sri Lanka District Conference, by the Relief Society President Camille Johnson.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2025/06/03/relief-society-general-president-camille-johnson-ministers-indonesia-sri-lanka-asia/
I just updated the sidebar for new stakes/districts and discontinued stakes/districts. Let me know if I missed any!
The Church made a new announcement about the new hymnbook this afternoon:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/celebrating-one-year-of-hymns-for-home-and-church
https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2025/06/03/episode-243-new-hymnbook-update-steve-schank-elder-renlund/
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2025/06/breaking-news-church-releases-new.html
My thanks once again to you all.
How we can reach this sidebar ?
If viewing from a mobile device., click on "view web version"at the bottom of the page.
I'm very excited about the increased stake growth this year. We will definitely beat last year's total (in fact, we should surpass it by the end of summer I think), all with historically low rates of discontinued stakes.
Looking back a bit farther. We had exactly 100 new stakes in 2014 when I came home from my Mission - these two historical events are definitely not meaningfully related, but to me personally it is a stark reminder of how long ago this was. We have not been particularly close to triple digits in any of the years since. Could that change this year? And was 2014 actually the all-time record? I don't think I know where to even look up this information but of any place in the world, this would be where to get answers. :-)
@David McFadden, others...
Perhaps the Expansion of BYU Pathways in Africa will provide some with more training and education and employment opportunities, that will then help them in leadership callings?
When I check this blog a 100 new stakes where created in 2016. In 2014 it was 64.
According
https://www.thechurchnews.com/2022/5/16/23218167/charts-show-churchs-ongoing-growth-through-191-years-members-temples-stakes-wards/
The fastest stake growth in numbers was between 1990 and 2000. nearly 800 new stakes in 10 years. It is very likely that one of those years saw the creation of more than 100 stakes.
Tks a lot L. Chris Jones !
Stake creations tend to ebb and flow. The vast majority of the stakes I am seeing being created lately could have been done already and are long overdue. The bar is also somewhat lower now with the 5 ward minimum.
I think the specific quote from President Nelson, which is included in the book Sister Dew wrote on him, is that he feels it is backwards to build nice stake centers before we adequately have a temple in an area. So it appears he feels that temples should be prioritized over stake centers not all meetinghouses. What that means in practical terms when in most cases just one stake cannot adequately support a temple is complex.
The Farmington Hills Michigan Stake has stake offices at the Farmington Hills Chaple. However it is not a large enough building to hold stake conference, so they hold stake conference at the Westland Michigan Stake Center. I think they have held stake youth dances that they sponsored at the Bloomfield Hills Michigan Stake Center, although I believe it may have been a multi-stake youth dance. Both stake centers are less than 6 miles from the stake boundary. In the Westland case it is less than 2 miles from the boundary, maybe even less than a mile. None of the three stake centers are located anywhere near the center of the existing stake.
There have been various statements that indicate a goal to have a high percentage of members within 1 hour travel of the temple. There are also a wide range of quotes about "literally thousands of temples". The time frame of the latter is not really fixed, and the former leaves a huge number of potential temple locations, and so a need to work out prioritization of which ones will come first.
There is also a desire to have temples operated by members from the temple district as much as possible. The 4 temples announced at once for the greater Mexico City region are unlikely to be replicated in another place that does not yet have a temple, even if travel across the urbanized region would take more than an hour one way. We might see a repeat of several temples announced for one large region at once, but it will probably be another case where there is already a temple there. Or it may be Lima, Manila, Sao Paulo and some other large metro areas will have several new temples announced, but over several general conferences. With metro Lima at 50 stakes I am not sure 3 temples is enough, especially since the original Lima Peru Temple is less than 10,000 square feet.
Does anyone here keep year-by-year membership statistic counts? Specifically, I am looking for the membership counts in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom from the 2023 statistical report.
@Ohhappydane33
Stake creation indeed became easier in the US and Canada, but at the same time, it became harder outside of these two countries. The minimum of five wards has always been there as far as I remember (at least since the 1980s). The difference now is in total attendance and priesthood, plus the total registered per unit.
I see Lima getting another one in the foreseeable future. Lots of things they could do. From top of mind, I'd guess northern Lima. After Huancayo, Chorrillos, and northern Lima open (and therefore no longer need Lima's patron housing) they could even knock down the remaining Lima temple and build a larger one on the existing land. I look forward to watching what ends up happening.
Colombo has had a district for a very very long time. I wonder how close it is to becoming a stake...
The article says Sri Lanka has just over 1700 members, so not there yet.
While it may not have a huge impact, another way to reduce the load on Lima is to look south some more. While the Chorrillos Temple will assist with things in the Metro Lima area, I think a Temple in Ica or possibly Pisco might happen someday. With Canete set to become a Stake, we would be looking at 4 Stakes and a District as things currently stand.
Craig H
Is anyone else besides me having trouble accessing the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site?
Craig does have a good point about Pisco being a possible location for another temple in Peru. However the 50 stakes are just those in Lima, not any beyond Lima assigned to Lima Temples.
Elder Christofferson was recently in Mexico. He was interviewed for a significant radio program there. He met with the minister of the interior. He attended meetings in Mexico City, Guadalajara and evidently in Baja California Sur.
James, it seems t be working fine for me.
On the Meetinghouse Website, recently some of the Stakes are posting a photo of the Stake Center with the address.
Here is just one example of many.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/516856
Thanks, Chris! It's working fine for me now as well. Not sure what happened there or if it was something in my end.
I think Pisco will get a temple announcement in 2-5 yrs.
I am suspecting we will have 2-3 new stakes created in Kananga, DR Congo this weekend and next weekend, as the three stakes have 35 wards altogether and all three stakes have stake conferences this weekend and next. Reports from senior missionaries 1-2 years ago noted that there were plans back then to create two new stakes out of the three stakes in the city. Conferences and meetings have had high attendance. A recent conference for primary children had 800 children in attendance just in one of the three stakes.
To be a little more clear, I was thinking that as it stands, the Stakes in Pico, Ica and the rest will be assigned to Chorrillos once is dedicated. However, if that area gets its own Temple, then Chorrillos will be able to just focus on covering the southern portions of Metro Lima. That being said, on my list of a 100 or so locations, Ica/Pisco and another Metro Lima Temple are two of five locations I have down for Peru.
Craig H
I do have a hope that if they do create new stakes in Kananga that will allow for a situation where a temple will be announced for Luputa this year.
On the other hand I would also be overjoyed if Kananga and Mbuji-Maye had ground breaking this year.
FYI, for any BYU alumni here. The Salt Lake Tribune just reported from an original article from The Moscow Times, that Brigham Young University is no an "undesirable" organization. And can't operate in country, and anyone affiliated with it can be imprisoned.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/brigham-young-university-is-now-on-russia-s-undesirable-list-why/ar-AA1G8XJ4?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=db2d2ae467f340f9b1b6534753d4b997&ei=11
In other news, the Church News recently reported, the President of Mongolia has awarded a LDS woman for her Humanitarian and Community Service.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2025/06/05/tuvshinjargal-gombo-mongolia-polar-star-medal-service-ger/
Awesome
Wonder if that includes Pathway.
Casanare Colombia District 2298023 created recently
FYI the district was organized Sunday, May 25th, 2025. It was just updated this week on the Meetinghouse site.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2298023
Since BYU Pathway International is technically a different organization than BYU, as are BYU-Idaho and BYU-Hawaii, the designation of BYU as an undesirable organization should not have any impact on the other 3. However often people do not operate based on technical rules.
I wonder how close the Elk Ridge Utah Stake, with 14 congregations, is to splitting? With the minimum requirement of 5 Wards, in theory it could split 3 ways (3 x 5 = 15).
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/387169
Although, I have no idea in how many Members in each Unit. So it may not qualify in that regard to split 2 or 3 ways.
Just wanted to follow up with a comment I made earlier about the church "catching up" with their temple annoucnemnts. I realized after posting that I had never actually looked at the data to see if this was true if the church was announcing temples faster than units (stakes/districts) were being organized (I used this number as opposed to membership since I figured it was the most reliable and simplist number to indicate the active membership of the church that would actually warrent temple announcments). I can share the entire spreadsheet I created if anyone is interested but essentially what I found is in 1981 (the furthest back I could go where the church included the number of districts in the annual statistical report along with the number of stakes) is the church had about 50 units per temple announced (1663 stakes/districts, 33 temples announced). Over time this ratio gradually shrunk and by the end of 2016, shortly before President Nelson took office, the church was at a ratio of 22 units per temple announced (3822 units, 173 temples). President Nelson then spurred a temple boom and by the end of 2024, the ratio of units per temples announced was 11 (4102 units, 367 temples). So indeed, we are catching up, and I have no idea what the "ideal" ratio will be that the church slows down announcements at, especially because that ratio is a global average and thus areas will vary in their local ratios. However, assuming the church were to aim for a ratio of 7 units per temple announced (what my local area has currently and seems to be doing well), assuming an average increase of 45 units and 35 temple announcements a year, a global ratio of 7 will be accomplished by 2031. Looking ahead, assuming the same average growth each year, the church would announce its 1000th temple in 2043, and its 2000th temple (in refrence to that quote from Brigham Young I mentioned in the previous post) in 2071. Finally, it looks like at the assumed rate above, the church would struggle to get lower than, or even reach, 2 units per temple (the smallest temple dsitricts we currently have in the church), as it would take 6 years to go from 6 to 5, 10 years to go from 5 to 4, and 21 years to go from 4 to 3. I really have to extend the data a ways to get it to get to 2 units but if you are curious, it estimates hitting 2 units 76 years after hitting 3, in the year 2148.
Just having some fun with numbers, and while the they are interesting, I don't take anything past the 2030's prediction as accurate or likely to be the outcome as the church and world will have changed so much by even then. Thansk for your time reading this if you did.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just donated $2 towards a Hurricane response logistical center on Barbados to serve the Caribbean region. The world food program donated $2.3 million, so this donation was a major part of the cost.
The Church was represented at the opening by Elder Claude Gamiette, an area seventy from France. OK, he is from the French department of Guadaloupe. This is like saying Sister Sikehema was born in the US. It is true, but since she was born in Haaaii, to an ethnically Hawaiian mother and a white mainland father, it somewhat obscures more than it reveals.
Elder Gamiette was previously mission president over the mission he lives in. Sort of like how Elder Brown one of the newly called general authorities was called as mission president over Jamaica while resident in Jamaica.
In searching for more info on Elder Gamiette I came across this. https://music.byu.edu/news/byu-outreach-choir about the BYU Outreach choir performing in Martinique. I did not know this choir existed. It is made up of select members of BYU Singers and the BYU concert choir.
What I found most interesting was the Caribbean Area partially funded this tour. Which caused me to ask two questions. 1. Is this funding of this tour by the Caribbean Area counted in the annual church reported education spending. My guess is no. If I am right on the first question I wonder if there are other expenditures by the Church that support BYU that do not get reported in the reported education figure.
The Church News just published an article on the man who translated the dedicatory payer by Elder Rasband as he gave it at the Abijan Ivory Coast Temple into French. He is a native of Ivory Coast who served as a missionary in DR Congo.
He is now a counselor in the Abijan Ivory Coast East Mission Presidency. When the temple was announced back in 2015 he was a student at BYU Hawaii and a temple worker in the Laie Hawaii Temple. Until the early 1990s almost no BYU Hawaii students were temple workers. Under President and Sister Hanneman the decision was made to rearrange things for lots of BYU Hawaii Temple workers would be temple workers. This is kry to temples now spreading worldwide.
President Hannrman was the first full-time employee of the Polynesian Cultural Center. He was a native of Samoa, although he lived in California for several years before he came to Hawaii, about 20. He had also been a missionary in Hawaii. Sister Hanneman was born Carolyn Lorine Harline. She was a white eoman from Southern California, although by the time she became temple matron she had lived in Hawaii about 35 years.
No new stake created by Elder Gong in Germany today, but I do believe the time for it will eventually come. I found it very encouraging to see many friends of the Church at our multi-stake conference today, perhaps as many as a couple hundred across the four stakes that were invited. Our local missionaries here had two friends with them who are being taught and progressing well; the missionaries from Darmstadt sitting in front of us had I think 7 or 8. Very few of the companionships I saw were sitting alone. Especially for areas farther from Wiesbaden, it's likely that not nearly everyone who is being taught and progressing attended the conference, so this was likely the "tip of the iceberg."
Even though we had a baptism in our ward last week as well, I feel like being in a ward that covers mainly three Frankfurt suburbs where the Church has been very prominent and visible for nearly half a century now, we don't get to see this type of progress locally much. But in many other parts of Germany (and presumably the Europe Central Area based on what Miro shared a little while ago), the acceleration of the growth of the Church is very tangible.
I wonder what the trend would be for units per square foot of temple for the same time frame. Not just units per temple.
As far as usable temple space: I wonder if the closer of all of the cafeterias in several temples a couple years ago will allow for the renovation of them into more ordinance space such as second baptistries or additional instruction/endowment rooms or sealing rooms. Has anyone heard anything about what will happen to that space?
The new stake in Missouri is called the Shoal Creek Missouri Stake.
https://www.libertymissouristakenews.org/lmsn_07_2025/new-shoal-creek-missouri-stake-created-two-new-stake-presidencies/
Interestingly, the article says additional stakes are expected to be created in the region in the upcoming months. Perhaps the Independence Missouri and Kansas City Missouri stakes will split to create a new stake between them?
Portland Maine Stake was also created this weekend past. Would think a Maine temple is sooner than later.
In Toronto, they removed the cafeteria and expanded the baptistry. It won't likely lead to more baptisms or confirmations, it is just a lot more comfortable
I'm kind of surprised the 2 Hooper stakes weren't assigned to the Syracuse temple district. Makes me wonder if another temple is in the works for north of Syracuse.
Both Independence & KC stakes have a Stake Conference Nov. 8-9, so this seems plausible.
I had predicted the 2 Hooper Stakes, plus the 5 Roy Stakes on my 23 Stake list for Syracuse.
As anticipated, the Lehi Utah Coldsprings Ranch stake was divided today by Elder Brian K. Taylor of the Seventy. The new stake is called the Lehi Utah Hardman Farms Stake and consists of the Hardman Farms 1st through 6th wards, with the Coldsprings Ranch stake retaining the other units. No new wards were created as part of the split.
Hi Nancy - I did not receive any confirmation of a new stake created in Grand Junction today. Do you have information about it?
Based on the adjusted districts, it seems like a temple can be placed in West Haven without taking from the existing Syracuse district. That's at least 12 stakes west of I-15, and another 3 going further north (I anticipate a temple announced for Pleasant View, which likely would take these 3 instead). Riverdale is a bit iffy, guess it depends on where it might actually go, so that's easily 12-16 stakes for a West Haven temple.
-Farr West Utah Poplar Stake
-Farr West Utah Stake
-Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake
-Hooper Utah Stake
-Kanesville Utah Stake
-Ogden Utah Weber North Stake
-Ogden Utah West Stake
-Plain City Utah Stake
-Riverdale Utah Stake??
-Roy Utah Midland Stake
-Roy Utah North Stake
-Roy Utah South Stake
-Roy Utah Stake
-Roy Utah West Stake
-West Haven Utah North Stake
-West Haven Utah Stake
Could also very well opt for a temple in Roy (which could easily take 3-4 stakes from Syracuse), but logistically, does not seem likely how I'm seeing it.
Wirh the Syracuse Temple 200 temples have been dedicated during President Nelson's lifetime.
Mapping Mormonism has 4 graphs on temples. One has the total number. This is from 2014.
They also graph members bumper temples. This hit an all time high in 1980, abd had inched just slightly up since 2000. It peaked at 250,000, and was basically at 100,000. This is members per dedicated temple. It was at 86,680 at year end 2024. In the 1988-2000 time frame it was cut in half.
They also graph average distance from each stake to the nearest temple. Is that from stake centers? It peaked in 1975 at 550 miles. Was down below 200 miles by 1985, then went back up to over 200 before coming down to 100 in 2000.
The last graph is average temple size. That peaked at 100,000 square feet in 1980. It was mainly at around 60,000 square feet from then to 2000 when it hit 40,000 square feet. With the average being that size I suspect it has gone down or stayed the same.
With a Portland Stake I think both Maine and New Hampshire getting temples is more likely. Unless Portlqnd Maine gets the temple, but I have doubts that is the most likely location. I think further east in Maine would make more sense, probably Augusta, but that would still make a New Hampshire temple likely.
There are 21 units currently in the Independence and KC Stakes.
Portland Maine Stake wasn't on my bingo card. But an Augusta Maine Temple will be for October 2025.
My best guess would be the creation of a Blue Springs Stake - taking the Blue Springs 2nd, Owens, and Blue Mills Wards from Independence and Blue Springs 1st, Grain Valley, and Fleming Park Wards from Kansas City.
I'm fascinated to see that the Syracuse Temple district comprises just 16 stakes, despite the fact that it's a relatively large temple and the first completed with two baptistries. That seems to be a reflection both of how many youth there are in the district, and also the extraordinary, unsustainable demand that has been placed on the Ogden, Bountiful, and (more recently) Layton baptistries.
Syracuse's district being relatively small also makes me agree with others on this thread that another temple in the Ogden area seems a lot more likely than I would have thought. I could see one being built out to the west, or perhaps in the north in Pleasant View or North Ogden.
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/news-for-temples-chihuahua-mexico-buenos-aires-city-center-argentina
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2025/06/09/chihuahua-mexico-temple-site-rendering-released-first-presidency/
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2025/06/breaking-temple-news.html
No Church News report yet on Argentina's newest rendering, and the Church of Jesus Christ Temples page for the Chihuahua temple is currently down My thanks once again to you all.
My in-laws live in Syracuse, about two blocks east of the temple. My father-in-law was pretty recently released from the high council where his main responsibility was to oversee missionary work in the stake. He mentioned that quite a few wards' geographic areas consist entirely of fully active member families. The only "holdout" family in their own ward was baptized a couple of years ago. There are a bit fewer members east of 2000 W in the older neighborhoods of Syracuse and west Layton.
Secondly, the whole area is growing extremely fast especially towards the lake, rivaled in Utah only by Lehi/American Fork. There will be many more stakes created in this area while the temple is standing.
I would not be surprised if two more temples are announced for Weber County fairly soon. I strongly suspect Weber County, maybe West Haven, will have a temple announced in October.
The Church News just ran an article on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cooperating with Zaman in the Detroit area. Zaman mainly functions in Dearborn. When we did the winter clothing distribution Zaman collected all the leftover clothes.
The article does not say a few things that I think it should. The person they quote the most, Rachel Cannon, grew up in Farmington Hills, not Detroit. Those of us who really live in the city know the difference. I actually one semester at BYU had 3 classes with her sister.
The bigger oddity in the article is the other Latter-day Saint from metro Detroit thry also quote is Greg Geiger. Denise Geiger is in the picture but not quoted. Denise and Greg are husband and wife. Thry both have coordinating council callings. What the article foes not mention is that Cannon is their daughter. They really could have and should have mentioned that.
I should have proof read my last post. What I meant to say is "Denise and Greg and wife and husband (I should parallel names). They both have coordinating council callings. What the article does not mention is that Cannon is their daughter. Mentioning that is the article would have added depth." Although it might make people think the Chur h is metro Detroit is smaller than it is. The coordinating council has 6 stakes.
The Buenos Aires City Center Temple looks a lot like Manhattan. It also has some similarities to Bangkok. Although Bangkok has more spires that look different.
It looks like they have still not told us how big Buenos Aires City Center Temple will be. I am suspecting that it will be bigger than Chihuahua even though on a plot of land not even half the size.
I meant "Denise and Greg are" I really need to check my typing better.
In an interview at the Syracuse Utah Temple Elder Cook mentioned he would not be surprised to see more bsptisteies in more temples.
It was mentioned that the existing Baptiste in Toronto was expanded in the renovation.
In the Detroit Temple we could use the baptistry more if we had more searing. 16 youth barely fit on the existing seats, so when you have that many the adults will often sit on the other side by the confirmation room. If we had more space it would be easier to have a second group start closer to the first group, especially if you have a large ward that does not all fit at once. You can fit 20, but that is really pushing it. It is also getting close to our capacity.
Last summer for some youth conference groups we brought in more clothes with extra racks. We also had two sets of coordinators of the Baptiste. One focused only on getting the clothes to the youth, the other oversaw everything else.
@Jonathon F.
A few years ago (when I was living in Ogden), the then Ogden Temple President told us that they were so swamped with patrons that they were begging Salt Lake for a second baptistry.
I just realized the 2nd Syracuse baptistry may have been in response to that request (with hopefully more to come).
You can go to https://www.cumorah.com/countries/viewStats/Australia . For Canada and the UK, you would have to add up the Provinces/countries
For communities that have multiple stakes. I think the church tends to avoid the minimum size when splitting. So my guess is that it would split in two with maybe a third later.
With the Bangor Maine Stake (12 Congregations), having their Stake Conference yesterday, June 7th-8th. I wonder if with the organization of the new Portland Maine Stake, if some of the units went to Augusta Maine Stake in the realignment?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/518247
Bangor Ward
Belfast Branch
Brewer Ward
Dover Branch
Ellsworth Ward
Farmington Ward
Lincoln Branch
Machias Branch
Newport Branch
Rockport Branch
Skowhegan Ward
Waterville Ward
Does anyone know if the previously reported 3rd Grand Junction Colorado Stake was organized yesterday? I see Matt has removed it from the sidebar list. Was i just imagining that someone reported it was planned to be organized 06/07-06/08?
Yes, 4 units were transferred from Bangor to Augusta.
Also 2 units from Canada were transferred to Bangor.
Bangor Maine Stake (4 Wards, 5 Branches) • Bangor Ward • Brewer Ward • Ellsworth Ward • Caribou Ward (from New Brunswick Stake) • Dover Branch • Lincoln Branch • Machais Branch • Newport Branch • Houlton Branch (from New Brunswick Stake)
Augusta Maine Stake (5 Wards, 3 Branches) • Auburn Ward • Farmingdale Ward • Winthrop Ward • Damariscotta Branch • Farmington Ward (from Bangor Stake) • Waterville Ward (from Bangor Stake) • Belfast Branch (from Bangor Stake) • Rockport Branch (from Bangor Stake)
Portland Maine Stake (7 Wards, 1 Branches) • Cornish Ward • Oxford Ward • Portland Ward • Saco Ward • Topsham Ward • Windham Ward • Yarmouth Ward • Casco Bay YSA Branch
Chris, I believe it was organized. There is now a Fruita Colorado Stake appearing under the Monticello Temple District on the churchofjesuschristtemples website. Matt previously removed it because he didn't get confirmation of the stake being organized (there is also nothing on facebook), but it looks like it has indeed been organized.
The Fruita Colorado Stake also shows up on the meetinghouse locator now. It has six wards, and the Grand Junction West Stake retained 7 wards.
Also, the Eagle Pass Texas District (617652) became the Amistad Texas Stake (617652) on June 8th.
Fruita Colorado Stake (2295555) - 8 June 2025
- Adobe Creek Ward (372641)
- Aspen Ward (2286475)
- Highline Ward (164879)
- Monument Ward (157937)
- Rimrock Ward (562394)
- Salt Wash Ward (34681)
Assigned Mission: Colorado Denver South Mission (2013908)
Assigned Temple: Monticello Utah Temple (791075)
Shoal Creek Missouri Stake (2295547) - 8 June 2025
- New Mark Ward (275026)
- North Kansas City Ward (87467)
- Oak Grove Ward (260355)
- Platte Woods Ward (157961)
- San Rafael Branch (Spanish) (2271117)
- Smithville Lake Ward (2047543)
- Tiffany Springs Ward (2024888)
Assigned Mission: Missouri Independence Mission (2011506)
Assigned Temple: Kansas City Missouri Temple (1016032)
Amistad Texas Stake (617652) - 8 June 2025 (created from Eagle Pass Texas District)
- Carrizo Springs Branch (2238454)
- Cotulla Branch (2238446)
- Del Rio 1st Branch (39543)
- Del Rio 3rd Branch (Spanish) (415952)
- Del Rio Texas FamilySearch Center (3340171)
- Eagle Pass Branch (37567)
- Hondo Ward (171778) 8 Jun 2025 Active
- Uvalde Branch (41610)
Assigned Mission: Texas San Antonio Mission (2013630)
Assigned Temple: San Antonio Texas Temple (380253)
Lehi Utah Hardman Farms Stake (2298341) - 8 June 2025
- Hardman Farms 1st Ward (2237911)
- Hardman Farms 2nd Ward (2130211)
- Hardman Farms 3rd Ward (2164760)
- Hardman Farms 4th Ward (2144352)
- Hardman Farms 5th Ward (2237946)
- Hardman Farms 6th Ward (2292823)
Assigned Mission: Utah Saratoga Springs Mission (2245833)
Assigned Temple: Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (2101661)
For those history buffs, the Exeter New Hampshire Stake was originally called the Portland Maine Stake when it was organized on September 6th, 1981. I'm unsure what date it was renamed the Exeter Stake.
https://www.thechurchnews.com/2010/2/2/23228894/united-states-information-new-hampshire/
I have a question: in December of last year, when the new Canada Area was announced, the news release stated that the area headquarters would be in Toronto, Ontario:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/canada-area
But when the area leadership assignments were announced in April, the Church News PDF page indicated that the Canada Area HQ would be in Calgary, Alberta:
https://media.deseret.com/media/misc/pdf/church-news/general/2025-04-14-Area-Presidencies.pdf
Similarly, when the Europe Areas were realigned a couple of years ago, I thought I had heard that the Europe North Area HQ was in Birmingham England, but the 2025 area leadership assignments indicate that the Europe North Area HQ is in London, England. Can any of you confirm or clarify the HQ cities for the Canada and Europe North Areas? Thanks.
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-announces-2022-area-leadership-assignments
StephenB, It appears that the Skowhegan Ward (43745), in the above mentioned Bangor Stake, was discontinued in the process?
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/meetinghouses/5003938-01-01
James, if this helps clarify. The Meetinghouse locator site lists the Europe North Area Offices in High Wycombe, England.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/area/790176
With the Marker near the High Wycombe Ward Meetinghouse, to the Northwest of London.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/wards/69051
Personally, I don't have any data on the soon to be organized on/or before August 1st, 2025, of the new Canada Area Offices. until it gets added to the Meetinghouse site also. Whether in the previously announced Toronto or the the more recent post you mentioned of Calgary, Alberta for the offices.
Matt, when you next update your Stake and Districts list. Don't forget to add the new Casanare Colombia District (2298023), that was organized sunday, May 25th.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2298023
Which seems to be named for the Casanare Department, just east of Bogotá.
I'm not seeing the Palmira Colombia Stake or the Portland Maine Stake in the church units KML download available on Rick's temple website, but I do see all the other new stakes created this past weekend there. Does anyone know how often those data sets get updated?
Personally, I'm surprised the branches were not just added to the neighboring Villavicencio Colombia District on the main road just to the south. To give Villavicencio a chance to become a stake with added units/members.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/608572
Usually the Meetinghouse lists get updated late monday night or early Tuesday morning following the Sunday changes lately. I saw last night Rick updated his Temples site from the available CDOL changes made already yesterday afternoon.
Too be fair, last weeks update on the Meetinghouse site of the new Yaounde Cameroon Stake that was reported on the Newsroom and other sites. Didn't get updated until thursday or friday on the map. So the delay could be in the local units reporting the changes in the CDOL registry this week for the Palmira/Tulua Districts, and the Portland Maine Stake still reported on the map as part of the Augusta Stake this morning.
There are now 7 Districts in the US and Canada, not including the Correctional Facilities:
Newfoundland and Labrador District (Canada Montreal Mission)
- Corner Brook Branch
- St John's Branch
Wendover Utah District (Utah Salt Lake City West Mission)
- Ibapah Branch
- Montello Branch
- Wendover Branch
Fort Stockton Texas District (Texas El Paso Mission)
- Alpine Branch
- Fort Stockton Branch
- Monahans Branch
- Pecos Branch
Potsdam New York District (New York Syracuse Mission)
- Malone Branch
- Ogdensburg Branch
- Plattsburgh Branch
- Potsdam Branch
Québec City District (Canada Montreal Mission)
- Chicoutimi Branch
- Lévis Branch
- Québec Branch
- Saint-Laurent Branch
- Victoriaville Branch
Kingston Ontario District (Canada Toronto Mission)
- Belleville Branch
- Brockville Branch
- Kingston Branch
- Napanee Branch
- Smith Falls Branch
- Trenton Branch
Traverse City Michigan District (Michigan Lansing Mission)
- Alpena Branch
- Cadillac Branch
- Cheboygan Branch
- Gaylord Branch
- Grayling Branch
- Houghton Lake Branch
- Kalkaska Branch
- Manistee Branch
- Petoskey Branch
- Sault Ste Marie 2nd Branch
- Traverse City Branch
The Traverse City, Kingston, and Québec City Districts appear the most likely to become Stakes in the near future.
I still don't know why the Wendover Utah District needs to exist for just 3 branches. You got Grantsville Utah to the west and Elko Nevada to the east, both of which are not much more than an hour away. Similar distances exist across many other stakes.
That's Grantsville to the east & Elko to the west.
Here is the answer, technically it's both. The Canada Newsroom article about the Canada Area Presidency being called states that the Area Office will be in Calgary, with some area functions administered from in or near Toronto.
https://news-ca.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-canada-area-presidency-announced
FYI, if anyone can use this link. I have compiled a list of about 14,000 +/- Wards and Branches in the current 6 United States and Canada Areas, from the Stake/District and Mission Lists on the Meetinghouse Locator site, over the last several Weeks. I just have about 2 or 3 thousand left to add in the Utah Area over the coming days. In comparison to a partial 2018 list i found. With the 2018 names and Changes up to 2025 in the last column. I also started adding the Names of the Maps on Matt's International Atlas where each may be found on his maps by State/Province and by regions if split into smaller maps.
https://1drv.ms/x/c/1db9589a4503c3cf/EWdxD5H2kDFOokBbZ0nVc7ABeYAhYMK1fbma3l8nYIh4tw?e=HTFe0M
I hope this is useful to some in their semiannual Temple Predictions. I will as time permits add the remaining Stakes and Districts and Missions for Utah Area. And then in August, I will split off the Stakes and Districts of Canada to it's own area as the list is posted publicly.
I completely agree. To me, it seems like Elko would be more intuitive than Grantsville for the outlying two branches in the district but I'm not familiar enough to assess road conditions (especially in the winter).
Does anyone have a list of Stakes in the US that currently have less than 5 Wards? At the top of my head I only know of Owego New York and now Bangor Maine after the realignment. Duluth Minnesota had 4, but now has 5 after the last realignment transfered Thunder Bay to Winnipeg East.
There aren't a lot, but there are definitely a few. Some that I know of:
Holbrook Arizona Stake - 3 wards, 3 branches
Tuba City Arizona Stake - 3 wards, 3 branches
Page Arizona Stake - 4 wards, 5 branches
Payson Arizona Stake - 4 wards, 5 branches
Chinle Arizona Stake - 4 wards, 5 branches
Tempe Arizona Stake - 4 wards
Napa California Stake - 4 wards, 2 branches
San Rafael California Stake - 4 wards, 2 branches
Eureka California Stake - 4 wards, 2 branches
Sioux City Iowa Stake - 4 wards, 5 branches
There may be a few more as well. Why there are so many in Arizona, I don't know. I suspect a couple, particularly the Napa California, San Rafael California, and Tempe South Stake will be consolidated at some point in the near future. The others are relatively rural and maintain a fair number of branches, so I don't necessarily think they will be consolidated.
What I meant to say is that new leaders have been called for the Chile Porto Montr Mission:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2025/06/10/new-chile-puerto-montt-mission-leaders-2025/
My thanks once again to you all.
Ohhappydane33: If Wendover wasn't a district the branches would be overseen by the Mission or one of bordering stakes. Wendover is remote geographically and since there is likely the leadership quality & quantity available to administer a district, that make sense at least for now. Leadership availability, remoteness, impact on mission leadership, and future growth/shrinkage all factors, among others.
I totally agree, Ohhappydane33. When you see geographically massive stakes like in Europe, Texas, and the Dakotas, it does not make sense why Wendover is a district. In fact, it used to be 1-2 wards before it was made into a district in 1998.
If Traverse City were to become a stake getting a temple in Midland Michigan might become a bigger possibility.
The moving of the two units into the Nangor Stake seems to be in preparation for the creation of the Canada area.
I am now hopeful that New Hampshire and Maine will get temples announced soon. I also have hope for Mississippi and West Virginia.
That would leave just Delaware, Rhode Island and Vermont. Unless there is a decision to try to get a temple in every state, I am not sure any of those 3 would get temples anytime soon.
I was trying to see if the new stake in Texas makes it possible to get a temple in that area. It looks not that likely. My guess is the next two temples in Texas will be northwest Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, maybe Alliance and also Longview Texas.
However since I only got at most two of the 15 temples right in April I am not all that good at such predictions.
Other Matt here...
Wendover used to have 3 branches, (2 English and a 1 Spanish branch) . Perhaps when Wendover gets back to 3+ branches, a stake can formed.
Wendover and West Wendover have a population of just over 5,500, the majority living in West Wendover. I am unsure what percent are members of the Church, but I do know that it is a significant portion. There are likely enough members within the District boundary to form a small Stake, but not enough to form 5 Wards at this time (which is a requirement), given the geographic distance between the Branches outside of Wendover. West Wendover's population has also been relatively stagnant for the past few decades, while Wendover's has been declining.
Napa and San Rafael do seem pretty likely contenders for the next consolidations in California. Arizona does seem to have quite a few Stakes with less than 5 Wards. The Tempe South Stake could probably be spared consolidation by taking a Ward from the Tempe or Tempe West Stakes There are plenty of members in Tempe to allow for 4 Stakes, but the YSA Stake does take quite a bit from the 3 parent Stakes.
I am also aware that both Stakes in Saskatchewan have less than 5 Wards. They are also unlikely to be consolidated, because they each have a significant number of Branches.
I grew up in the 60s 70s and 80s in San Antonio Texas. Never ever in my wildest dreams what I have ever thought that I’d be alive when they’d make a stake out in the Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Caruso Springs, and Uvalde areas. Yet I knew of some very, very faithful members that would travel for hours to state conferences in San Antonio or to dances and all other activities. I am so thrilled for the Amistad Texas Stake. And yet I notice it has six branches and one ward. Del Rio used to have three wards so maybe they’ll make them wards again but even still to make a stake with that many branches and only one ward gives me the feeling that the church might be more open to creating stakes where there are many branches whose total collective membership can support themselves as a stake in spite of the fact that individual units may not be a ward. With Piedras Negras across the border in Mexico, there might be eventually enough membership for a small temple kind of like the Guam temple in that area. Boy am I excited about this!!!!!!!
Several other branches will likely be upgraded to wards in the coming weeks.
I don't know the specifics of the Wendover area, but I would tend to agree. There are definite benefits of being part of a stake over a district, so I am surprised something like that isn't happening with those distances. I have lived in 2 fairly large geographic stakes (Lubbock North TX and Lawton OK) that span huge areas. Lubbock drive time from east to west was over 5 hours. Similarly Lawton is probably 4-5 hours north to south.
The Hondo Ward was taken from another Stake. My guess is the 3 Eagle Pass Branches and the Uvalde Branch (current stake offices location) were upgraded into wards. It will likely take at least a week for this to be updated online. The boundaries for the Bangor Maine Stake still haven't been corrected.
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