Updated Country Profile - Bahrain

Click here to access our updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Bahrain - a small island nation in the Persian Gulf with 1.4 million inhabitants. The Church has more than 200 members in Bahrain and has operated a branch in the country since 1971. Membership has nearly doubled since 2009. Bahrain experiences significantly better religious freedom conditions than most countries in the Middle East. As a result, the Church headquarters the Manama Bahrain Stake in the country to service membership in nearby Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The Church is officially registered with the government. There are good opportunities for member-missionary efforts among the non-Muslim population in Bahrain, which numbers approximately 200,000. Furthermore, with increasing numbers of members, it is likely that the Bahrain Branch will advance into a ward in the near future.

New Stakes Created in Bahrain, Nigeria, and Utah

Bahrain
On November 14th, the Church organized its second stake in the Middle East. The Manama Bahrain Stake was organized from the Manama Bahrain District and the Abu Dhabi Stake and includes the following two congregations in non-sensitive countries: the Kuwait Ward and the Bahrain Branch. The new stake likely has four or more wards in Saudi Arabia. The Church does not report the number and location of its congregations in Saudi Arabia due to its sensitive presence in the country. The Church in the Arabian Peninsula has experienced steady membership and congregational growth within the past decade due to Latter-day Saints relocating to the region for employment purposes. The Church originally divided the Abu Dhabi Stake (originally called the Manama Bahrain Stake and before that the Desert Springs Stake) in 2011 to create the Manama Bahrain District.

Nigeria
On November 16th, the Church organized a new stake in the cultural region of southwestern Nigeria known as "Yorubaland." The Abeokuta Nigeria Stake was organized from the Abeokuta Nigeria District and includes the following eight wards: the Ibara, Idi-Aba, Ilewo-Orile, Ita-Oshin, Kuto, Lafenwa, Obantoko, and Odeda Wards. The new stake becomes the Church's second stake to operate within southwestern Nigeria outside of Lagos (the first stake in southwestern Nigeria outside of Lagos was organized in Ibadan last June). The Abeokuta Nigeria District was originally organized in 1993.

There are now 26 stakes and 20 districts in Nigeria.

Utah
On November 16th, the Church organized a new stake in Utah. The Kaysville Utah Deseret Mills Stake was organized from the Kaysville Utah West Stake and includes the following eight wards: the Barnes Park, Burton, Country Mill, Deseret, Francis Peak (Spanish), Kays, Mill Shadow, and Old Mill Wards.

There are now 574 stakes and one district in Utah

New Stakes Organized in Brazil and Utah; New Districts Organized in Bahrain and Honduras

Brazil

A new stake has been created in São Paulo, Brazil.  The São Paulo Brazil Ferreira Stake was organized two weeks ago from the São Paulo Brazil Taboão Stake and includes five wards: Ferreira, Giovanni Gronchi, Jardim das Palmas, Jardim Maria Rosa, and Vila Andrade.  There are now 76 stakes in São Paulo State and 241 stakes in Brazil.  The increase in the number of stakes has been strong in the city of São Paulo in recent years as 11 new stakes have been organized since 2004.

Utah

Two new stakes were recently organized in Utah, the Layton Utah Legacy Stake and the Lehi Utah YSA Stake.  There are now 550 stakes in Utah.

Bahrain

A couple weeks ago the Manama Bahrain Stake was renamed the Abu Dhabi Stake and divided to create the Manama Bahrain District.  The Abu Dhabi Stake includes four wards and two branches in the United Arab Emirates, two wards in Qatar, a branch in in Kuwait, and a branch in Oman whereas the Manama Bahrain District includes the Bahrain Branch and several branches in Saudi Arabia.  Church growth has been consistent in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula as indicated by strong congregational growth rates over the past decade.  Prospects may be forthcoming for a small LDS in the United Arab Emirates due to greater religious freedom and tolerance for Christian groups like Latter-day Saints and sizeable, stabilizing LDS populations in the region. 

Honduras

A new district has been organized in the Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission.  The Valle Verde Honduras District includes at least three branches in the mountainous terrain east of Tegucigalpa which were formerly mission branches (Moroceli, Ojo de Agua, and Villa San Francisco).  There are now 20 stakes and seven districts in Honduras. 

First Stake to be Created in Guam

The First Presidency has approved the creation of the first stake in Guam, which will be known as the Barrigada Guam Stake. Apostle Elder L. Tom Perry will create the stake on the weekend of December 11th and 12th. The Guam District had only four branches until just a year or two ago, when a fifth branch was created. Missionaries report that branches in the district have high church attendance and that the creation of a stake has come after many years of preparation. The Guam District currently consists of four branches on the island of Guam, and one branch in Saipan (which is part of the Northern Mariana Islands).

Guam is the country/territory with the twentieth most Latter-day Saints (1,971) without a stake according to membership totals reported by the LDS Church at the end of 2009. There were 735 members in the Northern Mariana Islands at the end of 2009. Once the stake is created, only one nation will have a stake and fewer Latter-day Saints than Guam, which is Bahrain. The Church bases the stake for wards and branches on the Arabian Peninsula in Bahrain due to greater religious freedom than neighboring countries and its central geographic location. Bahrain had 281 members and one branch at the end of 2009.