New Temples Announced in October 2024 - Part I: Outside of the United States

Juchitán de Zaragoza Mexico Temple

The Juchitán de Zaragoza Mexico Temple will be the Church's 26th temple in Mexico and second temple in Oaxaca State. Previously dedicated or announced temples include the Mexico City Mexico Temple (dedicated in 1983), the Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple (dedicated in 1999), the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Oaxaca Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Tampico Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Villahermosa Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Mérida Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Veracruz Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Guadalajara Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2001), the Monterrey Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2002), the Tijuana Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2015), the Puebla Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2024), the Querétaro Mexico Temple (announced in April 2021), the Torreón Mexico Temple (announced in April 2021), the Culiacán Mexico Temple (announced in October 2021), the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple (announced in April 2022), the Mexico City Benemérito Mexico Temple (announced in April 2022), the Cuernavaca Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), the Pachuca Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), the Toluca Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), the Tula Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), the Cancún México Temple (announced October 2023), and the Chihuahua Mexico Temple (announced April 2024). The new temple in Juchitán de Zaragoza will likely have a small district consisting of three stakes and four districts in southeastern Oaxaca State. Thus, the temple will likely be a small temple given few stakes and districts in the area which are nonetheless far distant from the nearest temples in Oaxaca and Tuxtla Gutiérrez. The Church discontinued many congregations in the Juchitán area in 2017 to create wards that had larger numbers of active members. There are currently 230 stakes, 44 districts, and 34 missions in Mexico. There were 1,876 official congregations in Mexico as of year-end 2023. Church membership in Mexico is at 1.52 million, although membership growth rates have been very slow in recent years. Moreover, member activity rates in Mexico are low overall at approximately 20%. 

This location was classified as a less likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Santa Ana El Salvador Temple

The Santa Ana El Salvador Temple will be the Church's second temple in El Salvador following the dedication of the San Salvador El Salvador Temple in 2011. The new temple will likely service nine stakes in extreme western El Salvador - all of which are assigned to the San Salvador El Salvador Temple. There are four stakes in Santa Ana which were organized in 1979, 1980, 2009, and 2017. The Church has experienced essentially stagnant growth in El Salvador as a whole for many years in regard to membership growth, albeit there were two new stakes created in western El Salvador in 2017 and some branches have matured into wards within the past 5-10 years. The new temple is likely to be a small- to medium-sized temple. 

This location was classified as a less likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Medellín Colombia Temple

The Medellín Colombia Temple will be the Church's fourth temple in Colombia following the Bogotá Colombia Temple (dedicated in 1999), the Barranquilla Colombia Temple (dedicated in 2018), and the Cali Colombia Temple (announced in April 2021). The new temple will likely be a small temple that services four stakes and one district - all of which are assigned to the Bogotá Colombia Temple. There are three stakes in Medellín which were organized in 1988, 1996, and 2023. The Colombia Medellín Mission was organized in 2012. The Church in Colombia has experienced slow growth for many years. As of year-end 2023, there were 215,331 Latter-day Saints, 256 official congregations, 31 stakes, 10 districts, and five missions.

This location was classified as a less likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Santiago Dominican Republic Temple

The Santiago Dominican Republic Temple will be the Church's second temple in the Dominican Republic following the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple (dedicated in 2000). The new temple will likely be a small- to medium-sized temple and service seven stakes and three districts in northern Dominican Republic - all of which are assigned to the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple. Steady growth has occurred in the past couple decades in the area, and two new stakes have been organized since 2010. With approximately 150,000 Latter-day Saints, the Dominican Republic was the country with the most members with only one temple prior to today's announcement.

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Puerto Montt Chile Temple

The Puerto Montt Chile Temple will be the Church's sixth temple in Chile following the Santiago Chile Temple (dedicated in 1983), the Concepción Chile Temple (dedicated in 2018), the Antofagasta Chile Temple (announced in 2019), the Santiago Chile West Temple (announced in October 2021), and the Viña del Mar Chile (announced in October 2023). The new temple will likely be a small temple and service seven stakes and three districts in extreme southern Chile. The area is currently serviced by the Concepción Chile Temple. The Church recently organized a new stake in the Puerto Montt area (Puerto Varas) in March of 2024, and a few branches have become wards recently in the area. However, this region of Chile has historically had little to no growth in the number of congregations for decades. There are currently 79 stakes, 10 districts, and 11 missions in Chile. 

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Dublin Ireland Temple

The Dublin Ireland Temple will be the Church's first temple in Ireland. The Church reported 4,076 members as of year-end 2023. There is one stake in Dublin (organized in 1995) and one stake in Belfast, Northern Ireland (organized in 1974) which appear likely to comprise the new temple district. Currently, the two stakes are assigned to the Preston England Temple (dedicated in 1998). Thus, the new temple will likely be a small temple. The Church used to operate a mission in Dublin, Ireland which closed and was consolidated with the mission in Scotland in 2010. Stagnant membership growth has occurred for most years in Ireland in the past couple decades, although there have been a couple years that have had significant growth during this time. The Church recently discontinued the Limerick Ireland District and consolidated it with the Dublin Ireland Stake. There are now six wards and six branches in Ireland. There are seven wards and three branches in Northern Ireland.

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Milan Italy Temple

The Milan Italy Temple will be the Church's second temple in Italy following the Rome Italy Temple in 2019. Milan has historically been what appeared to be a more likely location to have a temple announced in Italy before the Rome Italy Temple given there are more stakes in northern Italy than southern Italy and that some of the stakes in northern Italy have operated for more than a decade longer than in southern Italy. Currently, northern Italy is assigned to the Rome Italy Temple. The new temple will likely service 5-6 stakes in northern Italy. The new temple will likely be a small- to medium-sized temple. Milan is the only city in northern Italy that has two stakes (which were organized in 1981 and 2012). Membership growth rates in Italy have been low for many years. There were 28,409 members, 10 stakes, 94 official congregations, and two missions in Italy as of year-end 2023. Italy has undergone a significant transformation in the past 15-20 years from mostly comprising branches and districts to being mostly made up of wards and stakes.

This location was classified as a less likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Abuja Nigeria Temple

The Abuja Nigeria Temple will be the Church's sixth temple in Nigeria following the Aba Nigeria Temple (dedicated in 2005), the Lagos Nigeria Temple (announced in 2018), the Benin City Nigeria Temple (announced in 2020), the Eket Nigeria Temple (announced in October 2022), and the Calabar Nigeria Temple (announced in October 2023). As I noted when the Calabar Nigeria Temple was announced, the Church has never announced so many new temples in a country with only one dedicated temple since Mexico had at one point nine temples announced in February 1999 before a second temple was dedicated in March 1999 (which was the Colonia Juarez Mexico Temple). The new temple in Abuja will likely be a small temple and service four stakes (three of which are in Abuja) and three districts in central Nigeria - all of which are assigned to the Aba Nigeria Temple. The first stake in Abuja was organized in 2012 followed by additional stakes in 2016 and 2019. The Church has grown rapidly in central Nigeria within the past decade after decades of slow or stagnant growth. Just a few weeks ago, the Church created its first stake in Jos where a district had operated for more than 30 years. Prospects appear favorable for more stakes to be created in central Nigeria in the foreseeable future, particularly in Makurdi and Gboko, although 1-2 additional stakes appear likely to be created in Abuja within the next few years. The creation of the Nigeria Abuja Mission in 2023 also is likely to significantly accelerate growth in vast areas of Nigeria inhabited by approximately 100 million people where most do not live near an official Latter-day Saint congregation (although it is unlikely that much expansion will occur in the far northern states that are staunchly Muslim and follow Sharia law). Even with today's announcement, prospects appear favorable for more temple announcements in Nigeria in the coming years. Some likely candidates include:

• Enugu (5 stakes, 4 districts)
• Ibadan (8 stakes, 1 district)
  
• Port Harcourt (9 stakes, 2 districts)
  
• Umuahia (6 stakes, 1 district)
  
• Uyo (6 stakes)
• Warri (2 stakes)

The Church reported 232,654 members 810 congregations in Nigeria as of year-end 2023. There are currently 76 stakes, 13 districts, and 11 missions in Nigeria.

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Kampala Uganda Temple

The Kampala Uganda Temple will be the first temple to be built in Uganda. Prior to today's announcement, Uganda was the country with the most Latter-day Saints without a temple per 2023 figures (22,138 members). Stakes and districts in Uganda are assigned to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, although Uganda will likely be reassigned to the Nairobi Kenya Temple once it is completed. There are three stakes and three districts in Uganda. There are two stakes in Kampala which were organized in 2010 and 2017. The new temple will likely service members in Uganda, Ethiopia, and perhaps Burundi and Rwanda - the latter two have recently experienced unprecedented growth. The temple will likely be a small temple. Prospects appear favorable for accelerated growth in Uganda given the Uganda Kampala Mission now only services the countries of Uganda and South Sudan. In the past year, the Church has organized many new branches in cities and towns in Uganda that have never had a branch, including in Bukomero, Buwenge, Bweyale, Kalisizo, Kibale, Mbarara, and Soroti.

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

Maputo Mozambique Temple

The Maputo Mozambique Temple will be the Church's second temple in Mozambique following the announcement of the Beira Mozambique Temple in April of 2021. The new temple will likely be a small temple and service the three stakes in Maputo as well as two districts (one in Mozambique and one in Eswatini). As I noted in the post regarding today's announcement, this marks the first time the Church has announced two temples in a country that previously has not had any temples (although there was a time in the United States after the destruction of the Nauvoo Temple and before the dedication of the first temples in Utah when temples were announced in Utah that were not completed yet). The temple in Beira remains in the planning stages. Church growth rates in Mozambique have been among the most rapid in the world and have been concentrated in Beira (which now has four stakes) and Maputo. The Church created its first two stakes in Mozambique in 2015. Additional stakes were created in Maputo in 2019 and 2023. There are now eight stakes and two districts in the country - all of which are assigned to the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. Church membership increased by 34.1% during 2023 to 24,733. There are now 75 official congregations in Mozambique.

This location was classified as a more likely location to have a temple announced on my most recent temple prediction map.

17 New Temples Announced

Today, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson, announced plans to construct temples in the following 17 locations:

• Juchitán de Zaragoza, Mexico
• Santa Ana, El Salvador
• Medellín, Colombia
• Santiago, Dominican Republic
• Puerto Montt, Chile
• Dublin, Ireland
• Milan, Italy
• Abuja, Nigeria   
• Kampala, Uganda
• Maputo, Mozambique
• Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
• Queen Creek, Arizona
• El Paso, Texas
• Huntsville, Alabama
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Summit, New Jersey
  Price, Utah
  

With today's announcement, there will now be 367 temples that are planned or dedicated. I will provide an analysis of each temple announcement in the coming days. Today's announcement marks the first time the Church has announced a temple in a country where a temple has previously been announced but not completed yet (Mozambique). Also, temples in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Summit, New Jersey, will be the Church's first temples to be built in these states. Finally, temples in Dublin, Ireland, and Kampala, Uganda, will be the Church's first temples in these nations.

List of Countries with the Most Latter-day Saints with One Temple

Below is a list of countries with the most members with only one temple planned or dedicated:

1. Dominican Republic

• 149,655 members
• 22 stakes, 9 districts
• 203 congregations (146 wards, 57 branches)
• Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple (dedicated in 2000)
  

2. El Salvador

• 129,963 members
• 22 stakes
• 155 congregations (127 wards, 28 branches)
• San Salvador El Salvador Temple (dedicated in 2011)
  

3.  Uruguay

• 108,060 members
• 18 stakes, 2 districts
  
• 130 congregations (97 wards, 33 branches)
• Montevideo Uruguay Temple (dedicated in 2001)
  

4.  Nicaragua

• 101,907 members
• 12 stakes, 4 districts
• 109 congregations (71 wards, 38 branches)
• Managua Nicaragua Temple (under construction, announced in 2018)
  

5.  Paraguay

• 100,121 members
• 11 stakes, 9 districts
• 133 congregations (62 wards, 71 branches)
• Asunción Paraguay Temple (dedicated in 2002)
  

6. Cote d'Ivoire

• 63,058 members
• 20 stakes, 12 districts
  
• 262 congregations (154 wards, 108 branches)
• Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple (under construction, announced in 2015)
  

7.  Panama

• 61,980 members
• 7 stakes, 4 districts
• 75 congregations (43 wards, 32 branches)
• Panama City Panama Temple (dedicated in 2008)
  

8.  Costa Rica

• 54,473 members
• 10 stakes, 1 district
• 80 congregations (60 wards, 20 branches)
• San José Costa Rica Temple (dedicated in 2000)
  

9.  Portugal

• 47,916 members
• 7 stakes, 1 district
• 62 congregations (41 wards, 21 branches)
• Lisbon Portugal Temple (dedicated in 2019)
  

 10.  Zimbabwe

• 41,262 members
• 9 stakes, 1 district
• 100 congregations (63 wards, 37 branches)
• Harare Zimbabwe Temple (under construction, announced in 2016)
  

Some observations about this list.

First, several of these countries appear highly likely to have a second temple announced in the immediate future, including the Dominican Republic (Santiago), El Salvador (Santa Ana), and Cote d'Ivoire (Yamoussoukro). However, most other countries do not appear likely to have a second temple announced for the foreseeable future due to low member activity rates and membership and stakes clustered in the city where a temple already operates, such as in Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Nevertheless, Zimbabwe (Bulawayo), Portugal (Porto), and Uruguay (a city in central or northern Uruguay) are countries with a moderate likelihood of a second temple announcement.

Second, there are major discrepancies in member activity rates among this list of countries with the most members with only one temple, although most of these countries have very low member activity rates. This is well illustrated by significant differences in the number of stakes and congregations between countries with similarly-sized memberships. For example, the Church in Cote d'Ivoire has 63,058 members organized into 262 congregations, 20 stakes, and 12 districts, whereas the Church in Panama has 61,980 members organized into 75 congregations, 7 stakes, and 4 districts. Countries with higher activity rates are more likely to have a second temple announced before countries with a lower member activity rate. 

Third, the top 10 countries with the most members with only one temple tended to have their first temple dedicated either in the early 2000s or announced/dedicated in the late 2010s. This has correlated with periods of an increase in temple construction.

Fourth, most of these countries (seven) are located in Latin America.

New Stakes Created in Mexico (2), the Philippines (2), Angola, Argentina, California, Chile, Colombia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Utah; Stakes Discontinued in California and Utah; New Districts Created in the Dominican Republic and Mozambique; District Discontinued in Argentina, Serbia, and Slovenia

This is a massive blog post on many new stakes organized. Please let me know if you notice any errors or if I missed any stake/district creations/closures in 2023.

Mexico

Two new stakes were organized in Mexico.

The Los Tuxtla Mexico Stake was organized from the Los Tuxtla Mexico District on November 12th. The district was originally created in 1982. The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Isla, Lerdo de Tejada, San Andrés Jardín, San Andrés Mirador, and the Sihuapans, and the Baxcaxbaltepec, Catemaco, and Juan Rodriguez Clara Branches. The new stake was the Church's second new stake organized in Mexico in 2023. 

The Monterrey Mexico Lincoln Stake was organized on December 3rd from the Monterrey México Valle Verde Stake and the Monterrey México Mitras Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Fraile, Los Parques, Modelo, San Bernabé 1st, San Bernabé 2nd, and Villas del Poniente Wards. The Church discontinued the Monterrey México Morelos Stake in 2018 which is nearby the newly organized Monterrey Mexico Lincoln Stake.

There are now 230 stakes and 44 districts in Mexico.

The Philippines

Two new stakes were created in the Philippines - both of which were organized from districts on December 3rd.

The Aguilar Philippines Stake was organized from the Aguilar Philippines District (organized in 2001). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Aguilar 1st, Aguilar 2nd, Bugallon, Mangatarem, and Urbiztondo Wards and the Bantocaling Branch. There are now eight stakes in the surrounding areas of the soon-to-be-dedicated Urdaneta Philippines Temple.

After decades of preparation and work, the Toledo Philippines District was finally organized as a district. Organized in 1990 as a district, the Toledo Philippines Stake is the Church's first stake on the western side of Cebu Island. The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Aloguinsan, Balamban 1st, Balamban 2nd, Toledo 1st, and Toledo 2nd Wards, and the Lamac, Lutopan, and Tutay-Pinamungahan Branches. There are now seven stakes and one district on Cebu Island.

There are now 128 stakes and 53 districts in the Philippines.

Argentina

The Church organized a new stake in Argentina. The Corrientes Argentina Stake was organized from the Corrientes Argentina District (organized in 1991) and the Goya Argentina District (organized in 1993). The Goya Argentina District was discontinued when the new stake in Corrientes was organized. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Armenia, Costanera, Goya, Laguna Seca, and Mendoza Al Sur Wards and the Bella Vista Branch. Of the five wards in the new stake, four are located in the city of Corrientes. Also, the two branches in the city of Goya were consolidated into one congregation which was reorganized as the Goya Ward.

There are now 79 stakes and 25 districts in Argentina.

Angola

The Viana Angola Stake was organized from the Luanda Angola Stake (organized in 2018). The new stake includes the following six wards and two branches: the Cacuaco, Kilamba, Terra Nova, Viana, Vila Pacifica, and Zango Wards and the Cazenga and Luanda Sul Branches. The Viana Angola Stake previously operated as a district from 2016 until 2018 when it merged with the Luanda Angola District to create the first stake in Angola. The Church announced the Luanda Angola Temple in October 2023.

There are now two stakes and one district in Angola. Within the past 2 years, many additional cities have had the first branches organized, including Benguela, Caála, Kuito, Malanje, and Menongue. Also, two new wards and two new branches were organized in the Luanda metropolitan area when the Viana Angola Stake as organized.

California

A new stake was organized in California. The Temecula California North Stake was organized on December 3rd from a division of the Temecula California Stake (organized in 2003). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Chaparral, French Valley, La Paz Ward (Spanish), Lake Skinner, Meadowview, Rancho California, and Temecula YSA Wards. The new stake was the Church's second new stake created in California in 2023. 

The Church discontinued one stake in California in 2023. The El Centro California Imperial Valley Stake (organized in 1980) was discontinued. The stake had only three wards and one branch when it was discontinued, although for many years the stake had four wards and one branch. Thus, the closure of the stake has been long overdue due to few congregations in the stake. There were only two wards and two branches from the El Centro area that remained when the stake was closed, and these units were reassigned to the El Cajon California Stake. 

There are now 147 stakes in California.

Chile

A new stake was created in Chile. The Colina Chile Stake was organized on from the Colina Chile District (organized in 1994). The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Batuco, Colina, Lampa, San Martin, and Valle Grande Wards and the Isla Juan Fernández and Til-Til Branches. It does not appear that the Colina Chile District ever previously operated as a stake, as none of the previously discontinued stakes in Chile appeared to include cities and towns within the boundaries of the current Colina Chile Stake. 

There are now 78 stakes and 11 districts in Chile. The new Colina Chile Stake was the fourth new stake organized in Chile in 2023 - the most new stakes created in Chile since 1998.

Colombia

A new stake was organized in Colombia on December 10th. The Medellin Colombia Centro Stake was organized from a division of the Medellin Colombia Stake (organized in 1988) and the Medellin Colombia Belen Stake (organized in 1996). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Belén, Buenos Aires, El Prado, Floresta, and Villa Hermosa Wards. The new stake is the first new stake organized in Colombia since 2019.

There are now 31 stakes and 10 districts in Colombia.

Mozambique 

A new stake was organized in Mozambique on November 19th. The Zimpeto Mozambique Stake was organized from a division of the Maputo Mozambique Stake (organized in 2015) and the Matola Mozambique Stake (organized in 2019). The new stake includes the following six wards and two branches: the CMC, Circular, Magoanine, Matendene, T-3, and Zimpeto Wards and the Boquisso and Marracuene Branches. There are now three stakes in the Maputo metropolitan area. Five new wards and four new branches were organized in the Maputo area when the new stake was organized, including two wards that were organized from member groups (Boane and Catembe). Also, two branches were reorganized into wards (Beluluane and Circular). 

The Church also organized a new district in Mozambique on November 12th. The Maxixe Mozambique District was organized from three mission branches, and one new branch was also organized when the district was created for a total of four branches in the new district. These branches include the Expansão, Homoine, Inhambane, and Maxixe Branches. The Church organized a branch in Maxixe in 2013, and the first branches were organized in Homoine and Inhambane in 2022. It appears likely that additional districts will be organized in Mozambique in the foreseeable future in Tete and Xai-Xai.

There are now seven stakes and two districts in Mozambique.

Nigeria

The Church organized a new stake in Nigeria. The Ondo Nigeria Stake was organized from the Ondo Nigeria District (organized in 2015). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Adeyemi College Road 1st, Adeyemi College Road 2nd, Ondo 1st, Ondo 2nd, Yaba 1st, and Yaba 2nd Wards. The creation of the new stake stands as a major accomplishment given the few congregations in the area, the relatively recent growth of the Church in Ondo, and the Church having previously operated a district in Akure (discontinued in 2009 and reinstated in 2018) that once included two branches in Ondo.

There are now 71 stakes and 14 districts in Nigeria.

Sierra Leone

A new stake was organized in Sierra Leone on December 10th. The Freetown Sierra Leone Hill Station Stake was organized from a division of the Sierra Leone Freetown Stake (organized in 2012) and the Freetown Sierra Leone East Stake (organized in 2017). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Hill Station 1st, Hill Station 2nd, Mount Aureol, Tengbeh Town, and Wilberforce Wards and the Regent Branch. There are now six stakes in the Freetown metropolitan area - all of which have been organized since 2012. 

There are now 10 stakes and two districts in Sierra Leone.

Utah

A new stake was organized in Utah on December 10th. The South Weber Utah Pioneer Stake was organized from a division of the South Weber Utah Stake (organized in 1988). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Pioneer, South Weber 1st, South Weber 7th, South Weber 8th, South Weber 9th, and South Weber 10th Wards and the Canyon Meadows Branch. 

A stake was discontinued in Utah. The Midvale Utah East Stake (organized in 1968) was discontinued and had five wards in the stake before its closure. It appears that three of the five wards were discontinued. Retained wards were reassigned to the Midvale Utah Union Fort Stake (which now has six wards).

There were 633 stakes and two districts in Utah as of year-end 2023. 2023 was the year with the most stakes ever discontinued in Utah (seven). Nevertheless, there was a net increase of four stakes for Utah in 2023, as there were 11 new stakes organized during the year. Moreover, two new stakes have been organized in Utah in January 2024 which I will report on in another post.

Dominican Republic

The Church reinstated a previously discontinued district in the Dominican Republic on November 5th. The Monte Plata Dominican Republic District was reinstated (originally discontinued in 2010) and includes the following four branches: the Bayaguana, Gonzalo, Monte Plata, and Sabana Grande de Boyá Branches. These branches have been reassigned to one of the stakes in Santo Domingo or directly to the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission.

There are now 22 stakes and nine districts in the Dominican Republic.

Serbia and Slovenia

The Church discontinued the Beograd Serbia District (organized in 1992) and the Ljubljana Slovenia District (organized in 1992) in late 2023. None of the branches in either Serbia or Slovenia were discontinued when these districts were discontinued. All branches were reassigned to the Adriatic North District (which used to be the Zagreb Croatia District). There are now 13 branches in the realigned district which covers the entire Adriatic North Mission, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Extremely slow membership growth has occurred in the former Yugoslavia for many years. The decision to have all branches in a single district was likely made to help consolidate extremely limited leadership manpower in the area. Altogether, the combined membership of these countries as of year-end 2022 was 1,548, with most members living in Croatia and Slovenia. Thus, the region is unlikely to become a stake for many years or decades given current growth trends.

36 New Missions to be Created in 2024 Analysis: Latin America

This post provides an analysis of new missions to be created in Latin America in 2024, as announced by the Church on November 1st. 

All new missions to be organized in Latin America in 2024 are new missions that have never previously operated. The Church in Latin America has experienced steady growth in the number of missions with only rare instances when a mission has been discontinued. The number of missions in Latin America has increased from 64 as of year-end 1989 to 103 in 1999, 108 in 2009, 150 in 2019, and 152 at present. There will be 161 missions when the nine new missions are organized in 2024.

ARGENTINA TUCUMAN

The Argentina Tucumán Mission will be created from a division of the Argentina Salta Mission (organized in 1988) and possibly also part of the Argentina Cordoba Mission (organized in 1962). The new mission will probably include four stakes and one district located in Tucumán, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, and La Rioja Provinces which have a combined population of 3.6 million. There are two stakes in Tucumán that were organized in 1980 and 1994. Provinces likely to be assigned to the new mission have some of the lowest estimated percentages of Latter-day Saints in Argentina (less than 1% of the population). Stagnant congregational growth has occurred in the Tucumán area for many years. Slow membership growth has occurred in Argentina for many years, and annual membership growth rates have been less than 1% for several consecutive years now. As of year-end 2022, the Church reported 474,985 Latter-day Saints and 78 stakes in Argentina. There will be 14 missions in Argentina once the new mission is organized. The Church has only once ever discontinued a mission in Argentina, which was the Argentina Posadas Mission (operated from 2013 until 2019). When the new mission is organized next year, the average Argentine mission will have 3.3 million people within its geographical boundaries.

BOLIVIA COCHABAMBA SOUTH

The Bolivia Cochabamba Mission will be created from the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission (organized in 1977) and possibly the Bolivia La Paz El Alto Mission (organized in 2015). There are currently seven stakes in Cochabamba which were organized in 1979, 1984, 1993, 1995, 2012, and 2017 (2). The new mission will likely include multiple stakes in Cochabamba as well as stakes and districts in southern Bolivia, such in Tarija (two stakes organized in 1996 and 2016), Sucre (organized in 1996), and Potosí (organized in 1995), and three districts in Bermejo, Tupiza, and Yacuiba. It is unclear whether the stake in Oruro (organized in 1980) and the district in Llallagua may be reassigned to one of the missions in Cochabamba. The new Bolivia Cochabamba South Mission will be the Church's sixth mission in Bolivia, and each of the three largest metropolitan areas in Bolivia will have two missions. The average mission will have 2.1 million people once the new mission is organized. Annual membership growth rates in Bolivia have typically ranged from 1.5-2.5% in the past decade. Slow congregational growth has occurred in the Bolivia Cochabamba Mission for many years. There were 221,030 Latter-day Saints and 33 stakes in Bolivia as of year-end 2022.

BRAZIL MANAUS SOUTH

The Brazil Manaus South Mission will be the Church's 37th mission in Brazil. One of the most highly anticipated new missions to be organized, the new mission will be organized from a division of the massive Brazil Manaus Mission (organized in 1990) which at present has 12 stakes and one district. The mission currently has approximately seven million people within its geographical boundaries. Thus, the new mission will likely include approximately 3.5 million people, half of the nine stakes in Manaus, and stakes in Porto Velho (organized in 1996) and Rio Branco (organized in 1995). The first stake was organized in Manaus in 1988 followed by additional stakes in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2012. The Church in Brazil has been the country with the second most missions (after the United States) for many years. Once the new mission is organized, the average Brazilian mission will have 5.8 million people within its geographical boundaries. The newest missions to have been organized in Brazil after 2013 include the Brazil Rio de Janeiro South Mission (organized in 2018) and the Brazil Recife South Mission (2020). Annual membership growth rates have slowed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil to approximately 1% a year. Stagnant congregational growth has occur in Manaus for many years. There are nearly 1.5 million Latter-day Saints, 285 stakes, and 39 districts in in Brazil.

CHILE LA SERENA

The Chile La Serena Mission will be the Church's 11th mission in Chile. The new mission will be organized from a division of the Chile Viña del Mar Mission (organized in 1979) and the Chile Antofagasta Mission (organized in 1988). The new mission will likely include three stakes and three districts in northern Chile. There are two stakes in the La Serena area which were organized in 1988 and 2014 (the latter of which was first organized in 1993 but was discontinued in 2002). The new mission was likely organized to reduce long distances to travel for mission leadership and missionaries in northern Chile. Essentially stagnant growth has occurred for the Church in northern Chile for decades. With the creation of the new mission, the average mission in Chile will have 1.8 million people within its geographical boundaries. The Church most recently organized a new mission in Chile in 2013 (Chile Santiago South). Annual membership growth rates in Chile have typically ranged from 0-1% for the past 20 years. The Church reported 604,302 members and 572 congregations as of year-end 2022. There are currently 77 stakes and 12 districts in Chile.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SANTO DOMINGO NORTH

The Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North Stake will be the Church's fourth mission in the Dominican Republic following the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo West Mission (organized in 1981), the Dominican Republic Santiago Mission (organized in 1987), and the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission (organized in 1991). The average mission in the Dominican Republic will now have 2.8 million people within its geographical boundaries. There are 14 stakes in the greater Santo Domingo area. The two missions headquartered in Santo Domingo currently administer six districts and one stake in the southern Dominican Republic. The new mission will probably include 4-6 stakes in northern Santo Domingo as well as one district just north of Santo Domingo that was recently reinstated (Monte Plata). Moreover, the new mission may also include one or two districts currently assigned to the southern Dominican Republic Santiago Mission (Bonao and Cotuí). As of year-end 2022, the Church reported 147,566 Latter-day Saints, 22 stakes, and 8 districts in the Dominican Republic. Slow membership growth has occurred for most years in the past couple decades in the Dominican Republic, especially since 2020. The Church most recently created a stake in Santo Domingo in 2019.

ECUADOR QUITO WEST

The Ecuador Quito West Mission will be the Church's seven mission in Ecuador following the Ecuador Quito Mission (organized in 1970), the Ecuador Guayaquil South Mission (organized in 1979), the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission (organized in 1991), the Ecuador Guayaquil West Mission (organized in 2013), the Quito Ecuador North Mission (organized in 2013), and the Ecuador Guayaquil East Mission (organized in 2020). The new mission will likely be created from a division of the two missions in Quito. There are currently eight stakes in Quito which were organized in 1979, 1981, 1995, 1998 (2), 2009, 2013, and 2017. Currently, the two missions headquartered in Quito service a total of 15 stakes in northern Ecuador. Thus, it is likely that the new Quito Ecuador West Mission will include approximately five stakes - two of which would be outside of Quito in Esmeraldas (a stake which is about to divide) and Santo Domingo. The Church has also expanded into the rain forest interior of northeastern Ecuador in the past couple decades, such as in cities like Coco, Nuevo Loja, and Shushufindi. The average mission in Ecuador will now have 2.6 million people within its geographical boundaries. The Church reported 261,767 members as of year-end 2022, and there are currently 44 stakes and 4 districts. Annual membership growth rates in Ecuador have been approximately two percent for many years.

MEXICO MEXICALI

The Mexico Mexicali Mission will be organized from the Mexico Tijuana Mission (organized in 1990) and perhaps also the Mexico Hermosillo Mission (organized in 1960). There are two stakes in Mexicali which were organized in 1977 and 1987. The new mission will likely also include the San Luis Río Colorado Mexico Stake (organized in 2009). Some districts in the northern portion of the Mexico Hermosillo Mission may be also included in the new mission. The Church in Mexicali has experienced stagnant congregational growth for decades, and it ranks as the Mexico-United States border town within Mexico that has arguably experienced the slowest growth of any city in this region notwithstanding its significant population (854,000 people as of 2020).

MEXICO PUEBLA EAST

The Mexico Puebla East Mission will be organized from a division of the Mexico Puebla South Mission (organized in 1988) and the Mexico Puebla North Mission (organized in 2012). Four new stakes and one new district have been organized within the combined areas of the two Puebla missions since the second Puebla mission was organized. There are currently nine stakes in Puebla, three in Nealticán, two in the Tlaxcala area, and one stake each in Atlixco and Tehuacán. The new mission will likely include 5-6 stakes and 1-2 districts.

With the creation of the two new missions in Mexico, there will be a total of 34 missions in Mexico, thereby resulting in the number of missions tying the previous all-time high for the most missions that have ever operated in Mexico (which was 34 from 2013 until 2018 when the Church discontinued the Mexico Ciudad Obregon Mission [organized in 2013] and the Mexico Reynosa Mission [organized in 2013]). The average mission in Mexico will have 3.8 million people within its geographical boundaries once the two new missions are organized. The Church in Mexico has reported very slow membership growth for many years. There were 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in Mexico as of year-end 2022. There are currently 229 stakes and 44 districts in Mexico.

PERU LIMA NORTHEAST

The Peru Lima Northeast Mission will be the Church's 15th mission in Peru and the seventh mission in Lima. Other mission headquartered in Lima include the Peru Lima South Mission (organized in 1959), the Peru Lima North Mission (organized in 1977), the Peru Lima East Mission (organized in 1988), the Peru Lima Central Mission (organized in 1994), the Peru Lima West Mission (organized in 2010), and the Peru Lima Limatambo Mission (organized in 2019). There are 49 stakes in the greater Lima metropolitan area - more stakes than any other metropolitan area in the world outside of Utah. The Church most recently organized new stakes in Lima in 2019. The six missions in Lima currently service a total of 55 stakes, suggesting that each of the Lima missions will have 7-8 stakes once the seventh mission is organized. The average mission in Peru will now have 2.3 million people within its geographical boundaries. Annual membership growth rates have typically ranged from 1-4% within the past 20 years. The Church reported 630,099 members as of year-end 2022. There are currently 115 stakes and 17 districts in Peru.

36 New Missions to be Created in 2024

Today, the Church announced plans to organize 36 new missions in 2024 due to a significant increase in the number of Latter-day Saints serving full-time missions. New missions that are scheduled to open in on July 1st, 2024, include:

• Argentina Tucumán
• Bolivia Cochabamba South
• Brazil Manaus South
• California Modesto
• Cambodia Phnom Penh East
• Chile La Serena
• Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa South
• Democratic Republic of the Congo Kolwezi
• Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North
• Ecuador Quito West
• Florida Tallahassee
• Germany Hamburg
• Ghana Accra North
• Ghana Takoradi
• Japan Sendai
• Kenya Nairobi East
• Madagascar Antananarivo North
• México Mexicali
• México Puebla East
• Montana Missoula
• Nevada Henderson
• Nigeria Calabar
• Nigeria Port Harcourt North
• Perú Lima Northeast
• Philippines Dumaguete
• Philippines General Santos
• Philippines Tuguegarao
• Portugal Porto
• Sierra Leone Bo
• South Carolina Charleston
• Texas Dallas South
• Texas El Paso
• Thailand Bangkok East
• Utah Salt Lake City East
• Utah Saratoga Springs
• Utah Spanish Fork

This is a major announcement that indicates confidence that the Church has placed on these increased numbers of members serving full-time missions being sustained for years to come. I will provide analysis on these new missions in the coming days. With these changes, there will be 450 missions in the Church - the most ever in the history of the Church. Also, the Church reported that there are now more than 72,000 full-time missionaries serving (of whom nearly 5,300 are senior missionaries).

New Stakes Created in Utah (3), Oklahoma (2), Peru (2), the Dominican Republic, the DR Congo, Ecuador, Idaho, Mozambique, North Carolina, Togo, and Washington; New District Created in the DR Congo; Stakes Discontinued in Utah (4), Florida (2), England, and Oregon; Districts Discontinued in Russia (3), Romania (2), Australia, Belarus, and Fiji

Utah

There new stakes were created and four stakes were discontinued in Utah.

The Lehi Utah Cold Spring Ranch was created on March 19th from the Lehi Utah Holbrook Farms Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Cold Spring Ranch 1st, the Cold Spring Ranch 2nd, the Evans Farm, the Hardman Farms, the Holbrook Farms 2nd, and the Holbrook Farms 3rd Wards. There are now 20 stakes in Lehi.

The Eagle Mountain Utah Porter's Crossing was created on April 16th from the Eagle Mountain Utah East Stake. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Brookhaven, the Chilton Park, the Kiowa Valley, the Liberty Farms, the Porter’s Crossing, the Ranches Parkway 2nd (Spanish), the Skyline Ridge, and the South Pass Wards. There are now 10 stakes in Eagle Mountain.

The West Haven Utah North Stake was created on May 21st from the Ogden Utah West Stake and the West Haven Utah Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Riverbend, the Wilson 2nd, the Wilson 3rd, the Wilson 4th, and the Wilson 5th Wards and the Park (Care Center) and Water Tower (Correctional Facility) Branches.

The Salt Lake Foothill Stake (organized in 1957) was discontinued. The stake had five wards and one branch prior to its closure. One of the five wards was discontinued, and the retained congregations were reassigned to the Salt Lake Hillside Stake (renamed Salt Lake Wasatch Stake).

The Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake (organized in 1978) was discontinued which had six wards and one branch prior to its closure. Three wards closed as part of the stake consolidation. Retained units were reassigned to the Cottonwood Heights Utah Brighton Stake, Salt Lake Butler West Stake, and the Salt Lake Cottonwood Stake.

The Sandy Utah Crescent Park Stake (organized in 1987) was discontinued which had six wards and one branch prior to its closure. Two wards closed when the stake was discontinued. All retained congreations were reassigned to the Sandy Utah Crescent North Stake (which was renamed to Sandy Utah Dimple Dell Stake).

The Kearns Utah Western Hills Stake (organized in 1981) was discontinued. The stake had five wards prior to its closure, and none of the wards were discontinued. Wards in the former stake were reassigned to the Kearns Utah Stake and the Kearns Utah Central Stake.

There are now 628 stakes and 2 districts in Utah.

Oklahoma

Two new stakes were created in Oklahoma on May 7th. 

The Gore Oklahoma Stake was organized from the Broken Arrow Oklahoma Stake (organized in 1978) and the Fort Smith Arkansas Stake (organized in 1978). The new stake is essentially a reinstatement of the Muskogee Oklahoma Stake which operated from 1983 until 1991 and which is the only stake to have ever been discontinued in Oklahoma. The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Gore, Henryetta, McAlester, Muskogee, and Sallisaw Wards and the Eufaula, Poteau, and Talihina Branches.

The Owasso Oklahoma Stake was organized from the Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake (organized in 2014) and the Broken Arrow Oklahoma Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Claremore, Elm Creek, Lake Valley, Pryor, and Ranch Creek Wards and the Skiatook Branch. There are now three stakes in the Tulsa area

There are now 11 stakes in Oklahoma.

Peru

Two new stakes were created in Peru.

The Trujillo Perú Jerusalén Stake was organized on April 30th from a division of the Trujillo Perú Esperanza Stake (organized in 1998). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Arévalo, the El Milagro, the Jerusalén, the Los Robles, and the Nuevo Trujillo Wards. The new stake marks the first time since 1998 when a stake was organized in the city (there were three stakes created that year in Trujillo). There are now eight stakes in Trujillo.

The Iquitos Perú San Juan Stake was organized on May 21st from a division of the Iquitos Perú Nueve de Octubre Stake (organized in 1995). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Avianca, Los Delfines, San Juan, Santa Clara, and Secada Wards and the Nauta Branch. There are now four stakes in Iquitos. The Church previously operated five stakes in Iquitos from 1995 until 1998 when two of the five stakes were discontinued (Iquitos Peru Mi Peru and Iquitos Peru Sachachorro - both of which did not operate in the area of the new stake in Iquitos but instead functioned in central and northern areas of the city). A temple was announced for Iquitos in April 2023.

There are now 115 stakes and 17 districts in Peru.

Dominican Republic 

A new stake was created in the Dominican Republic. The La Vega Dominican Republic Stake was created from the La Vega Dominican Republic District and a portion of the Santiago Dominican Republic East Stake on December 18th, 2022. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Conani, Jarabacoa, La Espanola, Los Framboyanes, Moca, and Primavera Wards. The new stake is actually a reinstated stake, as a stake previously operated in La Vega from 1998 until 2009 when it was discontinued and divided into three districts (La Vega, Bonao, and Cotuí). With seven stakes in the Santiago area now, the region appears likely to have a temple announced given distance to Santo Domingo.

There are now 22 stakes and 8 districts in the Dominican Republic.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

A new stake and a new district were created in the DR Congo. The Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake was organized from the Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo District on March 12th. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Kabanda, Kabidimba, Mboka, Ngandajika, and Tshioji Wards and the Kalubanda and Kasonji Branches. The original district in Ngandajika was created in 2016, and the first branch in the city was organized in 2008. 

The Kisangani Democratic Republic of the Congo District was created on April 1st. All six branches in the city that previously reported directly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo East Mission now pertain to the new district, including the Kabondo, Kisangani, Lubunga, Makiso, Mangobo, and Tshopo Branches. The Church created its first branch in Kisangani in 2015.

There are now 27 stakes and 3 districts in the DR Congo.

Ecuador

A new stake was created in Ecuador. The Riobamba Ecuador Stake was created from the Riobamba Ecuador District on May 21st. All five branches in the former district (organized in 1992) became wards in the new stake, including the Bellavista, the Guaranda, the La Joya, the La Primavera, and the Los Álamos Wards. The area has appeared to have been preparing for some time to become a stake, as evidenced by the discontinuation of the short-lived Guaranda Ecuador District which operated from 2016-2019 with only two branches (which were merged into a single branch). 

There are now 44 stakes and 4 districts in Ecuador.

Idaho

A new stake was created in Idaho on March 26th. The Caldwell Idaho Snake River Stake was created from a division of the Caldwell Idaho Stake and the Caldwell Idaho East Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards and one branch: the Caldwell 16th, the Caldwell 4th, the Caldwell 6th, the Homedale 1st, the Homedale 2nd, the Marsing 1st, and the Marsing 2nd Wards and the Jordan Valley Branch. There are now three stakes in the Caldwell area.

There are now 138 stakes in Idaho.

Mozambique

A new stake was created in Mozambique on May 14th. The Beira Mozambique Munhava Stake was organized from a division of the Beira Mozambique Stake and the Beira Mozambique Manga Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Mananga, Manga Loforte, Maraza 1st, Mascarenha, Munhava, and Pioneiros Wards, and the Maraza 2nd  Branch. The new stake was primarily made from the Beira Mozambique Stake which had 145 men sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood at the time of the conference. Moreover, the Church organized two new wards and one new branch when the new stake was created - all located within the newly organized stake. There are now three stakes in Beira (the two previous stakes were created in 2015 and 2017). A temple was announced for Beira in 2021. 

There are now six stakes and one district in Mozambique.

North Carolina

The Church organized a new stake in North Carolina on March 19th. The Wake Forest North Carolina Stake was organized from a division of the Raleigh North Carolina Stake and the Raleigh North Carolina South Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards and two branches: the Falls Lake, Franklinton, Henderson, Knightdale 1st, Wake Forest 1st, Wake Forest 2nd, and Zebulon Wards and the Creedmoor and Knightdale 2nd  Branches. 

There are now 20 stakes in North Carolina.

Togo

A new stake was created in Togo on May 7th. The Lomé Togo Agoe Stake was created from a division of the Lomé Togo Be Stake (organized in 2013), the Lomé Togo Tokoin Stake (organized in 2017), and a mission branch (Tsevie). The new stake includes the following three wards and five branches: Agoe Nyive, the Apedokoe, and Kélegougan Wards, and the Adetikope, the Adidogome, the Djagble, the Sanguéra, and the Tsevie Branches. It is highly likely that not all branches that have become wards have been updated in the Church's meetinghouse locator or the advancement of more branches into wards will occur in the immediate future (similar to what was seen in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this year when a third stake was also created in that city). 

There are now three stakes in Togo.

Washington

A new stake was created in Washington on February 26th. The Richland Washington South Stake was created from the Kennewick Washington Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Badger Canyon, the Badger Mountain, the Grandridge, the Meadow Springs, the Rancho Reata, the Temple Meadow, and the Willowbrook Wards. There are now seven stakes in the Richland area.

There are now 60 stakes in Washington.

Florida

Two stakes were discontinued in Florida in May. The Fort Lauderdale Florida Stake (organized in 1970) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Coral Springs Florida Stake (organized in 1994) and the Miami Lakes Florida Stake (organized in 1998). The Miami Florida South Stake (organized in 1992) was combined with the Miami Florida Stake (organized in 2015). The Church in South Florida originally had four stakes between 2008 until 2014 when the Boynton Beach Florida Stake was organized followed by the Miami Florida Stake in 2015 (there were five stakes between 1998 and 2008 until the Spanish-speaking stake was discontinued in 2008). Each of the stakes had few congregations after the creation of these two stakes, and consequently, it appears that the Church has sought to strengthen the stakes by essentially reverting back to having only four stakes again in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area. 

There are now 32 stakes in Florida.

England

The Church discontinued a stake in the London area in May. The Watford England Stake (organized in 1996) was discontinued and congregations in the stake were reassigned to the St Albans England Stake, the Thames Valley England Stake (was previously called the Reading England Stake), and the London England Hyde Park Stake. Local members report plans to discontinue two additional stakes in the area by mid-2023 in order to reduce the leadership burden on a small number of active members in the area. This marks the first time the Church in Europe has ever gone through a significant redistricting of stakes on this scale. Thus far, there have not been any significant consolidation of congregations, however. The Church in the United Kingdom has experienced steady decline in the number of congregations for decades, and these changes are unsurprising given this trajectory and efforts to create stakes with larger numbers of congregations with more active members than historical averages. The discontinuation of the Watford England Stake marks the second time a stake has been discontinued in the United Kingdom.

There are now 43 stakes in the United Kingdom.

Oregon 

A stake was discontinued in Oregon. The Milwaukie Oregon Stake (organized in 1979) was discontinued. Three of the five wards in the stake also closed, and the retained units were reassigned to the Oregon City Stake and the Portland Oregon Stake. The Church in the more central areas of Portland has experienced a rapid decline during the past decade. There has only been one other instance of a stake being discontinued in Oregon, and this was the Portland Oregon East Stake in 2015. 

There are now 34 stakes in Oregon.

Russia

The Church discontinued three districts in Russia, including the Samara Russia District (organized in 2015 but previously operated and was reinstated in 2015), the Volgograd Russia District (originally organized in 2002, discontinued in 2013, and reinstated in 2015), and the Vladivostok Russia District (originally organized in 1996, but has gone through periods of being discontinued and reinstated). Branches in the former Samara Russia District and Volgograd Russia District were reassigned to the Saratov Russia Stake, whereas branches in the former Vladivostok Russia District now report directly to the Russia Novosibirsk Mission. The discontinuation of these districts has appeared to be the result of consolidating limited leadership and the closure of many branches in recent years which has accelerated as a result of religious freedom restrictions and the current war in Ukraine. 

There are now three stakes and three districts in Russia. In contrast, there were 3 stakes and 10 districts in 2018.

Romania

The Church consolidated its three districts in Romania into a single district in early 2023. The discontinued districts were the Bucharest Romania District (organized in 1982) and the Cluj-Napoca Romania District (organized in 2009). The Brașov Romania District now has 15 branches. A similar change was made in Poland in 2020 and may signal efforts to try to strengthen local leadership and perhaps create a stake at some point, although only a couple of branches appear large enough to become wards. The Church plans to reinstate the Romania Bucharest Mission (originally organized in 1993) next month after it was discontinued in 2018.

Australia

The Church discontinued the Norwa Australia District (organized in 1992) which has had three branches for many years. One branch closed as part of the changes (Ulladulla) which had only approximately 10 active members as of the mid-2010s. The two retained branches were reassigned to the Canberra Australia Stake which previously had only four wards and one branch (and has had this few units for decades). Moreover, the Norwa Branch was advanced into a ward, resulting in the realigned Canberra Australia Stake having five wards and two branches now. 

There are now 41 stakes and 6 districts in Australia.

Belarus

The Church discontinued the Minsk Belarus District which had two branches prior to its closure. The Vitebsk Branch closed as part of these changes. The Minsk Branch was reassigned to the Moscow Russia Stake and became a ward. There are now no districts in Belarus.

Fiji

The Church discontinued the Korovou Fiji District (organized in 2017) and the five branches in the district were reassigned to the Lautoka Fiji Stake and the Nausori Fiji Stake. No branches were discontinued as part of this district discontinuation.

New Stakes Created in the Philippines (2), Dominican Republic, Florida, Nigeria, and Peru

Dominican Republic
The Church organized a new stake in Santo Domingo on June 9th. The Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Duarte Stake was created from a division of the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic San Geronimo Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Las Esperanza, La Yuca, Los Angeles, Los Girasoles, Pantoja 1st, and Pantoja 2nd Wards. The new stake is the Church's 14th stake in the greater Santo Domingo metropolitan area.

There are now 21 stakes and nine districts in the Dominican Republic.

Florida
The Church organized a new stake in central Florida on June 30th. The Ocala Florida Stake was organized from a division of the Gainesville Florida Stake and the Lessburg Florida Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Belleview, Lecanto, Ocala 1st, Ocala 2nd, and Williston Wards, and the Cross City and Ocala 3rd (Spanish) Branches.

There are now 33 stakes in Florida.

Nigeria
The Church organized a new stake in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) on June 23rd. The Abuja Nigeria Wuse Stake was organized from a division of the Abuja Nigeria South Stake (renamed Abuja Nigeria Lugbe Stake). The new stake includes the following seven wards and three branches: the Asokoro, Jikwoyi, Karu, Masaka, Mpape, Nyanya, and Wuse Wards, and the GRA, New Nyanya, and Orozo Branches. Additionally, the Abuja Nigeria North Stake was realigned with the Abuja Nigeria Lugbe Stake and renamed the Abuja Nigeria Kubwa Stake. The Church has achieved rapid growth in Abuja during the past decade. The original Abuja Nigeria Stake was created in 2012 followed by a second stake in 2016. Stakes in Abuja and the Jos Nigeria District, along with most of northern Nigeria, were recently reassigned from the Nigeria Enugu Mission to the Nigeria Lagos Mission.

There are now 58 stakes and 18 districts in Nigeria.

Perú
The Church organized a new stake in Lima, Perú on June 30th. The Lima Perú Naranjal Stake was organized from a division of the Lima Perú Los Olivos Stake and Lima Perú El Olivar Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Canta Callao, Huandoy, Los Próceres, Márquez, Naranjal, and Oquendo Wards. The Church has organized several new wards in this area of the Lima metropolitan area within the past 1-2 years. The new stake is also nearby the site for the new Lima Perú Los Olivos Temple. There are now 48 stakes in the Lima metropolitan area.

There are now 109 stakes and 18 districts in Peru.

Philippines
The Church organized at least three new stakes in the Philippines.

The Orion Philippines Stake was organized on June 23rd from the Orion Philippines District (organized in 1988). All five branches in the former district were advanced into wards, including the Cabcaben, Limay, Mariveles Bataan, Orion, and Pilar Branches. Local members report that the district worked for at least two years updating membership records and as a result of removing deceased members or the records for members who had moved away, the district has recently qualified to become a stake. More specifically, there must be certain ratios of active, full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders to total membership in each unit (one per less than 25 members). Additionally, two additional congregations will likely be organized soon as a result of recent increases in church attendance and leadership maturation.

The Iriga Philippines Stake was organized on June 23rd from the Iriga Philippines District (organized in 1992). The new stake includes the following five wards, two branches, and two member groups: the Bato, Buhi, Iriga 1st, Iriga 2nd, and Iriga 3rd Wards, the Baao and Cotnogan Branches, and the Ibayugan and Nabua Groups. Also, member reports indicate one additional stake was organized in the Philippines in June albeit it is unclear where this new stake was organized.

With the Orion Philippines Stake and Iriga Philippines Stake, there are now 113 stakes and 64 districts in the Philippines