Updated Country Profile - Jamaica

Click here to access the updated Reaching the Nations country profile for Jamaica. Many new sources were incorporated into this updated article, including dozens of surveys completed by returned missionaries and local members. The Church in Jamaica has struggled to achieve greater growth since its permanent establishment on the island nearly half a century ago. The Church currently reports more than 6,400 members although no more than 1,500 members appear to attend church regularly. The creation of the first stake in Jamaica in 2014 came after decades of preparation and signals some improvements in leadership development. Also, the first Jamaican to serve as a mission president began his 2013. However, there have not appeared to have been any measurable increases in active membership for the island since the stake was organized. Jamaica has one of the lowest percentages of Latter-day Saints in the population in the Caribbean as one in 465 was nominally a Latter-day Saint in 2017. See below for more information about cultural factors that have stifled growth, and the outlook for future growth.

Returned missionaries consistently report concerns with the over-saturation of churches in Jamaica and public indifference regarding the Latter-day Saint gospel message as many Jamaicans assume The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lacks distinctness from other religious groups. Nevertheless, the Church has experienced a large amount of persecution and prejudice especially in outlying cities and towns. Opposition has been strong enough to necessitate the closure of some cities to missionary work such as Lucea in May 2001. This has caused many Jamaicans to avoid learning about the Church and creates an atmosphere of intolerance. Many smaller communities are religiously divided based on denomination. Secularism has increased in recent years as interest in religious declines in the major cities. Widespread drug abuse and violent crime are major concerns. 

The Church may organized a second stake in Jamaica in the medium term as the Mandeville Jamaica District has several branches that appear to meet the qualifications to become wards. Additional congregations along the northern coast and in the Saint Mary Parish may be organized. Small branches or groups in many of the small towns unreached by current congregations may be created once greater activity and membership growth occurs. Historically low convert retention rates and low member activity rates are consistent barriers to greater real church growth and self-sustainability. Little progress expanding national outreach will likely continue until these issues are resolved. The Church may build a small temple in Kingston once there are multiple stakes in Jamaica due to distance to the nearest temple.

Details on New Stakes in Argentina, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, and the Philippines; New Districts in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Argentina
On June 1st, the Church created a new stake in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Buenos Aires Argentina Chacabuco Stake was organized from a division of the Buenos Aires Argentina Congreso and Buenos Aires Argentina Liniers Stakes and includes the following five wards: the Almagro, Nueva Pompeya, Parque Chacabuco, Parque Patricios, and Villa Soldati Wards. The new stake is the third new stake to be organized in the Buenos Aires area since 2011. There are now 26 stakes in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area.

Currently there are 73 stakes and 33 districts in Argentina.

Cambodia
On May 25th, the Church created its first two stakes in Cambodia. This marks the second time in Church history when a country has had its first two stakes organized on the same day, the other country being Ghana in 1991. The Phnom Penh Cambodia North Stake was organized from the Phnom Penh Cambodia North Distirct and includes the following five wards and one branch: the Pochentong, Teuk Laak, Teuk Thla, Tuol Kok, and Tuol Sang Ke Wards, and the Sen Sok Branch. The Phnom Penh Cambodia South Stake was organized from the Phnom Penh Cambodia South District and includes the following five wards and one branch: the Chaktomuk, Steung Mean Chey 1st, Steung Mean Chey 2nd, Steung Mean Chey 3rd, and Toul Tom Pong Wards, and the Phnom Penh 13th (English) Branch. Two districts continue to operate in Phnom Penh, namely the Phnom Penh Cambodia Central (Vietnamese) and Phnom Penh Cambodia East Districts. As a way of celebrating this historic milestone, my family celebrated by making a cake!

There are now two stakes and four districts in Cambodia.

Cape Verde
On May 25th, the Church organized its third stake in Cape Verde. The Sao Felipe Cape Verde Stake was organized from the Fogo Cape Verde District. Details on which branches became wards are still not available; I will post these as a comment once I obtain this information. The Church continues to experience rapid growth in Cape Verde as evidenced by the Church organizing its first stake in 2012 and its second stake in 2013. The Praia Cape Verde Stake also appears likely to divide at any time as the stake now has 10 wards and five branches.

Cote d'Ivoire
On June 1st, the Church organized a new stake in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon South Stake was organzied from the Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon Stake (now renamed Niangon North) and includes the following six wards: the Azito, Coprim, Niangon 1st, Niangon 2nd, Sideci 1st, and Sideci 2nd Wards. There are now six stakes in the Abidjan area, with another stake or two likely to be created in the next year. The Church in Cote d'Ivoire is currently experiencing the most rapid LDS growth in the world as membership increased by over 20% in 2013 and the number of congregations in the Abidjan area has nearly doubled within the past three years.

Jamaica
On June 8th, the Church organized its first stake in Jamaica. The Kingston Jamaica Stake was organized from the Spanish Town Jamaica District and includes the following six wards and two branches: the Boulevard, Constant Spring, Linstead, Portmore, Spanish Town 1st, and Spanish Town 2nd Wards, and the Kingston and Old Harbour Branches. There is now one stake and one district in Jamaica.

Mexico
On June 15th, the Church organized a new stake in Estado de Mexico State. The Lerma Mexico Stake was organized from the Metepec Mexico Stake and includes the following five wards: the La Crespa, Lerma, Tecnologico, Tianguistenco, and Totoltepec Wards. There are now 227 stakes and 36 districts in Mexico.

Nigeria
On June 15th, the Church organized a new stake in western Nigeria. The Ibadan Nigeria District became a stake. Details on which branches became wards remains unavailable, but will be posted as a comment to this post once I obtain this information. The establishment of the Ibadan Nigeria Stake is a major LDS growth development in Nigeria as it is the first stake to be organized in the Yorubaland region outside of Lagos and the district was previously one of the oldest districts in the country.

There are now 24 stakes and 21 districts in Nigeria.

The Philippines
On June 15th, the Church created two new stakes in the Philippines. The Dumaguete Philippines District became a stake, although details on which branches became wards remains unavailable. I will post this information as a comment once it becomes available. The Taguig Philippines Stake was also organized from a division of the Makati Philippines East, Parañaque Philippines, and Pasig Philippines Stakes and includes the following six wards: the Bicutan, Bonifacio 5th, Signal Village 1st, Signal Village 2nd, Taguig 1st, and Taguig 2nd Wards.

There are now 90 stakes and 81 districts in the Philippines

Liberia
On June 8th, the Church created its third district in the Monrovia area. The Paynesville Liberia District was organized from the Monrovia Liberia District and includes the following five branches: the Gardnersville, New Georgia, Paynesville 1st, Paynesville 2nd, and Tinker Village Branches. Boundaries for the Monrovia Liberia and Monrovia Liberia Bushrod Island Districts were also realigned. There are now three districts in Liberia. The mission president reports that new branches will be organized in the Monrovia area within the near future.

Sierra Leone
On June 1st, the Church organized a new district in Bo, Sierra Leone. The Bo Sierra Leone East District was organized from the Bo Sierra Leone District (now renamed Bo West) and includes the following four branches: the Lewabu, Messima, New Barracks, and Sewa Road Branches. The decision to create the new district has come on the heals of the creation of a second district in the Freetown area (Kossoh Town) and likely indicates plans to organize additional branches. There is now one stake and five districts in Sierra Leone.

First Stake to be Created in Jamaica this June

Missionaries serving in the Jamaica Kingston Mission report that the Church has approved the organization of the first stake in Jamaica during the weekend of June 7th and 8th. The Church has attempted to organize a stake in Jamaica for over a decade but has experienced challenges with member inactivity problems and few active, full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders. The approved organization of the stake signals some real progress in addressing these concerns within the past couple years.

Jamaica currently ranks as the country with the seventh most members without a stake.

Stakes Soon to be Created in Albania and Jamaica

Missionaries serving in Albania and Jamaica report that the Church will likely organize its first stakes in each of these countries within the next few months.  In Albania, the first stake may be organized this March from the Tirana Albania District.  The district has experienced steady increases in the number of active members and mission leaders have concentrated their efforts on augmenting the number of active Melchizedek Priesthood holders in order to qualify to become a stake.  In Jamaica, the Church has sought for over a decade to organize a stake.  Missionaries report that the first stake should be organized sometime in early 2014 although no specific date has been given.  The first stake in Jamaica will be organized from the Kingston Jamaica District.  The organization of the first stake in a country is a significant LDS growth development considering stakes require self-sufficient local leadership and must meet certain activity standards in order to operate.

According to 2012 membership data, Jamaica currently ranks as the country with the sixth most members without a stake whereas Albania currently ranks as the country with the 15th most members without a stake.

New Providence Bahamas District Dissolved

The New Providence Bahamas District was recently discontinued. There were four branches belonging to the former district, three of which were in the Bahamas. The fourth branch was just created a few months ago in the Turks and Caicos Islands in Providenciales. The district was created in 2002.

The Bahamas are currently part of the Jamaica Kingston Mission. I imagine that the decision to discontinue the district was related to decisions made to discontinue two of the districts on Jamaica recently. Leadership belonging to the former district in The Bahamas will better be able to serve in the branches they reside in and help build up the Church on a more local level. The branches were also dispersed over a large geographical area, with other branches on Grand Bahama and in Nassau.

I also wanted to add that young, full-time missionaries from the Jamaica Kingston Mission are now serving in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

District Dissolved In Jamaica

A second district was discontinued in Jamaica. The Linstead Jamaica District was dissolved and had three branches. There are now two districts in Jamaica preparing for the first stake to be organized in the country. Mission leadership likely discontinued the district in order for greater emphasis to be placed upon the individual branches.

Districts Dissolved in Guatemala, Jamaica and Spain

Guatemala

The Ceiba Amelia Guatemala District was combined with the Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa Guatemala District. This was likely done in preparation for a future stake in southern Guatemala. The district in Ceiba Amelia was organized in 1994 and the Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa Guatemala District now has nine branches. We have not seen a new stake or district organized in Guatemala in 10 years while the number of congregations in Guatemala has dropped from 451 in 2000 to 418 in 2008. This drop in congregations has been due to a drop in branches, likely in a move to create larger congregations which are more self sustaining. The Church in Guatemala is strengthening though, as evidenced by the recent groundbreaking of the temple in Quetzaltenango. Church membership increases by around 5,000 every year and stands at 215,000.

Jamaica

The Montego Bay Jamaica District was discontinued and all the branches now report directly to the mission in Kingston. A missionary serving in the area reports that this was done in a move for strong Priesthood leaders in the district to shift their attention from functioning as a district to strengthening the individual branches in the western portion of the island. This will hopefully allow for greater growth in the branches in the near future. The growth of the Church has been slow, but consistent, in Jamaica with now around 6,000 members in 20 or so branches.

Spain

The Zaragoza Spain District was discontinued and the two branches which made up the district report to the mission president in the area. A new stake will be created in northern Spain, primarily from the Bilbao Spain District, in September and I imagine it is likely the two branches in Zaragoza will become part of the new stake. We have seen several districts discontinued this year which only had two branches.

Church Growth News

New Stakes To Be Created In Florida, Nicaragua and Utah

According to Church members living in the Jacksonville area, a new stake will be created in a week or so from the existing Jacksonville Florida East and West Stakes. A member of the Church living in Chinandega, Nicaragua reports that the Chinandega Nicaragua Stake will split and a new stake will be organized this month. The Farr West and Plain City Utah Stakes will meet this Sunday and another stake will be created from the existing two stakes. I will provide the names of the new stakes and more information once these new stakes are organized.

Jamaica Preparing For First Stake In Country

Missionaries report that membership in Jamaica close to meeting all the requirements for a stake to be organized. The two areas members and missionaries are focusing on for a stake to be created are increasing active Melchizedek Priesthood holders and full tithe payers. Although membership on the island is around 6,000, only about 2,000 members are active. There are currently around 20 branches organized into four districts. It appears that a stake would be most likely organized in 2010.

Church Growth in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo

Missionaries have been preparing the two branches in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo to be divided to create a third branch in the city. Church membership in Republic of Congo has doubled since 2001 to around 4,200 today. The first stake was organized in the capital of Brazzaville in 2003 and may be divided in the near future if some of the branches in the stake turn into wards. With three branches in Pointe-Noire, a district of the Church will likely be created in this the second largest city of the country. Republic of Congo is a part of the Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa Mission.

Countries with the Most Members without a Stake Maps

Here are the maps; each green square represents one branch. If you click on the map, it will open in a new window and be much easier to view.