New Stake Created in Kenya; District Created in Angola

Kenya

A new stake was created in Kenya on July 14th. The Kyulu Kenya Stake was organized from the Kyulu Kenya District (organized in 1992). Information on which of the 10 branches in the district became wards remains unavailable. Notwithstanding its rural location, the Kyulu area was one of the first locations to have an official Church presence established in Kenya. Villages with branches in the Kyulu Hills generally have populations of less than 5,000 people (the largest urban centers with an official congregation are Madinku [branch organized in 2023)] and Mtito Andei [branch organized in 2003] which have populations of 15,000 and 5,600, respectively). Kyulu is the first stake to be organized in East Africa to be located in a rural location in which nearly all members in the stake live outside of cities and towns. Moreover, the Kyulu Kenya Stake is the first stake to be organized in Kenya outside of Nairobi. The Church has worked for many years to organize a stake in Kyulu, as there have been enough branches and members to organize a stake, although the area had not meet criteria to organize a stake in regard to member activity and leadership. There is only one other location in Kenya where the Church has established multiple branches and a district in such a rural area, which is the Kilungu Hills Kenya District (organized in 2014). The first branch in the Kilungu Hills was also organized in 1992 at a time when mission and area leaders were more open to establishing the Church in rural areas without a nearby official branch.

There are now four stakes and five districts in Kenya. The Eldoret Kenya District appears most likely to be organized into a stake within the foreseeable future among the five remaining districts. Significant growth has recently occurred in the Kisumu Kenya District, which now has eight branches - half of which have been organized within the past 5 years.

Angola

A new district was created in Angola. The Lubango Angola District was organized from mission branches within the city of Lubango located in southern Angola. The Church has grown slowly in Lubango since the first branch was created in the city in 2011. Only two branches are in the district, namely the Mapunda and Tchioco Branches, although there is at least one member group that also operates in the city (Eiva). The creation of a district with only two branches likely indicates imminent plans to organize additional branches in the city.

There are now two stakes and two districts in Angola.

Unprecedented Growth in East Africa

Within the past 2-3 years, the Church has begun to experience unprecedented growth in East Africa where countries have historically ranked among the least reached in the world by Latter-day Saints (and among the slowest growth for the Church in Africa). In this post, I will briefly summarize historical growth trends in East Africa, describe current growth trends and significant developments, and offer predictions for the foreseeable future.

INTRODUCTION

East Africa is traditionally defined as containing countries that stretch from Eritrea, South Sudan, and Ethiopia in the north, to Zimbabwe and Mozambique in the south, to Zambia, Madagascar and Indian Ocean nations in the east, and Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda to the west. With a population of approximately half a billion people, East Africa is the most populous region of Africa and has presented many opportunities for growth which have not been taken advantage of by mission and area presidencies for decades. Consequently, extremely few mission and area resources have been allocated to East Africa notwithstanding political stability, religious freedom, and enormous populations that have often been receptive to the Latter-day Saint gospel message in the past 25 years. For example, in 2000 there were only three missions in all of East Africa that were headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya (organized in 1991); Harare, Zimbabwe (organized in 1987); and Antananarivo, Madagascar (organized in 1998). In fact, several of these nations did not have a Church presence established until relatively recently, such as Malawi (2000), Rwanda (2008), and Burundi (presence reestablished in 2010 after a brief period of an official presence in the early 1990s). Several nations today do not have any official branches, such as South Sudan (used to have one branch for a couple years in the late 2000s/early 2010s), Eritrea, Djibouti (used to have a military branch), Somalia (used to have a branch in Mogadishu primarily comprised of foreigners), Comoros, and Mayotte (officially part of France; very small branch used to operate until approximately 10-15 years ago). With only a few exceptions, most of the countries in East Africa have generally reported slow to moderate membership and congregational growth rates. Also, the Church has generally reported a presence in only a handful of cities in most East African countries. Rural communities in East Africa are almost entirely unreached by the Church. The only examples of branches functioning in rural communities in East Africa are in a few isolated locations in Kenya, Madagascar, and Uganda.

The creation of the Africa Central Area with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya in 2020 has been a major catalyst that has appeared primarily responsible for the recent surge in growth that has occurred in most of the countries in East Africa. Prior to the creation of the new area, there were only two administrative areas in Africa: the Africa West Area and the Africa Southeast Area (later renamed the Africa South Area). Although the Africa Central Area also includes Central Africa, the area's headquarters in East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya has appeared to favor greater focus and expansion into East Africa more than Central Africa due to closer geographic proximity. Furthermore, the number of missions in East Africa has increased significantly from 3 in 2000 to 5 in 2010 and 9 in 2020. By mid-2024, the Church will have 11 missions in the area. Another major catalyst for recent growth in some countries has been greater use of local languages rather than English, such as Swahili and Kinyarwanda.

SUMMARY OF RECENT GROWTH DEVELOPMENTS

See below for a summary of many of the recent developments in regard to rapid growth in East Africa. Click on the country name that is in bold to access the updated statistical profile on cumorah.com (most profiles have been updated with 2023 figures, and the ones that have not been updated yet will soon be updated).

• Burundi - The number of branches has doubled from four to eight since January 2024. The Church organized its first branches in four additional cities since January, including Cibitoke (location where a mission president visited hundreds who wanted to join the Church approximately 13-14 years ago but were told to wait until the Church is better established), Gitega, Muzinda, and Ngozi. Never in the Church's history in modern times has the Church in a country gone from official branches in only one city to five cities within so short a period of time. Church membership grew from 823 in 2021 to 1,541 in 2023. The Bujumbura Burundi District was created in 2021, and today there are four branches in the district. The population of Burundi is 13.2 million.
• Ethiopia - Three new branches were organized in Addis Ababa in 2022 and 2023. A new group was just organized on the outskirts of Addis Ababa in Burayu. The population of Ethiopia is 127 million.
  
• Kenya -  Annual membership growth rates have been sustained at 9-10% for 2022 and 2023. Membership grew in 2023 at the fastest rate reported since 2009. The number of wards and branches increased from 54 at year-end 2021 to 69 at present. The Church organized its first branches in six cities/towns/villages in 2023. A third stake was organized in Nairobi in 2023. The population of Kenya is 55.1 million.
  
• Madagascar - Church membership increased by 7.1% in 2023 - the highest annual percentage growth rate for membership since 2012. Two new stakes have been organized since 2022, and there are now four stakes and two districts. The population of Madagascar is 30.3 million.
  
• Malawi - Church membership increased by 23.4% in 2023 - the highest annual percentage growth rate for membership since 2011. There are now 4,776 Latter-day Saints in Malawi. The number of branches in Malawi increased from 8 to 13 between 2020 and 2023. The population of Malawi is 20.9 million.
  
• Mozambique - Church membership increased by more than 6,000 in 2023 to 24,733 by the end of the year - a 34.1% annual increase and one of the largest annual net increases in membership for the entire worldwide Church. Mozambique ranked as the country with the highest membership growth rate in 2023 among countries with publicly released membership totals. Mozambique is also the East African country with the second most Latter-day Saints. However, Church-reported membership comprises a mere 0.073% of the population (one Latter-day Saint per 1,371 people). The number of wards and branches in Mozambique increased by 23.2% in 2023, as there were 13 new wards/branches organized. There are 18 cities with an official ward or branches - 6 of which had their first ward or branch organized since 2022 (and all six of these cities are located in southern Mozambique). Two new stakes and one new district were organized in Mozambique in 2023. The population of Mozambique is 33.9 million.
  
• Rwanda - The number of branches has increased from four to nine since 2021, and the first branch outside of Kigali was created in Nyamata in 2022. The Rwanda Kigali Mission was organized in 2022 to service Rwanda, Burundi, and some eastern portions of the DR Congo. Church membership in Rwanda increased from 843 in 2021 to 1,537 in 2023. The population of Rwanda is 14.1 million.
  
• Tanzania - Church membership increased by nearly 1,000 in 2023 which was a 32.3% annual increase - the highest reported by the Church in Tanzania since 1998-1999 when there were less than 500 members. The Church reported 3,969 members as of year-end 2023. The number of branches has proliferated from 10 in 2020 to 27 today. Most of these new branches have been organized in Dar Es Salaam where there are now 18 branches. Three new districts have been organized since 2022 in Dar Es Salaam (Chang'ombe), Arusha, and Mwanza. The number of cities with an official branch has increased in the past three years from 3 to 5 with the creation of branches in Moshi (2021) and Dodoma (2023). The population of Tanzania is 67.4 million.
• Uganda - The Church organized its first branches in three previously unreached cities in 2023 and 2024 (Bukomero, Kalisizo, and Mbarara), thereby increasing the number of cities/towns/villages with at least one ward or branch to 18. The population of Uganda is 48.6 million.
  
• Zambia - Church membership increased by 11.2% in 2023 to 5,906 - the most rapid membership growth reported by the Church in Zambia since 2014. A third branch was created in Kitwe. The population of Zambia is 20.6 million.
  
• Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe became the first country in East Africa to reach 100 official congregations during 2023, as the number of wards/branches increased from 91 to 100 during the year. Church membership increased by 7.8% in 2023 - the highest annual membership growth rate seen in Zimbabwe since 2013. The Church organized its first branches in five cities between 2000 and 2023, raising the number of cities/towns/villages with a ward or branch to 26. Zimbabwe is the East African country with the highest percentage of Latter-day Saints in the population, at 0.25%, or one Latter-day Saint per 404 people. The population of Zimbabwe is 16.7 million.
  

PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE GROWTH

Growth conditions in East Africa remain highly favorable, and prospects appear good for continued rapid growth so long as reasonably high member activity and convert retention rates are sustained (and the amount of resources allocated to the area continue to increase). Here is a list of likely developments within the next 2-5 years that I believe are likely for East Africa given recent growth trends and future opportunities for growth:

• Continued National Outreach Expansion:
• Prospects appear most favorable in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar for the opening of many cities, towns, and villages to missionary work and creating branches.
  
• Area and mission leadership may begin to expand outreach in countries where there has been little to no expansion in the past decade, such as Malawi and Zambia.
• Ethiopia appears unlikely to have much outreach expansion until a solid center of strength is established in Addis Ababa and the district becomes a stake.
• The Reestablishment of the Church in South Sudan: I have received reports that the Juba Branch may be close to reinstatement. The Church recently obtained registration with the South Sudanese government. Conditions for growth appear highly favorable. South Sudanese have been uniquely receptive to the Latter-day Saint gospel message and often join the Church in other countries, including in East Africa such as Ethiopia and Uganda.
  
• The Creation of the First Stakes in Burundi, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda: All of these countries appear likely to have stakes organized in the next 2-5 years, as there are emerging center of strengths that are approaching the minimum requirements to become stakes. 
• Adoption of Kirundi as an Official Church Language in Burundi and Chichewa as an Official Language in Malawi: Based on the most recent information I have received, Church activities and services remain to be conducted in French and Swahili in Burundi. However, Kirundi is the primary language spoken in Burundi. With the establishment of branches outside of Bujumbura, it appears likely that we will see a transition to Kirundi similar to what was seen in the past few years in Rwanda when the official language of Church operations transitioned from English to Kinyarwanda. The Church in Malawi also seems likely to utilize Chichewa as its official language given this is the predominant language spoke in the country, including in both Church centers in Blantyre and Lilongwe.
  
• The Creation of More Missions: Locations that appear most likely to have new missions organized in East Africa during the next 2-5 years include:
• Bujumbura, Burundi to service Burundi (currently assigned to the Rwanda Kigali Mission)
• Eldoret, Kenya to service western Kenya (currently assigned to the Kenya Nairobi Mission. The Kenya Nairobi Mission will divide this summer to create a second mission based in Nairobi).
• Lilongwe, Malawi to service Malawi (currently assigned to the Zambia Lusaka Mission).
• A second mission in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania (currently one mission for the entire country). 
• A second mission in Kampala, Uganda (currently one mission for the entire country).
• Third mission in Zimbabwe (most likely scenario appears to be a second mission in Harare). 
• Additional Temple Announcements: The following locations appear most likely to have temples announced within the next five years (although many of these are likely in 4-5 years out and not in the immediate future). I have ordered these from most likely to least likely to be announced.
  
• Kampala, Uganda - Uganda is the country with the most Latter-day Saints without a temple announced or dedicated. Kampala appears one of the most likely locations in the world to have a temple announced in the immediate future.
  
• Maputo, Mozambique - There are now three stakes in Maputo, and long distance from Beira suggest that a separate temple in Maputo is highly likely. The Church in Mozambique has experienced some of the most rapid growth in the worldwide Church in the past decade. All seven stakes in Mozambique have been organized since 2015, and more stakes appear likely to be organized in the foreseeable future.
  
• Bulawayo, Zimbabwe - There have been two stakes in Bulawayo since 2023, and a third stake appears likely in the foreseeable future. Distance from Harare and a mission in Bulawayo both appear to make Bulawayo a good candidate for a future temple.
  
• Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania - Similar to the situation with the recent announcement of the Luanda Angola Temple, the Church in Tanzania has experienced rapid growth in both membership and the number of congregations. The creation of two stakes in Dar Es Salaam appears likely within the next 2-4 years. 
• Kigali, Rwanda - With sustained rapid growth, the creation of a stake appears likely in the next 1-3 years. A second stake may be a possibility by 2028 or 2029. A temple in Kigali appears more likely than in Burundi due to a highly concentrated membership in Kigali that has also been members of the Church longer (and with historically higher activity rates) than in Burundi.
  
• Lusaka, Zambia - This location may be a candidate for a temple, but this would be much more likely if there were two stakes in Lusaka. Unfortunately, the Church in Lusaka has experienced no increase in the number of wards since the stake was organized in 2015.
• Bujumbura, Burundi - A more remote possibility, Bujumbura may have a temple announced by 2029, especially given rapid growth in neighboring cities in the DR Congo, many of which have had branches just recently organized in the past year (i.e., Bakara, Bukavu, Goma, Kavumu, Kalemie) and where most speak Swahili (commonly spoken in the Bujumbura area). 
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - The most remote prospect, Addis Ababa may be a site for a temple announcement in 5 years, but this will depend on whether the Church can achieve sufficient growth and member activity to create a stake with prospects of a second stake in the foreseeable future. However, the Church in Ethiopia has struggled for decades with leadership development and low member activity rates which have been exacerbated by a lack of a mission in the country until 2020 and difficulties with full-time missionaries becoming proficient speakers of Amharic.

36 New Missions to be Created in 2024 Analysis: Africa

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

Of the 36 new missions to be organized worldwide in 2024, nine (25%) will be organized in Africa - the most new missions ever organized in Africa in a single year. The total number of missions in Africa will increase from 45 to 54 as a result of the creation of these new missions (a 20% increase). The decision to create these new missions in Africa has been part of a broader trend in allocating larger amounts of missionary resources to Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, in 2023 the Church organized five new missions in Africa (a 12.5% increase from 2022), and all but one of the new missions organized in 2023 were in Africa (missions organized in Africa in 2023 included the Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan North Mission, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kananga Mission, the Nigeria Aba Mission, the Nigeria Abuja Mission, and the South Africa Pretoria Mission). Other recently organized missions in Africa have included the Rwanda Kigali Mission (2022), the Cameroon Yaounde Mission (2020), the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission (2020), the Mozambique Beira Mission (originally intended to be organized in 2020 but actually created in 2021), Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission (2020), the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa East Mission (2019), the Cote d'Ivoire Yamoussoukro Mission (2018), the Nigeria Ibadan Mission (2018), and the Zimbabwe Bulawayo Mission (2018). The Church operated 34 missions in Africa as of year-end 2019. Thus, the number of missions in Africa will have increased by 20 just within a five-year time period. Once the new missions are created in Africa next year, the number of missions in Africa will have doubled within the past 10 years. The population of Africa is estimated to increase from 1.17 billion to 1.49 billion from 2014 to 2024. Therefore, the average African Latter-day Saint mission in 2024 will serve a smaller population (27.7 million) than in 2014 (45 million). The significant increase in new missions in Africa appears attributed to larger number of African Latter-day Saints serving full-time missions and also efforts to redistribute missionary resources from less productive areas to more productive areas of the world. 

See below for a mission-by-mission breakdown for new missions to be organized in 2024. All African nations with at least 100,000 Latter-day Saints will have two new missions organized in 2024.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KINSHASA SOUTH

The DR Congo Kinshasa South Mission will be the Church's third mission in the massive urban agglomeration of Kinshasa which has a population of 15 million people. The new mission will be organized from the DR Congo Kinshasa West Mission (organized in 1987) and the DR Congo Kinshasa East Mission (organized in 2019). Currently, there are 11 stakes in Kinshasa - most of which have grown quite large and appear likely to divide in the near future. The new mission may indicate plans to create additional congregations and stakes in Kinshasa given there has appeared to be a pause in new unit creations in recent months despite rapid membership growth in the country. Reports I have received have noted plans by area leadership to create additional stakes, although these plans have not yet been announced or implemented. The creation of the new mission will also help to better administer fledgling areas with a relatively recent Church establishment outside of Kinshasa, such as in the far west (e.g, Matadi, Goma, Muanda, Kimpese), west central (Bandundu, Kikwit), and north (Kisangani) areas of the DR Congo. Moreover, there remain many large cities that are entirely unreached by the Church within the boundaries of the current two Kinshasa missions (e.g., Genema, Kisantu, Mbandaka, Mbanza-Ngungu), and a new mission may help to better establish the Church in additional locations. French and Lingala are the most commonly spoken languages in the Kinshasa area.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KOLWEZI

The DR Congo Kolwezi Mission will be created from a division of the DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission (organized in 2010). The new mission will likely include three stakes (two in Likasi, one in Kolwezi). The creation of a second stake in Kolwezi appears imminent, as the stake has grown to 12 wards and 2 branches (the stake was organized in 2019 with seven wards from a member district). The realigned DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission will probably include four stakes (all in Lubumbashi) and one district in Kasumbalesa, although two stakes in Lubumbashi appear likely to divide to create two new stakes in the immediate future. The new mission may help the Church to expand into unreached or recently reached locations in the southern areas of the DR Congo (for example, a member group was recently established in Kamina, and perhaps hundreds of isolated Latter-day Saints and prospective members have self-organized in Kikondja for decades, but are extremely remote and difficult to reach). French and Swahili are commonly spoken in the Kolwezi area. 

There will be seven missions in the DR Congo once the two new missions are organized. 2023 marks the first year the Church has organized two missions in a single year in the DR Congo. The Church organized its first mission in the country in 1987, followed by additional missions in 2010, 2016, 2019, 2023. It is also important to note that some areas of the eastern DR Congo are administered by the Rwanda Kigali Mission (organized in 2022), such as missions branches in Uvira (2), Bukavu, and Goma. No other country in the world that had only one mission in 2009 has had so many new missions organized. As of year-end 2022, there were 102,862 Latter-day Saints in the DR Congo. The population of the DR Congo is projected to be 105.6 million in 2024. Thus, the average Congolese mission will have 15 million people within its boundaries (although this is a bit of an overestimate since this calculation does not include the Rwanda Kigali Mission). The Church has reported some of its highest membership growth rates in the world in the DR Congo in recent years. 

GHANA ACCRA NORTH

The Ghana Accra North Mission will be the Church's third mission in Accra that will likely be organized from the Ghana Accra Mission (organized in 1985) and the Ghana Accra West Mission (organized in 2013). There are 12 stakes in the greater Accra metropolitan area, and the two missions also currently include five more stakes in outlying cities (e.g., Abomosu, Asamankese, Koforidua, Swedru, and Winneba). Three districts are also within the boundaries of the two current missions (Dzodze, Ho, Kpong). The Church has experienced variable growth rates in the Accra area within the past 45 years. The new mission will likely help to better saturate urban areas in Accra with more congregations and full-time missionaries, as well as to help expand into unreached areas in areas surrounding Accra (especially in the Volta Region).

GHANA TAKORADI  

The Ghana Takoradi Mission will be organized from the Ghana Cape Coast Mission (organized in 2005). The new mission will likely include two stakes (one in Mpintsin, one in Takoradi) and two districts (Axim and Tarkwa), although a third stake in the greater Takoradi area appears likely to be organized soon (the Mpintsin Ghana Stake currently has 11 wards and two branches). The new mission will likely conform to the boundaries of the Western Region of Ghana with a population of a mere 2.1 million people, thereby making the Ghana Takoradi Mission the African mission with the smallest population within its geographical boundaries. The new mission may provide for greater mission resources to expand into northern and western areas of Western Region which are minimally reached by the Church, as well as to provide greater saturation of mission resources in Takoradi. The realigned Ghana Cape Coast Mission will also have a comparatively small target population for mission outreach, with perhaps as few as 2.5 million people (making this mission the African mission with the second fewest people within its boundaries). Steady growth has occurred in the current boundaries of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, with the most significant growth occurring during the first few years of a Church presence in the late 1970s and early 1980s and within the past 10 years. Of the seven stakes in the current boundaries of the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, four stakes have been organized since 2016. 

The Church in Ghana will have six missions in 2024, resulting in the average mission in Ghana having 5.8 million people. However, 14.2 million of the 34.8 million people in Ghana live within the boundaries of the Ghana Kumasi Mission (41%). Excluding the Ghana Kumasi Mission, the remaining Ghanaian missions will have an average of 4.1 million people within their geographical boundaries. The Church previously created missions in Ghana in 1985, 2005, 2012, and 2013. Thus, 2024 will be the first year that two missions have been organized in Ghana in the same year. The Church reported 101,924 Latter-day Saints in Ghana as of year-end 2022.

NIGERIA CALABAR MISSION

The Nigeria Calabar Mission will likely be organized from a division of the Nigeria Uyo Mission (organized in 2002) and the Nigeria Enugu Mission (organized in 1992). The new mission will probably include four stakes (three in Calabar, one in Akamkpa) and one district in Ugep - all located in the Nigerian state of Cross Rivers (population 4.4 million). The Church announced a temple for Calabar last month. Rapid growth has occurred in Cross Rivers State where the first stake was organized in 2002 followed by additional stakes in 2015, 2017, and 2022. It appears likely that 1-2 new stakes may be created in Calabar in the near future due to the steady creation of new wards in the city. The Church previously headquartered a mission in Calabar which was first headquartered in Uyo, although this mission's headquarters later returned to Uyo in 2019. The new Nigeria Calabar Mission may have the smallest population of any Nigerian mission if the mission includes just the 4.4 million people in Cross Rivers State. To put this into contrast, the total population of Nigeria is 229 million, so the Nigeria Calabar Mission may have only 1.9% of the total country population.

NIGERIA PORT HARCOURT NORTH

The Nigeria Port Harcourt North Mission will likely be organized from a division of the Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission (organized in 1988). There are seven stakes in Port Harcourt, and the current Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission also includes three additional stakes (two in southern Akwa Ibom, one in Yenagoa) and two districts (both located near Port Harcourt in Rivers State). The current mission boundaries have approximately 10 million people within its geographical boundaries in the Nigerian states of Rivers and Bayelsa, and a very small portion of the Akwa Ibom State. Thus, each mission will likely have approximately five million people. Although initial growth was relatively slow in Port Harcourt in the 1980s and 1990s, the Church has experienced rapid growth for much of the past 10-15, as the number of stakes in the city increased from three in 2011 to seven in 2021. Several stakes appear likely to be organized in the foreseeable future in Port Harcourt due to large numbers of congregations in the city. Although it is within close proximity to Aba, it appears likely that a temple will be announced one day in Port Harcourt given the large concentration of Latter-day Saints in the city and transportation challenges in Nigeria for many members. The Port Harcourt Nigeria Stake was the Church's second stake in Nigeria when it was organized in 1990. Today, there are now 70 stakes in Nigeria. Port Harcourt will the only city in Nigeria with two missions headquartered within it (although this is not the first time two missions have been based in the same Nigerian city, as the Church briefly operated two missions in Lagos approximately 10-15 years ago).

With the creation of these two new missions, there will be 11 missions in Nigeria. Current Nigerian missions were organized in 1980, 1988, 1992, 2002 (2), 2013, 2016, and 2023 (2). Thus, the number of missions in Nigeria in 2024 will be nearly twice the number of missions in 2014. Never has any country on the Afro-Eurasian landmass had as many missions as Nigeria at present (9). Even more impressive, Nigerian missions do not include North American missionaries, and they are staffed primarily by African missionaries. The average mission in Nigeria will have approximately 21 million people in 2024, although this is not a very accurate ratio since the Nigeria Abuja Mission includes approximately 117 million people within its geographical boundaries (most of whom live in states where Sharia Law is practiced and where there is no Church presence). Excluding the Nigeria Abuja Mission, the 10 missions that will operate in the remainder of Nigeria in 2024 will service 11.2 million people per mission on average. The Church reported 221,172 Latter-day Saints in Nigeria as of year-end 2022. Nigeria appears likely to become its own church area given its large Church membership and significant opportunities for growth and expansion with such a large population.

KENYA NAIROBI EAST

The Kenya Nairobi East Mission will be created from a division of the Kenya Nairobi Mission (organized in 1991). Currently, the Kenya Nairobi Mission includes the entire country of Kenya (population: 56.2 million), although the mission historically serviced the entire region of East Africa prior to the creation of the Uganda Kampala Mission (organized in 2005) and then serviced Kenya and Tanzania until the creation of the Tanzania Dar Es Salaam Mission in 2020. Thus, until 2020, the Kenya Nairobi Mission has not been able to exclusively focus its missionary resources on Kenya despite his large population. Currently, there are three stakes and six districts in Kenya. Thus, the new Kenya Nairobi East Mission will probably include 1-2 stakes and three districts. The Church in Kenya has experienced modest growth since its initial establishment in 1979, and the first stake was organized in 2001. Additional stakes were organized in 2016 and 2023. The Church reported 17,438 Latter-day Saints as of year-end 2022. However, membership and congregational growth rates have accelerated in recent years, as membership increased by 9.6% in 2022 - the highest seen in over a decade. Furthermore, the Church has organized 11 new wards and branches in Kenya thus far in 2023, including the first branches in several previously unreached cities in western Kenya. The new mission will allow for greater numbers of missionaries to serve in Kenya to further expand outreach into additional areas unreached at present by the Church, further saturate the Nairobi metropolitan area (population: 6.6 million) with more congregations, and help strengthen districts to become stakes (such as in Eldoret and Kyulu). Many large cities remained unreached by the Church in Kenya. The Church created the Africa Central Area with headquarters in Nairobi in 2020. The Nairobi Kenya Temple is under construction.

MADAGASCAR ANTANANARIVO NORTH

The Madagascar Antananarivo North Mission will be organized from a division of the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission (organized in 1998). The Madagascar Antananarivo Mission currently services several countries in addition to Madagascar (31 million people), including Mauritius (1.3 million people), Reunion (part of France with approximately 1.0 million people), Comoros (868,000 people), and Mayotte (also part of France with approximately 346,000 people). Currently, there are four stakes and two districts in Madagascar. The Church reported 14,353 Latter-day Saints in Madagascar as of year-end 2022, whereas there were less than 1,000 Latter-day Saints each in Mauritius and Reunion. There is no Church presence in Comoros or Mayotte at present. Seychelles remains unassigned to a mission, and it is possible that Seychelles may be assigned to a mission once the new mission is organized. Thus, the new mission will likely have 1-2 stakes assigned, as well as 1-2 mission branches, although it is unclear which missions may be assigned the two districts in Reunion and Mauritius. The new mission may help to expand outreach into the virtually untouched north of Madagascar where there is only one mission branch in Mahajanga. The Church in Madagascar has achieved variable growth rates since the first branch was organized in 1990. The first stake was organized in 1990 followed by additional stakes in 2011, 2022, and 2023. The Antananarivo Madagascar Temple was announced in 2021.

SIERRA LEONE BO

The Sierra Leone Bo Mission will be organized from a division of the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission (organized in 2007) which only services Sierra Leone at present. The new mission has appeared long awaited given the rapid growth of the Church in eastern Sierra Leone which went from zero stakes and four districts in 2016 to four stakes and one district today, with multiple stakes likely to divide in the near future. I have written previously about the remarkable growth of the Church in Bo where Latter-day Saints number among the largest Christian denominations in the city. The new mission will probably include four stakes and one district in eastern and southern Sierra Leone, as well as a two branches in Koidu which appears likely to become a district once 1-2 more branches are organized in the city. The first two stakes in Bo were organized in 2017 followed by a third stake in 2019, whereas the stake in Kenema was organized in 2019. Bo appears to be one of the most likely locations in Africa for a temple announcement in the near future given the growth and size of the Church in the area. The realigned Sierra Leone Freetown Mission will likely include five stakes (all located in Freetown and all organized since 2012) and one district (Makeni). Each mission will likely have 4.5 million people within its boundaries given the population of Sierra Leone is approximately nine million. All large and medium-sized cities have an official ward or branch in the prospective boundaries of the Sierra Leone Bo Mission, and the new mission may help establish the Church in many small cities throughout the region. Sierra Leone is one of the most well-reached countries of the Church in Africa in terms of the percentage of Latter-day Saints in the population (0.34%), and also considering that all cities with at least 30,000 people have at least one ward or branch (except Port Loko). Rapid growth has occurred for the Church in Sierra Leone since 2011, and the Church reported 28,867 Latter-day Saints as of year-end 2022. Currently, Sierra Leone is the country in Africa with the most Latter-day Saints with only one mission. The Freetown Sierra Leone Temple is under construction.

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 Arizona, Ecuador, Kenya, Nevada, Peru, the Philippines, and South Africa

Arizona

A new stake was created in Arizona. The Queen Creek Arizona Empire Stake was organized from a division of the Queen Creek Arizona East Stake and the Queen Creek Arizona South Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Circle Cross, Gary, Paisley Park, Sierra Vista, Skyline, and Sunet Wards. There are now 10 stakes in the Queen Creek area. 

There are now 117 stakes in Arizona.

Ecuador

The Church organized a new stake in Guayaquil. The Guayaquil Ecuador Alborada Stake was organized from a division of the Guayaquil Ecuador Kennedy Stake and the Guayaquil Ecuador Las Orquideas Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Francisco de Orellana,  Guayacanes, Isidro Ayora, José María Egas, and Los Sauces Wards. There are now 18 stakes in the Guayaquil metropolitan area.

There are now 43 stakes and 5 districts in Ecuador

Kenya

A new stake was created in Kenya. The Nairobi Kenya South Stake was created from a division of the Nairobi Kenya East Stake and the Nairobi Kenya West Stake. The new stake includes the following four wards and three branches: the Athi River, Nairobi 1st, Nairobi 2nd, and South B Wards, and the Kitengela, Mlolongo, and Ruai Branches. The new stake is the third stake to be organized in Kenya. All three stakes are headquartered in Nairobi. The first stake in Nairobi was created in 2011 and the second stake was created in 2016. There are also six districts in Kenya.

Nevada

The Church organized a new stake in Nevada on January 15th. The Mesquite Nevada West Stake was organized from a division of the Mesquite Nevada Stake (organized in 1994). The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Anthem (Retirement), Arrowhead, Bunkerville 1st, Bunkerville 2nd, Heritage, and Willows Ward, and the Virgin Valley (Spanish) Branch. 

There are now 43 stakes in Nevada.

Peru

A new stake was created in Peru. The Pucallpa Perú Centenario Stake was organized from a division of the Pucallpa Perú Stake (organized in 1993). The new stake include the following five wards: the Bolognesi, Centenario, Primavera, Sáenz Peña, and Ucayali Wards, and the Campo Verde Branch. The new stake is the Church's second stake in the city of Pucallpa - the most populous city in remote Ucayali Department.

There are now 113 stakes and 17 districts in Peru.

The Philippines

The Church organized a new stake in the Philippines. The Iloilo Philippines Central Stake was organized from a division of the Iloilo Philippines North Stake (organized in 1997). The new stake includes the following six wards: the Jaro 1st, Jaro 2nd, Lapaz, Lapuz, Leganes 1st, and Pavia Wards. There are now three stakes in Iloilo City.

There are now 126 stakes and 55 districts in the Philippines.

South Africa 

The Church organized a new stake in South Africa. The Johannesburg South Africa South Stake was organized from a division of the Johannesburg South Africa Stake, Soweto South Africa Stake, and the Vaal South Africa District (which still operates with three branches now). The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Florida 1st, Florida 2nd, Randburg, Ridgeway, and Sebokeng Wards, and the Ennerdale and Orange Farm Branches. There are now 10 stakes and 1 district in the Johannesburg metropolitan area.

There are now 18 stakes and 10 districts in South Africa.

New Districts Created in Ghana and Kenya

Ghana
The Church organized a new district in Ghana on April 28th.

The Axim Ghana District was organized from a division of the Tarkwa Ghana District (organized in 2016). The new district includes the following three branches: Axim, Esiama, and Nkroful. The Tarkwa Ghana District now has only two branches (Brenu-Akyirim and Tarkwa) and one member group (Bogoso) although the member group appears to have become a branch or may become a branch in the near future.

There are now 24 stakes and 12 districts in Ghana.

Kenya
The Church organized a new district in western Kenya.

The Kitale Kenya District was organized from a division of the Eldoret Kenya District (organized in 2011). The new district includes the following five branches: Kitale, Mautuma, Misikhu, Naitiri, and Sikhendu. The realigned Eldoret Kenya district now has four branches (all located in the city of Eldoret): Eldoret, Huruma, Langas, and Sosiani.

There are now two stakes and five districts in Kenya.

President Nelson's April 2018 Worldwide Tour: Analysis

The Church announced on March 23rd that President Nelson, Elder Holland, and their spouses will undertake an 11-day international tour that circumscribes the globe from April 10th-23rd. The itinerary for the trip is as follows:

• London, England (April 12th)
• Jerusalem, Israel (April 14th)
• Nairobi, Kenya (April 16th)
• Harare, Zimbabwe (April 17th)
• Bengaluru, India (April 19th)
• Bangkok, Thailand (April 20th)
• Hong Kong, China (April 21st)
• Laie/Honolulu, Hawaii (April 22nd)

I provided some observations about President Nelson's first trip as President of the Church in a recent article published by The Salt Lake Tribune. However, I also want to provide some additional analysis:

First, all but two of the eight cities on the list have temples in operation or that are announced. Three of these cities - Bangkok, Harare, and Nairobi - are located in countries where no temple currently operates but where a temple is announced. An artistic rendering for the Bangkok Thailand Temple was recently released to reveal a stunning 44,000 square foot edifice that has even surprised local Thai members given its size for a country that has only four stakes, two districts, and 21,000 members. The temple appears very large even considering it will likely serve an additional 28,000 members in other Southeast Asian countries. Reports I have received from members in Kenya and Zimbabwe suggest that these temples in these locations may begin construction in the near future. It is possible that the Church may hold temple groundbreaking ceremonies in one or more of these locations as part of the international tour. President Nelson's visit to Jerusalem appears more symbolic than functional since there are less than 300 members in Israel and the Palestinian Territories and essentially stagnant growth has occurred for many years. However, it is interesting to note that a temple once functioned in Jerusalem during Old Testament and New Testament times. President Nelson's visit to Jerusalem will be the first in 22 years for a President of the Church since President Hinckley visited Israel in 1996.

Second, an announcement of a temple for India may be likely during this weekend's General Conference or during President Nelson and Elder Holland's visit to India. The Church in India has steadily grown during the past 15 years as membership has increased from 3,428 to 13,141 and the number of congregations has increased from 21 to 44. The Church organized its first stake in India in Hyderabad in 2012 and today has four stakes and three districts. There are also more than 4,000 members and three districts in Pakistan. Currently members in South Asia travel to the Hong Kong China Temple to participate in temple ordinances. However, a future temple in India appears more likely once there is a city with at least three stakes in order to adequate meet temple ordinance worker needs. Currently there are no cities in India with more than one stake.

Third, President Nelson and Elder Holland's trip to Hong Kong may provide opportunities for leadership training and meetings with People's Republic of China (PRC) members albeit such meetings would only be permitted if they were to occur in Hong Kong given prohibitions regarding association with PRC members and foreigners in mainland China. The Church in China has grown significantly since the first branches were organized in Beijing and Shanghai for PRC members in 2004. Most have joined the Church abroad or through family connections within the confides of the law. Today there are branches and member groups in many, if not most, of the 127 cities in mainland China inhabited by one million or more inhabitants. President Nelson also possesses special ties to China and previously studied Mandarin Chinese after feeling prompted to do so at President Spencer W. Kimball's request that members of the Church learn more about the Chinese people in 1979 (click here for more information).

Fourth, President Nelson and Elder Holland's worldwide tour does not include countries with the most Latter-day Saints in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania, nor does it include countries where the Church has reported the most rapid growth during the past 5-10 years. However, the tour does include the two most populous countries - China and India. Thus, emphasis on reaching the world's two most populous nations, in addition to temple building, may be an important theme that emerges from the tour.

Five New Temples Announced

This morning, the Church announced five new temples to be built in the following locations:

• Nairobi, Kenya
• Saratoga Springs, Utah
• Greater Manila Area, Philippines
• Pocatello, Idaho
• Brasilia, Brazil

There are now 182 temples announced, under construction, or in operation.

More analysis to follow in the coming days.

New Stakes Created in Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, and Texas; New District Created in Ukraine

Alaska
The Church organized a new stake in Alaska on March 20th. The Palmer Alaska Stake was organized from a division of the Wasilla Alaska Stake. Information on which wards are assigned to the new stake remains unavailable. Prior to the division of the stake, the Wasilla Alaska Stake had 15 wards - the largest number of wards of any stake in the world.

There are now eight stakes in Alaska. 

Australia
The Church organized a new stake in the Brisbane area on March 20th. The Ipswich Australia West Stake was organized from a division of the Ipswich Australia Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Brassall, Darling Heights, Karana Downs, Somerset, Toowoomba, and Warwick Wards. The Brisbane Australia Centenary Stake was also realigned with the Ipswich Australia Stake. There are now 11 stakes in the greater Brisbane metropolitan area.

There are now 39 stakes and eight districts in Australia.

Brazil
The Church organized a new stake in the Fortaleza metropolitan area on March 20th. The Maracanaú Brazil North Stake was organized from a division of the Maracanaú Brazil Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Jereissati 2nd, Maracanaú 1st, Novo Maracanaú, Novo Oriente 1st, and Novo Oriente 2nd Wards. There are now 15 stakes in the Fortaleza metropolitan area.

There are now 259 stakes and 38 districts in Brazil.

Ghana
The Church organized a new stake in southwestern Ghana on March 20th. The Mpintsin Ghana Stake was organized from a division of the Takoradi Ghana Stake and the Ghana Cape Coast Mission. The new stake includes the following five wards and four branches: the Kojokrom, Mpintsin 1st, Mpintsin 2nd, Nketsiakrom, and Sofokrom Wards, and the Daboase, Eshiem, Essipon, and Shama Branches. The Takoradi Ghana Stake numbered among the stakes in West Africa that has taken the longest to divide since the stake's organization in 1997.

There are now 16 stakes and 11 districts in Ghana.

Kenya
The Church organized a new stake in Nairobi on March 20th. The Nairobi Kenya East Stake was organized from a division of the Nairobi Kenya Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Kayole 1st, Kayole 2nd, Lucky Summer, Nairobi 1st, Nairobi 2nd, South B, and Zimmerman Wards. The organization of the new stake is a major milestone for the Church in Kenya and East Africa. Nairobi is the first city in East Africa to have had two LDS stakes organized. The new stake in Kenya is the Church's fourth stake to be created in the entire region of East Africa. With the organization of the new stake in Nairobi, prospects have improved for the announcement of a temple in Nairobi or Kampala within the foreseeable future.

There are now two stakes and four districts in Kenya.

Texas
The Church organized a new stake in the Dallas area on March 20th. The Sherman Texas Stake was organized from a division of the Allen Texas, Frisco Texas Shawnee Trail, and McKinney Texas Stakes. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Bonham, Celina, Durant, Melissa 1st, Melissa 2nd, Sherman 1st, and Sherman 2nd Wards. There are now 20 stakes in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.

There are now 69 stakes and three districts in Texas.

Ukraine
The Church organized a new district in western Ukraine. The L'viv Ukraine District was organized from the L'viv Ukraine Mission. The new district includes the following seven branches: the Chernivets'ka, Ivano-Frankivs'ka, Khmel'nyts'ka, L'viv Ukraine District, L'vivs'ka, Luts'ka, and Rivnens'ka Branches. The new district is the Church's first district in western Ukraine ever organized, and is the first district to ever operate within the Ukraine L'viv Mission.

There is now one stake and three districts in Ukraine. 

New Stakes Created in Ghana, Guatemala, North Carolina, and the Philippines; New Districts Created in Kenya and Russia; Stake Discontinued in California; District Discontinued in Chile

Ghana
Two new stakes have been created in Ghana.

The Accra Ghana Lartebiokorshie Stake was organized on October 25th from a division of the Accra Ghana Kaneshie Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Dansoman, Korle-Bu, Lartebiokorshie, Mamponse, and Mataheko Wards. The Accra Ghana Kaneshie Stake was also realigned with the Accra Ghana Kasoa Stake. Covering an area of less than 17 square miles, the new Accra Ghana Lartebiokorshie Stake covers the smallest geographical area of any stake in Ghana, indicating progress with greater saturation of the Church in urban areas.

The Accra Ghana Ofankor Stake was organized on November 8th from a division of the Accra Ghana Adenta and Accra Ghana Tesano Stakes. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Achimota, Amasaman, Chantan, Kwabenya, and Ofankor Wards, and the Adoagyiri and Nsawam Branches.

There are now 15 stakes and 11 districts in Ghana.

Guatemala
The Church organized its first stake in northern Guatemala on November 1st. The San Benito Guatemala Stake was organized from the San Benito Guatemala District. Mission leadership has spent many years preparing the district to become a stake one day. Information on which branches have advanced into wards is currently unavailable.

There are now 44 stakes and 16 districts in Guatemala.

North Carolina
The Church organized its 17th stake in North Carolina on November 8th. The Raleigh North Carolina South Stake was organized from a division of the Apex North Carolina and Raleigh North Carolina Stakes. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Harris Lake, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Swift Creek, and Zebulon Wards.

Philippines
The Church organized a new stake on November 8th. The Mangaldan Philippines Stake was organized from the Mangaldan Philippines District. The Mangaldan Philippines District previously operated as a stake from 1991 until 2003 when the district returned to district status. The Church consolidated the Mapandan Philippines District with the Mangaldan Philippines District in 2014 to prepare for the reestablishment of a stake.

There are now 96 stakes and 77 districts in the Philippines.

Kenya
The Church organized a new district on October 25th. The Mombasa Kenya District was organized from three mission branches in the Mombasa area, namely the Bamburi, Changamwe, and Mombasa Branches. All areas of the country with clusters of three or more mission branches now have had districts organized.

There are now four districts and one stake in Kenya.

Russia
The Church reinstated a district on November 8th. The Volgograd Russia District was organized from mission branches in the Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission. The following five branches are assigned to the district: the Astrakhan, Volgograd Krasniarmesky, Volgograd Russia District, Volgograd Tsentralny, and Volzhsky Branch. The reinstated district is the Church's fifth district created this year. This surge in new districts appears attributed to a new policy or vision by the area presidency to reestablish districts in locations where there are clusters of branches. Most of the Church's districts in Russia were discontinued during the early 2010s.

There are now two stakes and seven districts (eight districts if counting the newly organized district in Crimea) in Russia

California
The Church discontinued a Spanish-speaking stake in California. The Covina California Stake (Spanish) was discontinued. Wards and branches previously assigned to the Spanish-speaking stake were redistributed to English-speaking stakes in the area. The decision to discontinue the stake does not appear attributed to leadership problems or inactivity. Rather, this decision appears attributed to a focus in the United States to consolidate Spanish-speaking stakes into ordinary stakes. Similar administrative changes have recently occurred in other stakes in the Los Angeles area and in Houston, Texas.

There are now 156 stakes in California.

Chile
The Church recently discontinued the La Unión Chile District. None of the seven branches previously assigned to the district were discontinued. Five of these branches were reassigned to the Osorno Chile Stake, whereas two of these branches were assigned to the Chile Osorno Mission. The decision to discontinue the district was likely due to some of the branches likely meeting the criteria to become wards, but no realistic opportunities for the district to become a stake within the foreseeable future.

There are now 77 stakes and 18 districts in Chile.

New Districts Created in Argentina and Kenya

Argentina
On September 28th, the Church created a new district in Argentina. The San Martin Argentina District was organized from a division of the Maipú de Cuyo Argentina Stake and appears to include the following five branches: the Palmira, Rivadavia, San Martin 1st, San Martin 2nd, and Tres Portenas Branches. The organization of the new district becomes the Church's first new district to be created in Argentina since 2006. Within the past eight years, the Church has discontinued eight of its member districts due to significant congregational decline. Most of these discontinued districts have been merged with nearby stakes. The creation of the new district in San Martin appears due to focus on the creation of a stake one day in San Martin with greater supervision from the Argentina Mendoza Mission in this process.

There are now 73 stakes and 32 districts in Argentina.

Kenya
On October 12th, the Church created a new district in Kenya. The Kilungu Hills Kenya District was organized from five mission branches in the Kilungu Hills, including Ilima, Kalongo, Kilili, Kyambeke, and Matini. The Church has operated branches in this remote area of Kenya for over two decades and has experienced steady growth despite its rural, difficult-to-access location. Click here to access a recent case study examining LDS growth in the Kilungu Hills.

The Church also appears posed to create its second stake in Kenya within the foreseeable future as the Nairobi Kenya Stake now has 12 wards and three branches. The creation of a second stake on Nairobi would significantly improve prospects of the Church announcing a small temple in the city to service East Africa.

There is now one stake and three districts in Kenya.

Cities Opening for Missionary Work around the World

The current surge in the worldwide LDS missionary force resulting from a combination of reducing the minimum age of missionary service and a reversal of stagnant growth in the number of members serving missions has appeared to influence the acceleration of outreach expansion in several areas of the world.  Many missions will receive 50 to 100 more missionaries than previously assigned due to these massive increases. 

Below is a list of cities recently opened by missionaries or soon to be opened by missionaries.

• Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
• Rorainopolis, Roraima, Brazil
• Nakuru, Kenya
• Gjakove, Kosovo
• Izmir, Turkey

In Turkey, a senior missionary couple providing member and leadership support will be assigned to Izmir in the near future to prepare for the arrival of full-time proselytizing missionaries.  One branch operates in Izmir that reportedly has no active members at present and was likely going to close due to activity challenges.  The assignment of missionaries will permit the continued operation of the branch.  There are less than 300 members in Turkey and four branches.  The first proselytizing missionaries arrived in early 2012.

In Kenya, the opening of Nakuru to missionary work is a major development considering the city is the country's third most populous.  One group operates with approximately 14 active members.  There are currently 41 wards and branches and over 10,000 members in Kenya.

In Kosovo, the opening of Gjakove is a significant milestone as it is the second city in Kosovo to have an LDS presence establish.  The Church remains very small in Kosovo and likely has fewer than 50 members on church records.

In Brazil, the opening of two cities to missionary activity in the Amazon Basin is a major development as the Church has not opened additional cities in this region for many years.  Coari was previously the most populous city in the Amazon Basin without an LDS presence.

In the coming months, we will likely see large numbers of additional cities open to missionaries for the first time.  This has potential to accelerate membership and congregational growth, especially in locations where populations exhibit high receptivity to the Church.

Recent Church Growth News

New Stake in Tonga
A new stake was created last Sunday in Tonga on the main island of Nuku'alofa.  The Nuku'alofa Tonga Matahau Stake was created from two stakes on the western side of the island.  There are now 18 stakes and two districts in Tonga.  The last new stake created in Tonga was in 2008.

New Stake in Texas
A new stake was created last Sunday in Texas.  The Heath Texas Stake was created from the Richardson Texas Stake and perhaps another nearby stake in the Dallas area.  I will provide more details on the new stake once they become available.  There are now 57 stakes and three districts in Texas

Number of Branches in Benin Doubles
The number of independent mission branches in the African country of Benin increased from three to six last month.  The three new branches were previously meeting as groups and include the Fidjrosse, Finagnon, and Gbegame Branches.  The Church has yet to organize these six branches into their own district and they continue to report directly to the Benin Cotonou Mission.  A shortage of priesthood leaders remains a serious challenge.

Group Organized in Previously Unreached City in Kenya
Missionaries serving in the Kenya Nairobi Mission report that a new group was recently organized in the previously unreached city of Naivasha, Kenya.  Senior missionaries indicate that there are upwards of 80 investigators attending church services and that group leadership is staffed by an isolated Latter-day Saint family.  Prospects appear good for the group to become its own branch in the near future.

City Opens for Missionary Work in Angola
Missionaries serving in the Mozambique Maputo Mission report that the Area Presidency recently approved the assignment of full-time missionaries to the Angolan city of Huambo.  The Church assigned proselytizing missionaries to Angola for the first time in 2008 but missionaries were only assigned to the capital city Luanda until just the past year or two when a second city (Lubango) opened.  Additional cities have small numbers of isolated members and investigators meeting and await the establishment of official LDS missionary activity.

Cities Opening in Brazil
Missionaries serving in the Brazil Belem Mission report that they have recently visited several large, previously unreached cities in Para State that have small groups of members meeting under the Brazil Belem Mission Branch.  Two cities in particular - Parauapebas and Paragominas - have been visited and missionaries helped increase church attendance to as high as 60 in one of the groups.  The Church has literally hundreds of additional cities to open with over 20,000 inhabitants and favorable conditions for church planting but has made little progress within the past ten years.  I have recently written a case study on expanding LDS outreach in Brazil for cumorah.com which will be posted in the coming month.

New Branches Created in Europe
Mission presidents report two new branches recently organized in Europe.  In Spain, the first LDS branch in Ibiza was created last Sunday and pertains to the Baleares Spain District.  The new branch has about 60 attending church services and has been a major success for the Spain Barcelona Mission.  Many of the branch members relocated to the island from Ecuador.  In the Belgium Brussels/Netherlands Mission, a new Portuguese-speaking branch was created in Rotterdam.  Two Brazilian missionaries have been assigned to the branch and the branch has become the first Portuguese-speaking branch in the mission.

Any other LDS growth developments you know of?  Please comment.