Church Growth News

New Stake in Georgia

A new stake was organized in Georgia.  The Conyers Georgia Stake was created from the Atlanta Georgia, Jonesboro Georgia (renamed Fayetteville Georgia), and Lilborn Georgia Stakes and appears to include five wards and two branches.  The new stake becomes the first new stake organized since the Cartersville Georgia Stake in 2006.  There are now 16 stakes in Georgia.   

New Stake in South Africa

Members and missionaries in the Johannesburg, South Africa area report that a new stake was organized today named the Centurion South Africa Stake.  The new stake was organized from the Pretoria South Africa Stake and is the first new stake organized since the Port Elizabeth South Africa Stake in 2005.  There are now 12 stakes and four districts in South Africa.

Church attendance climbs in Mahajanga, Madagascar

Full-time missionaries opened Mahajanga to missionary work 18 months ago and currently there are over 110 attending church meetings.  The rented facility used for church services no longer effectively administers the size of the congregation, prompting a search for a new meetinghouse.  The organization of additional congregations in Mahajanga appears highly likely within the next year as long as sufficient numbers of local priesthood holders are available.   

First district to be organized in Angola in April

Members living in Luanda report that the three branches in the city will be organized into a district this April.  The Church continues to steady grow but ongoing challenges obtaining missionary visas and adequate buildings for congregations delay greater progress. 

Area branches organized in the Middle East and Africa

Four area branches have been organized in Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia.  Prior to the organization of the new branches, there were only three area branches in operation (Asia North Area, Europe East Area, and the Middle East/Africa North Area Branches).  These new area branches appear similar if not identical to administrative branches and provide a means of organizing few members in remote areas that meet in small groups.  The Djibouti Military Branch continues to operate, bringing the number of LDS congregations in Djibouti to two.