New Temples Announced in October 2023 - Part I: Asia

Due to the large number of temples announced today, I will be separating my analysis of new temple announcements into separate blog posts by world region.

Laoag Philippines Temple

The Laoag Philippines Temple will be the Church's 13th temple in the Philippines following temples in Manila (dedicated in 1984), Cebu (dedicated in 2010), Urdaneta (announced in 2010), Alabang (announced in 2017), Cagayan de Oro (announced in 2018), Davao (announced in 2018), Bacolod City (announced in 2019), Tacloban City (announced in 2021), Naga (announced in October 2022),  Santiago (announced in October 2022), Tuguegarao City (announced in April 2023), and Iloilo (announced in April 2023). The Philippines is the country with the fewest completed temples (2) with the most temples announced or under construction (11). The new temple will likely have one of the smallest temple districts in the Philippines, as there are only four stakes and two districts that appear likely to be assigned to the new temple (only the Tuguegarao Philippines Temple has a smaller prospective temple district with three stakes and two districts). Travel in the Philippines is often costly and time-consuming which has likely played a role with the announcement of temples in locations with few stakes like Laoag. The Church has operated a stake in Laoag since 1989 and created the Philippines Laoag Mission in 2004. The newest stake to be created in the Laoag area was in Vigan in 2021. There are approximately 850,000 Latter-day Saints in the Philippines organized into 126 stakes and 55 districts. 

Osaka Japan Temple

The Osaka Japan Temple will be the Church's fifth temple in Japan following the Tokyo Japan Temple (dedicated in 1980), the Fukuoka Japan Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Sapporo Japan Temple (dedicated in 2016), and the Okinawa Japan Temple (scheduled for dedication in November 2023). The new temple will probably service six stakes and two districts in southern Honshu and Shikoku. The Osaka Japan Stake was organized in 1972 and the area is serviced by the Japan Kobe Mission. The Church has experienced two significant iterations of consolidating stakes and congregations in the Osaka area during the past 25 years. Today, there is only one stake in Osaka, whereas there used to be four stakes in Osaka in the 1990s. I have considered Osaka as a more likely location for a temple announcement due to distance to Tokyo and several stakes in the Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe metropolitan area. The Church in Japan has experienced essentially stagnant membership growth in recent years, and there are currently approximately 130,000 Latter-day Saints in Japan. 

Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Temple

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has been on my short list of likely locations to have a temple announced for many years. The new temple will be the Church's first temple in Mongolia. Prior to today's announcement, Mongolia ranked as the country with the second most Latter-day Saints without a temple. There were approximately 12,500 Latter-day Saints in Mongolia as of year-end 2022. The Church in Mongolia is extremely far away from the nearest temples in Seoul, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; and Hong Kong, China. The new temple will be one of the most remote temples in the world once completed. The Church first established a branch in Mongolia in 1993 and experienced rapid growth during the 1990s and 2000s. There are now two stakes in Ulaanbaatar which were organized in 2009 and 2016. One district also operates in Darkhan. Slow membership growth and stagnant congregational growth have occurred during the past decade. Mongolia has one of the highest percentages of Latter-day Saints in the general population among Asian nations, as 0.37% of the Mongolian population was a Latter-day Saint as of year-end 2022 (one Latter-day Saint per 272 people). The new temple will service the two stakes and one district in Mongolia, and it may also service branches and one district in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

20 New Temples Announced

Today, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct 20 more temples in the following locations:

• Savai’i, Samoa
• Kahului, Hawaii
• Fairbanks, Alaska
• Vancouver, Washington
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Roanoke, Virginia
• Cancún, Mexico
• Piura, Peru
• Huancayo, Peru
• Viña del Mar, Chile
• Goiânia, Brazil
• João Pessoa, Brazil
• Cape Coast, Ghana
• Calabar, Nigeria
• Luanda, Angola
• Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Laoag, Philippines
• Osaka, Japan
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

With today's announcement, there are now 335 temples that are announced, under construction, or dedicated.

In the coming 1-2 weeks, I will be publishing posts that provide more information about these temple announcements.

Mongolian Version of Come Unto Christ Website

The Church has recently launched a Mongolian version of its website, Come Unto Christ (formerly Mormon.org), for the first time. The Come Unto Christ website provides basic information about Church teachings to interested individuals. The website also provides options to request missionary lessons, copies of scriptures, and information on meetinghouse times and locations. Use of the website can significantly help with finding interested individuals regardless of geographical location. It also appears the Church will be launching additional languages for the website, including Chuukese, Pohnpeian, and Kosraean. A full list of languages provided on the site can be found at the bottom of the webpage.

New Stakes Created in the DR Congo, Ghana, Mongolia, and Nigeria; New District Created in Brazil

DR Congo
The Church organized a new stake in Kinshasa on May 29th. The Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Ngaba Stake was organized from a division of the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Mont Ngafula Stakes. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Lemba, Livulu, Makala, Mont Amba, Ngaba, and Yolo Wards. There are now eight stakes in the Kinshasa metropolitan area, with several additional stakes likely to be organized in the near future.

There are now 15 stakes and three districts in the DR Congo.

Ghana
The Church organized a new stake in Ghana on May 22nd. The Yamoransa Ghana Stake was organized from a division of the Cape Coast Ghana Stake and five mission branches in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission. The new stake includes the following six wards and five branches: the Green Hill, Moree 1st, Moree 2nd, Nkanfoa, Yamoransa 1st, and Yamoransa 2nd Wards, and the Abakrampa, Abura Dunkwa, Asebu, Mankessim 1st, and Mankessim 2nd Branches.

There are now 17 stakes and 11 districts in Ghana.

Mongolia
The Church organized its second stake in Mongolia on May 29th. The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East Stake was organized from the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East District and a portion of the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the American Denj, Bayanzurkh, Sansar, Selbe, and Sukhbaatar Wards, and the Baganuur and Nalaikh Branches. With the organization of the new stake, all 12 LDS congregations in the city of Ulaanbaatar have reached ward status.

There are now two stakes and one district in Mongolia.

Nigeria
The Church organized a new stake in central Nigeria on May 29th. The Abuja Nigeria North Stake was organized from a division of the Abuja Nigeria Stake (renamed Abuja Nigeria South Stake). The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Bwari 1st, Bwari 2nd, Kaduna, Kubwa 1st, Kubwa 2nd, Mpape, and Suleja Wards. One of the most rapid instances of a stake dividing after its organization, the original Abuja Nigeria Stake reached stakehood in 2012.

There are now 35 stakes and 19 districts in Nigeria. With the organization of the new stake, Nigeria surpassed Venezuela as the country with the 13th most stakes in the world. Nigeria is also the country with the most stakes with only one temple.

Brazil
The Church organized a new district in Minas Gerais State on May 29th. The Patos de Minas Brazil District was organized from three branches that previously pertained to the Brazil Brasilia Mission. Branches in the new district include: California, Guanabara, and Patos de Minas. All three branches operate within the city of Patos de Minas. Patos de Minas is one of only a few cities in Brazil within the past decade where the Church has successfully established multiple branches and organized a district.

There are now 259 stakes and 40 districts in Brazil.

Progress in Mongolia

Missionaries serving in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission report several significant church growth developments. The Church will organize its second stake in Mongolia in late May from the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East District. Most, if not all, six branches in the district are expected to become wards. Additionally, two new wards will be organized in the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake - one of which from a branch advancing into a ward. The Church also organized a new ward in the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia West Stake within the past month.

These developments signal good progress with strengthening local leadership, augmenting the number of active members, and addressing problems with convert attrition and member inactivity that have stifled the growth of the Church in Mongolia within the past decade. The Church previously experienced some of its most rapid growth in a Buddhist country in Mongolia during the 1990s and 2000s. However, membership growth rates continue to be very low compared to previous years. Nonetheless, the Church reports one nominal member per 266 people in Mongolia - higher than any other country in mainland Asia.

Click here to access the LDS statistical profile for Mongolia. A map of LDS units in Mongolia can be found here. Click here to access a case study on stagnant LDS growth in Mongolia (written in 2013).

Church Growth News

New branch in Mongolia

A new branch was created in southern Mongolia. The Oyu-Tolgoi Branch reports directly to the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission and serves members who work at the Oyu-Tolgoi Mine which extracts precious gold and copper deposits. Members have met as a group for at least a year or so and are now officially organized as their own branch.

Growth in Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Two new branches were created in Likasi, bringing the total number of branches in the city to six. Missionaries were introduced for the first time just a year and a half ago to this city in the southern DR Congo. In just a couple weeks, Likasi and the eastern half of the DR Congo will become part of the new Democratic Republic of Congo Lubumbashi Mission. Only African missionaries serve in this region, with the exception of some senior missionary couples.

Three new branches for India

Missionaries report that three new branches will be organized in Southern India in the coming month. Additional branches will be organized in Coimbatore, Hyderabad, and Rajahmundry. Two of these branches have already been organized. This brings the total number of congregations to 33 in India. Missionaries also report that the Hyderabad India District is the closest to becoming a stake, which may occur in the next year or two.

Districts consolidate in Moscow, Russia in preparation for future stake

In 2006, the Moscow Russia District reached the standards to qualify to become a stake. However, mission and local leaders decided to divide the district to work towards two stakes being established in the city. It appears that these ambitious have been abandoned for the time being as the districts were combined about a month ago. Missionaries report that the district is functioning just like a stake currently and should officially become a stake very soon.

Rapid growth in Nicaragua

Missionaries in Nicaragua report that the mission has experienced rapid membership growth over the past six months. During the month of May, over 600 converts were baptized, including many family members and potential Priesthood holders. Several areas are setting new records for church attendance, a welcome sign in a nation which has experienced poor convert retention over the past two decades. The mission is preparing to divide in a couple weeks and has also received more missionaries. Growth appears not to be limited to one specific area of the country.

One exciting development has occurred along the Atlantic coast in the city of Puerto Cabezas where last year the branch divided into three new congregations. For the first time, it appears the Church has experienced a breakthrough in working with the Miskito Amerindians. Missionaries report around 40 members are about to submit their mission papers; a significant achievement as only one member has served a mission from this region.

Church Growth News

City Opens For Missionary Work in Mongolia

Missionaries report that the city of Bulgan just received its first full-time missionaries. Located southwest of Erdenet and 200 miles northwest of Ulaanbaatar, Bulgan has over 17,000 inhabitants and was the fifth largest city without mission outreach. This is a significant development for the Church in Mongolia as there have been no new cities opened for missionary work in Mongolia for nearly a decade. Members and missionaries in Bulgan meet as a group for Sunday meetings under the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission Branch. Bulgan also becomes the smallest city full-time missionaries are assigned to in Mongolia.

New Branches in Papua New Guinea

Three new branches have been created in the Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces. The Bilu, Mount Hagen, and Nomba Branches were organized under the Goroka Papua New Guinea District and bring the total number of branches in the district to nine. Mount Hagen was formerly the second largest city without a congregation in the country. The Bilu and Nomba Branches are located in small villages. Until the creation of the new branches, there had been no increase in the number of congregations in the country since 2003. In 2002, the number of congregations in the country nearly doubled in one year.

Congregational Growth in the United States

By my count, there have been nearly 60 new congregations created so far in 2010 in the United States. If congregational growth rates continue at the same rate for the rest of the year, wards and branches will increase by approximately 150 in the United States. Growth rates are higher than last year, but remain lower than most years in the 2000s. We should expect to see an increase in congregational growth this year or next as only half as many congregations were created in 2009 compared to most years. No greater increase in congregation growth may indicate lower retention for convert baptisms and lower activity rates or a Church administrative decision to allow congregations to grow larger in membership before creating new units. Considering the economic challenges and uncertainties over the past two years, the latter case appears the primary contributor to the reduction in new congregations organized.

Opportunities for Growth

Although there has been a greater effort by the Church to expand its outreach in Africa over the past couple years, most of the inhabitants in African countries with a Church presence are unreached by mission outreach. I've been following the development of the Church in the city of Kanye, Botswana and six months after the first missionaries were assigned in late 2009, sacrament meeting attendance has just reached 100. Similar stories from Botswana, the DR Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Brazil, and other nations illustrate that greater growth may be achieved with proper vision and with surprisingly few resources. Mission resources in many nations are stretched and unable to meet current needs due to an inadequate number of missionaries and local members sometimes relying on full-time missionaries for church leadership. There remains a greater need for member involvement in this process as seldom do new cities open to missionary work without local Church members coordinating between interested individuals and mission or regional Church leadership. Pray for greater interest among members of the Church in their role preaching the Gospel and for mission leaders to have the foresight and vision required to increase the scope and reach of LDS mission efforts.

Church Growth Updates

Angola

Members of the Church in Angola report that a counselor to the Mission President in the Mozambique Maputo Mission was called to administer to the Church's needs in Angola. This will make it more likely for groups to be established in larger cities throughout the Church where enough members of the Church can meet to have Sunday Church meetings. Currently there are two branches in Luanda. Missionaries appear to have returned to the country after problems with visas were resolved. Unofficial reports for membership in Angola indicate that there are over 800 members in the country.

Kenya

Two new branches were recently created in Kenya in Busia and Kisumu. Missionaries report that four months after the creation of the Kisumu Branch, over 120 are now attending Church meetings. The Busia Branch is located on the border with Uganda.

Zimbabwe

Two new branches were created in Zimbabwe. The new branches were created in the Bulawayo area and in Bindura. Few new congregations have been created in Zimbabwe over the past few years, which may be a result of difficult political and social conditions in the country.

Convert Baptisms Up 18% in the United States

A senior couple serving in the Dominican Republic reported that convert baptisms are on the rise in the United States. If increase of children on record remains constant from last year for the United States, we will likely see membership increase by over 100,000 in the United States for 2009 to a total of nearly 6.1 million. Elder Hinckley reported to a group of missionaries in Santo Domingo that one of the likely reasons for the increase is bishops and branch presidents taking a stronger role in coordinating missionary efforts in their congregations. The down economy also seems like a factor which may have made some Americans more receptive to the Gospel.

According to my count, the increase in congregations in the United States in 2009 has now reached over 100, which is lower than the typically increase for congregations in the United States. This lower increase in congregations in 2009 is typical of what the Church has seen in some recessions in the United States.

Swine Flu in Mongolia Results in Government Banning Public Meetings

Missionaries serving in Mongolia report that for the past several weeks Church meetings have not been held in Mongolia due to the Mongolian government's concern about the spread of swine flu. Meetings will likely continue not to be held for an additional two weeks. The Church has followed rules and regulations put forth by the government due to the flu. Missionaries report that the sacrament is administered to many Mongolian members in their homes for the time being. Convert baptisms have also been on hold, with as many as 40-50 waiting to receive baptism. The Church in Mongolia has also encountered difficulties with missionaries obtaining visas and is still awaiting news on whether pending visas have been approved.

Recent Church Growth News

New stakes to be created in the United States

Members living in Houston, Texas report that a new stake will be organized this Sunday likely from the Houston Texas East and Friendswood Texas Stakes. Another new stake may also be organized before the end of the year in the Houston area. A new stake will also be created in Providence, Utah next month. I will provide more information on these new stakes once they are actually created.

So far this year there have been 43 new stakes organized. If we see more than 50 new stakes organized in 2009 it will be the largest number of new stakes organized in one year since 1998.

Growth in Madagascar

Missionaries report in a recent stake conference for the Antananarivo Madagascar stake that plans were nearly complete for the country's sole stake to be divided. Estimates on when the new stake would be organized were in October or November. As of yet no date has been set for the creation of the new stake. The stake has rapidly grown from six wards and four branches at the end of 2007 to 11 wards and three branches currently. At least one group/dependent branch is also meeting in the city preparing to become an independent Church unit.

Four missionaries were sent to open Mahajanga for the preaching of the Gospel; two six weeks ago and two more just in the past week or two. Approval for the first branch was just authorized for Mahajanga and members will be meeting in a larger rented space for Church meetings. Missionaries serving in the city report there are around 15-20 active Church members and about as many investigators attending Church meetings. Fianarantsoa also received its first four missionaries last month, were only a handful of members reside but dozens of investigators attend meetings weekly. Another group has also begun meeting in the city of Ambositra, which is between Fianarantsoa and Antsirabe.

Missionaries attending the recently held stake conference in Antananarivo also reported that two districts for Antsirabe and Tamatave would also be organized before the end of the year. No date has been set or reported for the new districts' creation however.

City opens for missionary work in Moldova

A senior couple serving in the Romania Bucharest Mission report that the city of Balti was opened for missionary work in Moldova. Balti is the second largest city in Moldova and has a few Church members already living in the city. The city had a temporarily Church presence in the early 2000s. A group will likely be formed if one has not already for Church meetings. Currently there are only two branches in Moldova: One in Chisinau and one in Orhei. The first district for Moldova was just organized this past January and also includes one branch in neighboring Romania.

9,000 members of the Church in Mongolia and a new branch

In a recent speech about religious freedom becoming more threatened in the United States, Elder Oaks recounted the history of the Church in Mongolia. He reported that membership now stands at 9,000, which is an increase of nearly 600 since the beginning of the year. Membership growth in Mongolia was very rapid in the late 1990s to the early 2000s and then slowed until the beginning of 2008. Considering there are two more months left in the year, we may see membership climb to 9,200 for the end of 2009. Membership grew in Mongolia by 9.36% last year and if membership totals 9,200 for 2009 the growth rate will drop a fraction to 8.95%. Also, a new branch was organized in Mongolia in Erdenet. The Erdenet Branch was divided and the Erdenet 2nd Branch was created. Erdenet is part of the Darkhan Mongolia District.

Group meeting in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo

A senior missionary couple serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa Mission reported that a group has been meeting in the city of Kasumbalesa, DR Congo. Kasumbalesa rests on the border with Zambia and has around 40 members and investigators attending Church meetings. The group is preparing to becoming a branch. A new branch was also recently organized in Kipushi, another nearby border town with Zambia.

The Mongolia Ulaanbaatar West Stake

The first stake in Mongolia was organized today with six wards in its boundaries. The new district, the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar East District, likely has five or six branches and was counseled to prepare for stakehood by strengthening the branches. For a first hand account of the event, visit http://mikeandmelba.blogspot.com/ .

First Stake In Mongolia Created Today

The first stake in Mongolia was created today from the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar District. I already wrote a post about the news when I received it towards the end of last month (follow the link for more information). According to senior missionaries serving in Mongolia, the new stake does not include all the branches in the district and a new district was created on the same day for branches in the eastern part of the city, named the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East District.

Growth has increased in the past year or so in Mongolia, with missionaries indicating that the mission has recently broke previous records for convert baptisms in a month and Church attendance. Most of the members live in Ulaanbaatar (the capital) or in the Darkhan Mongolia District which is to the north of Ulaanbaatar. Missionaries have reported that branches in the isolated towns of Choibalsan, Erdenet and Hovd have grown to around 150-200, making it likely for more congregations to be organized considering branches typically have 50-100 or so active members.

First Stake In Mongolia!

According to a mission blog of a senior couple serving in Mongolia (which can be found at http://mikeandmelba.blogspot.com/) the first stake in Mongolia will soon be organized! As noted in an earlier post from a few days ago, Mongolia is the country with the second most members without a stake. Nearly 10% of Mongolian members have served missions and membership stands at around 8,400. The vast majority of Mongolians are Buddhist. Not all of the dozen or so branches in Ulaanbaatar will be part of the new stake in the capital. A new district will also be created, named the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia East District. Another district already exists in Mongolia in Darkhan.

Membership has not increased as rapidly as it did in 2008 in Mongolia since 2004, growing by 9.36% last year. A couple mission branches not a part of a district also exist in Khovd and Choibalsan, each of which have been steadily growing to 150-200 attending sacrament meeting every week. One of the challenges the Church in Mongolia has had in the creation of a stake has been that 70% of the members are single (according to an article published in the Church magazine the Ensign a year or two ago).

One interesting note about members who have served as missionaries from Mongolia and received their Patriarchal blessings in other countries where there are stakes and patriarchs: All but the tribe of Zebulun have been found among the declared lineage of Mongolia missionaries (as of December 2003). For more information, visit http://www.cumorah.com/index.php?target=gospel_topics&story_id=8.

What an exciting time for the Church in Mongolia!

Districts Close to Stakehood

In the past month or so, there have been a number of districts (which are administered to by the Mission President of the area) that are close to stakehood or who are trying their hardest to become a stake by the end of the year or in the next couple years. According to several missionary blogs, in order for a district to qualify to become a stake there needs to be at least 99 active elders who are also full tithe-payers. There also needs to be a least 1,900 members. I do not know if this is the standard for everywhere in the world or of this is completely correct, but it made sense to me when I heard it considering there has not been a stake created with less than 1,900 members in it to my knowledge. It also made sense to me because with 99 elders, there would be an entire elders quorum (which can be up to 96 elders...see Doctrine and Covenants 107) plus three additional elders for the Presidency.


As for these districts which are trying their best to fit the criteria for a stake, here is a list of a few of them.

• -The Tirana Albania District has a goal of becoming the first stake in southeastern Europe in the next three years. There are currently almost enough members for a stake, but activity levels are too low right now. One of the major goals of this district is to increase member activity as well as active, full tithe-paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders.
• -As mentioned in an earlier post, the Santa Marta Colombia District is applying for stakehood. Pray that the members in the area will qualify for a stake of Zion. This is a plead from a missionary currently serving in the city.
• -The Ulaanbaatar Mongolia District is currently working with trying to re-activate less active or inactive returned missionaries. An article in the Ensign from several months ago stated that one of the big obstacles in Mongolia is that the majority of the members are single (70%) and young. There are 10 branches in the district.
• -I have repeatedly mentioned how the Port-of-Spain Trinidad and Georgetown Guyana Districts are really focusing on becoming stakes. Things are looking good for them right now and hopefully the members can fulfill the final necessary requirements.
• -The Planaltina Brazil District was recently created and is also trying its hardest toward becoming a stake in the near future. Missionaries and Church leaders are particularly focusing on increasing active Melchizedek Priesthood holders. There has also been a lot of talk about a potential temple in Brasilia, to which Planaltina is a suburb of.
• -The Colima Mexico District is also trying its hardest to becoming a stake by the end of the year. It seems more likely that it will be made into a stake next year and missionaries and primarily working to increase active, full tithe-paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders.
• -The Phnom Penh Cambodia North and the Phnom Penh Cambodia South Districts are preparing their branches toward becoming wards. Cambodia is the country with the second most members without a stake.

If you wish to provide information about other districts close to becoming stakes or have any corrections to what I have said, feel free to leave a comment.

Districts Maturing Into Stakes

One of the most exciting events many members in nations where the Church has been establish enjoy is when the district they reside in matures into a stake. This is particularly true for those countries in which a stake has never been organized before. The last country for which this was the case was Hungary back in 2006. This year, it is almost certain that Mongolia and Trinidad and Tobago will have their first stakes organized. Cambodia is also quite likely to have its first stake organized this year in Phnom Penh. Mongolia and Cambodia both have around 8,000 members in around 20 branches and have been preparing for stakehood. Growth has slowed in both of these nations, but a missionary in the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission reported that in the first four months of this year, there have been more baptisms than during all of 2007. The number of native, Mongolian missionaries has risen from 19 back in August to 50 now in April. Furthermore, many families are joining the Church together.

I know I stress the importance of stakes a lot in this blog, but the formation of a stake is a very important event. It brings many blessings unavailable to members living outside of stakes, such as patriarchs. It takes an active, balanced membership to accomplish this feat, and therefore symbolizes Church growth in every aspect.

Here is a map of Trinidad and Tobago. The green squares are were branches are located. I also wanted to add that Church services were held for the first time in Point Fortin and the city has been opened to missionary work.

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.