New Branches Created in Botswana and Namibia

Last month, the Church organized two new branches in the Botswana/Namibia Mission in cities where no branches have previously operated. 

The Ongwediva Branch was created in northern Namibia and becomes the first branch to ever operate in this region of the country. The Church has operated a member group for a number of years in the small city of approximately 20,000 people. Remote location has posed a major difficulty for the Church to become established in Ongwediva as the nearest city in Namibia with a branch is Windhoek - more than 350 miles away. Other missionary-focused Christian groups have reported rapid growth in this area of the Church, and the creation of the new branch may present additional opportunities to channel resources into this area of Namibia. There are only three cities in Namibia with a branch: Windhoek (3), Ongwediva, and Swakopmund. Swakopmund was previously the most recently reached city in Namibia by the Church as the branch in the city was organized in 2015. Ongwediva was the ninth most populous city in Namibia without a branch prior to the branch creation.

The Serowe Branch was created in Botswana last Sunday. Serowe is the first city in Botswana to have had its first Latter-day Saint branch organized since 2014 when the Mogoditshane Ward was created. There are now nine cities in Botswana with a ward or branch. Serowe was previously the second most populous city in Botswana without a ward or branch.

Stake Discontinued in Utah; Stake Created in Mexico; District Created in Namibia

Utah
The Church recently discontinued the Salt Lake 1st Stake. Originally organized in 1950, the stake had five wards and one branch prior to its consolidation with the Salt Lake Married Student 2nd Stake (renamed the Salt Lake Married Student Stake). The small number of wards in the stake and the closure of two of the five wards appeared responsible for the discontinuation of the stake. The last stake to be discontinued in Utah was in 2011.

There are now 575 stakes and one district in Utah.

Mexico
The Church organized a new stake in Xalapa, Veracruz State last Sunday. The Xalapa México Macuiltepetl Stake was organized from the Xalapa México Stake and includes the following six wards: Casa Blanca, Estación, Macuiltepetl, Museo, Olivo, and San Bruno Wards. The Church has organized three new wads in Xalapa within recent months suggesting increasing numbers of active members. The original Xalapa México Stake was organized in 1986.

There are now 230 stakes and 37 districts in Mexico.

Namibia
The Church organized a new district in Namibia last Sunday from the Botswana/Namibia Mission. The Windhoek Namibia District appears to include two branches in Windhoek and a member group in Swakopmund. The Church once operated a district in Namibia during the early 1990s but discontinued it after one of the two branches in the district was discontinued. Prior to the organization of the new district, Namibia was the country or territory with the sixth most members without a stake or district. The Church has experienced slow but steady growth in Namibia. The Church has experienced chronic problems with obtaining foreign missionary visas and consequently full-time missionaries have inconsistently served within the country during the past decade.