New Stakes Created in Utah (3), Oklahoma (2), Peru (2), the Dominican Republic, the DR Congo, Ecuador, Idaho, Mozambique, North Carolina, Togo, and Washington; New District Created in the DR Congo; Stakes Discontinued in Utah (4), Florida (2), England, and Oregon; Districts Discontinued in Russia (3), Romania (2), Australia, Belarus, and Fiji

Utah

There new stakes were created and four stakes were discontinued in Utah.

The Lehi Utah Cold Spring Ranch was created on March 19th from the Lehi Utah Holbrook Farms Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Cold Spring Ranch 1st, the Cold Spring Ranch 2nd, the Evans Farm, the Hardman Farms, the Holbrook Farms 2nd, and the Holbrook Farms 3rd Wards. There are now 20 stakes in Lehi.

The Eagle Mountain Utah Porter's Crossing was created on April 16th from the Eagle Mountain Utah East Stake. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Brookhaven, the Chilton Park, the Kiowa Valley, the Liberty Farms, the Porter’s Crossing, the Ranches Parkway 2nd (Spanish), the Skyline Ridge, and the South Pass Wards. There are now 10 stakes in Eagle Mountain.

The West Haven Utah North Stake was created on May 21st from the Ogden Utah West Stake and the West Haven Utah Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Riverbend, the Wilson 2nd, the Wilson 3rd, the Wilson 4th, and the Wilson 5th Wards and the Park (Care Center) and Water Tower (Correctional Facility) Branches.

The Salt Lake Foothill Stake (organized in 1957) was discontinued. The stake had five wards and one branch prior to its closure. One of the five wards was discontinued, and the retained congregations were reassigned to the Salt Lake Hillside Stake (renamed Salt Lake Wasatch Stake).

The Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake (organized in 1978) was discontinued which had six wards and one branch prior to its closure. Three wards closed as part of the stake consolidation. Retained units were reassigned to the Cottonwood Heights Utah Brighton Stake, Salt Lake Butler West Stake, and the Salt Lake Cottonwood Stake.

The Sandy Utah Crescent Park Stake (organized in 1987) was discontinued which had six wards and one branch prior to its closure. Two wards closed when the stake was discontinued. All retained congreations were reassigned to the Sandy Utah Crescent North Stake (which was renamed to Sandy Utah Dimple Dell Stake).

The Kearns Utah Western Hills Stake (organized in 1981) was discontinued. The stake had five wards prior to its closure, and none of the wards were discontinued. Wards in the former stake were reassigned to the Kearns Utah Stake and the Kearns Utah Central Stake.

There are now 628 stakes and 2 districts in Utah.

Oklahoma

Two new stakes were created in Oklahoma on May 7th. 

The Gore Oklahoma Stake was organized from the Broken Arrow Oklahoma Stake (organized in 1978) and the Fort Smith Arkansas Stake (organized in 1978). The new stake is essentially a reinstatement of the Muskogee Oklahoma Stake which operated from 1983 until 1991 and which is the only stake to have ever been discontinued in Oklahoma. The new stake includes the following five wards and three branches: the Gore, Henryetta, McAlester, Muskogee, and Sallisaw Wards and the Eufaula, Poteau, and Talihina Branches.

The Owasso Oklahoma Stake was organized from the Bartlesville Oklahoma Stake (organized in 2014) and the Broken Arrow Oklahoma Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Claremore, Elm Creek, Lake Valley, Pryor, and Ranch Creek Wards and the Skiatook Branch. There are now three stakes in the Tulsa area

There are now 11 stakes in Oklahoma.

Peru

Two new stakes were created in Peru.

The Trujillo Perú Jerusalén Stake was organized on April 30th from a division of the Trujillo Perú Esperanza Stake (organized in 1998). The new stake includes the following five wards: the Arévalo, the El Milagro, the Jerusalén, the Los Robles, and the Nuevo Trujillo Wards. The new stake marks the first time since 1998 when a stake was organized in the city (there were three stakes created that year in Trujillo). There are now eight stakes in Trujillo.

The Iquitos Perú San Juan Stake was organized on May 21st from a division of the Iquitos Perú Nueve de Octubre Stake (organized in 1995). The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Avianca, Los Delfines, San Juan, Santa Clara, and Secada Wards and the Nauta Branch. There are now four stakes in Iquitos. The Church previously operated five stakes in Iquitos from 1995 until 1998 when two of the five stakes were discontinued (Iquitos Peru Mi Peru and Iquitos Peru Sachachorro - both of which did not operate in the area of the new stake in Iquitos but instead functioned in central and northern areas of the city). A temple was announced for Iquitos in April 2023.

There are now 115 stakes and 17 districts in Peru.

Dominican Republic 

A new stake was created in the Dominican Republic. The La Vega Dominican Republic Stake was created from the La Vega Dominican Republic District and a portion of the Santiago Dominican Republic East Stake on December 18th, 2022. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Conani, Jarabacoa, La Espanola, Los Framboyanes, Moca, and Primavera Wards. The new stake is actually a reinstated stake, as a stake previously operated in La Vega from 1998 until 2009 when it was discontinued and divided into three districts (La Vega, Bonao, and Cotuí). With seven stakes in the Santiago area now, the region appears likely to have a temple announced given distance to Santo Domingo.

There are now 22 stakes and 8 districts in the Dominican Republic.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

A new stake and a new district were created in the DR Congo. The Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake was organized from the Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo District on March 12th. The new stake includes the following five wards and two branches: the Kabanda, Kabidimba, Mboka, Ngandajika, and Tshioji Wards and the Kalubanda and Kasonji Branches. The original district in Ngandajika was created in 2016, and the first branch in the city was organized in 2008. 

The Kisangani Democratic Republic of the Congo District was created on April 1st. All six branches in the city that previously reported directly to the Democratic Republic of the Congo East Mission now pertain to the new district, including the Kabondo, Kisangani, Lubunga, Makiso, Mangobo, and Tshopo Branches. The Church created its first branch in Kisangani in 2015.

There are now 27 stakes and 3 districts in the DR Congo.

Ecuador

A new stake was created in Ecuador. The Riobamba Ecuador Stake was created from the Riobamba Ecuador District on May 21st. All five branches in the former district (organized in 1992) became wards in the new stake, including the Bellavista, the Guaranda, the La Joya, the La Primavera, and the Los Álamos Wards. The area has appeared to have been preparing for some time to become a stake, as evidenced by the discontinuation of the short-lived Guaranda Ecuador District which operated from 2016-2019 with only two branches (which were merged into a single branch). 

There are now 44 stakes and 4 districts in Ecuador.

Idaho

A new stake was created in Idaho on March 26th. The Caldwell Idaho Snake River Stake was created from a division of the Caldwell Idaho Stake and the Caldwell Idaho East Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards and one branch: the Caldwell 16th, the Caldwell 4th, the Caldwell 6th, the Homedale 1st, the Homedale 2nd, the Marsing 1st, and the Marsing 2nd Wards and the Jordan Valley Branch. There are now three stakes in the Caldwell area.

There are now 138 stakes in Idaho.

Mozambique

A new stake was created in Mozambique on May 14th. The Beira Mozambique Munhava Stake was organized from a division of the Beira Mozambique Stake and the Beira Mozambique Manga Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Mananga, Manga Loforte, Maraza 1st, Mascarenha, Munhava, and Pioneiros Wards, and the Maraza 2nd  Branch. The new stake was primarily made from the Beira Mozambique Stake which had 145 men sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood at the time of the conference. Moreover, the Church organized two new wards and one new branch when the new stake was created - all located within the newly organized stake. There are now three stakes in Beira (the two previous stakes were created in 2015 and 2017). A temple was announced for Beira in 2021. 

There are now six stakes and one district in Mozambique.

North Carolina

The Church organized a new stake in North Carolina on March 19th. The Wake Forest North Carolina Stake was organized from a division of the Raleigh North Carolina Stake and the Raleigh North Carolina South Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards and two branches: the Falls Lake, Franklinton, Henderson, Knightdale 1st, Wake Forest 1st, Wake Forest 2nd, and Zebulon Wards and the Creedmoor and Knightdale 2nd  Branches. 

There are now 20 stakes in North Carolina.

Togo

A new stake was created in Togo on May 7th. The Lomé Togo Agoe Stake was created from a division of the Lomé Togo Be Stake (organized in 2013), the Lomé Togo Tokoin Stake (organized in 2017), and a mission branch (Tsevie). The new stake includes the following three wards and five branches: Agoe Nyive, the Apedokoe, and Kélegougan Wards, and the Adetikope, the Adidogome, the Djagble, the Sanguéra, and the Tsevie Branches. It is highly likely that not all branches that have become wards have been updated in the Church's meetinghouse locator or the advancement of more branches into wards will occur in the immediate future (similar to what was seen in Nairobi, Kenya earlier this year when a third stake was also created in that city). 

There are now three stakes in Togo.

Washington

A new stake was created in Washington on February 26th. The Richland Washington South Stake was created from the Kennewick Washington Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Badger Canyon, the Badger Mountain, the Grandridge, the Meadow Springs, the Rancho Reata, the Temple Meadow, and the Willowbrook Wards. There are now seven stakes in the Richland area.

There are now 60 stakes in Washington.

Florida

Two stakes were discontinued in Florida in May. The Fort Lauderdale Florida Stake (organized in 1970) was discontinued and retained units were reassigned to the Coral Springs Florida Stake (organized in 1994) and the Miami Lakes Florida Stake (organized in 1998). The Miami Florida South Stake (organized in 1992) was combined with the Miami Florida Stake (organized in 2015). The Church in South Florida originally had four stakes between 2008 until 2014 when the Boynton Beach Florida Stake was organized followed by the Miami Florida Stake in 2015 (there were five stakes between 1998 and 2008 until the Spanish-speaking stake was discontinued in 2008). Each of the stakes had few congregations after the creation of these two stakes, and consequently, it appears that the Church has sought to strengthen the stakes by essentially reverting back to having only four stakes again in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area. 

There are now 32 stakes in Florida.

England

The Church discontinued a stake in the London area in May. The Watford England Stake (organized in 1996) was discontinued and congregations in the stake were reassigned to the St Albans England Stake, the Thames Valley England Stake (was previously called the Reading England Stake), and the London England Hyde Park Stake. Local members report plans to discontinue two additional stakes in the area by mid-2023 in order to reduce the leadership burden on a small number of active members in the area. This marks the first time the Church in Europe has ever gone through a significant redistricting of stakes on this scale. Thus far, there have not been any significant consolidation of congregations, however. The Church in the United Kingdom has experienced steady decline in the number of congregations for decades, and these changes are unsurprising given this trajectory and efforts to create stakes with larger numbers of congregations with more active members than historical averages. The discontinuation of the Watford England Stake marks the second time a stake has been discontinued in the United Kingdom.

There are now 43 stakes in the United Kingdom.

Oregon 

A stake was discontinued in Oregon. The Milwaukie Oregon Stake (organized in 1979) was discontinued. Three of the five wards in the stake also closed, and the retained units were reassigned to the Oregon City Stake and the Portland Oregon Stake. The Church in the more central areas of Portland has experienced a rapid decline during the past decade. There has only been one other instance of a stake being discontinued in Oregon, and this was the Portland Oregon East Stake in 2015. 

There are now 34 stakes in Oregon.

Russia

The Church discontinued three districts in Russia, including the Samara Russia District (organized in 2015 but previously operated and was reinstated in 2015), the Volgograd Russia District (originally organized in 2002, discontinued in 2013, and reinstated in 2015), and the Vladivostok Russia District (originally organized in 1996, but has gone through periods of being discontinued and reinstated). Branches in the former Samara Russia District and Volgograd Russia District were reassigned to the Saratov Russia Stake, whereas branches in the former Vladivostok Russia District now report directly to the Russia Novosibirsk Mission. The discontinuation of these districts has appeared to be the result of consolidating limited leadership and the closure of many branches in recent years which has accelerated as a result of religious freedom restrictions and the current war in Ukraine. 

There are now three stakes and three districts in Russia. In contrast, there were 3 stakes and 10 districts in 2018.

Romania

The Church consolidated its three districts in Romania into a single district in early 2023. The discontinued districts were the Bucharest Romania District (organized in 1982) and the Cluj-Napoca Romania District (organized in 2009). The Brașov Romania District now has 15 branches. A similar change was made in Poland in 2020 and may signal efforts to try to strengthen local leadership and perhaps create a stake at some point, although only a couple of branches appear large enough to become wards. The Church plans to reinstate the Romania Bucharest Mission (originally organized in 1993) next month after it was discontinued in 2018.

Australia

The Church discontinued the Norwa Australia District (organized in 1992) which has had three branches for many years. One branch closed as part of the changes (Ulladulla) which had only approximately 10 active members as of the mid-2010s. The two retained branches were reassigned to the Canberra Australia Stake which previously had only four wards and one branch (and has had this few units for decades). Moreover, the Norwa Branch was advanced into a ward, resulting in the realigned Canberra Australia Stake having five wards and two branches now. 

There are now 41 stakes and 6 districts in Australia.

Belarus

The Church discontinued the Minsk Belarus District which had two branches prior to its closure. The Vitebsk Branch closed as part of these changes. The Minsk Branch was reassigned to the Moscow Russia Stake and became a ward. There are now no districts in Belarus.

Fiji

The Church discontinued the Korovou Fiji District (organized in 2017) and the five branches in the district were reassigned to the Lautoka Fiji Stake and the Nausori Fiji Stake. No branches were discontinued as part of this district discontinuation.

UPDATED: List of the Countries with the Most Members without a Stake - June 2023 Edition

Below is an updated list of the countries with the most Latter-day Saints without a stake. Membership totals are as of 2022 and congregational and district totals are current. Estimated membership for mainland China and Pakistan is provided as official statistics are unavailable. The number of branches in mainland China is not provided due to the sensitive nature of the Church in that country. Previous lists of the countries with the most members without a stake can be found here.

1. China - 12,500 members? - 12 districts
2. Malaysia - 10,829 members - 25 branches - 5 districts
3. Guyana - 6,645 members - 12 branches - 2 districts
4. Belize - 5,534 members - 12 branches - 2 districts
5. Pakistan - 5,500 members? - 15 branches - 3 districts
6. Malawi - 3,872 members - 12 branches - 2 districts
7. Armenia - 3,546 members - 5 branches - 1 district
8. Romania - 3,082 members - 15 branches - 1 district
9. Tanzania - 2,999 members - 22 branches - 3 districts
10. Cameroon - 2,721 members - 15 branches - 2 districts
11. Bulgaria - 2,398 members - 7 branches - 0 districts
12. Eswatini - 2,198 members - 6 branches - 1 district
13. Poland - 2,184 members - 11 branches - 1 district
14. Ethiopia - 2,075 members - 8 branches - 1 district
15. Cook Islands - 1,862 members - 5 branches - 1 district
16. Suriname - 1,797 members - 6 branches - 1 district
17. Sri Lanka - 1,662 members - 5 branches - 1 district
18. Lesotho - 1,474 members - 6 branches - 1 district 
19. Macau - 1,456 members - 2 branches - 1 district 
20. Solomon Islands - 1,375 members - 5 branches, 1 district

As noted in the list from 2022, prospects appear most favorable for the formation of stakes within the next few years in mainland China, Malaysia, Guyana, Belize, Pakistan, Swaziland, and Cameroon as all of these countries have at least one district that is close to reaching the minimum qualifications for a stake to operate. Tanzania also appears a likely candidate for a stake in the near future since most members live in Dar Es Salaam and there has been rapid growth in the country for the past 1-2 years. There are too few members and growth rates are too slow for stakes to be likely in the next couple years in Sri Lanka, the Solomon Islands, and Lesotho. Low member activity rates, an insufficient number of branches in individual member districts, slow or stagnant growth, and few full-tithe paying Melchizedek Priesthood holders will likely continue to delay the organization of stakes in other countries for several more years to come.

United States Congregational Growth by State: 2022 vs 2020-2021

See below for US states/District of Columbia by net change in congregations for the year 2022. Membership growth rates by state can be found here. Congregational growth rates often provide insights into changes in active membership, albeit this is far than a perfect metric for ascertaining active membership. For instance, new congregations may be organized to accommodate a specific language group or demographic such as young single adults without a noticeable increase in the number of active members in a particular area. Moreover, congregations may be consolidated after years for slow decline or due to members moving away from a particular area. Nevertheless, trends in congregational growth over time often provide the greatest insight into active membership changes given congregations must meet certain requirements for active membership to operate.

1. Utah    +37
2. Texas    +7
3. Michigan    +3
4. Arkansas    +2
5. Indiana    +2
6. Montana   +2
7. North Carolina    +2
8. South Carolina   +2
9. Tennessee    +2
10. Alaska    +1
11. Hawaii    +1
12. Minnesota    +1
13. Missouri    +1
14. New York    +1
15. South Dakota    +1
16. West Virginia    +1
17. Wisconsin    +1
18. Alabama    0
19. Delaware    0
20. District of Columbia    0
21. Florida    0
22. Idaho    0
23. Kansas    0
24. Kentucky    0
25. Maine    0
26. Massachusetts    0
27. Mississippi    0
28. Nebraska    0
29. New Hampshire    0
30. New Mexico    0
31. North Dakota    0
32. Oklahoma    0
33. Rhode Island    0
34. Vermont    0
35. Wyoming    0
36. Connecticut    -1
37. Iowa    -1
38. Louisiana    -1
39. Maryland    -1
40. New Jersey    -1
41. Pennsylvania    -1
42. Virginia    -1
43. Illinois    -2
44. Ohio    -2
45. Georgia    -3
46. Colorado    -4
47. Oregon    -5
48. Nevada    -9
49. Arizona    -10
50. Washington    -32
51. California    -55

In contrast, see below for the net change in congregations by state for the two-year period of 2020-2021:

1. Utah    +146
2. Idaho    +32
3. Florida    +15
4. Arizona    +14
5. Texas    +14
6. Nevada    +12
7. Virginia    +12
8. Maryland    +6
9. North Carolina    +6
10. South Carolina    +6
11. Missouri    +5
12. Kentucky    +4
13. Colorado    +3
14. Georgia    +3
15. Iowa    +3
16. New York    +3
17. Arkansas    +2
18. New Jersey    +2
19. Ohio    +2
20. Tennessee    +2
21. Connecticut    +1
22. Hawaii    +1
23. Montana    +1
24. Wyoming    +1
25. Alabama    0
26. Alaska    0
27. Delaware    0
28. District of Columbia    0
29. Maine    0
30. Massachusetts    0
31. Michigan    0
32. Nebraska    0
33. New Hampshire    0
34. North Dakota    0
35. Oklahoma    0
36. Rhode Island    0
37. South Dakota    0
38. Vermont    0
39. Wisconsin    0
40. Illinois    -1
41. Kansas    -1
42. Minnesota    -1
43. Mississippi    -1
44. New Mexico    -1
45. Pennsylvania    -1
46. West Virginia    -1
47. Indiana    -2
48. Louisiana    -2
49. Oregon    -5
50. Washington    -23
51. California    -40
    

Mormon Land Podcast Episode

The Salt Lake Tribune invited me to do a podcast on the 2022 country-by-country membership statistical figures released earlier this month. The podcast can be accessed here.

Congregational Growth by Country in 2022

Below is a list of the countries where the Church reported a net increase of four or more units for the year 2022. The annual percentage increase for the number of wards and branches for each country is also provided:

1. Philippines +16 (1.27% increase)
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo +14 (5.49% increase)
3. Mexico +14 (0.76% increase)
   
4. Ghana +12 (3.52% increase)
5. Nigeria +11 (1.45% increase)
6. Tanzania +10 (76.9% increase) 
7. Liberia +9 (15.5% increase) 
8. Mozambique +6 (12.0% increase) 
9. Papua New Guinea +5 (5.75% increase) 
10. Chile +4 (0.70% increase) 
11. Republic of the Congo +4 (14.3% increase) 
12. Sierra Leone +4 (4.65% increase) 

The net increase in the number of wards and branches in these 12 countries totals 124; a larger number than the net increase in the number of wards and branches for the entire Church for 2022 (15). Four countries experienced a net decrease of four or more units during 2022. Altogether, the net decrease in congregations in these four nations totaled 109. 

1. United States -62 (0.42% decrease)  
2. Russia -21 (23.3% decrease)  
3. Japan -20 (7.97% decrease)
4. Canada -6 (1.20% decrease)

Previous lists for annual congregational growth by country are available for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020-2021.

UPDATED: The 10 Countries with the Most Members without a Temple Announced, Under Construction, or in Operation - May 2023

I have updated the list of the countries with the most members without a temple using year-end 2022 membership totals. Temples that service stakes, districts, and mission branches in each country are identified. Previous lists are also available for April 2022, March 2022, November 2020, April 2020, April 2019, October 2018, April 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, mid-2011, late 2008, and late 2007. Countries in Italics do not have a stake. Indonesia was removed from this list given the announcement of the Jakarta Indonesia Temple on April 2nd, 2023. Benin has since ascended to the list to replace Indonesia. Benin is the country on the list with the most recent Church establishment. The first branch created in Benin was organized in 2005.

 1. Uganda

• 20,693 members
• 3 stakes, 3 districts
• 37 congregations (18 wards, 20 branches)
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple (Nairobi Kenya Temple under construction)

2. Mongolia

• 12,477 members
• 2 stakes, 1 district
• 24 congregations (12 wards, 12 branches)
• Hong Kong China Temple (Shanghai China Temple announced)

3. Malaysia

• 10,829 members
• 0 stakes, 5 districts
• 25 congregations (25 branches)
• Hong Kong China Temple (Singapore Republic of Singapore Temple announced)

4. Marshall Islands

• 6,832 members
• 2 stakes
• 13 congregations (12 wards, 1 branch)
• Suva Fiji Temple (Tarawa Kiribati Temple announced)
  

5.  Jamaica

• 6,810 members
• 1 stake, 1 district
• 18 congregations (6 wards, 12 branches)
• Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple

6.  Guyana

• 6,645 members
• 0 stakes, 2 districts
• 12 congregations (12 branches)
• Caracas Venezuela Temple

7.  Togo

• 6,500 members
• 3 stakes
• 22 congregations (15 wards, 9 branches)
• Ghana Accra Temple

8.  Federated States of Micronesia

• 5,966 members
• 1 stake, 2 districts
• 23 congregations (5 wards, 18 branches)
• Cebu City Philippines Temple (Yigo Guam Temple scheduled for dedication)
  

9.  Benin

• 5,606 members
• 2 stakes
• 23 congregations (16 wards, 4 branches)
• Accra Ghana Temple (Lagos Nigeria Temple announced)
  

 10.  Belize

• 5,534 members
• 2 districts
• 12 congregations (12 branches)
• Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (Coban Guatemala Temple announced)

April 2023 Newsletter

 Click here to access the April 2023 newsletter for cumorah.com.

Membership Growth by US State for 2022

See below for a list of annual membership growth rates by each United States state for the year 2022. Previous lists are available for 2017, 2018, and the biennial period of 2020-2021. It is important to note that annual membership growth rates by state have mostly returned to trends seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with only eight states reporting a net decline in membership for the year (there were 22 during the 2020-2021 period, whereas there were 13 in 2018 and nine in 2017). The biggest unexpected development was that membership growth rates in Utah slowed significantly in 2022 compared to most previous years (usually about 1-2 percent a year, whereas this past year it was a mere 0.56% - probably the lowest membership growth rate ever reported for the Church in Utah). Most states returned to previous membership growth rates experienced during the 2010s or have reported more rapid membership growth than usual. These findings indicate that it is likely more Latter-day Saints are moving away from Utah and states with negative membership growth to these states with the highest membership growth rates and/or there has been an increase in convert baptisms in these states with the greatest membership growth. Some other states that had an unusual year for 2022 compared to recent years (in regard to annual membership growth rates) include New York (most rapid membership growth rate since 2008), Arkansas and Missouri (most rapid membership growth rates since 2004), and South Carolina and Tennessee (most rapid membership growth rates since 2007). California is the only state that has consistently experienced a decline in membership for the most consecutive years (negative membership growth has occurred since 2014). The rate of membership decrease in California was highest during the 2020-2021 period (-2.84%), and membership decline has returned to rates seen shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic (it was -0.81 in 2018 and -0.82 in 2022).

1. Arkansas    4.05%
2. Tennessee    3.55%
3. Missouri    3.43%
4. South Carolina    3.10%
5. North Carolina    2.73%
6. Alabama    2.54%
7. Florida    2.41%
8. New York    2.40%
9. Oklahoma    2.06%
10. Kentucky    2.03%
11. Texas    1.96%
12. Kansas    1.85%
13. North Dakota    1.77%
14. South Dakota    1.74%
15. Rhode Island    1.59%
16. Georgia    1.57%
17. Minnesota    1.53%
18. Connecticut    1.36%
19. Wisconsin    1.31%
20. Ohio    1.28%
21. Indiana    1.23%
22. Mississippi    1.15%
23. New Jersey    1.09%
24. District of Columbia    1.02%
25. Alaska    0.97%
26. Massachusetts    0.95%
27. Illinois    0.85%
28. Montana    0.83%
29. Michigan    0.80%
30. Iowa    0.79%
31. Virginia    0.72%
32. Nebraska    0.69%
33. West Virginia    0.67%
34. Maine    0.61%
35. Louisiana    0.60%
36. Idaho    0.56%
37. Utah    0.56%
38. Wyoming    0.51%
39. New Hampshire    0.32%
40. Delaware    0.32%
41. Arizona    0.27%
42. Hawaii    0.13%
43. Pennsylvania    0.08%
44. Maryland    -0.03%
45. New Mexico    -0.06%
46. Colorado    -0.20%
47. Nevada    -0.33%
48. Vermont    -0.52%
49. Oregon    -0.62%
50. Washington    -0.78%
51. California    -0.82%

See below for a list of states ranked by total membership as of year-end 2022:

1. Utah    2,173,560
2. California    728,995
3. Idaho    473,894
4. Arizona    439,411
5. Texas    378,281
6. Washington    281,389
7. Nevada    181,975
8. Florida    168,527
9. Oregon    150,207
10. Colorado    148,708
    
11. Virginia    97,449
12. North Carolina    94,018
13. Georgia    89,285
14. New York    84,857
15. Missouri    77,959
16. Hawaii    74,952
17. New Mexico    69,055
18. Wyoming    67,797
19. Ohio    63,814
20. Tennessee    57,422
21. Illinois    57,015
22. Pennsylvania    52,193
23. Oklahoma    51,847
24. Montana    51,715
25. Indiana    46,823
26. Michigan    45,547
27. South Carolina    44,230
28. Maryland    43,296
29. Alabama    39,832
30. Kansas    39,356
31. Kentucky    37,830
32. Arkansas    35,405
33. New Jersey    34,536
34. Alaska    33,574
35. Minnesota    33,365
36. Louisiana    29,727
37. Iowa    28,697
38. Massachusetts    28,197
39. Wisconsin    27,943
40. Nebraska    25,229
41. Mississippi    22,189
42. West Virginia    17,294
43. Connecticut    15,838
44. South Dakota    11,494
45. North Dakota    11,487
46. Maine    11,054
47. New Hampshire    8,996
48. Delaware    5,613
49. Vermont    4,631
50. Rhode Island    4,351
51. District of Columbia    3,168
     

Country-by-Country Membership Statistics Released for 2022

The Church has released year-end 2022 membership and congregation totals for most nations with a reported Church presence. These statistics can be accessed on Church's official website at https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics. Only Samoa and Russia were omitted from the analysis below because either membership data were not reported for year-end 2021 (Russia) or the Church had not updated its membership figure for 2021 (Samoa) and consequently it is unclear how much membership increased for the year 2022.

Countries with the highest annual membership growth rates for 2022 are listed below. Lists for nations with the most rapid annual membership growth rates are also available for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. A list of the biennial membership growth rates for countries between year-end 2019 to year-end 2021 can be found here. The percentage next to the country name for the list below is the annual membership growth rate for 2022. Countries in bold experienced a membership increase greater than 200 during 2022

1. Burundi - 50.7% - 1,240
2. Rwanda - 36.9% -1,154
3. Tanzania - 29.9% - 2,999
   
4. Mozambique - 18.6% - 18,443
   
5. Benin - 17.7% - 5,606
6. Republic of the Congo - 16.1% - 11,481
   
7. Iceland - 15.4% - 382
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo - 15.4% - 102,862
9. Turkey - 14.8% - 658
10. Angola - 14.4% - 4,760
11. Liberia - 14.1% - 20,335
    
12. Cameroon - 13.0% - 2,721
    
13. Kazakhstan - 11.7% - 229
14. Namibia - 11.2% - 1,110
15. Sierra Leone - 10.6% - 28,867
16. Bahrain - 10.5% - 252
17. Dominica - 10.3% - 160
    

The following is a list of the top ten countries with the highest negative membership growth rates (i.e., fastest rate of membership decline) during 2022. The percent growth rate is provided next to the country name, and the number to the right of the percentage growth rate is the year-end 2022 membership total for the country.

1. Ukraine - -7.8% - 10,344
   
2. Singapore - -2.9% - 3,202
   
3. Isle of Man - -2.4% - 281
   
4. Republic of Georgia - -2.3% - 252
   
5. Federated States of Micronesia - -2.3% - 5,966
   
6. Marshall Islands - -2.1% - 6,832
   
7. Netherlands - -1.9% - 9,185
   
8. Cook Islands - -1.6% - 1,862
   
9. Slovakia - -1.3% - 305
10. Martinique - -1.1% - 258
    

Below is a list of the top ten countries by numerical membership net increase for 2022. Each country is provided with the numerical national increase in membership for the year. Additionally, the percentage of total church membership increase that is accounted for by each country is provided (i.e., a percentage of the world membership increase for 2022 that is within that country). Lists are also available for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. A list of the biennial period of 2020-2021 is also available. 65.3% of the 2022 net increase in Church membership can be attributed to the following 10 nations.

1. United States - 41,009 - 20.8%
2. Philippines - 20,209 - 10.3%
3. Brazil - 16,283 - 8.3%
4. Democratic Republic of the Congo - 13,726 - 7.0% 
5. Nigeria - 9,953 - 5.1%
6. Mexico - 9,424 - 4.8%
7. Peru - 5,530 - 2.8%
8. Ghana - 5,416 - 2.7%
9. Bolivia - 3,699 - 1.9%
10. Ecuador - 3,453 - 1.8%

Below is a list of the top ten countries by numerical membership decrease for the biennial period of 2020-2021. Each country is provided with the numerical national decrease in membership for this two-year period. There were only six countries that experienced a net decreased by 100 or more during 2022.

1. Ukraine - -872
2. Hong Kong - -248
3. Puerto Rico - -230
4. Netherlands - -180
5. Marshall Islands --145
6. Federated States of Micronesia - -141
   

ANALYSIS OF COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY MEMBERSHIP FIGURES FOR 2022

Here is an analysis of these numbers:

First, annual membership growth rates significantly accelerated for many countries where the Church has historically experienced rapid membership growth in comparison to not only during 2020-2021 but also during 2019, 2018, and 2017. This indicates that annual membership growth rates have not only returned to previous levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in many of the nations where the Church usually reports its most rapid growth, but that membership growth rates have actually increased since prior to the pandemic. In 2019, there were only 11 countries where church membership increased by 10% or more during the year (and only 11 in 2018 and 13 in 2017), whereas there were 17 countries where church membership increased by 10% or more during 2022. There were also three countries which had an annual membership growth rate of 20% or more during 2022 (all of which had over 1,000 members by the end of the year), whereas in 2019 there were only two countries that had an annual membership growth rate of more than 20% (and one of these had only 36 members at the end of the year). Even more impressive, there were only two countries with 10,000 or more members in 2019 where the annual membership growth rate was at least 10% during the year (Mozambique and the DR Congo), whereas there were five countries with 10,000 or more members in 2022 that had an annual membership growth rate of 10% or more during the year (Mozambique, the Republic of the Congo, the DR Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). The last year there were at least five countries with at least 10,000 members when annual membership growth rates exceeded 10% for the year was in 2014 (and the countries where Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, the DR Congo, Cape Verde, and Nigeria). To put this into perspective, there were some years in the 2000s (such as 2007 and 2008) when there were no countries with at least 10,000 membership that had an annual membership growth rate of at least 10%. Moreover, this also marks the first time in 30 years since the Church has achieved an annual membership growth rate of 10% of higher in a country (i.e., the DR Congo) where there are at least 100,000 members (the last time this occurred was in Ecuador in 1992-1993). 

Second, Africa stands out as the world region where the majority of the most rapid membership growth occurs. Of the 17 countries that had an annual membership growth rate of 10% or more, 12 were in Africa. Also, all five countries outside of Africa where Church membership increased by 10% or more have fewer than 1,000 members. In Africa, the countries that have stood as consistent high performers for rapid membership growth rates in the past decade include Angola, Benin, the DR Congo, Liberia, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Outside of Africa, there are few countries that regularly have annual membership growth rates of 10% or more (and nearly all of these have very few members), but these nations include Turkey, the Solomon Islands (which experienced stagnant growth in 2022 primarily due to no missionaries assigned to the country), and Tuvalu (which also experienced stagnant growth in 2022, although it is unclear whether this may be because the membership figure was not updated since it is identical for 2021).

Third, membership growth is becoming more equalized among countries in the world than it used to be. In 2008, 77% of membership growth in the worldwide Church occurred just in 10 countries (the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Honduras, Guatemala, and Colombia). However, only 65% of membership growth in the worldwide Church occurred in the 10 countries with the highest net increases in Church membership during the year 2022. A more distributed membership growth dynamic has been a function of two processes: 1. Countries the most members have experienced decelerating growth and 2. some countries with small to medium size membership are growing at the same rate of more rapidly. For example, the Church in Mexico (country with the second most members) reported its slowest annual membership growth rate (0.63%) in over 70 years in 2022, and the Church in Brazil (country with the third most members) reported one of its slowest membership growth rates ever (1.1%) in 2022.

Fourth, countries with annual membership growth rates of 5.0-9.9% generally follow the same trends as countries with 10% or more annual membership growth. In 2022, there were 16 countries where membership growth increased within this rage of which 11 were in Africa. The countries that were not in Africa included Malta (9.4% annual membership growth rate), Cyprus (9.4%), Israel (8.0%), Montenegro (6.7%), and Guernsey (5.3%) - all of which had fewer than 1,000 members. Most of these nations have previously ranked among countries with the most rapid membership growth rates in the past 15 years, albeit these nations also often have wide fluctuations in growth (including decline). 

Fifth, annual membership growth rates in the United States slightly increased in 2022 compared to recent years. Membership in the United States increased by 0.61% in 2022, whereas the Church reported an increase of 0.62% for the two-year period including 2020 and 2021 (suggesting the annual membership growth rate was likely around 0.30% for these years assuming the rate of growth was constant during that time). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Church reported annual membership growth rates of 0.59% in 2019 and 0.60% in 2018. Annual membership growth rates in the United States remain far below previous years which averaged 1.0-1.5% in the early to mid 2010s and 1.5-2.0% in the 1990s and 2000s. 

Sixth, there were several "anomaly" countries where membership growth trends in 2022 were significantly different than what has been typically seen in recent years. Here are a few of some of the notable examples I found browsing the data. In Spain, the annual membership growth rate (3.37%) was the highest reported by the Church since 2010. This is an impressive development considering the Church in most of Europe experiences essentially stagnant growth (or slight decline). In Kenya, the Church also reported its most rapid membership growth (9.6%) seen since 2010. In Burundi, Church membership increased by approximately 50% - the most rapid growth seen since 2013. In Ukraine, the Church reported a significant decline of 7.8% which was caused primarily by Ukrainian Latter-day Saints leaving the country due to the war. The Church published figures for the number of members in Russia as of year-end 2022 - the first time this has been done since 2017 when there were 23,252 members. However, the Church reported a mere 4,995 members as of year-end 2022. It is unclear whether this may be a reporting error or if this may reflect a mass exodus of Russian Latter-day Saints to other nations. However, this figure may be accurate given scores of congregations have closed in Russia since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In Iceland, membership increased by 15.4% - the highest reported since 2001 (albeit, to put this into perspective, there were only 382 members on the records for Iceland as of year-end 2022).

New Temples Announced in April 2023 - Part III: Europe and North America

Hamburg Germany Temple

The Hamburg Germany Temple is the Church's third temple in Germany following the Freiberg Germany Temple (dedicated in 1985) and the Frankfurt Germany Temple (dedicated in 1987). The new temple will likely service only two stakes located in northern Germany. A third stake (Neumünster Germany Stake) used to operate in northern Germany, but the stake was closed in 2018 and consolidated with the Hamburg Germany Stake. The two stakes in northern Germany are now quite large in terms of the number of units and the geographical areas they cover (9 wards and 6 branches in the Hamburg Germany Stake, 7 wards and 5 branches in the Hannover Germany Stake). Moreover, one branch in the Hamburg Germany Stake recently became a ward. The Church has maintained a presence in Hamburg since 1852, and the Hamburg Germany Stake was organized in 1961. Stagnant growth has occurred for the Church in northern Germany for many decades. The Hamburg area is currently assigned to the Frankfurt Germany Temple which is an approximately 4-5 hour drive one way. There are approximately 40,000 Latter-day Saints in Germany. I added Hamburg to the less likely locations for a temple announcement in February 2023.

Lethbridge Alberta Temple

The Lethbridge Alberta Temple is the Church's fourth temple in Alberta following the Cardston Alberta Temple (dedicated in 1923), the Edmonton Alberta Temple (dedicated in 1999), and the Calgary Alberta Temple (dedicated in 2012). The new temple will likely service 8-9 stakes in southern Alberta, thereby greatly decreasing the size of the Cardston Alberta Temple district to perhaps as few as two stakes. The decision to announce a temple in Lethbridge was likely heavily influenced by improving accessibility to members who live in the four Lethbridge stakes. Lethbridge is a one-hour drive from Cardston. The new temple will also reduce the drive time to the temple for members other stakes nearby Lethbridge such as in Raymond, Taber, and Medicine Hat. The Church most recently organized a stake in Lethbridge in 2017 (a young single adult stake). The first stake was created in Lethbridge in 1951. Slow growth has occurred in southern Alberta for many decades. Lethbridge and nearby areas are assigned to the Cardston Alberta Temple district. There are nearly 200,000 Latter-day Saints in Canada. I added Lethbridge to the less likely locations for a temple announcement in February 2023.

San Jose California Temple

The San Jose California Temple is the Church's 11th temple to be built in California following the Los Angeles California Temple (dedicated in 1956), the Oakland California Temple (dedicated in 1964), the San Diego California Temple (dedicated in 1993), the Fresno California Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Redlands California Temple (dedicated in 2003), the Newport Beach California Temple (dedicated in 2005), the Sacramento California Temple (dedicated in 2006), the Feather River California Temple (announced in 2018 and scheduled for dedicate in late 2023), the Yorba Linda California Temple (announced in 2021), and the Modesto California Temple (announced in April 2022). The new temple will likely include nine stakes located in the San Jose area and south to Monterey. The first stake in the San Jose area was organized in 1946. The California San Jose Mission was organized in 1978. Steady decline has occurred in the San Jose area as several stakes have been discontinued within the past few decades. San Jose was one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the United States without a temple prior to the announcement. San Jose is approximately one hour away (in good traffic) from the Oakland California Temple where stakes in the San Jose area are currently assigned to attend. There were nearly 730,000 Latter-day Saints in California as of year-end 2022.

Bakersfield California Temple

The Bakersfield California Temple will be the Church's 12th temple in California. I have included Bakersfield on my more likely list of temple announcements for many years due to its distance from the Los Angeles California Temple (usually a 1.5-2.5 hour drive one way) which is the temple assigned for stakes in the Bakersfield area. The new temple will probably include six stakes - three of which are based in Bakersfield. The Church's first stake in Bakersfield was organized in 1951. The Church in Bakersfield has experienced very slow growth in the past two decades, and there have been only 1-2 congregations that have closed in the area within the past 15 years. The Church organized the California Bakersfield Mission in 2013.

Springfield Missouri Temple

The Springfield Missouri Temple is the Church's third temple in Missouri following the St. Louis Missouri Temple (dedicated in 1997) and the Kansas City Missouri Temple (dedicated in 2012). The new temple will likely service six stakes in southwestern Missouri. There are two stakes in Springfield (organized in 1973 and 1995) which appear likely to divide to create a third stake in the near future. Significant growth has occurred in this area of Missouri in the past 1-2 decades, and two of the six stakes in the area were organized in 2013 and 2014. Stakes in the area are currently assigned to the Kansas City Missouri Temple (an approximately three hour drive one way), although these stakes will likely be reassigned to the Bentonville Arkansas Temple when it is dedicated in September 2023 (a two hour drive one way). More than 75,000 Latter-day Saints live in Missouri. I added Springfield to the less likely locations for a temple announcement in February 2023.

Winchester Virginia Temple

The Winchester Virginia Temple is the Church's second temple in Virginia following the Richmond Virginia Temple (announced in 2018 and scheduled for dedication in May 2023). The announcement of a temple in Winchester came as a total shock to me given there are only two stakes in the area, and it is only approximately 1.5-2.0 hours by car from Winchester to the Washington DC Temple in Maryland. The one stake in Winchester was organized in 1977. The second stake likely to be assigned to the new temple is the Martinsburg West Virginia Stake which was organized in 2014. More than 97,000 Latter-day Saints live in Virginia.

Charlotte North Carolina Temple

The Charlotte North Carolina Temple is the Church's second temple in North Carolina following the Raleigh North Carolina Temple (dedicated in 1999). The new temple will likely include nine stakes - five of which are based in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Charlotte has numbered among the most likely locations to have a temple announced given a sizable number of stakes in the area that are 1.5-3.0 hours from temples in Raleigh and Columbia, South Carolina. The Church has experienced significant growth in the Charlotte area. The first stake in the city was organized in 1972 followed by additional stakes in 1986, 2006, 2018, and 2022. There were more than 94,000 Latter-day Saints in North Carolina as of year-end 2022.

Harrisburg Pennsylvania Temple

The Harrisburg Pennsylvania Temple is the Church's third temple in Pennsylvania followed by temples in Philadelphia (dedicated in 2016) and Pittsburgh (announced in 2020 and under construction). The new temple will likely service six stakes in central Pennsylvania. The oldest stake in the area was organized in 1979, whereas the newest stake was created in Gettysburg in 2021. Slow growth has occurred in the Harrisburg area where a mission used to operate until 2009. Stakes in the Harrisburg area pertain to the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple which is an approximately 2.0-2.5 hours one way by car. I added Harrisburg to the less likely locations for temple announcements in February 2023. There are approximately 52,000 Latter-day Saints in Pennsylvania.