New Mission to be Created in New Zealand

Members report that the Church's third mission in New Zealand will be organized this July in Hamilton.  This brings the number of missions to be organized in 2013 to at least 24.

Seven New Mission to be Created in Brazil

Church members in Brazil report that seven new missions will be organized in Brazil this summer in Curitiba South, Fortaleza East, Juiz de Fora, Piracicaba, Natal, Santos, and Sao Paulo West bringing the number of missions in Brazil to 34.  This brings the total number of missions to be created this summer to as many as 23.  Recent missionary reports indicate that as many as 50-60 new missions may be organized this summer worldwide.    

Another New Mission to be Created in the Philippines

Missionaries serving in the Philippines Cebu Mission report that the mission will divide this summer to create the Philippines Cebu East Mission.  This will bring the number of missions in the Philippines to at least 19 this summer.  The creation of a new mission in Cebu may permit for outreach expansion in southern Cebu Island where there is no LDS presence.

List of New Missions to be Created in 2013

Below is a list of 15 new missions to be created this summer that I have compiled from missionary and mission president reports.

• Arizona Gilbert
• Arizona Scottsdale
• Ghana Accra West
• Guatemala Coban
• Guatemala Guatemala City East
• Mexico Aguascalientes
• Mexico Cancun
• Mexico Chalco
• Mexico Ciudad Juarez
• Mexico Ciudad Obregon
• Mexico Pachuca
• Mexico Queretaro
• Mexico Reynosa
• Mexico Saltillo
• Philippines Urdaneta

Below is a list of possible new missions to be created this summer that I have not been able to confirm but appear highly likely based on recent missionary and member reports:

• Angola Luanda
• Botswana Gaborone
• Cameroon Yaounde
• Ethiopia Addis Ababa
• Togo Lome

Eight New Missions to be Created in Mexico

I have received reports that eight new missions will be created this summer in Mexico headquartered in Cancun, Chalco, Ciudad Juarez, Ciudad Obregon, Pachuca, Reynosa, Queretaro, and Saltillo.  I will provide more information once it becomes available.  Mexico will have 34 missions by this summer.  Mission presidents in other areas of the world report that new mission creations will be formally announced this Saturday.

If anyone is aware of any additional new mission creations for this summer please comment.

New Mission to be Created in the Philippines

Missionaries serving in the Philippines report that the Philippines Baguio Mission will divide this summer to create the new Philippines Urdaneta Mission.  One district from the Philippines Olongapo Mission will also be transferred to the new mission (Alaminos).  The new Philippines Urdaneta Mission will include five stakes (Bayambang, Dagupan, Lingayen, Rosales, and Urdaneta) and five districts (Alaminos, Aguilar, Calasiao, Mandgaldan, and Mapandan) whereas the Philippines Baguio Mission will contain only three stakes (Baguio [currently part of the Philippines Laoag Mission], Candon, and San Fernando) and two districts (Agoo and Bauang).  The new mission will bring the total of LDS missions in the Philippines to 18. 

I have received multiple reports from various mission presidents that the LDS Church News will announce the creation of new missions in this weekend's issue.

New Mission to be Created in Ghana

Missionaries serving in the Ghana Accra Mission report that the mission will divide this summer to create the new Ghana Accra West Mission.  The Ghana Accra Mission will likely be renamed the Ghana Accra East Mission.  Currently the Ghana Accra Mission has six stakes and four districts and services the entire Accra Metropolitan Area, Volta Region, and most of Eastern Region.   The dividing of the mission may result in expanded LDS outreach in Volta Region where only one branch operates in Ho and the opening of new units in the Accra area.  The Church created the Ghana Accra Mission in 1985.  Addional missions were organized in Cape Coast (2005) and Kumasi (2012).  With four missions by this summer, Ghana will be one of the most reached African countries with an average of six million people per mission.

First City in Northern Ghana Opens for Missionary Work

Missionaries serving in the Ghana Kumasi Mission report that the first eight missionaries were assigned to Tamale, Ghana.  With over half a million inhabitants, Tamale is the third most populous city in Ghana and is located in the predominantly Muslim north.  No previous LDS presence existed in Tamale or northern Ghana prior to the assignment of missionaries this week and missionaries will organize a group to hold church services under the Ghana Kumasi Mission Branch.  Based on the recent pattern for opening new cities to missionary work in Ghana, it appears likely that missionaries will organize additional groups in Tamale once meetinghouse space can be secured and individuals exhibit interest in the Church throughout the city.  With approximately 85% of the city population identifying as Muslim, Tamale presents unique opportunities to proselyte Muslims although missionaries will most likely target Christians.  The Church currently has a presence in several Muslim-majority nations and openly proselytes Muslims and non-Muslims alike in these countries such as Sierra Leone and Albania.  Safety concerns for Muslims joining the Church in northern Ghana are minimal due to the lack of Islamic influence on government and tolerance for other proselytizing Christian groups in the area such as Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Below is a map of LDS units in central and northern Ghana.
View Wards and Branches in the Ghana Kumasi Mission in a larger map

First Young, Male Missionaries Assigned to Laos

Missionaries serving in the Thailand Bangkok Mission report that the first four young, male missionaries were assigned to Vientiane, Laos on educational and humanitarian assignment.  The Church organized its first branch in Laos in 2003 and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve dedicated Laos for missionary work in 2006.  Senior missionary couples have regularly served in Laos performing humanitarian and development work and have supported the Vientiane Branch.  Missionaries report that the Vientiane Branch currently has approximately 100 active members and has had several members serve missions.  Newly assigned missionaries will also provide some ecclesiastical support to the isolated branch.

January 2013 Cumorah Newsletter

We have just posted our monthly newsletter for the Cumorah Foundation providing recent church growth news and descriptions of recently posted case study articles on cumorah.com.  The newsletter can be found here.