First Karen Language Latter-day Saint Materials Translated

The Church recently translated the sacramental prayers and the 13 Articles of Faith into the Karen language. Karen is the primary language spoken in east central Myanmar near the border with Thailand. The Church organized its first Karen-speaking branch in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2009. There are several million Karen speakers worldwide. Click here to access the 13 Articles of Faith in Karen.

First Branch in Kogi State, Nigeria Organized

The Church recently organized its first branch in the Nigerian State of Kogi. The Idah Branch was organized in the city of Idah and pertains to the Nigeria Enugu Mission. Kogi State has approximately 4.5 million inhabitants and numbered among the few predominantly Christian states in Nigeria without an official Latter-day Saint presence prior to the creation of the Idah Branch. The last time the Church organized its first branch in a state in Nigeria without a previous Church presence was when the Ado-Ekiti Branch was created in Ekiti State in 2016. Now, all states in southern Nigeria have at least one official ward or branch.

November 2020 Newsletter

 Click here to access the November 2020 newsletter for www.cumorah.com.

New Stakes Created in Utah (3), Cote d'Ivoire, the Philippines, and the Republic of the Congo

Utah

The Church has organized three new stakes in Utah.

A new stake was created in Farmington. The Farmington Utah Farmington Bay Stake was organized on October 25th from a division of the Farmington Utah Stake and the Farmington Utah West Stake. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Farmington 6th, Farmington 7th, Farmington 16th, Farmington Ranches 1st, Farmington Ranches 3rd, Farmington Ranches 4th, Farmington Ranches 5th, and Meadows Wards. There are now six stakes in Farmington.

A new stake was created in Lehi. The Lehi Utah Jordan River YSA Stake was organized from a division of the Lehi Utah YSA Stake. The new stake includes the following eight wards: the Crossroads YSA, Eagle Mountain YSA, Holbrook Farms YSA, Jordan River YSA, Lehi YSA 1st, Lehi YSA 2nd, Saratoga Springs YSA, and The Ranches YSA Wards. There are now 17 stakes in Lehi and 55 YSA stakes in Utah.

A new stake was created in St George. The St George Utah Crimson Ridge West Stake was organized on November 15th from a division of the St George Utah Crimson Ridge Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: Cottonwood, Hawthorn, Mulberry, Silkwood, and Sycamore Wards. There are now 19 stakes in St George. 

There are now 612 stakes and one district in Utah.

Cote d'Ivoire

The Church organized a new stake in Cote d'Ivoire on November 15th. The Koumassi Cote d'Ivoire Stake was organized from a division of the Port-Bouët Cote d'Ivoire Stake (organized in 2012 and most recently divided in 2016 to create the Grand-Bassam Cote d'Ivoire Stake). The new stake includes the following eight wards and one branch: the Anoumabo, Koumassi, Marcory, Prodomo, Remblais, Sicogi, Vridi 1st, and Vridi 2nd Wards, and the Vridi Canal Branch. 

There are now 14 stakes in Abidjan - more stakes than any other city on the Afro-Eurasian landmass. There are now 16 stakes and 17 districts in Cote d'Ivoire. The creation of several additional stakes appears imminent in Cote d'Ivoire. The following stakes are likely to divide to create new stakes in the immediate future: the Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon North Stake (10 wards), the Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire Niangon South Stake (10 wards), the Cocody Cote d'Ivoire Stake (13 wards), the Dokui Cote d'Ivoire Stake (11 wards), and the Yamoussoukro Cote d'Ivoire Stake (10 wards, 1 branch).

The Philippines

The Church organized a new stake in the Philippines on November 8th. The Camiling Philippines Stake was created from the Camiling Philippines District. Information on which of the 11 branches became wards in the new stake remains unavailable. The Church originally organized the Camiling Philippines Stake in 1991, but the stake was discontinued in 2003 and reconstituted into two districts (Camiling East and Camiling West). The districts combined into a single district in 2017. 

There are now 116 stakes and 62 districts in the Philippines.

The Republic of the Congo 

The Church organized a new stake in the Republic of the Congo on November 8th. The Diata Republic of the Congo Stake was organized from a division of the Brazzaville Republic of the Congo Stake and the Makelekele Republic of the Congo Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards and one branch: the Diata, Mfilou 1st, Moungali, Ouenze, and Tsieme Wards, and the Mfilou 2nd Branch. The Church organized its first stake in Brazzaville in 2003 followed by the creation of a second stake in 2014.

There are now three stakes in Brazzaville. There are now four stakes in the Republic of the Congo.

New Branch in Angola

The Church in Angola recently organized its second branch in the city of Huambo (approximately population: 600,000). The Sao Joao Branch was organized from a division of the Huambo Branch (renamed the Cidade Alta Branch). The Church originally organized a branch in Huambo in 2013, but the mission discontinued the branch in 2015 due to difficulties with leadership development. The Branch was reinstated in 2018 and the Church has grown rapidly in the city in the past couple years. The creation of the Church's second branch in Huambo is significant as Huambo is the first city in Angola outside of the capital city, Luanda, where multiple branches have been organized. There are three cities in Angola with an official Church presence: Luanda, Huambo, and Lubango. The Church operates one stake, one mission, and no districts in Angola.

UPDATED: The 10 Countries with the Most Members without a Temple Announced, Under Construction, or in Operation - November 2020

Due to the announcement of the Church's first temples in Kiribati and Vanuatu last month, I have updated the list of the countries with the most members without a temple using year-end 2019 membership totals. Temples that service stakes, districts, and mission branches in each country are identified. Previous lists are also available for April 2020, April 2019, October 2018, April 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, mid-2011, late 2008, and late 2007. I have put the country name in bold if that country has typically experienced rapid growth (annual membership growth rate of approximately 8% or higher) within the past two years. The Church has achieved significant progress with the announcement of temples in countries where no temples previously operated, particularly in areas with comparatively few members. This is the first time in decades that there are countries with less than 7,000 members ranked in the list of the 10 countries with the most members without temples.

1. Uganda

• 17,887 members
• 3 stakes, 3 districts
• 36 congregations (16 wards, 21 branches)
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple (Nairobi Kenya Temple announced)

2. Mozambique

• 15,032 members
• 4 stakes, 2 districts
• 47 congregations (25 wards, 22 branches)
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple (Harare Zimbabwe Temple announced)

3. Liberia

• 14,538 members
• 5 stakes, 1 district
• 56 congregations (38 wards, 18 branches)
• Accra Ghana Temple (Freetown Sierra Leone Temple announced)

4. Madagascar

• 12,887 members
• 2 stakes, 3 districts
• 42 congregations (16 wards, 26 branches)
• Johannesburg South Africa Temple (Harare Zimbabwe Temple announced)

5. Mongolia

• 12,261 members
• 2 stakes, 1 district
• 24 congregations (12 wards, 12 branches)
• Hong Kong China Temple (Shanghai China Temple announced)

6. Malaysia

• 10,845 members
• 0 stakes, 6 districts
• 31 congregations (31 branches)
• Hong Kong China Temple (Bangkok Thailand Temple announced)

7. Republic of the Congo 

• 8,542 members
• 3 stakes - will be 4 stakes as of November 8th, 2020
  
• 27 congregations (17 wards, 10 branches) - numbers prior to Pointe-Noire Republic of the Congo Stake creation
  
• Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple

8. Indonesia

• 7,561 members
• 2 stakes, 1 district
• 24 congregations (15 wards, 9 branches)
• Hong Kong China Temple (Bangkok Thailand Temple under construction)

9. Marshall Islands

• 6,976 members
• 2 stakes
• 12 congregations (12 wards)
• Suva Fiji Temple (Tarawa Kiribati Temple announced)
  

10.  Jamaica

• 6,668 members
• 1 stake, 1 district
• 18 congregations (6 wards, 12 branches)
• Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple
  

October 2020 Monthly Newsletter

 Click here to access the October 2020 monthly newsletter for cumorah.com.

New Stakes Created in Arizona, Canada, Ghana, Idaho, the Republic of the Congo, Texas, and Utah; Districts Discontinued in Poland, Portugal, and Spain

Arizona

The Church organized a new stake in Arizona on September 13th. The Queen Creek Arizona Heritage Stake was organized from a division of the Gilbert Arizona Gateway Stake, the Queen Creek Arizona North Stake, and the Queen Creek Arizona West Stake. The new stake includes the following seven wards: the Desert Mountain, Gateway Married Student, Hawes, Quail Creek, Queen Creek Station, Queens Park, and Remington Heights Wards. There are now nine stakes in Queen Creek, Arizona, and there are two additional stakes in San Tan Valley.

There are now 116 stakes in Arizona.

Canada

The Church organized a new stake in Alberta on October 11th. The Edmonton Alberta YSA Stake was organized from the Edmonton Alberta Bonnie Doon Stake, the Edmonton Alberta Gateway Stake, the Edmonton Alberta North Stake, and the Edmonton Alberta Riverbend Stake. The new stake includes the following five wards: the Gateway YSA, Kingsway YSA, Mill Creek YSA, Mount Pleasant YSA, and Whitemund Creek YSA Wards. The new stake is the Church's third YSA (young single adult) stake in Alberta following the creation of the Lethbridge Elberta YSA Stake in 2017 and the Calgary Alberta YSA Stake in 2019.

There are now 27 stakes in Alberta and 52 stakes in Canada.

Ghana

The Church organized a new stake in Ghana on September 13th, 2020. The new stake is the Church's first stake to be organized outside of the United States since the Church temporarily suspended its Sunday worship services for wards, branches, and member groups in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Kumasi Ghana Suame Stake was organized from the Agona Ghana District and portions of the Kumasi Ghana Dichemso Stake. Information on which wards and branches are assigned to the new stake remains unavailable. A significant restructuring of the boundaries of stakes and districts in the region occurred as part of the new stake creation. Also, the Nkawkaw Ghana District was expanded to include congregations in the Konongo area, and the district was renamed the Kumasi Ghana Konongo District. There are now four stakes in Kumasi.

There are now 26 stakes and 10 districts in Ghana.

Idaho

The Church organized a new stake in Idaho on October 11th. The Rigby Idaho Holbrooke Stake was organized from the Rigby Idaho East Stake and possibility one or two additional stakes in Rigby. Currently, the Church reports only four wards in the new stake (Rigby 8th, Rigby 10th, Rigby 16th, Rigby 19th). As new stakes almost always have a minimum of five wards, it appears additional wards have not been assigned to the new stake yet per the Church's meetinghouse website or the creation of one or more new wards is imminent. The new stake is the Church's fourth stake in Rigby.

There are now 134 stakes in Idaho.

The Republic of the Congo

Today, the Church organized a new stake in the Republic of the Congo. The Pointe-Noire Republic of the Congo Stake was organized from the Pointe-Noire Republic of the Congo District which was originally created in 2015. Most of the eight branches in the district likely became wards although information on which branches have become wards is currently unavailable. The Church has maintained a long-term presence in Pointe-Noire with the first branch organized in 1997 albeit slow growth occurred in the city for the first 10-15 years. 

There are now three stakes in the Republic of the Congo. Member reports indicate a fourth stake in the country, the Diata Republic of the Congo Stake, will be organized on October 25th, 2020.

Texas

The Church organized a new stake in Texas on September 13th. The San Antonio Texas Pecan Valley Stake was organized from a division of the San Antonio Texas East Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards and one branch: the Buena Vista (Spanish), Mission Creek, Pleasant 1st, San Antonio 1st, San Antonio 10th, and Woodlake Wards, and the Fort Sam Houston Military Branch. There are now eight stakes in San Antonio.

There are now 78 stakes and two districts in Texas.

Utah 

The Church organized a new stake in Utah. The Layton Utah Shoreline Stake was organized from a division of the Layton Utah Legacy Stake and the Layton Utah South Stake. The new stake includes the following six wards: the Evergreen, Harmony Place, Layton 2nd, Pinehurst, Swan Lakes, and Weaver Lane Wards. There are now 14 stakes in Layton.

There are now 609 stakes and one district in Utah.

Poland

The Church discontinued a district in Poland. The Katowice Poland District, organized in 2004, included five branches and two member groups prior to its discontinuation. All branches in the former district were reassigned to the Warsaw Poland District. Moreover, the Warsaw Poland District was enlarged to include the entire country of Poland and the Church's 13 branches. This decision was likely made to consolidate limited leadership to staff both district and branch callings. Prospects for a stake in Poland appear highly unlikely for many more years even though there are over 2,000 members on Church records as none of the 12 non-administrative branches appear close to meeting the minimum criteria to become wards with perhaps only one or two exceptions.

Portugal

The Church discontinued a district in Portugal. The Santarém Portugal District, organized in 1991, was discontinued and the six branches that pertained to the former district were reassigned to the Lisbon Portugal Stake or the Oeiras Portugal Stake. This decision was likely made to conserve leadership and also to permit neighboring stakes to support these branches instead of the mission presidency. Only the Santarém Branch appears likely to become a ward in the near future among branches in the former district.

There are now six stakes and three districts in Portugal.

Spain

The Church discontinued a district in Spain. The La Mancha Spain District, organized in 1991, was discontinued and the three branches in the former district were reassigned to the Madrid Spain Central Stake. Branches in the district have been known to have very few active members for decades. This decision was likely made to conserve limited leadership in these branches and to have Spanish leadership in the Madrid Spain Central Stake to provide mentoring and support to the branches instead of the mission presidency.

There are now 15 stakes and one district in Spain.

Several New Stakes

In the coming days, I will be posting updates on new stakes created. Please check the right side of the site for information on new stakes recently created or soon to be created.

Māori-Speaking Branch Organized in New Zealand

Last Sunday, the Church organized a Māori-speaking branch in the northern portion of the North Island of New Zealand. This is the first time in 70 years that the Church has operated Māori-speaking branch in New Zealand. The Church's article on the new branch organization can be found here.