April 2015 General Conference News and Announcements
Find news and announcements from each session of the 185th Annual General Conference.
New Temples
During the Sunday morning session of conference, President Monson announced plans to build new temples in Bangkok, Thailand; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Exact locations of the temples will be announced at a later date.
ABIDJAN IVORY COAST (CÔTE D’IVOIRE) TEMPLE
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) is home to approximately 20 million people, including more than 22,000 Church members. The Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple will be the first in the country, where missionary work officially began in 1988. Church members in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s second most populous city, currently attend temple services in Accra, Ghana, which is a 12-hour drive.
PORT-AU-PRINCE HAITI TEMPLE
Haiti is home to approximately 10 million people, including more than 19,000 Latter-day Saints. The Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple will be the first in the country, where missionary work officially began in 1980. Church members in Haiti currently attend temple services in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which is almost a day’s journey away.
BANGKOK THAILAND TEMPLE
The Bangkok Thailand Temple will be the first in this Asian nation. The Church was formally organized in Thailand in 1966. There are now approximately 18,000 Church members in 38 congregations in Thailand. The Bangkok Thailand Temple will serve Latter-day Saints in Thailand, as well as all of Southeast Asia. Currently, the nearest temple to Thailand is Hong Kong, more than 1,000 miles from Bangkok.
There are currently 144 operating temples, five temples under renovation, 13 under construction, and 13 previously announced temples in various stages of preparation. This year two temples will be rededicated and five new temples will be dedicated.
“What marvelous blessings are in store for members in these areas and indeed wherever temples are located through the world,” President Monson said.
Statistical Report
The First Presidency has issued the following statistical report of the Church as of December 31, 2014.
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CHURCH UNITS
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Stakes
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3,114
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Missions
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406
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Districts
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561
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Wards and branches
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29,621
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CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
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Total membership
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15,372,337
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New children of record
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116,409
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Converts baptized
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296,803
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MISSIONARIES
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Full-time missionaries
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85,147
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Church-service missionaries
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30,404
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TEMPLES
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Temples rededicated
(Ogden Utah Temple) |
1
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Temples dedicated
(Gilbert Arizona Temple, Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, Phoenix Arizona Temple) |
3
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Temples in operation
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144
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Callings and Releases
SEVENTIES
Elder Kim B. Clark, Rexburg, Idaho; Elder Allen D. Haynie, San Diego, California; Elder Von G. Keetch, Salt Lake City, Utah; Elder Hugo Montoya, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico; and Elder Vern P. Stanfill, Kalispell, Montana, were called to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy. In addition, 53 Area Seventies were released effective July 1, 2015, and 53 new Area Seventies were called.
AUXILIARIES
Young Men general presidency: Brothers David L. Beck, Larry M. Gibson, and Randall L. Ridd were released; called were Stephen W. Owen, president; Douglas D. Holmes, first counselor; and M. Joseph Brough, second counselor.
Primary general presidency: Sister Jean A. Stevens was released; she will serve with her husband in the England London Mission. Sister Rosemary M. Wixom will continue to serve as president, Sister Cheryl A. Esplin will serve as the first counselor, and Sister Mary R. Durham has been called as second counselor.
