1971–1979
The Annual Report of the Church
April 1972


The Annual Report of the Church

The following statistical report was issued by the First Presidency at April conference, concerning the membership of the Church at the end of the year 1971:

Stakes

562

Wards

4,342

Independent branches in stakes

793

Wards and independent branches in stakes

5,135

Mission branches

1,942

Full-time missions

98

Church Membership, December 31, 1971

Stakes

2,622,439

Missions

468,514

Total

3,090,953

Church Growth During 1971

Children blessed in stakes and missions

68,659

Children of record baptized in stakes and missions

53,524

Converts baptized in stakes and missions

83,514

Social Statistics

Birthrate per thousand

28.50

Number of persons married per thousand

15.12

Death rate per thousand

4.92

Priesthood

Members holding Aaronic Priesthood

Deacons

136,969

Teachers

98,814

Priests

152,886

Total

388,669

Members holding Melchizedek Priesthood

Elders

252,051

Seventies

23,914

High Priests

88,416

Total

364,381

Grand total of members holding priesthood (an increase of 23,824)

753,050

Auxiliary Organizations

Relief Society (membership)

377,840

Sunday School (enrollment)

2,387,509

Young Men’s MIA (enrollment)

355,107

Young Women’s MIA (enrollment)

386,735

Primary (enrollment)

487,951

Welfare Plan

Number of persons assisted

100,722

Number placed in remunerative employment

12,048

Man-days of work donated to the welfare plan

195,932

Unit-days of equipment use donated

5,589

Genealogical Society

Names cleared for temple ordinances

1,750,416

(Genealogical records microfilmed in 17 countries during the year brought the total to 712,945 100-foot rolls of microfilm, the equivalent of over 3,401,301 printed volumes of 300 pages each.)

Temples

Number of ordinances performed in 13 operating temples

For the living

62,672

For the dead

6,898,428

Total

6,961,100

Church School System

Total cumulative enrollments in church schools, including institutes and seminaries

235,861

Those Who Have Passed Away

Elder Richard L. Evans, member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles

Jessie Evans Smith, wife of President Joseph Fielding Smith

Leona Ballantyne Woolley Sonne, wife of Elder Alma Sonne, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve

George R. Hill, former general superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union

Albert B. Crandall, president of the Oklahoma Mission

Harold M. Wright, former Regional Representative of the Twelve

Bertha Anderson Kleinman, noted poetess and author

George Dewey Clyde, prominent educator and civil engineer, and former governor of the State of Utah