Stake Creations Reflect Church Growth

Perhaps in no way is the growth of the Church—both in numbers and in international scope—more dramatically told than in a review of the organization of stakes.

In the 13-month period from October 21, 1973, to November 24, 1974, 45 stakes were organized. In contrast, it took 54 years for the same number of stakes to be organized after the Church relocated in the Salt Lake Valley.

Of the 45 recent stakes, 35 percent (16) were organized outside the United States.

Stakes were organized in England, Chile, New Zealand, Uruguay, Japan, Argentina, Samoa, Ireland, Mexico, Denmark, and Canada. One of the last stakes organized during the “year” was the Edmonton Alberta East Stake. This stake, the second in the capital city of Alberta, was organized under the direction of President N. Eldon Tanner, who served as a branch president in Edmonton at a time when Church members held their services in the home of one of the members.

The international leadership of the Church is reflected in the names of Hitoshi Kashikura, president of the Yokohama Japan Stake, Guillermo Torres, president of the Mexico City Mexico Arbolillo Stake, and Ariel Fedrigotti, president of the Montevideo Uruguay East Stake.

Most of the stakes were created by the division of other stakes. Only three—Belfast Ireland, Copenhagen Denmark, and Valle Hermosa Mexico—were created directly from missions.

Stakes were organized in the following states: Hawaii, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Georgia, Idaho, California, Oregon, Illinois, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Wyoming, and Nebraska.