Seven new missions in the United States will be created this summer, bringing the total number of missions in this country to 79, the First Presidency announced this week.
To be organized July 1 are the Arizona Tucson, California Riverside, Georgia Macon, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oregon Eugene, Texas Houston East and Washington Tacoma missions.The new missions will bring the Churchwide total to 235. Twelve will be in California, which will have more than any other state, and more than in any country outside the United States except Mexico.
The new missions, according to mission presidents in the areas, will enjoy strong member-missionary support.
For example, in the California San Bernardino Mission, from which the California Riverside Mission will be created, Pres. D. Earl Hurst said December was the highest month ever for conversions, and that three-fourths of those who were baptized had been referred by Church members.
Highlights of the new missions include:
Arizona Tucson Mission
The Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Tempe, and New Mexico Albuquerque missions will be realigned to create the new Tucson mission. In the new mission will be two stakes in Texas, three in New Mexico, and nine in Arizona for a total of 14 stakes. Some 41,800 members and a total of 1.9 million people live in the new mission boundaries.
After the creation of the new mission, the New Mexico Albuquerque Mission will include three Colorado stakes, two Utah stakes, three Arizona stakes and nine New Mexico stakes for a total of 17, and 59,000 members within a population of 2 million. The Phoenix mission will have 17 Arizona stakes with 45,000 members within a population of 1.4 million. The Tempe mission will have 26 stakes in Arizona, and 91,500 members within a population of 1.1 million.
Pres. Durrel A. Woolsey of the Tempe mission said strong priesthood leadership in the stakes and "wonderful cooperation of the members" have helped missionary work go very well in the Tempe-Mesa-Tucson area.
"In most cases, the converts seem to be coming from all walks of life," he related. "About 70 to 75 percent of the converts have been referred by members; members continue to be the dominant force in missionary work here."
He noted that conversions increased by nearly a fifth in 1988, and by nearly a third in 1989.
Pres. Kenneth A. Griffiths of the Albuquerque mission said his mission will continue to have a large Indian population, along with rural populations in agricultural and mining areas.
"All the stakes are involved in missionary work," he said. "The division will allow both missions to use the members more equitably."
California Riverside Mission
Dividing the San Bernardino mission will leave it with about 31,000 members in 11 stakes, and a population of 1.5 million people. The new mission will have about 33,000 members in 10 stakes, and a total population of 1 million.
"Missionary work is really blossoming everywhere," said Pres. D. Earl Hurst. "The Lord has control of it.
"Californians are really great members of the Church," he said. He noted that 1989 was the highest year for conversions ever in the mission.
Georgia Macon Mission
The South Carolina Columbia and Georgia Atlanta missions will be realigned to create a mission in Macon, Ga. The realignment will leave the Columbia mission with four stakes, all in South Carolina; and the Atlanta mission with five stakes and the Macon mission with five stakes, all in Georgia. The Columbia mission has a membership of 13,600 and a population of some 3 million. The Atlanta mission has 16,200 members and a population of about 3.5 million. The new mission has a membership of 13,800, and a population of nearly 2.7 million
Much of the new mission is in agricultural areas, according to Pres. John E. Fowler of the Atlanta mission.
"The Macon area particularly is projected to grow rapidly," he said.
Creation of the Macon mission will also permit the Atlanta mission to focus on growth in the central part of the city, where several small branches have been created recently.
Most of the stakes in the Atlanta area saw a 60-to-80-percent increase in convert baptisms last year.
Oklahoma Oklahoma City Mission
With the creation of the Oklahoma City mission, the Tulsa mission will have about 2.5 million people, including about 17,500 members in six stakes: three in Oklahoma, two in Missouri and one in Arkansas. The Oklahoma City mission will have a population of 2 million, including 12,000 members in five Oklahoma stakes.
According to Pres. Arthur W. Elrey of the Tulsa mission, members are finding and referring many investigators to missionaries. "We see the awakening of a missionary spirit in that area."
He said several military bases and universities in the area are locations where missionaries are able to teach many young people. But, throughout the mission, "We have a composite of conversions from the ethnic and economic spectrum."
He said the membership base will be strong in both missions. "We are just on the verge of gremendous growth."
Oregon Eugene Mission
The new Eugene mission will be a division of the Portland mission, and will have 17 Oregon stakes and 39,600 members, and a population of about 1.2 million. the original mission will have 10 Oregon stakes and three Washington stakes, with a membership of 45,000 and a population of 1.7 million.
Pres. Jim Eardley of the Portland mission said much of the state's rural population will be in the new mission. The Portland mission will become more metropolitan, focusing on the Portland-Vancouver area.
"We appreciate all that is going on," he said. "We are getting good membership support, and where we have that support, the work goes well."
Texas Houston East
The new Houston East mission will have about 13,500 members in five stakes, and a population of some 2.5 million. The Houston mission will retain about 15,000 members in five stakes, within a population of about 2.2 million.
Pres. Clark T. Thorstenson of the Houston mission said local stakes are well organized and strongly supportive of the missionary effort.
"I anticipate that in a short time baptisms will double because of the new mission," said Pres. Thorstenson. "The mission is not being divided because of its size but because of its potential."
Conversions in 1989 increased by nearly a third, he said.
Washington Tacoma
The division of the Seattle mission left the new mission with most of the geographical area, but the membership is well-balanced. The Tacoma mission wil have 13 stakes and 38,300 members within a population of 1.5 million. The seattle missions has 13 stakes with a membership of 37,500, and a population of 1.6 million.
Pres. Clinton L. Cutler of the Seattle mission explained that the Tacoma region has helped bring in many new members over the years, and recently the Seattle regions have kept pace.
"We look forward to seeing the work accelerate even faster."
