Got a missionary letter today that described the daunting task of reactivating members in a branch where 1300+ are on the records, but less than 25 are active. This is in South America.

I knew it was bad, but that is far worse than I ever imagined. Poor missionary was eager to do his best, but clearly overwhelmed by the enormity of the task being asked of him.

Is that kind of activity rate the norm in South American countries?

I wouldnt doubt it. The worst I have seen in the 5 areas I served on my mission in Georgia, was 200+ in my group but only 10 active. This was back when the internet was sparse. In the next year, all of the actives moved away or went inactive.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2013 05:17AM by homoerectus.

I was once tasked as a membership clerk by a bishop to contact every person on the rolls in the ward to verify their current information and to see if they were still in the boundaries and wanted contact. I pulled a passive aggressive approach on it and never did it. Though he did ask about it a few times. I just thought it a ridiculous task to pursue. If they really wanted us to know where or what was going on with them then they would let us know or it seemed like a task better suited to home teachers or missionaries.

Typical Mormon overkill.

Activity rates in Central and South America range from 11-25%. This is per Ted Lyon former MP and Temple President who said it in a video captured by John Dehlin.

The Mormon gospel is sweeping the earth only on paper. Missionary work is mostly about reinforcing the faith of the already faithful by impressing them with numbers that are twisted and stretched to present themselves in the best possible light.

Way way way back when (early eighties), in latin America, once area where I spent 3 months had over 1500 members on the branch records, and about 25 attended church every week - 2%. Another area where I spent 6 months had over 2000 members on the ward records, and about 100 attended church every week - 5%.

I call B.S. on Brother Lyon.

11%, if only they could be so lucky...

I assume it takes only a few active members to move or go inactive and a ward falls apart. People get on with their lives and when other churches only require an hour service on Sundays, mormonism just isn't worth the time, effort and money.

I think what you are really referring to is outrageous member INactivity.

Here is some outrageous missionary activity for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN6xXS6rUPo

If it seems like these guys are pretty immature, dont worry.
the influx of 18 year old missionaries will cure that problem ....

When I was in the London mission, I sent an exit letter to my MP, explaining that our average activity rate in the mission was 25%. I had done an empirical study by contacting the Bishops in each ward in our Mission. My MP wasn't happy about it, but it was true. The bishops were all to eager to give their poor results. For example, in the Hyde Park ward, there were over 1,500 members, but only a hundred or so attended, placing the percentage around 17%. Once Bishop said, "I don't know if those brethren can see beyond the Wasatch mountains or not, but baptizing so many people who fall away immediately after baptism is ridiculous...only places a burden on the ward." That was in the mid-80's. Doubt it's much better now.

Ummm, 100 of 1500 is much more like 7 per cent than 17 per cent,

just sayin'

"Doubt it's much better now."

it got worse before the thread closed, LOL!

yeah, that's what I meant...single digits for Hyde Park.

I served in England in the late 90's and most branches and wards had around 800 to 1600 on record with 30 to 100 active.

There were a couple of branches in the stake where I lived in Arizona that were on the Navajo Reservation. There were 600-800 members (or more) on the rolls but only 40-50 attending. Part of this innactivity could be due to those who went on Indian Placement program and then dropped out. Regardless, not nearly as many active as one might expect.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2013 01:18PM by lump.

Kind of old data now, but can't be much better now- ten or twelve years ago the last calling I was extended, was to go out into one stake covering just the North West side of the Navajo Nation and clean up the 4,000 plus records by personally contacting them. There may have been 150 total active members in the "Laminite" ward / branches combined in the stake.

So much for the "Laminite blossoming as the rose". About all the branch churches on the res are used for is a good place to play basketball.

Oh, instead of accepting the calling I told the stake pres I was on my way out.

They later called an older couple to try and do the same thing as a mission calling.

So that is less than 4% and I doubt they had more than a few families pay any tithing. Not a good return for 150 years of missionary work.

That actually seems high. I was in Chile and typically it would be more around 10 percent and that 10 percent was revolving.

I hear about people dropping out of the church quite often, and I live in SE Idaho.

Maybe people are finally getting the clue that the LDS church is no good by any stretch of the imagination.

He wrote home and his father gave a testimony in church about this topic. He relayed that his missionary son was spending ALL his time on re-activation. The rate of inactivity was in the low 90 percent.

So, what is being reported on this post sounds correct.

I doubt 25 out of 1300 is the norm in South America. I mean, that's really extreme. I think the average for the world is probably about 30%, maybe lower like 10-20% in South America.

It would be nice to have an open source file for documenting wards, branches, and membership numbers and activity.

The problem would be it could be corrupted, but still a lot of exMormons have information about activity and membership, but it isn't stored in one place. Perhaps the buildings would be the first valuable thing to document, then wards, and stakes.

The Mormon church has about 3 to 5 worldwide members, not just active--this is including Inactive, but consider themselves Mormon.

Activity rates, even along the morridor, hover at about 60%. the local ward has activity rates of 40%. Of ~500 on the rolls, ~170 attend.

the biggest problem is the total commitment mentality and culture. the corporation should be more open and accepting to any level of belief and attendance.

If they want cult like membership, shouldn't they require what they want?

They still claim the 500 for membership purposes, they get 120 cult followers, and the minimal operational expenses.

I think some people thin Mormonism is for the members. Since when?

They slap some yellow vests on some cult members, go to a high profile catastrophe, and then claim the charity work for the Mormn church. I guess they created the cult-like fidelity so they can claim the work of the drones.

They can't accept any level of belief or committment. Its a cult. You are either all-in, or you are out.

Earlier this year, my uber TBM cousin in Riverton sent out an email waah-waah about how many families in her ward have fallen into the clutches of Satan. Apparently the ward activity rate has dropped below 50 percent, to the dismay of her bishopric hubby. She asked everyone on her email distribution list to pray that the wicked apostate families move and are replaced by families of righteousness.

I do think a likely strategy for Mormonism is to call the Saints home to Utah. As they lose political power outside the Morridor and feel threatened in the Morridor one way of strengthening themselves in the short-term is to contract into a position of strength.

They can't force people to leave Utah, but they can make Utah an even more Mormon environment making it less attractive to non-Mormons and more attractive to Mormons.

One of the catches to this is that I find many Mormons that enjoy Mormonism outside of Utah find it less desirable inside of Utah.

They would have to find jobs - REAL paying jobs, not church jobs - for at least the heads of households. I don't think they can do that it this point.

Or they could call them to move to low population US states, vote in blocks, and take over the Senate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2013 04:13PM by homoerectus.

See the following which I just posted:

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,957697