Most things I read tell me that TSCC's biggest growth area is Africa now. That makes me curious.

Does anyone have any insight into the cultural aspects of Mormonism in other cultures (now Africa), and whether TSCC is making any special adaptations of church programs to suit the local culture?

I'm just thinking about how YM/YW programs are set up, HT'ing and VT'ing, even simple things like "councils" and hierarchical structures that are such a part of Americanism and Mo'ism that may or may not translate to third world countries anywhere, much less to those with cultures so disparate from American culture.

I don't know, maybe western culture has thoroughly permeated other nations, but it seems to me when Mormonism was being foisted on America (and growing here) in the early-to-late 20th century, the cultural aspects were a chip shot (it was invented in the USA, after all). But when it was exported things changed a lot I suspect.

I do know there was a discussion of renaming YW classes from "Beehives," MIA Maids" and "Laurels" several years ago for that reason. Are there other changes that are made overseas?

Thanks for any insight.

When i was in the church in England it was common to complain about being ,plastic americans! All the manuals using american english hence for us wrong spellings! Basket ball courts in church, no one here plays basket ball, church leaders called Branch President! We dont have a President! It was a standing joke about taking a new member to the , stake house, and them complaining they never got any food! The mormon culture was so American in soooo many ways and in my day was never adapted to British culture!

Anyone serve in Africa can tell us about adapting the culture?

In Asia, they talk and sing about how their pioneer ancestors crossed the plains and settled Utah. Adopted ancestors, I guess. No adaptation, no questioning the relevancy to the ward members, just cookie cutter programs across the globe.

The foreigners who join an American cult don't want to join a local cult. They want an American cult. They love to hear about American pioneers crossing the American plains and settling America. They love to use American lingo and follow American traditions. They want their friends and neighbours to see them be greeted in the street by American members.

When I lived in Madrid, members swooned around all the American mishies and ignored their companions who happened to be Spaniards or Uruguayans. They celebrated Halloween, studied maps of Illinois and Ohio as they read the history of the church, learned to cook north American food and stopped watching soccer unless the USA was playing. My ward suddenly doubled in size as soon as a Californian transplant became the bishop, but it withered after he was released or so I was told, because by that time I was out. And everybody wanted to marry a mishie. Any mishie. Except the Uruguayan.