LDS Church feels major growing pains in Happy Valley.

[_mentalgymnast]

Utah County has already been pegged as one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, with Provo/Orem being No. 7 by U. S. Census Bureau reports. Lehi is No. 3 and other areas such as Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain and Vineyard are also outpacing growth projections.

In 2016 that Utah County growth number floated around 20,000 new residents. In LDS terms that equals about 57 new wards. That pace is not expected to slow for a while yet to come.

Actual LDS membership growth as provided by LDS Church Public Affairs indicates that between the third quarter of 2013 and 2016 the church had grown in Utah County by 37,475 members.

According to Speckhard, the average ward is around 400 members. Church growth numbers that means 93 new wards in Utah County in the past three years. Typically there are eight to 10 wards to a stake. With church numbers that equals approximately 10 new stakes in just three years.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/f ... bced6.html

Regards,
MG

[_GameOver]

I'm assuming this growth is due to the members "gathering" for the last days scenarios so they can be among the Saints when the ______ hits the fan.

They are in for a BIG surprise if they came from out-of-State. Utah County Mormons are like no other, not to mention the over-crowding, horrible traffic and pathetically low pay. I would venture to say that many of them will be sorry for their move eventually.

[_I have a question]

It's noteworthy that the "growth" is in existing members moving into the area, rather than converts.
And it clearly isn't stable growth, it's transient and based on property availability.

“The difficult thing is the wards are not being created by homes, but apartments with constant turnover,” Speckhard said.

I'd suggest this is a real headache for the record keeping of the ward, and for its ongoing operation.

It would be interesting to understand the social transience patterns in the area - where people are coming from and where they got to after passing through. Plus the demographics of this transient section - are they families, couples, singles, immigrant etc.

[_DarkHelmet]

The article is about growth in membership numbers, but there is also a growth in non-members. The entire Wasatch Front is experiencing a tech boom right now which is bringing in workers from all over the country. This is also creating a headache for members as you see Starbucks popping up in places like America Fork. 10 years ago it would make no business sense to open a coffee shop in Happy Valley.

[_Maksutov]

I suspect the point of this article was to show how the church is growing. Swarming is more like it. I think Utah County is the perfect place for it. It looks rather desperate and insular to me, but Mormonism has never been much interested in being part of America, let alone the world, except to access power and wealth.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Cool.

[_mentalgymnast]

I'm assuming this growth is due to the members "gathering" for the last days scenarios so they can be among the Saints when the ______ hits the fan.

Chuckle.

Although Utah is in a pretty nice 'sweet spot' as far as awesome places to live for various reasons. The economy being one of them. I'd sure rather be on a teacher pension here than in some other states.

Regards,
MG

[_Themis]

So we see an area doing very well and growing fast. An area in the heart is Brigham's Mormonism. Should we not expect that most people moving into this area to be Mormon? Not sure how this is newsworthy.

[_Polygamy-Porter]

So the awful pollution only gets worse, along with the traffic congestion

The Pharma industry likes it, more sandy candy to the same location.

Honestly, I cannot imagine living in such a homogeneous society where you find such little difference between each other that you nit pick tiny difference like whether others are wearing their magic underwear.

One college told me he was creeped out on his only visit to Utah for training. "They all seems so alike, the way they talked and their interests and opinions"

[_Polygamy-Porter]

Quick growth.

Must mean that "the (Mormon) church is true".

Good for you.

Please stay out of California.