Comments on: World http://www.rickety.us Mostly about Utah Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:48:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-9754 rickety Tue, 26 Oct 2010 01:49:52 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-9754 The difference in the percentages are sufficient to question the accuracy of one or both or suggests dissimilar criteria for what constitutes a member. I have served as a Branch Clerk in England and a Membership Clerk and Ward Clerk in the U.S.A. My experiences in these callings give me confidence that the Church's numbers are accurate and up-to-date. However, consider that the CIA percentage is from the 2001 census whereas the LDS percentage reflects yearly updates. Children of record are included in LDS membership percentages but I do not know if the CIA percentage includes all or any children of record. Whether children of record are counted can make a big difference. For example, worldwide in 2009, new children of record were 29.94% of the total increase in membership that year. Similarly I would expect that new children of record would make a noticeable difference in percentage in Samoa. Congratulations on your mission call. The difference in the percentages are sufficient to question the accuracy of one or both or suggests dissimilar criteria for what constitutes a member. I have served as a Branch Clerk in England and a Membership Clerk and Ward Clerk in the U.S.A. My experiences in these callings give me confidence that the Church’s numbers are accurate and up-to-date.

However, consider that the CIA percentage is from the 2001 census whereas the LDS percentage reflects yearly updates. Children of record are included in LDS membership percentages but I do not know if the CIA percentage includes all or any children of record.

Whether children of record are counted can make a big difference. For example, worldwide in 2009, new children of record were 29.94% of the total increase in membership that year. Similarly I would expect that new children of record would make a noticeable difference in percentage in Samoa.

Congratulations on your mission call.

]]> By: Nathan http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-9746 Nathan Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:04:44 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-9746 I'm going on a mission to Samoa. I was curious if you knew why the CIA states that approximately 13 percent of the population is LDS while the Church Almanac relates that it's closer to 30 percent. I’m going on a mission to Samoa. I was curious if you knew why the CIA states that approximately 13 percent of the population is LDS while the Church Almanac relates that it’s closer to 30 percent.

]]> By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6812 rickety Mon, 24 May 2010 01:41:57 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6812 I went through every almanac. After I looked in one the rest followed the same format so the process became faster. There are two more years to add when two more almanacs are delivered. I will then have the complete set except for 1978. That means that similar plots could be made for other countries. Also LDS growth versus general population growth. I went through every almanac. After I looked in one the rest followed the same format so the process became faster. There are two more years to add when two more almanacs are delivered. I will then have the complete set except for 1978. That means that similar plots could be made for other countries.

Also LDS growth versus general population growth.

]]> By: Jonathen http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6811 Jonathen Mon, 24 May 2010 01:19:18 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6811 Thank you very much for taking the time to put this together; are all the data points for past years available in the 2010 almanac, or did you have to go through the past ones to get the previous years' information? And just as you suspected, Japan itself is facing the giant problem of a shrinking / aging society because of a small number of childbirths (少子高齢化社会 as they refer to it), amongst other issues. Thank you very much for taking the time to put this together; are all the data points for past years available in the 2010 almanac, or did you have to go through the past ones to get the previous years’ information?

And just as you suspected, Japan itself is facing the giant problem of a shrinking / aging society because of a small number of childbirths (少子高齢化社会 as they refer to it), amongst other issues.

]]> By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6783 rickety Sat, 22 May 2010 06:14:25 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6783 I have put together a chart and table, a little ahead of schedule, at http://www.rickety.us/lds/japan/ There are two more data points to add but the chart as it stands gives a good idea of the LDS growth in Japan. It looks to be leveling off of late though. I haven't checked but I suspect that Japanese population growth as a whole may also be slowing. I have put together a chart and table, a little ahead of schedule, at http://www.rickety.us/lds/japan/

There are two more data points to add but the chart as it stands gives a good idea of the LDS growth in Japan. It looks to be leveling off of late though. I haven’t checked but I suspect that Japanese population growth as a whole may also be slowing.

]]> By: Jonathen http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6777 Jonathen Sat, 22 May 2010 01:46:34 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6777 Thank you very much; I live out in the middle of nowhere, and I doubt that any local libraries would carry the almanacs, so your posting of such numbers would be much appreciated! Thank you very much; I live out in the middle of nowhere, and I doubt that any local libraries would carry the almanacs, so your posting of such numbers would be much appreciated!

]]> By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6774 rickety Fri, 21 May 2010 18:33:31 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6774 I did some research and I found I could obtain locally most almanacs back to the first edition of 1974. As I have been intending to secure the missing editions for some time, I went ahead and purchased them this morning. Two of the almanacs that were not available locally I ordered online. The remaining 1978 almanac I cannot find. In a week or so I will be able to post some numbers. I did some research and I found I could obtain locally most almanacs back to the first edition of 1974. As I have been intending to secure the missing editions for some time, I went ahead and purchased them this morning. Two of the almanacs that were not available locally I ordered online. The remaining 1978 almanac I cannot find.

In a week or so I will be able to post some numbers.

]]> By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6770 rickety Fri, 21 May 2010 14:44:33 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6770 These are the Almanacs that I own: 1987 2001-2002 (this is when the Almanac was published every two years) 2003 to 2010 (published every year) So I could go back ten years that's all. These are the Almanacs that I own:
1987
2001-2002 (this is when the Almanac was published every two years)
2003 to 2010 (published every year)

So I could go back ten years that’s all.

]]> By: Jonathen http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-6767 Jonathen Fri, 21 May 2010 09:28:02 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-6767 In the same vein as the other Japan inquiry goes, I would be very interested to see a graph like the ones you made for the US and Canada for Japan over the past few decades. Do you have access to such information in the almanacs? If making a graph would be troublesome, even a simple list of the number of members there during such a timeline would be fun to see. (I am an RM from Japan, thus the interest in that particular country.) Thank for putting this together, by the way - it was very interesting to see how much the church is growing, and where for that matter! In the same vein as the other Japan inquiry goes, I would be very interested to see a graph like the ones you made for the US and Canada for Japan over the past few decades. Do you have access to such information in the almanacs? If making a graph would be troublesome, even a simple list of the number of members there during such a timeline would be fun to see. (I am an RM from Japan, thus the interest in that particular country.)

Thank for putting this together, by the way – it was very interesting to see how much the church is growing, and where for that matter!

]]> By: rickety http://www.rickety.us/lds/world/comment-page-1/#comment-5380 rickety Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:03:01 +0000 http://www.rickety.us/?page_id=1329#comment-5380 In 1854 an LDS missionary was sent to Thailand. The Thailand District was organized in 1966. In 1973, Thailand became its own mission. In 1974 the first meetinghouse was built. So Mormons have been in Thailand a lot longer than many other countries. In 1854 an LDS missionary was sent to Thailand. The Thailand District was organized in 1966. In 1973, Thailand became its own mission. In 1974 the first meetinghouse was built. So Mormons have been in Thailand a lot longer than many other countries.

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