UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Jan. 1, 2009: Est. population, 304,060,000; Members, 5,974,041; Stakes, 1,438; Wards, 11,289; Branches, 2,074; Districts, 12; Missions, 106;Temples in use, 62; under construction or announced, 7; Percent LDS, 2, or one in 51.
A few stakes and missions have headquarters in states other than that for which they are named. To simplify this listing, these stakes and missions are listed in the states for which they are named. Numbers preceding stakes and missions are their chronological numbers assigned at the time of creation. Letters are added if number has been used previously.
(* Stake name changed 14 Jan 1974 or as indicated otherwise.)
North Carolina
Jan. 1, 2009: Est. population, 9,222,000; Members, 74,185; Stakes, 15; Wards, 108; Branches, 40; Missions, 2; Temples,1; Percent LDS, 0.8, or one in 124.
The first known missionary to enter North Carolina was Jedediah M. Grant. On 18 May 1838, he reported that he had preached for six months in Stokes, Surrey and Rockingham counties and baptized four people. By 4 February 1840, Grant's brother, Joshua Grant Jr., and Francis G. Bishop joined him. They baptized another six or eight people. Missionaries also began work in other parts of the state. Before Jedediah Grant left, on 12 July 1845, he had organized a conference of 200 members in seven branches.
Following the exodus of the main body of the Church from Nauvoo in 1846, little work was done in North Carolina until March 1868 when a Southern convert, Henry G. Boyle, reported that he had held 40 public meetings, baptized 30 members and organized the Surrey County Branch. This branch (soon changed to Pilot Mountain) was dissolved by 1870 following the migration to the West of most branch members.
The Southern States Mission was created on 9 October 1876 to include North Carolina. The Pilot Mountain Branch was reorganized on 30 April 1876. The Mount Airy Branch was organized on 28 July 1879 and the Burke County Branch followed on 13 December 1885. Continuation of these branches was sporadic, as converts migrated to the West. Membership in 1894 was 128, with 35 leaving during the previous three years. About 1,000 people from surrounding areas attended a conference held in Radford Cross Roads on 21 November 1897. After 1895, members were encouraged to remain in North Carolina.
Anti-Mormon sentiment in North Carolina was occasionally strong. On 16 January 1906, a newly completed meetinghouse on Harker's Island was burned, and the missionaries were driven out by a mob. The meetinghouse was replaced in 1936. Occasional mobs gathered in various other locations, but after the turn of the century, public attitudes generally improved and missionaries were offered more freedom to preach.
On 14 May 1921, Andrew Jenson, visiting as assistant Church historian, reported in the Deseret News that there were three branches and 15 Sunday Schools in North Carolina. Meetinghouses were built in Mount Airy, Hampstad, Union Ridge, Wilmington, Goldsboro and Gilreath by 1930. Membership in the state then was 2,725.
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Quorum of the Twelve visited Goldsboro, attending district conference on 3 November 1929. On 18 November 1932, Elder David O. McKay of the Quorum of the Twelve toured the East Central States Mission, visiting North Carolina.
North Carolina was divided into the East and West districts on 17 April 1935. James L. Bennett Sr., the first local member to serve as district president, was sustained on 26 March 1939. The Central District was created 11 July 1948. A large building program was started in 1947 and 16 meetinghouses were subsequently constructed.
On 27 August 1961, the North Carolina Stake, the first in the state, was created in Kinston from the East District. The Central District was organized into the Greensboro Stake on 13 September 1961.
The Raleigh North Carolina Temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley on 18 December 1999 in the suburban community of Apex.
In 2002, membership reached 60,984. In 2005, membership reached 68,398.
Sources: Andrew Jenson, Encyclopedic History of the Church, 1941; Wallace R. Draughon, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Carolina, 1974; R. Scott Lloyd, "A Christmastime 'Offering' to the Lord," Church News, 25 December 1999; Southern States Mission, Manuscript history and historical report, Church Archives.
Stakes — 15
(Listed alphabetically as of Oct. 1, 2009.)
No. Name Organized First President
North America East Area
2615 Apex North Carolina 19 Oct 2003 Harry John Maxwell Jr.
1086 Asheville North Carolina 25 Nov 1979 Luther Andrew Goad
1606 Charlotte North Carolina Central 21 Sep 1986 Kenneth Larson
591 *Charlotte North Carolina South 21 Sep 1986 *Charlotte North Carolina
?Charlotte 19 Nov 1972 Byron Cole Williams
1637 Durham North Carolina 3 May 1987 James L. Bennett Jr.
698 Fayetteville North Carolina 8 Jun 1975 Leland Reid Fillmore
2652 Fayetteville North Carolina West 19 Sep 2004 Edward E. Brock Jr.
2725 Gastonia North Carolina 4 Jun 2006 Benjamin C. Poole?
1344 Goldsboro North Carolina 30 May 1982 James William Dixon
335 *Greensboro North Carolina
?Greensboro 13 Sep 1961 Eugene A. Gulledge
1371 Hickory North Carolina 31 Oct 1982 Gordon M. Thornton
332 *Kinston North Carolina
?North Carolina 27 Aug 1961 Cecil E. Reese
363 *Raleigh North Carolina
?Raleigh 9 Dec 1962 William V. Bartholomew
574 *Wilmington North Carolina
?Wilmington 21 May 1972 Dean Bevin Powell Jr.
881 *Winston-Salem North Carolina 25 Nov 1979 ?Statesville North Carolina 20 Nov 1977 Michael Stephen Bullock
Missions — 2
(As of Oct. 1, 2009; shown with historical number. See MISSIONS.)
(105) NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE MISSION (186) NORTH CAROLINA RALEIGH MISSION
6425 Idlewild Rd., Suite 104 6508 Falls of Neuse, Suite 100
Charlotte, NC 28212 Raleigh, NC 27615-6845
