Creating a Foreign Language Stake

[nuclearfuels]

I'm not really in the know but heard our Area Authority / Presidency is supportive of the idea of creating a Spanish-speaking Stake near my current stake.

Had two Apostles visit in recent months. The senior Apostle, chatting after the meetings with a mission president, shared that he wanted the Church to "own Easter" realizing it won't be this year or next year when we reach that goal. 

The junior Apostle shared that the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has discussed creating a Spanish stake in our area. Again, I'm not in the know but I believe our current ward and stake leadership support this idea, as a means to help Spanish-speaking members advance - in leadership positions, in increased responsibility, etc.

The topic does not have every member of the Quorum in agreement, so it's not moving forward at this time. When they are all in agreement, they will provide their decision.

For those of you who live / lived in / near a foreign language stake, can you share what milestones were necessary before such stakes were created?

2,000 members and a certain number of Melchezidek priesthood-bearing tithe payers, I believe?

I think the hesitancy might stem in part from the fact that historically wards seem to have bene created where they span different income levels so more resources are available to help meet increased need - all within a ward boundary. Same goals for stakes?

I think commuting is also a cause for delaying approval. Working long hours or multiple jobs for low pay might be another reason. 

Any other reasons for delay / approval from your experience?

Thank you in advance and Happy Friday

[rpn]

While I see the value of spanish speaking ward option, I see lots of downsides in seperating by stakes.   1) it doesn't help integregation into their new country 2) it almost never would mean the spanish speaking stake would have similar resources. 3) When people move to a new country integration is impeded to the extent that newcomers can be "othered" in any way; and 4)  Why can't spanish speakign people be in leadership positions without making a spanish speaking Stake?

[Rain]

19 minutes ago, rpn said:

While I see the value of spanish speaking ward option, I see lots of downsides in seperating by stakes.   1) it doesn't help integregation into their new country

We've seen this with refugees.  Often families from the same country will be put in the same complex.  This is helpful because those that have been here longer help those that are just arriving. But it also means that they don't find as many friends outside of the circle and that limits what they can do more.

19 minutes ago, rpn said:

2) it almost never would mean the spanish speaking stake would have similar resources. 3) When people move to a new country integration is impeded to the extent that newcomers can be "othered" in any way; and 4)  Why can't spanish speakign people be in leadership positions without making a spanish speaking Stake?

Yes. If you have a foreign language leader how cool would that be?  Not just cool, but by having multiple languages in leadership you can reach multiple languages in the people. 

It is tricky. There are so many things lost to people when being in a local language/culture ward.  Not just understanding of words, but even just as small as how you are greeted (my friend from Mexico very much misses the hugs). In the French speaking branch where there are many Congolese there are many things understood that would get missed in a regular ward like the pressure to send money to family in Africa.  So how do you know when the benefits of one outweigh the benefits of the other?  It probably is very situational.

[SkyRock]

I know of one done decades ago in SoCal.  They combined Spanish speaking wards from all over SoCal.  It no longer exists.   I do not know why it ended. 

[mfbukowski]

13 hours ago, rpn said:

While I see the value of spanish speaking ward option, I see lots of downsides in seperating by stakes.   1) it doesn't help integregation into their new country 2) it almost never would mean the spanish speaking stake would have similar resources. 3) When people move to a new country integration is impeded to the extent that newcomers can be "othered" in any way; and 4)  Why can't spanish speakign people be in leadership positions without making a spanish speaking Stake?

Bukowski comments will be in italics

Real experience in LA:

"1) it doesn't help integregation into their new country"

Typically they would already be living in neighborhoods where speaking English is not necessary. One could live a lifetime without learning English : All normal needs and services available in Spanish

2) it almost never would mean the spanish speaking stake would have similar resources.

Not so. Lds folks from Mexico, say, have the same requirements in Mexico as here.

3) When people move to a new country integration is impeded to the extent that newcomers can be "othered" in any way

Not sure what you mean.

4)  Why can't spanish speakign people be in leadership positions without making a spanish speaking Stake?

Same reasons you need Stakes in English speaking areas- multiple wards next ton one area. Imagine say, a 50 square mile area occupied by folks who speak Spanish on a 24-7 basis, with the same LDS density as in English speaking areas.  You would need to have have multiple Spanish wards next to other Spanish wards

Perhaps you have not experienced the foreign language density as it actually exists here. 

And here I am speaking of Spanish folks, but of course in other areas, these comments do actually apply as well

We are a world wide church, and it seems that many people want to join us in the USA.  I see that as a good thing!

Edit:

Link to LA demographic info:

Roughly half of our population is "Hispanic".   I think that alone indicates we probably need Spanish language stakes and some Asian language stakes also.  But if course this is raw data, not including LDS info, nor areas with higher LDS density.

But of course we don't have the necessary data to take that info seriously but to me only suggests the need could be there

https://datausa.io/profile/geo/los-angeles-ca#:~:text=The 5 largest ethnic groups,-Hispanic) (8.31%).

Edited March 17, 2024 by mfbukowski

[nuclearfuels]

On 3/16/2024 at 12:59 PM, rpn said:

4)  Why can't spanish speakign people be in leadership positions without making a spanish speaking Stake?

Due to the fact that they dont speak English