Why is the Church growing so much in Latin America?


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The Church was first only in America, Utah, but now it seems that it has become more and more a spanish/latin american thing? Lot of temples opening in latin america, the number of members is growing fast there ithink? And i see lots of mormon sites on the net in spanish.

Stuff on youtube, and in Liahona/ensign there are many stories from/about memebers in these countries. etc. Why is this?

Has the Church really focused on these countries a lot and that is now paying off?

If so - why ?

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I think most religions find Latin America to be fertile ground for converts; not just Mormonism. From a secular standpoint, I think the LDS Church tends to do well in Latin America partly because the populace isn't as secularized as--say--Europe; partly because the Church has a sort of "American mystique" that attracts interest; and partly because the Church is far more organized in both its proselytizing efforts and its programs for its members than many of the other churches in the region.

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The culture in Latin America is one where if one member of a family joins... the entire extended family does too.

Also, I think the basis of The Book of Mormon being of a people in America is something that they are drawn towards.

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The culture in Latin America is one where if one member of a family joins... the entire extended family does too.

But is that really a good thing?

In the Philippines, it wasn't/isn't too uncommon for young women to convert to Mormonism because they thought that they were reeling in an American (or Caucasian) husband who would bring them back over to the US. I know that inactivity is not an unusual result after they are finished with the missionaries. I guess my questioning stems from whether some of the tactics or methods the Church uses takes advantage of certain situations that give investigators an ideal other than really having a testimony?

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But is that really a good thing?

In the Philippines, it wasn't/isn't too uncommon for young women to convert to Mormonism because they thought that they were reeling in an American (or Caucasian) husband who would bring them back over to the US. I know that inactivity is not an unusual result after they are finished with the missionaries. I guess my questioning stems from whether some of the tactics or methods the Church uses takes advantage of certain situations that give investigators an ideal other than really having a testimony?

Well, regarding that particular tactic - nineteen-year-old boys are going to get into all kinds of tomfoolery; but the Church has been very clear these past thirty years at least that flirting is wholly inappropriate behavior for a missionary.

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The Church was first only in America, Utah, but now it seems that it has become more and more a spanish/latin american thing? Lot of temples opening in latin america, the number of members is growing fast there ithink? And i see lots of mormon sites on the net in spanish.

Stuff on youtube, and in Liahona/ensign there are many stories from/about memebers in these countries. etc. Why is this?

Has the Church really focused on these countries a lot and that is now paying off?

If so - why ?

Have you read the Book of Mormon? Jesus Christ explains it to the people in Bountiful. There is a a promise given to Lehi, Nephi, Jacob and Enos. And more.

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I guess my questioning stems from whether some of the tactics or methods the Church uses takes advantage of certain situations that give investigators an ideal other than really having a testimony?

Well, to be fair we cannot really control how these potential members feel when they see missionaries. If their young girls dream about an American missionary marrying them, is it the Church responsible at all or even the missionary? (of course, if he is not encouraging the whole situation).

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Well, to be fair we cannot really control how these potential members feel when they see missionaries. If their young girls dream about an American missionary marrying them, is it the Church responsible at all or even the missionary? (of course, if he is not encouraging the whole situation).

My thought (and more on point) was that if it's a known problem in certain areas, maybe having male missionaries (regardless whether or not there is mutual flirting) serve in those areas isn't the brightest idea because it's common culture for local girls to convert solely on the idea of marriage prospects, and maybe having female missionaries would be the better choice. Granted, I realise we likely just don't have the numbers in female missionaries to cover so much ground.

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