Hamilton man Todd Miller “will lead a team of bishops serving more than 2,000 members [of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] across seven congregations from Hamilton’s western suburbs to Raglan,” according to a report in the Waikato Times newspaper.
President Miller will oversee the Church’s newly-created Rotokauri Stake after the announcement was made during special meetings held last weekend across Hamilton. Other organisational changes were also announced. Previously there were three stakes (similar to dioceses) in the Waikato region. With the creation of the Rotokauri Stake, there are now four.
"People are still moving to Hamilton, children are still being born and others are being introduced to the Church," he told the newspaper.
Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Church’s Pacific Area Presidency announced the changes in Hamilton last weekend [24-25 November 2012]. “The Church continues to grow,” he says, “because the teachings and blessings of Jesus Christ are powerful and needed in the lives of individuals and families.”
“The Saviour established His Church upon the earth 2,000 years ago with truth, priesthood authority, ordinances, organisation and gifts. That same Church has been restored in our day, with the same truths, authority, ordinances, organisation and gifts. We welcome all to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ — whether you live in Waikato or any other place — and to embrace the fullness of the gospel of Christ. We invite others to bring all the good they have from their faith traditions and cultures. We believe we can add to that, and help them come closer to God and Christ, and to strengthen their families.”
In an article titled ‘Growth of the Church’ on the Mormon Newsroom website, it states: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized in a small log cabin in upstate New York in 1830. It took 117 years — until 1947 — for the Church to grow from the initial six members to one million. Missionaries were a feature of the Church from its earliest days, fanning out to Native American lands, to Canada and, in 1837, beyond the North American continent to England. Not long after, missionaries were working on the European continent and as far away as India and the Pacific Islands.”
Read about Latter-day Saint history in New Zealand.
There are over 100,000 Mormons in New Zealand in 209 congregations across the nation.