“Statistical Report 1973,” Ensign, May 1974, 20
For the information of the members of the Church:
The First Presidency issued the following statistical report concerning the membership of the Church at the end of the year 1973.
Number of Stakes of Zion at the Close of 1973 630
Number of Wards 4,580
Number of Independent Branches in Stakes 1,127
Total Wards and Independent Branches in Stakes at the Close of the Year 5,707
Number of Mission Branches at the Close of the Year 1,847
Number of Full-time Missions at the End of the Year 108
In the Stakes 2,856,210
In the Missions 465,346
Total Membership 3,321,556
Children Blessed in Stakes and Missions 68,623
Children of Record Baptized in Stakes and Missions 48,578
Converts Baptized in Stakes and Missions 79,603
Birth Rate per Thousand 25.64
Number of Persons Married per Thousand 14.72
Death Rate per Thousand 4.91
Members Holding the Aaronic Priesthood, December 31, 1973
Deacons 140,549
Teachers 102,924
Priests 164,668
Total Number Holding Aaronic Priesthood 408,141
Members Holding the Melchizedek Priesthood, December 31, 1973
Elders 280,351
Seventies 24,490
High priests 99,886
Total Number Holding Melchizedek Priesthood 404,727
Grand Total Members Holding Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood 812,868
(An increase of 25,932 during the year)
Relief Society 785,000
Sunday School 2,564,134
Aaronic Priesthood MIA—Young Men 171,377
Aaronic Priesthood MIA—Young Women 212,040
Primary 471,538
Melchizedek Priesthood MIA 625,000
Number of Persons Assisted During the Year 103,100
Number Placed in Remunerative Employment 16,159
Man-days of Work Donated to the Welfare Plan 154,306
Unit-days of Equipment Use Donated 4,756
Names Cleared in 1973 for Temple Ordinances 2,718,421
(Genealogical records microfilmed in 27 countries during the year brought the total to 796,804 100-foot rolls of microfilm for use of the Church which are the equivalent of over 3,801,373 printed volumes of 300 pages each.)
Number of Ordinances Performed During 1973 in the 15 Operating Temples
For the Living 71,555
For the Dead 8,836,044
Total Number of Ordinances 8,907,599
Total 1973 Cumulative Enrollment in Church Schools, including Institutes and Seminaries 307,086
President Harold B. Lee, eleventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the age of 74 on December 26, 1973; Arthur V. Watkins, former United States Senator and prominent Church leader; Frank W. Asper, Salt Lake Tabernacle organist emeritus; Roy A. Welker, Church official, educator, author, and teacher; and Roland L. Jaussi, director of the San Diego Visitors Center and former director of the Missionary Home in Salt Lake City.
