Hey Crocket, how is church growth in So Cal?

[_dartagnan]

I have no idea how people can afford to buy a house in So. Cal. anymore. My parents bought their home in 1971 for $51,000. It's now worth about $1.5 million dollars. I can't imagine making enough money (even with two incomes) to make the payments on a house like that. And it's just a middle-class tract house from the 1970s.

Yea, no kidding.

I served my mission in Anaheim and lived with some members around Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo and Fountain Valley who had pretty dinky houses that were around a half-million in value. The property taxes were outrageous as well. And this was back in 1990.

My Dad is in the home-buying/restoration business in Florida, but here in Brazil it is cheap as all get out. I built our home which is about 3500 sq feet, for about 150k in Brazilian currency, which at the time (18 months ago), was about 55K in US currency. And we live in the most expensive area in Brasil, in a gated community. Next year we are going to start constructing our dream home on the beaches of João Pessoa, which is the most easterly tip of the South American continent. The cost of living is pathetically cheap up there.

I dreaded moving to Brazil three years ago, but I have to say it has been a blessing in disguise. There is so much investment opportunity here. Gold untouched so to speak. European investors are grabbing beach front property hand over fist because it is cheap and it makes California/Florida beaches look like swamps. With the way the housing market is going in the US, some of you might want to consider investing abroad. Of course, you'd have to marry a Brazilian and gain citizenship status beforehand. ;)

[_rcrocket]

I stayed in a very nice hotel on the beach in Recife about two months ago for a week. But, my running was limited to the beachfront. Three blocks in I was taking my life in my hands.

[_TAK]

We share our building with the Spanish ward and our scouting programs are combined. Hispanics constitute a significant portion of our own ward. The Church does not inquire as to immigration status when it baptises people in our stake.

the Spanish ward ?? So the color of ones' skin dictates the congregation an LDS member attends? What will happen when they become white and delightsome?

Um, since when is "Spanish" synonymous with skin color? I would imagine it's language that dictates the congregation an LDS member attends.

That was his term..
I doubt there are any Spaniards attending that ward and I suspect that most of those from Mexico, South and Central America that do speak English still attend the "Spanish Ward".

[_rcrocket]

We share our building with the Spanish ward and our scouting programs are combined. Hispanics constitute a significant portion of our own ward. The Church does not inquire as to immigration status when it baptises people in our stake.

the Spanish ward ?? So the color of ones' skin dictates the congregation an LDS member attends? What will happen when they become white and delightsome?

Um, since when is "Spanish" synonymous with skin color? I would imagine it's language that dictates the congregation an LDS member attends.

That was his term..
I doubt there are any Spaniards attending that ward and I suspect that most of those from Mexico, South and Central America that do speak English still attend the "Spanish Ward".

Some do and some don't. Often the wife doesn't speak Spanish, and so they attend the Spanish Ward. It isn't really called the "Spanish" ward. It is known as the Spanish language ward, but we just abbreviate. We also have a Korean Sunday School; there are in the area Vietnamese and Tongan units as well. And, yes, I have met the occasional "Spaniard" who attends the Spanish units. A few once in a while; they are usually Columbian residents.

[_quaker]

The LDS population in Southern California is declining.

I arrived from my mission in southern california over a year ago now. When I was there the baptismal rates were not as high as the member loss in the state. The numbers I read were in a memo to maybe the mission president (I am almost certain), but it was distributed to all the ZLs.

As a note to this, what I noticed was the constant loss of families because they moved. No strong LDS families were moving into town (San Diego + area) but many were moving out to other less expensive states. So Cali's loss became a gain for Oregon, Washington, Utah, Arizona, Mexico etc....

[_barrelomonkeys]

The elementary schools in our stake are losing student population rapidly. Because home values have more than doubled since 2003, the homes with families are being replaced with homes with income-earning adults.

I have no idea how people can afford to buy a house in So. Cal. anymore. My parents bought their home in 1971 for $51,000. It's now worth about $1.5 million dollars. I can't imagine making enough money (even with two incomes) to make the payments on a house like that. And it's just a middle-class tract house from the 1970s.

Isn't that ridiculous? I don't see how people can afford it either... or perhaps they can't? Bankruptcy anyone?

[_Scottie]

The elementary schools in our stake are losing student population rapidly. Because home values have more than doubled since 2003, the homes with families are being replaced with homes with income-earning adults.

I have no idea how people can afford to buy a house in So. Cal. anymore. My parents bought their home in 1971 for $51,000. It's now worth about $1.5 million dollars. I can't imagine making enough money (even with two incomes) to make the payments on a house like that. And it's just a middle-class tract house from the 1970s.

Isn't that ridiculous? I don't see how people can afford it either... or perhaps they can't? Bankruptcy anyone?

Hell, I can't afford to buy a house in Utah anymore!! They are approaching 300k for a mid-sized home, with no signs of slowing down.

[_Maxrep]

The Church does not inquire as to immigration status when it baptizes people in our stake.

Don't ask, don't tell?

This scenario always puzzled me. We believe in obeying the laws of the land - but we also believe in baptisms. Yes, we REALLY believe in baptisms! Are there situations where those in a ward with certain callings/ecclesiastical positions might need to be legal citizens? A valid drivers license for activities. Banking deposits with tithes and offerings? I mean, you wouldn't know someones citizenship if the subject is never broached. Could there be a liability connection to illegal aliens functioning in certain church capacities?

[_Jason Bourne]

I have no idea how people can afford to buy a house in So. Cal. anymore. My parents bought their home in 1971 for $51,000. It's now worth about $1.5 million dollars. I can't imagine making enough money (even with two incomes) to make the payments on a house like that. And it's just a middle-class tract house from the 1970s.

Yea, no kidding.

I served my mission in Anaheim and lived with some members around Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo and Fountain Valley who had pretty dinky houses that were around a half-million in value. The property taxes were outrageous as well. And this was back in 1990.

My Dad is in the home-buying/restoration business in Florida, but here in Brazil it is cheap as all get out. I built our home which is about 3500 sq feet, for about 150k in Brazilian currency, which at the time (18 months ago), was about 55K in US currency. And we live in the most expensive area in Brasil, in a gated community. Next year we are going to start constructing our dream home on the beaches of João Pessoa, which is the most easterly tip of the South American continent. The cost of living is pathetically cheap up there.

I dreaded moving to Brazil three years ago, but I have to say it has been a blessing in disguise. There is so much investment opportunity here. Gold untouched so to speak. European investors are grabbing beach front property hand over fist because it is cheap and it makes California/Florida beaches look like swamps. With the way the housing market is going in the US, some of you might want to consider investing abroad. Of course, you'd have to marry a Brazilian and gain citizenship status beforehand. ;)

My daughter is living in Brazil and the picture of the beaches she frequents are breath taking. However, I think for the average brazilian it is tough to afford even the low prices you mention. She does not make more then 1100 whatever you call the currency there. Her boyfriend is out of work now but was earning about 2500-3000 selling cars.

Now my dad and his Brazilian wife own a home there that they live in when it is winter in the US and they live like a king and queen.

Maybe if my daughter marries this kid I will buy some property there. How hard is it for foreigners to buy there?