Eight new missions in Europe, including missions in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Greece, have been announced by the First Presidency.

The new missions - the most ever created at one time on that continent - will begin operation July 1. The new missions are: Belgium Antwerp, Czechoslovakia Prague, Germany Dusseldorf, Greece Athens, Hungary Budapest, Italy Padova, Poland Warsaw, and Portugal Lisbon South. (Four of the eight, in Antwerp, Prague, Dusseldorf and Padova, were created previously, but were discontinued. These are now considered new missions.)

The new missions bring the number in continental Europe to 34, and the Churchwide total to 255. A total of 27 missions has been announced this year.

Excellent relations with government leaders, along with a keen interest among the population in religious matters, has led to the establishment of the missions in new areas, leaders said.

In 1974, President Spencer W. Kimball commented to regional representatives that "I can see no good reason why the Lord would open doors that we are not prepared to enter." He added that the doors to nations would open "when we are ready for them."

Leaders said they felt it is more than a coincidence that the opportunities for new missions are coming as the Church's missionaries have reached 40,000, a sufficient strength to accommodate such growth.

In a recent interview, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Council of the Twelve said, "President Kimball certainly had the vision of what could happen, and what would happen.

"We still have the same challenges - will we be ready with the missionaries and the messages? Will we be ready for the people in the various countries and in their own languages?

"But we also have the faith that if we will do everything we can, the Lord will continue to help in the task He has given to the members of His Church. For with God, nothing shall be impossible."

Highlights of the new missions include:

Belgium Antwerp

The Netherlands Amsterdam Mission will be divided to create the Antwerp mission, which was originally started July 16, 1975, but discontinued in July 1982.

The Antwerp mission will have 1,100 members in one district within a population of 6 million. The Netherlands mission will retain 6,626 members in three stakes within a population of 14.2 million.

The new mission takes in the Flemish-speaking, northern half of Belgium, including the provinces of Antwerp and Limburg, and parts of the provinces of West and East Flanders and Brabant. Flemish is similar to the Dutch language.

The Belgium Brussels Mission retains the French-speaking area of Belgium.

Pres. Jack Van Ry of the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission said the city of Brussels will remain in both the French-speaking Belgium Brussels Mission, and the Flemish-speaking Antwerp Mission to accommodate the language preferences of the residents there.

He noted that gathering in one meetinghouse in Brussels are a French-speaking ward, a Flemish-speaking branch, and an American servicemen's ward.

Despite language and cultural differences, however, "the fellowship and brotherhood among members is up beat," said Pres. Van Ry.

Missionaries contact through traditional means: tracting door-to-door, meeting people through street displays, and from member referrals.

Working in the Antwerp area, missionaries will "have an exciting time working among an energetic people," said Pres. Van Ry. "We've had pretty good growth in the past year."

Czechoslovakia Prague

The new Czechoslovakia mission will be created from the Austria Vienna East Mission. (See related story on page 3.) Czechoslovakia has more than 200 members within a population of 15.6 million.

Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania will remain within the boundaries of the Austria Vienna East Mission.

The Czechoslovakian mission was originally organized July 24, 1929. Missionary work was discontinued during World War II, resumed again in 1946 and continued until April 6, 1950.

Pres. Dennis B. Neuenschwander of the Austria Vienna East Mission said missionary work, is progressing well in Czechoslovakia with a 92 percent increase in conversions throughout the mission in 1989 over the previous year.

"That speaks very highly of the members," he said.

Germany Dusseldorf

The Germany Frankfurt and Germany Munich missions will be divided to create the Dusseldorf mission, which was originally the Central German Mission, created March 15, 1961, and discontinued April 1, 1982. The new mission will have 4,300 members in two stakes, and a total population of 16 million. The Frankfurt mission will have 11,600 members in six stakes within a population of 17.5 million. The Munich mission will have 4,750 members in two stakes and a district within a total population of 11.9 million.

The new mission will include the North Rhine-Westphalia state, and the Frankfurt mission will include the Hesse, Rhineland-Palantinate, and Baden-Wurttemberg states. The Munich mission will include the state of Bavaria.

"The opportunities for growth are just tremendous," said Pres. David B. Wirthlin of the Frankfurt mission.

"Since the dedication of the Frankfurt temple, baptisms in Europe have gone up steadily. The growth in this nation has been really spectacular," he said, pointing to a 100-percent increase in the mission in 1989 over 1988, more converts in a year than ever before.

"Missionaries are finding converts through every means. Good support of the members is our main source of investigators. Members this year gave us 54 percent of our converts."

Greece Athens

The Greece Athens Mission will be created from the Austria Vienna East Mission. More than 200 members live in three districts in Greece and the island of Crete. About 10 million people live in the country.

Missionaries serving in Greece are slowly beginning to make progress as they gain contacts through street displays, said Pres. Neuenschwander.

"We are not as well-known in Greece," he said. "The missionaries are extremely good with the language; they are linguistically very capable."

Missionaries are now serving in Athens, he said.

Hungary Budapest

The Hungary Budapest Mission will be created from the Austria Vienna East Mission, and consists of Hungary, with 10.7 million people, among whom are some 75 members in one district.

"The Church is not obscure in Hungary," said Pres. Neuenschwander. "We have been here since June 1988. We've enjoyed very good relations with the government.

"We are doing a lot with street displays and referrals," he continued. "There is very high interest in the Church. Just this past week we had a nice article appear in a newspaper in the city of Gyor, and we have been on radio in a national interview."

He said missionaries are concentrating their efforts in Budapest, "where we are fairly well-known." Government leaders seem to feel that "the missionaries are having a wonderful effect" on the country, Pres. Neuenschwander said.

Italy Padova

The Italy Milan and Italy Rome missions will be divided to form the Italy Padova Mission, which originally functioned from July 1, 1975, to July 1, 1982. The new mission will have about 3,000 members in one stake and a district within a population of 14 million. The Milan mission will have 4,000 members in one stake and a district within a population of 24.4 million. The Rome mission will have 2,600 members in three districts, and a population of 21 million.

The new mission will include the Trentino-Alta Adige, Veneto, Fuiuli-Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany and northern Marche regions in northern Italy.

Pres. Nick M. Mascaro of the Milan mission said work is going well in the Padova area. He praised devout leaders and members who support missionary work. "We work together in proselyting."

"I'm thrilled to be a part of the progress of the Church."

Poland Warsaw

Poland, which was dedicated for the preaching of the gospel by President Kimball in 1977, will also become a mission. To be created from the Austria Vienna East mission, it has more than 150 members within a population of 38 million.

A number of couple missionaries have served in Poland since 1977, and the first elders arrived in January 1988.

The Church has grown in Poland, primarily in Warsaw, with smaller groups in other areas. Missionaries have street displays on Church property, where a meetinghouse is under construction. The building should be completed in the fall of 1990.

"The missionaries we have there are very active," said Pres. Neuenschwander. "They are out among the people all the time, and consequently they are doing a lot of teaching.

"I think the Church will continue to grow at a steady pace," he said.

Portugal Lisbon South

The Portugal Lisbon Mission will be divided to create the Lisbon North and Lisbon South missions. The new mission will serve the southern part of the country, leaving the northern mission with the heavily populated metropolitan area, with nearly a third of Portugal's population.

The south mission will have 7,500 members in two stakes and three districts within a population of 4.1 million. The north mission will have 5,200 members in two stakes and three districts, and a population of 5.3 million.

Lisbon Mission Pres. T. Dean McCook said missionaries in the area have had remarkable success in the past few years. He said that some 120 members are baptized in the Setubal Stake each month. One branch, in Beja, was created about a year and a half ago and now has 168 members. Another, the Eviora, was opened seven weeks ago and now has 48 members.

He described the people as "spiritually hungry."

"We have great priesthood support but you can imagine the challenge created for bishops when a ward grows from 30 to 100 percent a year. It is difficult, but they are meeting the challenge. We need couples to help train the leaders. We now have about 20 percent local missionaries and we have been challenged to increase that."

(Additional information)

New missions

Eight new missions have been created in continental Europe. The story begins on page 3. The missions are:

Belgium Antwerp

Czechoslovakia Prague

Germany Dusseldorf

Greece Athens

Hungary Budapest

Italy Padova

Poland Warsaw

Portugal Lisbon South