Stokes Sounds Off: Tiucson Arizona Temple Dedication is just one week away

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Sunday, August 6, 2017

Tiucson Arizona Temple Dedication is just one week away

Hello, all! The Tucson Arizona Temple dedication will take place one week from today. As I have previously noted, I am anticipating President Uchtdorf, who broke ground for this temple, will return to dedicate it. If not, it may be a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, but who that would be I just don't know. Some have suggested I consider the possibility of President Eyring, who has ties to Arizona, being the one to preside at this event, but as he presided at both of the two previous events (the dedication of the Paris France Temple and the rededication of the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple), and as the Church likes to rotate attendance at temple dedications, I find it hard to believe that President Eyring would be at this temple dedication too. I can't rule it out entirely. What I'm saying is that I think it is unlikely. Time will tell.

So who else  from the general Church leadership might be at this event? I have looked but have not been able to find any apostles (aside from President Eyring) who has any kind of ties to Arizona in general or Tucson in particular. Accompanying President Eyring at the Paris France dedication were Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, Temple Department Executive Director, Elder Paul V. Johnson, President of the Church's Europe Area, and our French-born Presiding Bishop Gerald Causse.

Two weeks later, accompanying President Eyring at the rededication of the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple were Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Richard J. Maynes of the Presidency of the Seventy, Bishop Dean M. Davies, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and Elders Wilford W. Andersen, Bradley D. Foster, and K. Brett Nattress of the Seventy.

In a few short days, we will likely have a better idea about who might potentially be in attendance at the Tucson Arizona Temple dedication. And by this time next week, we will have 157 operating temples.

On the first Sunday in June, when the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple was rededicated, the dedication of the Tucson Arizona Temple seemed so far away. And now it is practically upon us. I am so excited that it is now just a week away. The Saints in Tucson will be greatly benefitted by this temple. And for my part, I cannot wait to see what the week between now and the day of that dedication will bring in regards to Church and temple news and developments.

Whatever else may happen, you can count for sure on my continuing to keep an eye out for news and developments and that I will pass those along as I become aware of them. Thanks to you all for your ongoing interest and support. Hope you had a wonderful Sabbath day. Any comments are weolce and appreciated. Until I return with another new post, I wish you all the best.

4 comments:

  1. I was checking on the possibility of another temple in Arizona. Flagstaff could have about 8 stakes. It could take 4 stakes from the Snowflake and 3 stakes Phoenix temples as well as one stake from the St George temple.

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    1. Hey, Chris! Thanks for the comment. I have heard from many people that Arizona's next temple may be built in Flagstaff. But I have also heard from some who say that, with the Tucson dedication coming up this Sunday, the Church may hold off on another Arizona temple for at least a couple of years, if not longer. But with Arizona being part of the "Mormon Corridor", I cannot rule it out completely. I have been working for the past few days (when not working on anything else) to research additions and removals for my list of future temples. I plan to post the result of that research later today, if possible. For now, it's still a work in progress. But for me, I think I have enough reason to include a temple for Flagstaff, so it's on there. Thanks, as always, for your comment, Chris!

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  2. I also think it will be a few years before a temple in Flagstaff is announced. I have it on my radar anyway. Most of the temples in Arizona are in the southern part of the state. I am hoping for a temple further north. Flagstaff seems the most likely.

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    1. While I share your opinion on this (that a Flagstaff temple may only be announced in a few years, if that soon), I still have it on my list for this next General Conference, primarily because I (or at times, others with whom I have shared such thoughts with) have not felt would be likely, or at least not immediate, only to find out that the Lord has surprised just about everyone by announcing such temples sooner than most (myself included) have at times expected. For that reason, Flagstaff made my list this time. Thanks again, Chris, for your ongoing comments. I appreciate you!

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