Church speaks out on assisted suicide and recreational marijuana

The LDS Church, while it maintains neutrality regarding political candidates worldwide, does comment from time to time on important issues relating to politics. The Church recently published a statement on recreational marijuana and assisted suicide, both of which are issues up for a vote in the United States. The Church stated its absolute opposition to both practices, urging members to vote against these issues. For more details on the Church's reasons for so speaking out, please click here.

Major temple progress update

Since I last posted a temple progress report on the 4th, much has happened in the way of temple construction progress. As some of you may have noted, Rick Satterfield, webmaster of the LDS Church Temples site, commented on an earlier temple construction progress report that the Paris France temple was nearly completed and that open house and dedication dates were likely to be set within the first few months of 2017.

I have taken note on all the progress, and wanted to share the latest developments with you. As always, the changes since the last posted update 11 days ago are featured in red. Enjoy!

Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 10/15/16)

Current Temple Status: 152 operating; 3 scheduled for dedication; 11 under construction; 3 undergoing renovation; 11 announced (As many as 3 groundbreaking announcements may be made soon).

Dedication scheduled:

153. Fort Collins Colorado Temple: Preparing for dedication, scheduled on Sunday October 16, 2016.

154. Star Valley Wyoming Temple: Preparing for dedication, scheduled on Sunday October 30, 2016.

155. Hartford Connecticut Temple: Public open house tours underway through Saturday October 22; dedication scheduled on Sunday November 20, 2016.

Under Construction:

156. Paris France Temple: Interior work underway; open house committee assembled; completion anticipated sometime during the first half of 2017.

157. Meridian Idaho Temple: Adding landscaping structures; installing fence posts and lamp posts; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

158. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing art glass; dropping posts for decorative fencing; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Pouring concrete parking lot; interior work underway; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime in the first half of 2018.

161. Concepcion Chile Temple: Steeple framework going up; completion anticipated sometime in 2018.

162. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Foundation poured and backfilled; pouring interior footings; completion anticipated sometime in 2018.

163. Durban South Africa Temple: Preparing to pour foundation; laying aggregate for parking; street entrance cut; hydroseeding sloped land; completion anticipated sometime in 2018.

164. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Foundation walls going up; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.

165.  Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Forms and rebar set in anticipation of pouring foundation walls; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.

166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Site clearing phase; construction fence erected; concrete bleachers removed; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.

Undergoing Renovation:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; finish work underway; resurfacing and restriping parking lot; rededication anticipated sometime during early 2017.

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime in late 2017.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime in 2018.

Announced:

167. Arequipa Peru Temple: General contractor selected; construction anticipated to begin late 2016 or early 2017.

168. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Permitting phase; temple fireside held September 11, 2016; groundbreaking anticipated in either late 2016 or early 2017.

169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction preparation phase; plans approved by local government; groundbreaking pending.

170. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

173. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

174. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress update.