Construction has formally begun on the actual temple in Lisbon Portugal

According to a comment made on an earlier post I did here regarding temple construction progress, it appears that construction has formally begun on the actual temple in Lisbon Portugal. Up until now, they have been clearing the site there and working on the construction of the meetinghouse and maintenance building. This information is new enough (the comment that was posted on an earlier blog post here early yesterday in the afternoon) that the only reason the one making the comment about it knew of it was through the Facebook page for that temple. This information has yet to be updated on Rick Satterfield's website, but I expect that to happen perhaps before the new year. That being said, what a year it has been for temple milestones! Most of the posts I have done this year have been temple-related. Not sure of the exact number, but it is staggering to think of how far we have come within that time. In the interests of following the tradition of looking back at the events of this year, I have decided to see if I can post two different versions of my temple progresss report, the first from the first one I posted this year, the second from the one posted most recently. Enjoy the progress!

Temple Construction Progress (current as of 1/21/16)

Current Temple Status: 149 operating, 14 under construction, 10 announced, 4 undergoing renovation.

                           

Dedication scheduled:

150. Provo City Center Temple: Public open house tours underway; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday March 20, 2016.

151. Sapporo Japan Temple: Exterior floodlighting operational; work progressing on interior; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday August 21, 2016.

152. Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple: Angel Moroni installed on December 30, 2015; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday September 18, 2016.

                    

Under Construction:

153. Fort Collins Colorado Temple: Sod laying and landscaping continues; completion anticipated in late 2016.

154. Hartford Connecticut Temple: Angel Moroni installed on December 11, 2015; attaching stone cladding; completion anticipated in late 2016.

155. Rome Italy Temple: Spire framework attached to both towers; completion anticipated in late 2016—early 2017.

156. Paris France Temple: Attachment of exterior stone cladding nearing completion; completion anticipated in late 2016—early 2017.

157. Star Valley Wyoming Temple: Steeple assembly installed; attaching exterior cladding; completion anticipated in late 2016—early 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Installing windows; work progressing on interior; completion anticipated in mid-to-late 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Structural framing rising; completion anticipated in late 2017.

160. Tucson Arizona Temple: Foundation walls going up; completion anticipated in late 2017—early 2018.

161. Concepcion Chile Temple: Laying foundation; completion anticipated in late 2018.

162. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Ground broken on Saturday December 5, 2015; completion anticipated in late 2018.

163. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Full-scale construction pending; completion date TBD (To be determined).

Groundbreaking scheduled:

164. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking ceremony; groundbreaking scheduled for Friday February 12, 2016.

165. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking ceremony; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday February 20, 2016.

Rededication scheduled:

91. Suva Fiji Temple: Closed for renovation; scheduled to be rededicated Sunday February 21, 2016.

33. Freiberg Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; adding extension;

steeple covered; scheduled to be rededicated Sunday September 4, 2016.

Undergoing Renovation:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; interior remodeling underway; rededication anticipated in late 2016.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated in mid-2017.

Renovation scheduled:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on February 15, 2016.

Announced:

166. Arequipa Peru Temple: Construction preparation phase; groundbreaking pending.

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

169. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning phase.

170. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase.

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

172. Durban South Africa Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

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

Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 12/31/16)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 1 scheduled for dedication; 11 under construction; 1 scheduled 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 10 announced; (NOTE: Up to 3 additional temples may soon have a groundbreaking announced).

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Exterior lighting system operating; interior work underway; scheduled to be dedicated on Sunday May 21, 2017.

Under Construction:

157. Meridian Idaho Temple: Light fixtures hung; interior trim underway; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

158. Cedar City Utah Temple: Fencing progressing; entrance plaza created; landscaping areas defined; hanging drywall; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Pouring walkways; erecting fencing; installing art glass windows; hanging drywall; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime in early-to-mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Building the exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime in early-to-mid 2018.

162. Concepcion Chile Temple: Attaching building wrap to exterior walls; adding landscaping structures; completion anticipated sometime in mid-2018.

163. Durban South Africa Temple: Pouring temple foundation; setting rebar for missionary housing walls; palm trees planted along entrance road; completion anticipated sometime in mid-2018.

164. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Pouring walls for steeple base; completion anticipated sometime between late 2018 and early 2019.

165. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; completion anticipated sometime between late 2018 and early 2019.

166. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Pouring the second floor exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.

167. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavating for temple underway; structural framing continues for meetinghouse; excavation continues on maintenance building; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.

Scheduled for rededication:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; finish work underway; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between late 2017 and early 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early and mid 2018.

Announced:

168. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; official site announcement anticipated in early 2017, with the groundbreaking anticipated to take place shortly following the site announcement.

169.  Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Governmental approval phase; preliminary environmental license issued in November 2016; groundbreaking pending.

170. Arequipa Peru Temple: General contractor selected; groundbreaking pending.

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

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

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

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

175. Quito Ecuador 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 report.

My theory about changes in the Europe East Area Presidency

In the midst of comments on the LDS Church Growth Blog recently, the death of Elder Bruce D. Porter was discussed. The topic was raised about who might have succeeded him and how that may have factored in to the reorganization of that area presidency. I made a comment to the effect that, in my many years of following such changes, often the First Counselor becomes the new President, and the Second Counselor becomes the new First Counselor, with a new Second Counselor called. If the reorganization of that presidency happens that way, then Elder James B. Martino has become the president succeeding Elder Porter, Elder Larry S. Kacher has become the new First Counselor, succeeding Elder Martino, and a new Second Counselor has been called from among the General Authority Seventies remaining, even if that means that some other assignments at Church headquarters have had to be reshuffled. I imagine that any changes that have taken place will be announced within the next few days. But I honestly don't know whether the funeral for Elder Porter may be arranged and take place before any such announcement is made public. What I have proposed here would be perfectly in line with what has happened in such reorganizations in the past. For what it's worth, those are my thoughts. Thanks for being so attentive to my posts. I wildl try to do a couple more posts I have in mind before the New  Year, but since that is less tahn 21 hours away, your guess is as good as mine as far as if that will happen. Thanks.