Stokes Sounds Off: Update on recent temple-related developments

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Update on recent temple-related developments

Hello again, everyone! I am grateful for the opportunity to post today and share some significant and amazing developments that have occurred with various temples worldwide. There is a lot to unpack here, so let's get right into it.

First, I am pleased to report additional progress on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple. While the process of laying sod and sidewalk pavers continues, roofing is going in for both the temple and housing facility. Additionally, the monument sign has been installed on the temple grounds. I can now see clearly why many have said that this temple will be the second new one dedicated next year.

Next, I realized today that in my last update on the Durban South Africa Temple I had unintentionally omitted some details from the construction status. The framing is under way on the interior, drywall is being hung, window frames are being fitted, brick is being laid around the pillars, and concrete is being poured for the veranda on the missionary housing facility.

The next temple I want to talk about is the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple. While no progress has been reported since I posted twice about how it started, I forgot that I had not given a potential time-frame for that temple's completion. since work officially got underway. We know that that construction process is anticipated to take between 12-18 months, so I have set mid-June 2019 as a preliminary estimate for that temple;s dedication. That said, I could see a reason to move that estimate up a bit, depending on how consistently progress is reported on that process.

At the Arequipa Peru Temple site, since the exterior has been completed, the foundation is being backfilled and interior work has started. Because this temple has progressed so steadily in its construction, I can see why there is reason to believe that a dedication could occur before the end of 2019 rather than a few months later, as 2020 begins. With this and all other temples, I am keeping an eye out for any updated information, and I will do my best to pass any updates along as I receive them.

I have also felt that the private rededication that will be held for the Houston Texas Temple following its period of restoration and renovation could take place in June of next year, all going well. I will be sure to pass along any updates to this estimate as I find out more.

The final thing I want to discuss in this post is the dates on which temples are anticipated to close next year. I check my favorite Church sites every day before I check this blog, so when I did so, I was not aware that there was a comment on this blog indicating that the last day the Raleigh North Carolina Temple would be open is Saturday January 6. But thanks to the comment on this blog about that subject, I can now confirm that the closure of that temple is effective Sunday January 7. In the meantime, I also found out that the Mesa Arizona Temple is set to close for its renovation on Sunday May 20, which is the same day on which the Jordan River Utah Temple will be rededicated. It is exciting to have learned all of this.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the updates. Also with those new steaks that are on on the church growth website, I think that some of those countries may be getting new temples announced in next few years like Tonga or Sierra Leone,in Brazil and other places around the world.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, Chris! I had not been aware that a new post was put up there sharing the information about the new stakes. It is awesome to hear of all of that happening in the last little while. The Church is growing well, and that is a good sign. That said, while I have been wrong before, I don't see anything in that post that might alter my thoughts about temples in areas I have covered on this blog, but I will put the new stake creations in context when I do the posts about those areas I have not yet covered. I will say again that I definitely see a case for a temple in Sierra Leone, a few more in Brazil (whether all at once or announced sporadically), and perhaps another in the Ivory Coast. I will also be speaking more about my thoughts on new temples for Tonga and Nevada in future posts. I have heard in passing that the attendance at the temples in El Salvador and Costa Rica may need to increase before any new temples are announced in either nation, but I have no personal knowledge that this is the case. Both are on my list of more distant announcements. But I am delighted by any temple announced for any location, and these thoughts I try to share are just as imperfect and infallible as is the man who is writing them. I value feedback whenever and however it comes, and I hope that comes across clearly enough to anyone who reads either my posts or my responses to comments about content I have posted. Thanks for taking time to comment, Chris! I always appreciate hearing from you.

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