Stokes Sounds Off: 12/01/17

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Friday, December 1, 2017

Additional Update Provided for Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple

Hello again, everyone! Today is a prime example of how much things can change for a temple within a 12-24 hour period. While I found out just a few hours ago that the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple was having its site graded and cleared, I just learned that another report has come in for that temple. While the site grading continues, excavation is being done for the foundation of the temple. Since that much occurred in the few hours since I last checked, I can definitely see why this temple may only have a 12-18 month construction process. I don't anticipate that temple being completed any earlier than early-too-mid 2019, but if construction continues to progress the way it has in just the last few hours, anything seems possible. I am keeping my eyes open for information on all of this and will post additional updates as they are needed. That does it for this post. Any 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.

Full-scale construction begins on the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple

Hello again, everyone! I am pleased to be able to report that full-scale construction has officially begun on the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple. As I have previously mentioned, the construction process on that temple is anticipated to only take 12-18 months. Right now, the completion estimate is for early-to-mid 2019, but depending on how things go, that could either be done sooner or later than that time-frame. I will be keeping my eyes open for developments in this regard, and will pass such information along as I receive it. That does it for this post. Any 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.

Important Temple Construction Updates

Hello again, everyone! I am back as promised a few minutes ago to share updates on temples that came to my attention not more than three hours ago. There have been some game-changing developments in that regard. So let's dive right in and discuss what those are and why they are significant.

First, when I last reported a status change in the status of the Concepcion Chile Temple, I noted that the cladding around the temple was nearing completion, that lampposts were being installed, and that plants and trees were being added to the temple grounds. The update provided in the late-night hours of November 30 is that interior millwork is underway.

Next we turn our attention to the Barranquilla Colombia Temple. That is not an error or typo. Apparently there is now reason to believe that that temple will be dedicated prior to the dedication of the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. Temples switching numbers as a result of those that were further down the list progressing more consistently than the temples that were above them,.

That does not mean that the temples that are moved down are not progressing at all, just that those that used to be below them have progressed with more consistency. We have seen that happen a lot, from the speedy construction process for the Star Valley Wyoming Temple to how the Tucson Arizona Temple was dedicated before both the Meridian Idaho and Cedar City Utah Temple, despite the fact that the newest Idaho and Utah temples were anticipated for quite a while to be dedicated first.

While the status of the Barranquilla Colombia still includes the fact that the Angel Moroni was installed atop its spire, I also found out that sod sidewalk pavers are being laid. Once a temple reaches that status, it is approaching the time when it is far enough along that a dedication can be announced. Not quite there yet, but I've followed such things long enough to know that a dedication announcement could occur within the next six months.

In the meantime, perhaps the biggest reason the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple was moved below the Barranquilla Colombia is because the baptismal font needed to be poured again. And because that has delayed the process, the completion estimate for the Kinshasa Temple has been changed to either late 2018 or early 2019. I still think it will be dedicated before the end of 2018, and that Rome will be the first new temple dedicated in 2019.

But the estimates have changed so many times now that I cannot say for certain whether any of these temples that are anticipated to be the next four to be dedicated will be completed within these adjusted time-frames. That said, I am keeping an eye out for any and all updates on any and all temples, whether they are under construction, announced, or undergoing renovation, and I will be sure to pass along any new information as I become aware of it.

That does it for this post. Any 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.

Temple Site Possibilities: Mexico Area, Part Three--Potential Future Temples

Hello again, everyone! After taking some personal time to see my PCP and to deal with personal illness yesterday (November 30), I became aware just a few hours ago about some potentially game-changing information regarding temples that are under construction. I will do another post  right after this one is published to discuss what those changes are, and what they might mean for the future, but I feel I would be doing all of you a disservice if I did not first focus on the third and final part of my posts about the Mexico Area. This post will cover future temple prospects that I have on my radar, some of which were not on my list before I began studying the Mexico Area.

First, I wanted to note that I began with three potential sites for that area: Puebla, Queretaro, and perhaps a second for Mexico City as well. But I subsequently learned that the Mexico City Temple has some issues with attendance numbers (that information was provided by one of my readers who lives in Mexico). So I eliminated a second temple for Mexico City, at least for now. So that left me with Puebla and Queretaro. As i did further study, I found two other potential locations: San Luis Potosi, and Acapulco (in the state of Guerrero). Each of these is currently within the Mexico City Mexico Temple District. Let's talk about my reasons for including each one

I have heard from many that Mexico's next temple will be built in Puebla. Though that city is only 81.7  miles from its assigned temple, a temple in Puebla would help cover the units currently served by the Mexico City Mexico Temple. And such a temple in that city makes sense because, at minimum, it would serve the 2 missions, 13 stakes and 1 district, which in turn have 89 wards and 27 branches, for a total of 116 congregations. I could definitely see why the Church would opt for a temple there.

The case for a temple in Queretaro is likewise strong. That state is 135.9 miles away from Mexico City, and would be almost twice that far (207.9 miles) from the Puebla Temple, meaning that if a Puebla Temple drew away from the Mexico City Temple, Queretaro would stay within that district until that state had a temple of its own. That state qualifies for a temple mainly for convenience, as the Church only has 1 mission and 3 stakes in its boundaries, which are divided into 20 wards and 3 branches.

For the next location I see getting a temple, we move to the state of Guerrero, and I am thinking that any temple built there would be in the city of Acapulco, which is one of Mexico's prominent cities. While the state has no missions, there are 4 stakes and 1 district within it, and 2 of those stakes are in Acapulco. The stakes and districts further branch off into 26 wards and 12 branches, for a total of 38 congregations. Additionally, Acapulco is also 235.3 miles.away from Mexico City, would be 278.8 miles away from a temple in Puebla, and would be 366.9 miles from a temple in Queretaro. So Acapulco has a strong case for a temple as well.

I added San Luis Potosi for a few reasons. Though that city has only 3 stakes, there are 21 wards and 8 branches (a total of 29 congregations), Saints in that city have to travel 259.1 miles to the Mexico City Mexico Temple. It is also 329.9 miles away from Puebla, but it would likely fall within the temple district in Queretaro, at least initially, since the two are 131.1 miles apart. And Acapulco is 491 miles from San Luis Potosi.

Even with those locations above that I had on my list, and with those I have added, I am sure there are several locations in Mexico that are deserving of a temple. If I have missed any likely possibilities, or if any of you see a good reason I should eliminate any of them, let me know.

That does it for this post. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I will be back in a few minutes to share the temple updates I talked about at the beginning of this post. Until then, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.