Stokes Sounds Off: Further Revisions Made to Announced Temples Section of My Temple Construction Progress Report

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Friday, January 4, 2019

Further Revisions Made to Announced Temples Section of My Temple Construction Progress Report

Hello again, everyone! As briefly referenced in my previous post, I am now fulfilling my promise to bring you the revised version of the announced temples section of my temple construction progress report. Most of those revisions involved reevaluating what was known about each temple (including any information which had been officially or unofficially confirmed), and based on my analysis of the relevant factors, I reworked the section of announced temples for which sufficient information that is known has given me enough confidence to provide a general estimated time-frame within which a groundbreaking might occur for those temples. I should also mention that there is a current backlog of 28 temples for which a groundbreaking is pending. Of those 28, the information to which I currently have access has me confident enough to venture a general groundbreaking estimate for 16 of them, and if those estimates are anywhere near correct, all 16 temples could have a groundbreaking within the next 3 years or less. And since many (myself included) were surprised by the unexpected announcement of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple (with that ceremony being held almost two months ago), I am not ruling out the likelihood that could occur again for temples in the second section of announced temples. As I also observed recently, although it has been somewhat standard in recent years for temples to have 2-3 years between the timing of an announcement and a subsequent groundbreaking ceremony, depending on what President Nelson has planned for future temple construction, that time-frame may accelerate significantly, especially for temples which will be smaller in size and will serve a smaller district. Time will tell just how accurate any of these estimates are.

It should also be noted that, since I last posted this section of my report on this blog (6 days ago), I have increased the number of additional temples which might have a groundbreaking by the end of 2019 from 5 to 7. If something big is coming in terms of future temple announcements and construction efforts, then part of that will surely involve moving announced temples into the construction process more quickly than we have seen up to this point.

So it is possible that this year and the years that follow will see even more groundbreakings and new temples announced than the years before, which in turn would multiply the number of temple events the Church will see in subsequent years. As with anything else I post, I will be just as happy if my estimates prove to be off as I will be if any of them are accurate. With that noted, the updated section of my report highlighting announced temples follows below.

In order to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. 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.

 Announced Temples (for which sufficient information has me confident enough to venture a general groundbreaking estimate):
174. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Government approval process; streets around temple site opened; groundbreaking anticipated in mid-2019.
175. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Government approval phase; probable site identified; awaiting official confirmation and artist’s rendering; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.
176. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited probable site on October 20, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.
177. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.
178. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited potential site on April 17, 2018; groundbreaking anticipated in late 2019.
179. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.
180. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.
181. Layton Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.
182. Richmond Virginia Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.
183. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.
184. Bengaluru India Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson toured potential locations on April 19, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.
185. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.
186. Puebla Mexico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.
187. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020.
188. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in ­late 2020.
189. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020-early 2021.

Announced Temples (for which more information is needed before I provide an estimated groundbreaking time-frame):
190. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
191. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
192. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
193. Salvador Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
194. Yuba City, California Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
195. Praia Cape Verde Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
196. Yigo Guam Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
197. Lagos Nigeria Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
198. Davao Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
199. San Juan Puerto Rico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
200. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official location and site announcement.
201. Washington County Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city and site announcement.
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4 comments:

  1. James G. StokesJanuary 4, 2019 at 5:29 PM

    Hello again, everyone! A few additional Church news stories have been reported, both on the Church's official website and on that of the Church News. First, from the Church website, we got more details in terms of how the curriculum for next year should be studied. Where possible, the Church recommends the use of electronic copies of the manual. Physical hard copies are available upon request from our local leaders. The Church has also suggested a recommended outline of how the New Testament could be studied each week for individuals and families. You can find more details on that at the following web address:

    https://www.lds.org/church/news/find-the-2019-schedule-and-curriculum-for-children-youth-and-adults?lang=eng

    From the Church News we have two articles. The first describes how 85 percent of the recently-announced temples are going to be built outside the United States, and why that should be significant to all of us. The article goes on to provide a detailed historical overview of temples built in this dispensation, both within the United States and internationally. That article can be found at the web address below:

    https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2019-01-04/of-the-recently-announced-temples-85-percent-are-international-heres-why-that-matters-48717

    And finally, in "This Week on Social", highlights included posts about President Nelson's Book of Mormon challenge (in which he encouraged any Church member to participate), a riddle from Elder and Sister Renlund in advance of their address which will be given at the first 2019 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults one week from this upcoming Sunday, and Elder and Sister Uchtdorf's best wishes to all Church members for the New Year.

    While those posts were highlighted in the headline of the newest article in that series, I wanted to provide a brief list of all whose posts were featured in this week's edition of that series. In addition to posts from Church President Russell M. Nelson; Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, posts from Elder Gerrit W. Gong, also of that Quorum; Sisters Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency; Becky Craven, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency; and Cristina B. Franco, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency were also featured.

    I am very grateful to live in a day when so many of our general Church leaders are taking advantage of social media sites to share messages of encouragement with all of us. I am likewise grateful that the Church News provides weekly summaries of such posts, and that I can pass those summaries along to you all here. The web address of this week's article sharing those posts follows below:

    https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2019-01-04/of-the-recently-announced-temples-85-percent-are-international-heres-why-that-matters-48717

    My thanks again to all of you for your ongoing interest, support, and contributions to the topics discussed here on this blog. I hope you all are well. I will be continuing to keep my eyes open for additional Church news or temple developments and will pass word of those along to you all as I receive it. Thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Scott ShipleyJanuary 4, 2019 at 5:29 PM

    James, A wonderful article was just posted in the Church News regarding the international surge on temple building. It also mentions the possibility of 200 temples by 2030, a first statement by any church source AFAIK.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. James G. StokesJanuary 4, 2019 at 5:59 PM

      Scott, I saw that earlier today, and posted about it in a comment above just before you submitted your comment. There was little to no doubt in my mind that we would see 200 operating temples by April 6, 2030, and although no official statement to that effect has been passed along from anyone in the Quorum of the Twelve or First Presidency.

      That said, it should easily be doable. As I have noted previously, by mid-2020, the Church is on track to have 170 temples dedicated, which means that there would then be roughly 10 years (or slightly less than that) for the Church to complete the remaining 30 temples, which could be done as long as an average 3 temples or so are completed per year. Aside from that, as of today, there are 39 temples the Church would need to dedicate in the 11.25 years between today and the date of the Church's bicentennial (Saturday April 6, 2030). So that means that currently, the average number of temples which need to be dedicated per year is 3.47. 2018 saw only 2 temple dedications, putting the year below what that average was then. With 3 temple dedications already scheduled, 1 other for which the open house and dedication information are almost certain to be announced by the end of this month, and 2 more temples on track to be dedicated by the end of 2019, this year will be above that average. And by mid-2020, the dedication of the 3 temples which are already almost certain to occur within the first 6-8 months of that year will put 2020 above any average amount as well.

      If the information to which I have access is any indication whatsoever, we will be seeing quite a few temples have a groundbreaking within this year, in addition to the 2 which will occur later this month. So that means that the rest of 2020 and the years that follow will almost certainly lower the average number which will then need to be completed each year, as more temples are built and dedicated. And if there is no halt or hiatus on future temple announcements, and the process of getting construction started on currently-announced temples is likewise accelerated, there is absolutely no way the Church will not have 200 operating temples, whether or not the Brethren announce an official goal to do so.

      I have also referenced in other comments I have made on the threads here that apostles have said President Nelson's intent is to at least increase the number of temples tenfold. What kind of time-frame will be involved in accomplishing that is anyone's guess. But if President Nelson does wind up living another decade or two, then his administration will continue to focus on bringing temples to the people.

      As I also observed in another recent comment here, I have heard from some that President Nelson's announcement of 19 temples in just his first year as Church President (for which all but 2 of them had a specific location announced) may have been his way of starting slowly. And more than half of those 19 locations (9, to be exact) have either had a site identified but yet to be confirmed, or officially confirmed by communications to local Church leaders. Insofar as I am aware, we have never had a majority of temples announced on any given year have an official site identified within less than a year of their announcement, so that is significant as well.

      Something big is coming down the pike for the temple construction program of the Church. The specifics remain to be seen, but the best will be yet to come. And I can't wait to see it all unfold and to pass on reports of those developments to you all here as I receive them. Thank you, Scott Shipley, for taking time to comment. I always appreciate hearing from you.

      Delete
  3. James G. StokesJanuary 5, 2019 at 1:45 PM

    Hello again, everyone! Some new developments have been reported for the Arequipa Peru Temple. Installation of exterior lighting is underway, while tests are being run on the lights that have already been installed. In the meantime, work is steadily progressing on the temple's interior. But in addition to these developments, several of the sources from which I compile the temple information I share here have moved the estimated completion window slightly up for this temple, now noting that it may be completed in either late 2019 or early 2020. This is very encouraging to hear. At the same time, if construction is completed before the end of this year, it is possible that the Church would still have its' dedication occur in early 2020. I will be monitoring this and all other temple developments on an ongoing basis. I would imagine that within the next week or less, there will be an official announcement about the open house and dedication dates for the Fortaleza Brazil Temple. We may also hear within the next couple of months about the open houses and rededications for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma and Memphis Tennessee Temples. It is wonderful to live in a time where so many temple developments can change things so quickly. Thanks again, everyone!

    ReplyDelete

In addition to my life-long love for the subjects which I cover in the posts of this blog, I have long held the belief that we can disagree without becoming disagreeable. Differences of opinion are natural, while being disagreeable in expressing those differences is not. And in that sense, I have no desire to close the door on anyone who earnestly desires to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on subjects covered in the posts on this blog.

At the same time, however, I recognize that we live in a time when incivility, discourtesy, unkindness, and even cyber-bullying has regrettably become part of online interactions. With that in mind, while anyone who wishes can comment on anything if they choose to do so, I hereby reserve the right to immediately delete any comments which are critical, unkind, lack civility, or promote prodcuts, services, and values contrary to either the Church, or to the rules of online etiquette.

I'd also like to remind all who comment here that I try to respond personally to each individual comment as I feel is appropriate. Such replies are not meant to end the conversation, but to acknowledge earnest feedback as it is submitted.

And in order to better preserve the spirit and pure intentions for which this blog was established, I also hereby request that anyone not commenting with a regular user name (particularly those whose comments appear under the "Unknown" or "Anonymous" monikers, give the rest of us a name to work with in addressing any replies. If such individuals do not wish to disclose their actual given names, a pseudonym or nickname would suffice.

Any comments made by individuals who opt to not give a name by which they can ber identified may, depending on the substance and tone of such comments, be subject to deletion as well. I would respectfully ask that all of us do all we can to keep the dialogue positive, polite, and without malice or ill-will. May the Lord bless us all in our discussion of these important matters.

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