Hello again, everyone! This will be a multi-subject post to cover the latest temple developments and some Church news which has been reported. Let's talk about all of that. First, the temple developments. I was pleasantly surprised to hear of another update relating to the Durban South Africa Temple. The latest information I have indicates that poles for the security cameras have been installed, while the process of sandstone cladding the entrance walls and the fountain continues, as does the interior millwork, tiling, painting, plumbing, data, electrical, and fire suppression systems and equipment.
From this update, it appears that the construction of that temple may be back on track. With that said, I still believe that the dedication for the Arequipa Peru Temple will be set to occur first. And there is a possibility (however slight) that the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple could likewise be dedicated before the Durban South Africa dedication as well. But I am watching for information on that subject, and will bring word of it to you all here if and when I find out anything.
In the meantime, while framing continues for the meetinghouse adjacent to the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, work on the temple proper currently involves pouring the main floor slab. The one other temple update I have relates to the Raleigh North Carolina Temple, where decorative fencing is being installed, trees and shrubs are being planted, and walkways are being poured. As I mentioned previously, the renovation process for this temple will likely be completed and the open house and private rededication information announced before the end of June, but I still believe that the open house and rededication will not occur until August, following the annual July recess for the General Authorities.
I also continue to work as I can on updating my previously-offered thoughts about temples for which a groundbreaking is anticipated to occur within the next year or so, and a reordering of announced temples due to new information of which I have been made aware. Having noted that, I'd like to pass along some additional Church news items. The first relates to the subject of temples.
The Church News shared information today that Brother Craig P. and Sister Linda K. Burton (as you may recall, Sister Burton served as Relief Society General President from 2012-2017 have been called to serve as the president and matron of the Jordan River Utah Temple, replacing the current president and matron, who have served since 2014 (with the latter part of their service interrupted slightly by the renovation of that temple).
This brings the total number of new temple presidents announced this year to 9, leaving 55 currently-operating temples on my personal list of those which might have a new president called, along with the 3 or 4 presidents which will likely be called for temples that will be dedicated within the next year or so. There have been other Church news stories reported recently which may be of interest to many of you, and a general mention of those here would seem to suffice for now.
The final development about which I want to report here today is from the Church's Newsroom, to cover the details of the new name which will be used going forward, and how that change relates to the other changes the Church has seen within these first 14 months of President Nelson's prophetic administration. The video accompanying that article is well worthy of your time and attention.
I do continue to monitor any and all other Church news and temple developments, and will keep doing my level best to bring word of those to you all here as I become aware of them. 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.
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Thursday, March 28, 2019
Miscellaneous Temple Developments and Church News Reported
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
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It was also exciting to learn the location of the Richmond Virginia Temple and that preliminary plans have been submitted to the local government. Hopefully that will lead to yet another temple groundbreaking in 2019.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rick, for mentioning that here. It had been mentioned by someone else in another thread, and not long after that, I had found the official Newsroom release on that subject. I did not see that coming at all. And it means that, yet again, I will need to revisit my previously-offered thoughts about the timing involved for those temples that have a groundbreaking anticipated. But I kind of expected something would necessitate that on some level, so I had planned on doing that already. Thanks again for taking time to comment. Always a privilege to hear from you.
DeleteWhat happened to the Saratoga Springs Temple?
ReplyDeleteIt is still in the government approval phase. I am anticipating that the groundbreaking for it will occur at some point after the annual July recess for the General Authorities, but a lot of that will depend on how quickly approval is granted. I have been hoping for some word on that, but have yet to see anything. But I will be sure to pass it along via a new blog post once i do. Thanks, Sister Mitchell, for taking time to comment. Hope you are well.
DeleteOn average, even in Utah; it can take two or more years from announcement to groundbreaking. There are some exceptions where it can take less than a year or even rarer (two temples) take over 14 years to start construction.
DeleteI hope for several more groundbreakings by the end of the year. I think over half of announced temples have land confirmed or acquired.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Chris, for those additional observations. It has been interesting to see the process whereby some temples advance quickly through the necessary approval, while others are stalled for varying periods of time. So far this year, the January groundbreakings for the Urdaneta Philippines and Bangkok Thailand Temples marked the end of the 8-year and almost-3-year respective waiting periods. Pocatello gained approval for its' groundbreaking less than 2 years following its' announcement. On May 4 of this year, 3 of the temples announced by President Nelson last October will have a groundbreaking. The following Saturday, the Quito Ecuador Temple's 3-year waiting period will end (the other Ecuadoran temple in Guayaquil had a waiting period that spanned much longer, in fact, around 17.25 years in total). And in June, it will be the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple's turn.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, the Saratoga Springs Temple has been stalled recently in the government approval process. The specifics about why that is are unclear (although I have a hunch in that respect). But I have also heard that, if all goes well, that temple could be the next one to have a groundbreaking set. Additionally, I am also anticipating word within the next several months on the Brasilia Brazil, second Manila Philippines (for which an official name may also be released soon), Richmond Virginia (which, as we know, we heard news about two days ago on the Newsroom's website), Nairobi Kenya, and Harare Zimbabwe Temples. And I am not ruling out the possibility that other temples could unexpectedly have a groundbreaking announced in the near future either. FWIW, that's some additional thoughts from me. Thank you again, Sister Mitchell and Chris, for taking time to comment.
Sorry. One final note here: Excluding the temples which have a groundbreaking scheduled, there are 24 which still have an official site confirmation or groundbreaking pending. Of those 24, 14 in total have had a potential or definitive site identified. It should additionally be noted that there are 9 temples about which I have sufficient information to consider them as being in a "Groundbreaking anticipated" status, and all of them appear likely to have a groundbreaking occur within the next year or less. These are just a few additional thoughts from me, for what they may be worth to all who read them. My thanks again to you all.
ReplyDeleteHello again, everyone! Given that it is now almost 4:00 AM on Sunday March 31 Kinshasa time, the open house for the temple in that city has now wrapped up, and the temple is being prepared for its' dedication, which will occur one week after General Conference. Additionally, open house reservations are now being accepted for the Oakland California Temple.
ReplyDeleteBut I also wanted to note several additional Church news stories. The highlights include additional content leading up to General Conference, a look back from the retired editor of the Church News at choice moments spent with President Ezra Taft and Sister Flora Amussen Benson, and an editorial piece on what needs to happen for each of us as individuals and families if we are to be prepared for the unprecedented future of the Church as suggested by President Nelson.
But the biggest highlight I wanted to pass along was the latest edition of "This Week on Social", which featured posts from the following leaders: Elders Jeffrey R. Holland, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, and Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sisters Bonnie H. Cordon and Michelle D. Craig, President and First Counselor respectively in the Young Women General Presidency; Sister Reyna I. Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, and Sister Lisa L. Harkness, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. You can catch these developments and more via the Church News website;
https://www.thechurchnews.com/