May 2019:
Editor: Randy D. Funk
Advisers: Brian K. Ashton, Randall K. Bennett, Becky
Craven, Sharon Eubank, Cristina B. Franco, Donald L. Hallstrom, Larry S.
Kacher, Erich W. Kopischke, Lynn G. Robbins
Advisers for whom a release is likely: Brian K. Ashton
(released from the Sunday School General Presidency), Donald L. Hallstrom (will
likely be granted emeritus status in October), Erich W. Kopischke (will serve
in the Europe Area Presidency beginning in August).\
June 2019:
No change.
July 2019:
Editor: Randy D. Funk
Advisers: Randall K. Bennett, Becky Craven, Sharon
Eubank, Cristina B. Franco, Donald L. Hallstrom, Larry S. Kacher, Erich W.
Kopischke, Lynn G. Robbins
Released as adviser: Brian K. Ashton
No new advisers called.
August 2019:
No change
September 2019:
Editor: Randy D. Funk
Advisers: Becky Craven, Sharon Eubank, Cristina B.
Franco, Walter F. Gonzalez, Larry S. Kacher, Adrian Ochoa, Michael T. Ringwood,
Vern P. Stanfill
Released as advisers: Randall K. Bennett, Donald L.
Hallstrom, Erich W. Kopischke, Lynn G. Robbins
Called as advisers: Walter F. Gonzalez, Adrian Ochoa,
Michael T. Ringwood, Vern P. Stanfill
A few observations about these changes: Apparently, a decision has been made to not have any members of the Young Men or Sunday School General Presidencies assigned to serve as advisers to the Church magazines. As I anticipated, Elders Hallstrom and Kopischke were released, in view of the reasons I noted under the entry for May. But I was surprised by the releases of Elders Bennett and Robbins from their roles as advisers,. As far as I can tell, neither of them are anywhere close to the time where they would be released and granted emeritus status.
I do know that Elder Robbins was released from his previous area assignment, as of the first of this month, and that Elder Bennett has retained his area assignment. I also know that, according to information released by the Church, Elder Robbins is serving on the Priesthood and Family Executive Council, and on the Scriptures Committee. Additionally, if the 9 General Authority Seventies who have turned or will soon turn 70 are granted emeritus status in October, then that will leave Elder Robbins as the longest-tenured actively-serving General Authority Seventy (in other words, the most senior who has not been granted emeritus status). I don't know if that has any bearing on this, but I thought it was worth noting.
Four new advisers for the Church magazines have also been called. Elder Gonzales' assignment to serve as an adviser to the Church magazines makes him the second member of the current Utah Area Presidency to be involved in the publication process for the Church magazines. He started serving as Second Counselor in that Area Presidency earlier this month, following his release as President of the Caribbean Area. The other current Utah Area Presidency member overseeing the Church magazines is Elder Randy D. Funk, the current First Counselor in the Area Presidency, who has been serving as the editor of the Church magazines since October of last year, when the previous editor, Elder Hugo E. Martinez, was given an assignment to serve in the Africa West Area Presidency.
Meanwhile, Elder Adrian Ochoa takes on the assignment as an adviser to the Church magazines while continuing to serve in the North America Southwest Area Presidency, although he has changed assignments in that Presidency from being the Second Counselor to now serving as the First Counselor thereof. As for Elder Michael T. Ringwood (who, as some of you may be aware, is onee of President Nelson's 9 sons-in-law), he has been serving at Church headquarters since August of 2015. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Self-Reliance Services/PEF Committee, Assistant Executive Director of the Missionary Department, and a member of the Welfare and Self-Reliance Executive Committee.
And Elder Vern P. Stanfill, who has been serving as Second Counselor in the North America Southeast Area, became the First Counselor in that same Area Presidency earlier this month, in addition to serving in several committee assignments at Church headquarters. Having noted this, at some point, I need to look into what new information might be available on the assignments for all current General Authorities, and perhaps cover that in a new blog post, likely within the next few weeks. But regardless of the reasoning behind the latest changes in the advisers to the Church magazines, I have no doubt that these changes are inspired. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of such developments.
That does it for now. 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.
Hello again, everyone! Several additional Church news stories have been reported. They speak for themselves and follow below. In the meantime, my thanks agian to you all.
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-leaders-us-vice-president-mike-pence-august-2019
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/name-changes-announced-for-lds-charities-family-services?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/quick-tip-finding-church-resources-in-american-sign-language?lang=eng
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/auditions-announced-for-2019-savior-of-the-world-in-salt-lake-city?lang=eng
https://www.thechurchnews.com/archives/2019-08-22/how-a-unique-partnership-with-byu-and-latter-day-saint-charities-is-changing-lives-in-mongolia-157303
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-ministry/2019-08-22/mike-pence-salt-lake-city-ballard-rasband-157940
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-ministry/2019-08-22/president-nelson-latam-ministry-tour-157984
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-ministry/2019-08-22/president-nelson-latam-ministry-tour-157984
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-08-22/lds-charities-president-nelson-church-of-jesus-christ-157956
And I'd be remiss if I did not note an update that crossed my radar for the Durban South Africa Temple. The latest information I have is that the entrance staircase and plaza are being constructed; that the temple carpeting has been installed; that work continues on the millwork, baseboards, trim, and gilding; and that hard and soft landscaping efforts have intensified.
ReplyDeleteI continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will pass word of such developments along to you all as I become aware of them. In the meantime, my thanks again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! Earlier today, the Church News provided an updated copy of the article I shared yesterday on Mongolia. I am not sure what specific updates were made, but here is a link to that articcle again, in case any of you are tnterested in the updated copy, or in finding out what has been updated therein:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2019-08-22/how-a-unique-partnership-with-byu-and-latter-day-saint-charities-is-changing-lives-in-mongolia-157303
And from the Church's official Newsroom comes a report on President and Sister Nelson and Elder and Sister Cook are making final preparations for their Latin American Ministry Tour, on which they will officially embark tomorrow:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-sister-nelson-commence-ministry-latin-america
In the meantime, two temple updates have also crossed my radar. First, it now appears as though the Yigo Guam temple is officially out of its' "Construction pending" status, with the early phases of construction underway on that temple, which joins the Praia Cabo Verde Temple as having its' completion anticipated in mid-2021. And at the Mesa Arizona Temple, the slab has been poured for the west reflecting pool, and palm trees have been planted on either side of that pool.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will do my level best to pass word of those along to you all as I receive word of them. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has covered two additional stories. The first offers a more in-depth look at how the Young Men and Young Women General Presidency members determined the 2020 Mutal Theme, which will, as previously noted, be 1 Nephi 3:7. You can find their comments on that in the following article:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-08-23/a-look-at-how-church-leaders-decided-on-the-2020-youth-theme-and-why-its-important-for-youth-worldwide-157458
And during a presntation for BYU Education Week, a nutritionist shared insight into how a gospel perspective can positively influence physical health:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-08-23/word-of-wisdom-byu-education-week-157915
Once agian, my thanks to you all.
Hello again, everyone! Yesterday, the Church News published the latest edition of "This Week on Social". That article can be found at the following web address:
ReplyDeletethechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-08-24/this-week-on-social-book-of-mormon-twelve-apostles-158046
This installment featured posts from the following general Church leaders: Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Gary E. Stevenson (from whom 2 posts were shared), and Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Relief Society General President Sister Jean B. Bingham and her First Counselor, Sharon Eubank; Young Women General President Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, and her First and Second Counselors, respectively: Sisters Michelle D. Craig and Becky Craven; Sister Lisa L. Harkness, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency.
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! Both the Church News and the Newsroom from the Church's official website have provided coverage of President Nelson's ministry stop in Guatemala. You can find those reports at the following web address, and I am sure that Patzicia (a Latter-day Saint living in Guatemala who has commented here before) will have some personal insights on President Nelson's visit, which I hope will be something Patzicia may want to share here. In the meantime, the most significant thing about those reports is that President Nelson again gave the entirety of his remarks in Spanish. It is wonderful to see our prophet speaking to Latin American Saints in their native language. Those reports follow below:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-08-24/latam-president-russell-m-nelson-guatemala-158124
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-guatemala-2019
And the summaries for the major milestones of this tour will be found in the following news release:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-russell-m-nelson-2019-latin-america-ministry
The one other thing I would like to note is that the time in Guatemala right now is the same as the time here in Utah, while Bogota Colombia is an hour ahead of both Utah and Guatemala. So the devotional in Colombia will be held in roughly 16 hours or so. Stay tuned for more coverage once I receive word of it. In the meantime, my thanks again to you all.
The visit of President Nelson and Elder Cook to Guatemala was an very spiritual experience for the Guatemala Latter-day Saints. The stadium was filled to capacity and the playing field as well. I estimate about 25,000 in attendance. Missionaries from the four missions that have stakes within the city were scattered among the stadium with the stake members where they were serving. The missionaries from the MTC were all seated together near the front and on the playing field. The meeting was broadcast to stake centers throughout all of Guatemala. Elder Juan Uceda, a Peruvian and President of the Central America Area and his wife were the first speakers. They spoke of the Saviors many titles as a Shepherd among Shepherds. Elder and Sister Cook also spoke of the Saviors love for all and inclusiveness. Sister Nelson told of some experiences her husband had while serving in the Korean war in a surgical unit and how his deep love for the Book of Mormon set him apart from other medical workers. President Nelson instructed the members to love their wives and children, to obey the commandments and to read the Book of Mormon. One of the tender mercies of the Lord was the fact that Guatemala is in the middle of the rainy season. It had rained hard every afternoon and evening for the previous 5 or 6 days. Saturday was a beautiful day with clear skies most of the morning and afternoon. In the evening a few clouds gathered by not a drop of rain was felt. Patzicia.
DeletePatzicia, thank you for that report. It was touching to hear your first-hand experience attending this devotional. I for one am not in any way shocked that the rain stopped for the devotional with President Nelson. Whenever the faithful Saints anywhere are gathered to hear from the prophet in any setting, any inclement weather stops long enough for such gatherings to take place. And I agree with President Nelson's assessment that it is the faith of the individual members gathered that enables such a miracle to occur. I hope you treasure the moemory of that experience for the rest of your life, though I am confident that this is not the last time a prophet of the Lord will ever visit Guatemala. I am not even convinced this is the only prophetic visit President Nelson will himself make to Guatemala. But time will tell. In the meantime, thank you again for taking time to share your experience. I appreciate hearing from you on that.
DeleteI'm hearing from people in the area that Elder Bednar is the one dedicating the Haiti Temple
ReplyDeleteScott, thank you for taking time to comment and share this. You have been correct in matters such as this before, so I fully trust the insight you have provided on this question. I have done some research on my end, and insofar as I can tell, if Elder Bednar is fluent in any other languages, German may be the only one, since he served as a missionary in that nation. If I am in error on this point, please let me know. I also know that, less than 3 yearws ago, Elder Bednar was asked to preside over the dedication of the Star Valley Wyoming Temple, due to his wife's connections to the area, and that he chairs the Temple and Family History Executive Council, so taking on the assignment to oversee another temple dedication would not be new to him. Interesting. Food for thought. Thanks again, Scott, for sharing this information here.
DeleteThe following additional Church news stories have been reported:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2019-08-25/elder-marvin-j-ashton-battle-with-time-157646
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2019-08-25/boyd-matheson-jesus-gratitude-lepers-157886
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-colombia-2019
That final article covers President Nelson's ministry visit to Colombia. Tomorrow morning, the Nelsons and the Cooks will pay a courtesy visit to Colombia's governmental leaders before traveling to Quito Ecuador, where they will speak at another evening devotional. More coverage is to come as it is provided. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! Apparently, both the Church's official Newsroom and the Church News website published their reports of President Nelson's visit to Colombia at or around the same time. So here is the Church News report:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-08-25/president-russell-m-nelson-latam-colombia-158227
In the meantime, I appreciate your ongoing interest and continuing support.
Hello James,
ReplyDeleteI have some more news to report for you (Puebla)
I prefer to send it to your email as I am unable to send SS via this link. Can I have it?
Thanks!
Hello, Bryan! Sorry about my delay in getting back to you. My contact information is available through my blogger profile, which contains a link whereby you can e-mail me. I prefer to not to duplicate that information here for a few different reasons. So consulting my profile would be the best option for now. I look forward to hearing from you.
DeleteHello again, everyeone! The Newsroom has published the following article, which speaks for itself:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-hosts-events-united-nations-conference-salt-lake-city
I also have two additional Church news items to report. First, with the time now being almost 10:00 PM in Quito Ecuador, the Nelsons and Cooks have likely left there, although an official report on their visit has not yet been made available via either the Newsroom or the Church News as of yet. But I will keep my eyes open in that respect and pass word of that along to you all as I become aware of it.
Another article published recently by the Church News speaks for itself:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2019-08-26/byu-education-week-temple-atonement-jesus-christ-157911
Above and beyond that, however, I have updates to report on the status of two temples. First, at the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple site, the monument sign inscription stone has been installed, while landscaping and interior finish work is progressing. I am going to make a bold prediction in relation to that temple: I am of the opinion that the open house and dedication arrangements for that temple could be announced within the next two weeks or less, or at very least that there will be an official announcement on it before the weekend of the October 2019 General Conference. And hopefully, by General Conference weekend, at least one or two of the three temples for which full-scale construction is pending (San Juan Puerto Rico, Lima Peru Los Olivos, and Belem Brazil Temples) may have had full-scale construction begin.
Hopefully also by that weekend, one other temple will have had a groundbreaking, and up to 3 others could have groundbreaking arrangements announced. Particularly in the southern hemisphere of the world, the final months of this year will mark late spring and early summer, which would be a prime opportunity for the Church to begin construction in those areas.
Also, based on some additional information I have come across through various methods (including personal research) I may again be reevaluating my offered thoughts about the likely time-frames and order within which the temples in the "Groundbreaking anticipated" section of my temple construction progress report are listed.
Additionally, at the Mesa Arizona Temple, reno9vation work has continued as a slab has been poured for the west reflecting pool, and palm trees have been planted on either side. I am assuming that "either side" refers to the pool, rather than the temple itself, which would mean that the west reflecting pool is flanked by palm tress on each side thereof. If anyone else has different information in that respect, please note it here.
In the meantime, I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will do my best to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of such things. I am currently dealing with a minor illness (probably just a slight cold or something in that neighborhood) which may impact the consistency of those reports over the next week or so, but I will work around it as best I can. With all of this noted, my thanks again to each one of you for your continued interest and ongoing support.
Hello again, everyone! The Newsroom has finally published an article covering President Nelson's visit to Quito:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-nelson-ecuador-2019
THe Nelsons and Cooks will now travel on to buenos Aires Argentina, where they will speak at an evening devotional on Wednesday. But I imagine that, whether it is reported or not, the visit will allow the group to perhaps look at the feasibility of a prospective temple in Bahia Blanca, for which local Church membership has apparently been lobbying the Church in the more recent past. We may find out more about that in the days ahead. In the meantime, my thanks to you all.
And the Church News has now provided a summary of the counsel offered to the Ecuadoran Saints by the Nelson and the Cooks, which you can find here:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2019-08-27/president-russell-m-nelson-latam-ecuador-158337
I will continue to monitor President Nelson's Latina American ministry tour, along with all other Church news and temple developments, and will pass word of those along to you all ASAP after I learn of those. Once again, my thanks goes out to you all.
I miss Ecuador. I would love to go back and visit. I have not been there since December of1998. The temple in Guayaquil was still under construction. Now a temple is under construction in Quito. Shortly after I arrived in Ecuador in early 1997 President Nelson as a member of the Quorum of the twelve visited the mission with a member meeting later that night. He gave each missionary a chance to shake his hand. Later in that year in August President Hinkley also visited the country. Great times. I love Ecuador.
DeleteChris, thank you for taking time to comment, and for sharing your thoughts about Ecuador and your connections to it. I appreciate hearing your experiences. Hopefully you can make it back to Ecuador at some point, perhaps for the dedication of the Qutio Temple? It is interesting how many people have various connections to differing degrees to nations all around the world. Thanks again for stopping by to comment. Always a pleasure to hear from you, Chris!
DeleteRenderings of the Richmond Temple have just been released! There was an open house this evening where details and renderings were presented. No groundbreaking set.
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/richmond-virginia-temple-renderings-released
Hello, Eric! Sorry I didn't see your comment sooner. As I explained in my latest post covering this development earlier tonight, I had a bit of a crazy day. It wouldn't shock me at all if the Richmond Temple was one of the next (if not the very next) to have a groundbreaking ceremony occur. I have a feeling that between now and the October General Conference, the Church will have scheduled arrangements for at least 2 (but possibly 3 or 4) additional temple groundbreakings, and Richmond could very well be one of them. Great to see this. Thanks for stopping by to share the news, and my apologies for not seeing your comment sooner. Best wishes.
Delete