Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part One—Overview and Scheduled/Anticipated Events in 2019

Hello again, everyone! Given the temple progress that has occurred within the last two months, and how much has changed regarding the anticipated timing for future temple events within the next several years, I thought I'd provide the next set of updated edistamtes for known future temple events. As usual, this will be done in three parts. This first one will discvuss those events scheduled to occur this year. The second part will deal with events scheduled/anticipated to occur in 2020 & 2021, and the final part will share those events anticipated between 2022 and 2024. This year's scheduled events follow below.

In order to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here as I always do: 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.

Saturday August 24-Monday September 2: President Nelson’s Latin American Ministry Tour (confirmed)

Note: During the third week in May, comments on my blog shared releases from a few country Newsroom websites of the Church noting President Nelson would visit those locations in late August and early September. Then on May 29, the Church released official details of the trip and its’ itinerary. Accompanied by his wife, Wendy W. Nelson, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Mary G. Cook, President Nelson will visit 5 nations in 9 days. With stops in Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, it appears more likely than not that part of that tour will involve scouting for future temple locations.

Sunday September 1: Dedication of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple (165^th operating temple; confirmed)

Note: On November 14, 2018, the First Presidency announced the open house and dedication information for this temple (with the latter originally set for mid-May). Then, on January 18, 2019, the dedication was pushed back to this date in view of delays in the construction process. Because President Nelson will be wrapping up his aforementioned Latin American Ministry Tour this same weekend, and given the precedent set with the prior two temple dedications (in Kinshasa DR Congo and Fortaleza Brazil), it seems likely any of the three apostles fluent in French (President Eyring or Elders Andersen or Renlund) may oversee this dedication. Given that Elder Andersen is the only one of those three who has not presided over a temple event this year, he may be asked to dedicate this temple.

Friday September 6: President Nelson’s 95^th Birthday Celebration

Note: On March 14, 2019, the Church announced this milestone celebration for President Nelson, which will occur 3 days before his actual 95^th birthday. In view of the fact that President Nelson has announced 27 temples since his prophetic administration began, it seems appropriate to mention this milestone birthday among other events on this timeline.

Sunday September 15: Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple (166^th operating temple; confirmed)

Note: On March 4, 2019, the First Presidency announced the open house and dedication information for this temple. Given the recent past precedent I noted previously, any of the 15 current apostles, particularly those who have not personally presided over a temple event this year and/or who have any kind of connection to Lisbon may be asked to oversee this dedication. Who exactly that might be is anyone’s guess, but it will not be Elder Ulisses Soares, who presided over the Portugal Porto Mission a few decades ago, since he will be speaking at a Worldwide Devotional/Face-to-Face Event for Young Adults on this same date.

Saturday & Sunday October 5 & 6: 189^th Semiannual General Conference:

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Sunday October 13: Private rededication for the Raleigh North Carolina Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency announced that a one-session private rededication for this temple would take place on this date (following a one-week public open house), with President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presiding.

Sunday October 20: Rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple (confirmed)

Note: On March 5, 2019, the First Presidency announced that this temple would be rededicated on this date. I am anticipating that Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our native German apostle will be asked to rededicate this temple.

Sunday November 3: Private rededication of the Asuncion Paraguay Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 21, 2019, the First Presidency announced the one-week open house and one-session private rededication for this temple. It is my opinion that any of the senior apostles (up to and including Elder Christofferson) who have not presided at a temple event could preside over this rededication. But what is far less clear right now is which of those 9 most senior apostles is most likely to do so. If I had to venture a guess, I’d conjecture that it would be Elder Christofferson, who served his mission in the neighboring nation of Argentina.

Monday November 4: St. George Utah Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)

Note: This temple’s renovation was announced on January 25, 2019. Given the fact that seismic and systemic updates are anticipated to occur, I have set a preliminary general completion estimate of late 2022-early 2023.

Sunday November 17: Private rededication of the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency also announced the one-week public open house for this temple, which will be privately rededicated on this date by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

December 15: Dedication of the Arequipa Peru Temple (167^th operating temple)

Note: On May 21, 2019, the First Presidency also announced the dedication of this temple.  Given the aforementioned past precedent, any apostle could preside over this temple dedication, with the only question being which of the 15 is most likely to actually do so. Insofar as I am aware, I know of no current apostle who has direct ties to Peru. So at this point, the prospect is too difficult to call.

Sunday December 29: Salt Lake Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)

Note: On April 19, 2019, President Nelson announced renovation plans for the Salt Lake Temple, identifying this date for its’ closure. I will offer an estimate for its’ completion (which is anticipated in early-to-mid 2024) later in this document.

Final note on 2019: Groundbreakings have been held so far this year for the Urdaneta Philippines, Bangkok Thailand, Pocatello Idaho, Yigo Guam, Praia Cabo Verde, San Juan Puerto Rico, Quito Ecuador, Lima Peru Los Olivos, and Belem Brazil Temples. Based on what I have heard, it seems more likely than not that several other temples will have a groundbreaking at some point during that year. In particular, I am watching for information on the Brasilia Brazil, Richmond Virginia, Saratoga Springs Utah, Harare Zimbabwe, Bengaluru India, Auckland New Zealand, Greater Manila Philippines, Layton Utah, Nairobi Kenya, and Puebla Mexico Temples. Even if not all of them have a groundbreaking occur in 2019, many of them will likely have groundbreaking arrangements announced before the end of this year.