Stokes Sounds Off: 08/18/19

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Sunday, August 18, 2019

Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part Three—All Remaining Estimates

Hello again, everyone! I am back again to share the third and final part of my updated estimates for known temple events. This part covers all remaining known or anticipated events which have not yet been shared. They 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. 


2022:
Mid-March: Dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple (177th operating temple)
Saturday & Sunday April 2 & 3: 192nd Annual 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.
Mid-to-late May: Dedication of the Belem Brazil Temple (178th operating temple)
Mid-August: Rededication of the Hong Kong China Temple
Saturday & Sunday October 1 & 2: 192nd 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.
Mid-to-late October: Dedication of the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple (179th operating temple)
December: Dedication of the Bangkok Thailand Temple (180th operating temple)
Note: Because this temple is significantly larger than temples which have been built in recent years, delays in that construction process are more likely than not. It is also worth noting that the official number for this temple is almost certain to change as other temples have a groundbreaking and construction and are potentially completed before this one is.

Final note on 2022: Between now and the end of 2022, the face of the Church’s temple construction program will likely look very different. We currently have a Church President who has clearly prioritized bringing the temples to the people, having announced 27 new ones during his first 3 General Conferences as Church President. We have also seen him taking decisive action between each General Conference to clear the queue of announced temples. For that reason, any temples announced in 2018 or 2019 which have not yet had a groundbreaking by this time will likely see that occur during this year. With that in mind, there will likely be many more temple events to add before, during, and after 2022 as a result.



2023:
February: Rededication of the St. George Utah Temple
Saturday & Sunday April 1 & 2: 193rd Annual 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.
Saturday September 30 & Sunday October 1: 193rd 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.

Final note on 2023: Any other temple events which may occur during 2023 will be determined by whatever temple-related announcements are made within the next few of years. I will be sure to add such events as I learn about their likelihood.

2024:
Saturday & Sunday April 6 & 7: 194th Annual 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.
May or June: Rededication of the Salt Lake Temple
Note: Given that this is the first time ever that this temple will have undergone a multi-year closure for full-scale renovation that will culminate in an open house which is anticipated to be held for a couple of months to accommodate the anticipated numbers, and a rededication which may last for a couple of weeks in order to enable it to be carried worldwide to all who want to participate, the timing of these events will largely depend on how quickly and how on-schedule the renovation process winds up being. For that reason, this more specific completion estimate for this temple may be pushed up into earlier this year, or potentially moved back.
September: President Nelson’s 100th Birthday Celebration Broadcast
Note: Barring anything very unexpected, it is almost a near-certainty that President Nelson will still be very much alive to observe his 100th birthday around this time. And given all that he has thus far or may yet contribute to the temple construction efforts of the Church, it seems highly appropriate to list the anticipated celebration of this monumental milestone among other temple events noted here for 2024, as the milestone will mark President Nelson becoming the first centenarian apostle and prophet.
Saturday & Sunday October 5 & 6: 194th 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.

Final note: Any other temple events which may occur during 2024 will be determined by whatever temple announcements are made within the next couple of years. I will be sure to add such events as I learn about their likelihood.

Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part Two—2020-2021 Estimates

Hello again, everyone! I am back, with the second part of my updated estimates for future temple events, which, as previously noted, will cover those events scheduled (in one case) or anticipated to occur in 2020 and 2021. Those estimates 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.

2020:
Sunday February 16: Dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple (168th operating temple; confirmed)
Note: On June 18, 2019, the First Presidency officially announced the open house and dedication information for this temple. The only question is who may preside at this temple’s dedication. It could be any of our ordained apostles, but given past precedent, it seems likely that Elder Dale G. Renlund will be assigned to do so.
Mid-to-late March: Dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple (169th operating temple)
Note: Although I had thought the dedication of this temple would occur a month or two later than this, given how close that temple currently is to its’ completion, I have moved the estimate up to this point.
Saturday & Sunday April 4 & 5: 190th Annual 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.
Late April-early May: Rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple
Note: In view of the 2020 Summer Olympics being held in this city between mid-July and early August, I am reasonably certain the Church will want to have this temple rededicated prior to the Olympics so as not to steal the focus away from that.
Mid-September: Dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple (170th operating temple)
Note: During August 2019, many sources available to me changed the general completion estimate for this temple to mid-to-late 2020. Given that fact, it has seemed prudent to adjust my own more specific estimate accordingly here.
Saturday & Sunday October 3 & 4: 190th Semiannual General Conference
Note: Temple announcements are always possible, so it is not hard to believe that a few could be announced during this General Conference.
Late October-early November: Rededication of the Washington DC Temple
December: Rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple
Note: Although some sources list the general completion estimate for this temple’s renovation during late 2020-early 2021, in view of the fact that those same sources have shifted their completion estimates for the Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple to early 2021, I have felt that the rededication of the Mesa Temple may take place prior to the end of 2020. I am prepared to move this estimate again if the need arises, but for the moment, it seems to be a reasonably safe assumption.

Final note on 2020: Based on what I have heard, 2020 seems as though it will be another big year for temple groundbreakings. I am specifically keeping my eyes open for information on the following temples: Salta and Mendoza Argentina, Managua Nicaragua, Phnom Penh Cambodia, Moses Lake Washington, Feather River California, and Antofagasta Chile Temples. But it would not at all surprise me in any way if other temples have a groundbreaking during 2020 as well, including some for which there is currently not a lot of information available.


2021:
Mid-March: Dedication of the Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple (171st operating temple)
Note: At the groundbreaking for this temple (which occurred on November 8, 2018), Elder Neil L. Andersen, who presided at this event and gave his remarks in French, noted that construction of the temple was anticipated to take around two years. Additionally, as previously noted, many sources available to me from which I gather temple information have noted that this temple’s completion might not occur until early 2021. For that reason, I am moving my previous estimate for this temple’s dedication to this point.
Saturday & Sunday April 3 & 4: 191st Annual 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.
Mid-May: Rededication of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
June: Dedication of the Praia Cabo Verde Temple (172nd operating temple)
Mid-August: Dedication of the Yigo Guam Temple (173rd operating temple
Mid-to-late September: Dedication of the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple (174th operating temple)
Saturday & Sunday October 2 & 3: 191st 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.
Mid-to-late October: Dedication of the Pocatello Idaho Temple (175th operating temple)
December: Dedication of the Quito Ecuador Temple (176th operating temple)


Final note on 2021: If, as anticipated, several more temples are announced in 2019 and 2020, and any which have not yet had a groundbreaking have that occur within that same time period, that in turn will multiply the number of known temple events which will likely occur in 2021 and the years beyond. As more is learned about future temple renovations, that will also have an impact on the number of future events.

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 (165th 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 95th Birthday Celebration
Note: On March 14, 2019, the Church announced this milestone celebration for President Nelson, which will occur 3 days before his actual 95th 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 (166th 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: 189th 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 (167th 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.