Hello again, everyone! In a stunning (and unexpectedly-timed) announcemnt, the First Presidency released information on the first 3 temple groundbreakings that the Church will hold in 2020. I know that many of you may have already commented on this news in the threads of previous posts, since became made aware of the announcement roughly 2 hours ago, but I wanted to provide my take on it either way, including a more in-depth analysis on these developments. Before getting to all of that, n conjunction with this announcement, the name of the second Manila Philippines Temple has been revealed as the Alabang Philippines Temple. Although I had previously offered a few suggestions on this blog about the name of the second Manila temple, unless I missed something in reviewing my own coverage on that subject, I don't believe I was anywhere close to guessing that name.
So, let's get right into the relevant information: The first groundbreaking mentioned in this announcement will be held on Saturday April 11, 2019, for the Richmond Virginia Temple. Elder Randall K. Bennett, president of the North America Northeast Area, will preside over that groundbreaking. 3 weeks later, on Saturday May 2, 2020, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside at the groundbreaking for the Alabang Philippines Temple. And 4 weeks after that, the groundbreaking for the Layton Utah Temple will take place on Saturday May 30, at which Elder Craig C. Christensen, who serves as president of the Utah Area, will preside.
I should add here that I still anticipate that the groundbreaking for the Auckland New Zealand Temple may take place in April or May. But I guess preparations for that are not far enough along yet for an official announcement in that respect. And I am hopeful that several other temples might have a groundbreaking soon as well. And the groundbreaking for the Alabang Philippines Temple will leave only 3 temples from President Monson's prophetic administration that have not had a groundbreaking: the Harare Zimbabwe Temple, originally announced in April 2016, and the Nairobi Kenya and Brasilia Brazil Temple, which were announced in General Conference a year later.
And I cannot in good conscience rule out the prospect that additional temples could have their groundbreakings scheduled around these other 3. I have referred a couple of times in the past to a list released by the Church that shows days on which two or more temples simulnaneously had a groundbreaking ceremony. That was the case most recently on Saturday May 4 of last year, when 3 temple groundbreakings were conducted. I will be keeping my eyes open for more information in that respect for sure. I also have a couple other observations to provide as well.
First, these groundbreakings will mark the first time ever that 2 new temples in the Philippines will simultaneously be under construction, and the first time since 2017 that more than 2 or 3 United States temples are simultaneously under construction. Next, based on the releawsed information for the Richmond and Layton temples, and on an approximation of the anticipated size of the Alabang temple, I am proposing the following general estimates for the completion of these temples, which are, of course, subject to change, based on the pace and consistency of the construction, along with anything more official that may be announced for those tempes:
Early-to-mid 2023: Richmond Virginia Temple
Mid-to-late 2023: Layton Utah Temple
Late 2023-early 2024: Alabang Philippines Temple
And finally, less than 13 hours after I published my most-recent adjustments to the more specific estimates for known temple events, it looks ax though I am back to the drawing board as far as that goes. I also have every confidence that an exterior rendering for the Alabang Philippines Temple will be released at some point within the next 2-3 weeks. I continue to monitor all Church news and additional temple updates, and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of it.
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.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: First Presidency Announces the First 3 Temple Groundbreakings for 2020; Official Name Announced for the Second Manila Philippines Temple
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.
8 comments:
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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Hello again, everyone! The Church News also provided coverage on the groundbreaking arrangements being announced for the three temples in question:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-01-23/church-announces-groundbreakings-temples-virginia-philippines-utah-172660
The Church News also provided an additional report on Elder Quentin L. Cook's recently wrapped-up ministry in the Philippines:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-01-23/elder-cook-volcano-victims-philippines-500-years-christianity-172630
And, after providing coverage yesterday on the mission tours undertaken by General Authority Seventies, the Church News took a look at how the wives of the Brethren conducting those tours play a crucial role in that process:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-01-23/mission-tours-general-authority-wives-faithful-women-171190
My thanks once again to you all for your continued interest and ongoing support.
I finally worked out how to change my display name. Thought I would share.
ReplyDeleteThat is wonderful to hear, Brett! Congratulations! Thanks for passing that along.
DeleteHello again, everyone! As some of you might remember, the last update that was noted on the Yigo Guam Temple was provided on July 15 of last year, when the only informations available at that time was that construction was officially underway. New information of which I became aware a few hours ago indicates that the temple's exterior walls are rising. I do continue to monitor all such temple updates, in addition to new Church news items, and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all here as I become aware of them. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteHello again, everyone! In view of the update noted on the Yigo Guam Temple, many sources available to me from which I pull and analyze information I share here havve moved that temle ahead of the Praia Cabo Verde Temple. Additionally, as a consequene of what is and is not known about temples now under construction, for which full-scale construction is still pending, or for which groundbreakings have been scheduled, I have adjusted the estimates for the dedication of the following temples to the following general periods:
DeleteEarly-to-mid 2021: Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple
Mid-2021: Yigo Guam and Praia Cabo Verde Temples
Mid-to-late 2021: Quito Ecuador Temple
Late 2021-early 2022: San Juan Puerto Rico and Pocatello Idaho Temples
Early-to-mid 2022: Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Mid-2022: Belem Brazil Temple
Late 2022-early 2023: Bangkok Thailand and Saratoga Springs Utah Temples (under construction); Lima Peru Los Olivos and Puebla Mexio Temples (full-scale construction pending); Richmond Virginia Temple (gorundbreaking scheduled)
Early 2023: Alabang Philippines Temple
Mid-2023: Layton Utah Temple
Just a couple of quick notes on these estimates: I know that both the Lima Peru Los Olivos and Puebla Mexico Temples have completion estimates in some sources before the end of 2022, but until full-scale efforts are underway on both, I feel a need to be more cautious in the completion estimates for those temples. The estimates for the three temples for which a groundbreaking is scheduled are also subject to change based on whatever new information might come to light before their groundbreakings, and on the progress (or the lack thereof) that is made on the construction process thereafter. And, of course, any estimates I offer are unoficial, and should therefore be taken with a grain of salt unless and until they are confirmed through an official announcement from the First Presidency.
With all of that noted, I hope these insights, such as they presently are, may be helpful and/or interesting tto anyone who reads them. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all for your continued interest and ongoing support.
Hello again, everyone! In addition to the developments I reported in the subthread of the previous commen, I have a new update on the Salt Lake Temple. The majority of the South Visitor's Center has now been demolished, and a wooden construction barrier has replaced the chain-link fencing. I do continue to monitor all such developments and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of such things. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteHello again, everyone! After taking a 38-hour hiatus from posting new updates on this blog as I continue to deal with illness, I am back to share some Church news and updated temple developments. The Church News updates largely speak for themselves:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-01-28/soares-prophet-apostle-devotional-ldsbc-holy-ghost-spiritual-gps-172870
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2020-01-27/utah-women-right-vote-150th-anniversary-timeline-172451
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-01-25/sister-eubank-revolution-zion-unifying-hearts-minds-peaceful-progress-172781
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-01-27/anxiety-depression-mental-health-family-history-172435
Having shared those updates, we now turn to the temple updates. Firstly, with the updated information that has been provided for the Yigo Guam Temple, it appeared to me as though that temple could potentially be dedicated prior to the Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple That assessment has been confirmed by the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site, which has moved the Yigo temple ahead of the temple in Abidjan, altering the completion estimate for the former to early-to-mid 2021, and shifting the estimate for Abidjan to mid-2021. Additionally, with the Praia Cabo Verde Temple next after Abidjan in the queue of temples now under construction, with the retaining walls having been constructed around the temple grounds, now the retaining wall for the temple proper is being constructed as well. And at the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple site, while the work of grading the site and blasting bedrock for the foundation continues, more lamp posts are being installed along the median of Founder's Boulevard. I continue to monitor all Church news developments and temple updates aNd will do my level best to continue to bring word of those to you all here as I become aware of them. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! eThe Church News and Newsroom have both reported on two outstanding developments. First, as most of you might recall, President Nelson was designated an "old friend of China" many decades ago, after his final heart surgery saved the life of a Chinese opera star in 1985 (one year after his call to the apostleship). He has maintain a wonderful relationship with the Chinese government over the years. And so, with many areas in the mainland affected by the recent norovirus epidemic, President Nelson reached out to the Chinese government with a simple question: "How can we help?" With the Chinese government requesting specific aid from the Church, the Newsroom and Church News shared how President Nelson responded to that request:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-china-combat-coronavirus
https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2020-01-29/president-nelson-reaches-out-to-china-responds-to-coronavirus-by-sending-protective-equipment-172935
The Newsroom and the Church News have also shared the changes made by the Church to the official Church Twiiter handle, as efforts to correct public usage of the Church's name continue:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-twitter-handle-2020
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-01-29/twitter-handle-change-username-name-172958
And at the weekly BYU-Idaho Devotional yesterday, General Authority Seventy Elder James R. Rasband addressed continued efforts to correct the name of the Church by focusing on 4 ways members of the Church can keep the Savior at the center of all gospel vocabulary:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-01-29/christ-center-vocabulary-4-ways-byui-172905
I continue to monitor all such developments, including temple updates, and will pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of such things. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.