Hello again, everyone! In these early-morning hours, I am pleased to share that the First Presidency has announced the groundbreakings for two more temples: Coban Guatemala and Okinawa Japan. Elder Brian K. Taylor, Central American Area President, will oversee the former in November 2020, with Elder Takashi Wada, Asia North Area President, presiding over the latter in December. Both will take place on unspecified dates.
This news marks the groundbreakings for two more temples originally announced in 2019 (in October and April of last year respectively) and means that the Church has scheduled 16 of the 18 temple groundbreakings to which Elder David A. Bednar made reference last April. Whether or not the Church is able to meet that goal, it's wonderful that such developments are bringing that goal closer. Given that there are now five temples set to break ground in November, it seems extremely likely that one or more thereof could occur on the same date.
I continue to monitor all such developments and other Church news, and will be sure to bring word of all such updates here as I learn about them. 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 allin everything you do.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News and Newsroom have provided the following additional reports:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-09-22/temple-groundbreaking-coban-guatemala-okinawa-japan-193215
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-09-22/april-2020-general-conference-invitations-promised-blessings-193027
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-22/women-priesthood-covenant-brittany-beattie-single-marriage-gift-knowledge-power-counsel-190267
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/coronavirus-update
https://www.deseretindustries.org/reopen
Additionally, status updates have been provided for the Pocatello Idaho and Saratoga Springs Utah Temples:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/pocatello-idaho-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
The following additional reports have been provided by the Church News:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-22/elder-funk-byu-idaho-devotional-covenants-blessings-193272
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-22/byu-pathway-worldwide-lds-clark-gilbert-education-193273
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News has shared 3 additional reports today:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-23/home-mtc-missionaries-lessons-sarah-jane-weaver-193222
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2020-09-23/family-proclamation-25th-anniversary-president-hinckley-marriage-gender-193319
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-23/oregon-fire-lds-member-homes-destroyed-families-displaced-bear-creek-193376
Also, major updates have been provided on the Pocatello Idaho and Saratoga Springs Utah Temples:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/pocatello-idaho-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
In relation to the latest update on the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, it is worth noting that construction on it appears to be moving rapidly, and perhaps even ahead of scheduled plans. With that in mind, the dedication of that temple could occur in the middle part of 2022 (which I would term as being sometime between May and September). So that, and other elements relating to progress (or the lack thereof) on certain temples will mold my process of reworking my temple documents, which is still in progress.
For now, my thanks once again to you all for your continued interest and ongoing support.
And the Church News has shared the following additional reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-24/president-nelson-video-hear-him-april-general-conference-trials-193440
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-24/philippines-interfaith-family-forum-national-family-week-lds-193460
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-24/familysearch-8-billion-searchable-names-milestone-193450
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/family-search-8-billion-names
My thanks once again to you all.
On the Church newsroom in Spanish (https://noticias.laiglesiadejesucristo.org/articulo/la-iglesia-de-jesucristo-en-mexico-transmitira-por-radio-y-television-abierta-la-conferencia-general-de-octubre-2020) it is noted that Mexico will, for the first time ever, General Conference programming on the public airwaves in television and radio.
ReplyDeleteSaid transmission will be able to be heard on radio from 32 different cities and the television from 49 cities.
The area leaders have told the leaders to disseminate this information...potentially millions of Mexicans will be exposed to Conference...
Bryan Dorman, that is awesome to hear! The work moves forward. Last conference, we heard about a bunch of nations in which Church members and leaders worked with local or national leaders to get the conference carried there for the first time, and I'm pleased to hear that will be the case for Mexico next weekend. Thanks for sharing that here.
DeleteThat being said, I had two questions for you, given your previous comments here. First of all, have you heard anything about why there has been an almost yearlong delay on construction commencing for the Puebla Mexico Temple? I'm assuming COVID-19 has impacted that to certain degrees for most of this year, but I wondered if there was anything further.
Second, I know you have been good about weighing in on my posted lists of potential candidates in the past. Would you do me the honor of looking over my latest list and let me know of any feedback or suggestions you have?
You can find a link to that at the following web address:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2020/09/updated-october-2020-general-conference_21.html
Thanks again for taking time to comment here. I always appreciate hearing from you.
Hello again, everyone! It has been over 21 hours since my last comment was published. Yesterday evening, while at my doctor's office for a routine treatment I've been getting weekly for the last few years, I also requested and was given my yearly influenza vaccine. As a result, throughout most of today, I've kind of been giving myself time to recover therefrom.
ReplyDeleteHaving done so, I am back now to pass along some Church news updates and temple developments, which I will likely do in two or more comments here. First, I wanted to note a major temple update covered by both the Newsroom and the Church News. The update relates to the progress on the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple. The provided coverage shows the steady progress that has been made on that process, in addition to providing a look at the next steps for the days, weeks, and months ahead:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/salt-lake-temple-renovation-update-september-2020
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-09-25/salt-lake-temple-renovation-foundation-challenges-193508
Just a reminder to all who may be interested that continuing updates on the renovation process for the Salt Lake Temple can be found at the following web address:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/templesquare/news-releases
It looks like the renovation of that temple continues to stay on track. Interestingly enough, aside from the general time period of 2024, we don't have any indication as of yet in terms of when during that year renovations might be completed. But insofar as I have been able to ascertain, the Church is still planning on a lengthy open house, and a likely 1-2 month period where rededicatory sessions for the temple will almost definitely be broadcast to Saints all over the world, for which I'm sure we are all very excited.
The Newsroom and the Church News also both provided coverage on Church donations of food that have been sponsored and organized by the Church for food pantries, homeless shelters, and emergency preparedness facilities in New York in honor of the bicentennial celebration of the First Vision:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/food-donations-underway-in-new-york-to-commemorate-bicentennial-of-restoration
https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2020-09-25/food-donations-new-york-bicentennial-first-vision-200-2020-193552
In relation to those articles, I have previously mentioned that the Church reestablished area presidencies here in the United States and Canada to free up the Presidency of the Seventy to more fully assist the apostles in guiding the affairs of the Church in each of the Church's 22 geographical areas. The area of the Church covering New York is the North America Northeast Area, and if the information in the biographies of the Presidency of the Seventy is correct, Elder Robert C. Gay is the member of the Presidency of the Seventy assigned to assist in the administration of that area. My reason for mentioning all of this is that the Church News article detaling this latest Church donation indicates that the donation of food follows a financial donation given to governmental leaders in the area by Elder D. Toodd Christofferson, which may indicate that Elder Christofferson is the apostle currently assigned oversight of that area of the Church.
The Newsroom and Church News additionally provided coverage recently on FamilySearch's latest milestone: 8 billion names are now searchable through that platform:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/family-search-8-billion-names
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-24/familysearch-8-billion-searchable-names-milestone-193450
More Church news updates and temple developments will follow.
The Church News also covered the recent Philippines Interfaith Family Forum:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-24/philippines-interfaith-family-forum-national-family-week-lds-193460
Additionally, the latest edition of "This Week on Social" has been published:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-25/nelson-bednar-uchtdorf-general-conference-pandemic-jesus-christ-193580
In the newest installment, posts from the following general Church leaders were shared: Church President Russell M. Nelson (from whom two social media posts were shared); Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar and Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Sisters Joy D. Jones, Primary General President and her Second Counselor, Cristina B. Franco, and Michelle D. Craig, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.
I will be back shortly with temple updates, if any.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News provided the text of the newest "Spoken Word" message that will be incorporated into the previously-recorded performances from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, as the Church continues its' hybrid version of the weekly Choir broadcasts:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-26/music-and-the-spoken-word-our-common-bond-193235
Also, although an official news release has not yet confirmed this, the Church Temples site has reported that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Brasilia Brazil Temple took place this morning as scheduled, with Brazil Area President Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella presiding thereat:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/brasilia-brazil-temple/
Once the Church provides official coverage on that, I will be sure to pass it along. It is also worth noting that I received new insight recently from a few of my sources for updated temple information, based upon which I am attempting to provide general and more specific estimates for temples that are or may soon be under construction. Each time ground is broken on a temple, other shifts have occurred.
As an example, towards the end of last month (August), the Bangkok Thailand Temple was just below the Feather River California Temple in the temple construction queue. On September 5, following the confirmation that groundbreakings had taken place for the Orem Utah and San Pedro Sula Honduras Temples, the sequence of that part of the queue was as follows: Feather River, Orem, Bangkok, and San Pedro Sula. Now that the groundbreaking for the Brasilia Brazil Temple has taken place, that temple falls between the Bangkok and San Pedro Sula temples.
So it appears that some of the temples for which a groundbreaking has currently been scheduled could similarly be placed around those already in the queue. And with the area of the Brasilia Brazil Temple planned to be around 25,000 square feet, we can perhaps use known information to surmise where the other temples might fall within the queue once their groundbreakings are held.
In the near term, for example, that might mean that the Taylorsville Utah Temple could be placed in the queue between the San Pedro Sula Honduras and Lima Peru Los Olivos Temples, while the Moses Lake Washington Temple might be placed in the queue above the Taylorsville temple once it has a groundbreaking.
Aside from how the queue might change, I am pleased to report that the number of announced temples now in the queue is down to 35 temples total. After some additional research on my part, I am projecting that the number of temples which might be announced next weekend during General Conference could total 8-12.
DeleteIf we assume that nothing else in the queue changes except new temples being announced next weekend, then in the 8 weeks between General Conference weekend and the end of November, ground will be broken on 7 additional temples.
That means that the Church could have anywhere from 43-47 announced temples after next weekend, with the queue then going down to between 36-40 temples by the end of November. And if recent patterns are any indication, most of the 7 temples that will have a groundbreaking within that period of time will likely be slated for completion between 2023-2024, though there is an outside chance that one or two of the smaller temples in the queue might be completed by 2022.
It will be interesting to see what happens with respect to the queue, and the individual temples involved. I am toying with the idea of perhaps posting a more specific prediction on temples that could be announced next weekend, but I have a few other things I need to work on in the interim.
Among those projects are the end-of-third-quarter 2020 temple construction progress review (which will be published here late Wednesday night, a birthday tribute to Elder Ulisses Soares, who will be marking his 62nd birthday on Friday (which I will preset to publish on that day to avoid a repeat of last year when I inadvertently was two days late with that tribute), and setting up arrangements to publish any major breaking news from General Conference, including new temples (which could be announced either during the Women's Session Saturday night or the Sunday Afternoon Session as General Conference concludes). Then, on the Thursday following General Conference, President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will be observing his 92nd birthday.
So there will be a lot to cover in the next week or two, just based on what is currently known. If anything unexpected happens, such as other major announcements, that in turn will multiply the number of things I'll need to cover in the coming days.
I'm excited about all the developments that are or might be coming down the pike in the near future. And although I don't know what to specifically expect in terms of any major announcements from General Conference next weekend, aside from new temples, I will do my level best to cover it all as it happens. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
It appears that, while I was composing and publishing my latest comments above, the Newsroom published a report on the groundbreaking for the Brasilia Brazil Temple:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/groundbrokenfor-brasiliabraziltemple
Given that the Brasilia Brazil Temple will be, at 25,000 square feet, just over one-third the size of the Orem Utah Temple, depending on when full-scale construction can begin on Brazil's newest temple, and how it progresses in comparison to the Orem Utah Temple, we might possibly see the temple in the Brazilian capital city move ahead of other temples in the queue above it. I will be sure to monitor all such developments and bring word of them all to you here ASAP after I learn about them. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom has shared another report this afternoon:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/volunteers-assist-fire-recovery-efforts-western-us
My thanks once again to you all.
And the Church News has also covered the groundbreaking for the Brasilia Brazil Temple:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-09-26/brasilia-brazil-temple-groundbreaking-ground-broken-193639
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! On this Sabbath day, the Newsroom and the Church News have provided the following additional reports:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/volunteers-assist-fire-recovery-efforts-western-us
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/after-severe-windstorm-latter-day-saints-participate-in-%E2%80%9Coperation-firewood-rescue-to-help-utahs-native-americans
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-27/operation-firewood-rescue-wood-donation-wasatch-front-navajo-nation-193673
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-09-27/hurricane-sally-helping-hands-volunteers-service-193664
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! The Newsroom and the Church News have published the following additional reports. Due to the fact that I'm still recovering from the general illness I've been dealing with for the last week or so, I will let each item speak for itself. Those reports follow. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/orange-county-food-donations-covid-19
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/coronavirus-update
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-limited-reopening-temples
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-09-28/lds-temples-open-worldwide-phased-reopening-183918
Hello again, everyone! The following additional Church News updates has been provided:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-29/women-priesthood-convenant-tara-mickelsen-teach-nurture-power-193096
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-09-29/boyd-matheson-enlist-faith-service-stripling-warriors-193598
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-09-29/covid-19-pandemic-lessons-learned-first-presidency-quorum-of-the-twelve-apostles-193556
And construction status updates have also been provided on the following temples:
Richmond Virginia
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/richmond-virginia-temple/
Lima Peru Los Olivos:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lima-peru-los-olivos-temple/
Alabang Philippines:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/alabang-philippines-temple/
St. George Utah:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/st.-george-utah-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
Eastidahonews.com reported on the church taking over Treasure Mountain Scout Camp in idaho. EastIdahoNews.com/2020/09/treasure-mountain-scout-camp-under-new-operation-after-81-years/
ReplyDeleteHey, Chris! Sorry about my delayed response. Thanks for taking time to share that report here. I don't know how the Church's split from the Boy Scouts of America impacted other states, but here in Utah, the BSA initially filed for bankruptcy due to financial hardship in the aftermath of that split.
DeleteI believe there has been at least one (but possibly more) instances here where BSA scout camps have been sold to the Church, so it makes sense that would occur in Idaho as well.
With the Church having confirmed that outdoor activities, including overnight camps, will still be a major element of the Children and Youth program, it's not surprising that the Church is procuring campsites for that purpose. Thanks again for sharing that.
In this case I don't think the BSA sold it. It was a contract with the Forest Service to manage it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that clarification, Chris! I think I may have added 2 and 2 together and got 5. In any case, I appreciate you sharing the information, Chris. Always a pleasure to hear from you.
Delete