Hello again, everyone! As some of you may recall, for the groundbreakings scheduled to be held the final three months of this year, the official announcements did not specify exact dates, but said that media resources would be available to acknowledge their occurrence after the fact. I am pleased, therefore, to report that, less than a week after General Conference concluded, the first of those groundbreakings has taken place. Earlier today, ground was broken for the Moses Lake Washington Temple.
As arranged, Elder David L. Stapleton, an area seventy, presided over that ceremony. The small-scale event, held in accordance with proper COVID-19 protocols in place, marked the commencement of construction for the fourth temple in Washington state. Given its' relatively smaller size, I anticipate that, once construction gets underway, the process of completion may only take 18-21 months or so. Time will tell in that respect. Either way, it is good to have confirmation that this has occurred as planned.
The one other temple that was set to have a groundbreaking later this month was the Taylorsville Utah Temple. I am not sure at the present time if, how, or to what extent the positive COVID-19 diagnosis for Elder and Sister Gong may delay, alter, or change the plans for that temple's groundbreaking. I imagine if worst came to worst, the Church might either send someone else to do that, allow Elder Gong to do so remotely, or push that back a little, and perhaps move forward one or two of the 8 temple groundbreakings planned for next month.
Whatever might occur in that regard, you can count on my bringing word of that to you all here as I become aware of such news. 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! The Church News also covered this temple's groundbreaking:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-10-10/moses-lake-washington-temple-groundbreaking-2-195382
My thanks once again to you all.
Because of another news story I saw, this one helps explain why we sometimes do not see work start immediately after the groundbreaking.
ReplyDeleteThe building permits have not been issued yet, although a person at the city said that process is well along, so it should not be much longer before we hear of them digging, most work now is site preparation in advance.
Another thought on future Utah Valley temples. A rumor has gone around that said they had been scouting locations north and west of the Mount Timpanogos Temple, that would put it near to west or northwest of the Highland crossroads where U-74 and U-92 state highways meet. North Highland, Alpine, and north Lehi fit that area all the way out to the freeway.
May not happen the next go-round but could be in the next couple of sets of announcements, I see Herriman being quite possibly the next one to go because of very fast growth and new planned msjor development there.
Jim Anderson, thanks for taking time to comment here. My understanding is that the Church's general goal for United States temple construction is to ensure that full-scale efforts can be underway within days of each groundbreaking being held. Previous sources also noted that city officials in Moses Lake were preparing to act swiftly to approve the plans and permits once they were ready. We'll see what happens there.
DeleteThanks also for the continued additional insights on Utah temples. I think I may be running a long streak here where the only thing I've correctly predicted about Utah temples is that new ones will be announced every six months.
But given the parameters and insights you've shared here most recently, I'll probably restructure the Utah Area list of candidate locations. Given the prevalent growth in the Salt Lake Valley, hopefully Herrimam will be one of the next, if not very next, to get a temple. I'll probably also have to reassess that list anyways due to recent Utah temples announced by President Nelson. Either way, thanks, Jim Anderson, for weighing in here.
Hello again, everyone! Temple construction updates can be found at the following web addresses:
ReplyDeletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/pocatello-idaho-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/quito-ecuador-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/san-juan-puerto-rico-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/abidjan-cote-d'ivoire-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/orem-utah-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! On this Monday, the Church’s only COVID-19 update so far relates to the continued phased reopening of temples. The Church News and Newsroom have each provided different data about the latest reopenings:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2020-10-12/lds-temples-open-worldwide-phased-reopening-183918
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-limited-reopening-temples
Today’s announcement, detailing the reopenings that will go into effect next Monday, notes that the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple will reopen under phase 1, which allows for the sealing of previously-endowed couples with limited in-person attendance. Meanwhile, 12 more temples will open under phase 2 next week as well. Phase 2 allows for all living ordinances in priority order: first, individuals preparing to be sealed in the temple who have not been previously-endowed; second, missionaries who entered the field without having received their own endowments; third, to those preparing to enter the mission field; and fourth, to any others who may need their own ordinances for any other reason.
The 12 temples reopening under phase 2 next Monday include: 6 in Mexico (Ciudad Juárez, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua, Hermosillo Sonora, Oaxaca, Tuxtla Gutierrez, and Veracruz); all 3 in Washington state (Columbia River, Seattle, and Spokane); 2 in California (Fresno and Sacramento); and 1 in Japan (Fukuoka).
The Church News also reported on the newest volume of the Joseph Smith Papers Project, with the most recent addition to that project focusing on the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith about baptisms for the dead, some of Eliza R. Snow’s poetry, and the legal proceedings through which the Prophet was eventually exonerated related to an assassination attemptt on Lilburn W. Boggs, the Governor of Missouri who had issued the extermination order against the Saints:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2020-10-12/joseph-smith-papers-volume-11-eliza-r-snow-baptisms-for-the-dead-195380
Meanwhile, the section for other Church news on the Newsroom notes the release of a new chart showing the General Authorities and General Officers of the Church:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/download-october-2020-chart-general-authorities-officers-of-church
And earlier today, an update was provided on the Hamilton New Zealand Temple:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/hamilton-new-zealand-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News has reported the deaath of another emeritus General Authority Seventy, Elder H. Bryan Richards:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-10-12/elder-h-bryan-richards-general-authority-seventy-dies-195442
My thanks once again to you all.
James,
ReplyDeleteWith Bishop Budge being released as a Seventy there have been changes to some area presidencies. (He had been serving as 1st Counselor in Asia North)
James R. Rasband was released as 2nd Counselor in Asia North and called as 1st Counselor
John A. McCune was released as 2nd Counselor in the North America Northeast presidency and called as 2nd Counselor in Asia North
Kelly R. Johnson has been called as the new 2nd Counselor in North America Northeast.
These changes all went into effect on October 7th.
Hello again, Scott! I knew about Bishop Budge's current status as a member of the Asia North Area Presidency, so I anticipated a change would be made there at some point. It follows that any changes there resulted in subsequent changes. I'd been wondering about what would change, when, and what the specifics were, so I appreciate you mentioning all of that here. Thanks, Scott, for taking time to comment on this.
DeleteHello again, everyone! The Church News has shared the following additional reports:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-10-13/bishop-causse-byu-devotional-body-spirit-195480
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-10-13/sister-sharon-eubank-ensign-college-devotional-hidden-crocodiles-195482
And an update has been provided on the Antofagasta Chile Temple:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/antofagasta-chile-temple/
I will also mention here that I am more than slightly surprised that the Church has not yet released its’ 2021 calendar of Churchwide events, which is usually released in September of each year for the year following. I’m wondering if COVID-19 has necessitated a reevaluation of plans in that respect, with restrictions potentially shaping or altering at least a few events that are presently on that calendar. I will keep my eyes open on that and any other major developments. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom and the Church News have just recently reported on the tragic death of another young Latter-day Saint missionary:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sister-missionary-dies-switzerland-hiking-accident
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-10-13/sister-missionary-dies-switzerland-hiking-accident-195575
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! The Newsroom and the Church News have shared coverage on this year's virtual G20 Interfaith Forum, at which Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-bednar-g20-talk-summary
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/bednar-g20-interfaith-forum-2020-talk
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-10-14/elder-bednar-g20-interfaith-forum-address-covid-19-195555
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has also provided a look at the parallel paths taken by two female Church members playing for rival soccer teams, including how both wound up interrupting their college careers to serve missions for the Church:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2020-10-14/utah-byu-soccer-missionaries-covid-19-195521
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News has provided coverage on BYU's 27th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, which occurred earlier this month. Two leaders of the Church, President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, and Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, participated in the virtual symposium, with President Eyring providing one of the keynote addresses on Sunday October 4 to open the symposium, and Sister Eubank delivering one of the keynote addresses on Tuesday October 6, which coincided with the final day of the Symposium:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-10-14/27th-annual-byu-international-law-religion-symposium-interfaith-president-eyring-sister-eubank-195625
Turning now to temple updates, around 6 hours ago, the Newsroom published a video, just over half an hour in length, of the groundbreaking ceremony held last weekend for the Moses Lake Washington Temple:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/groundbreaking-held-for-moses-lake-washington-temple
I reiterate what I have recently noted, that the Church's intention for temples being built in the United States is to get full-scale construction efforts underway on them within a week after their groundbreakings. Moses Lake may be regarded as a special exception to that, if, as I suspect, the Church is opting to plat the unplatted site before the full-scale process for that temple gets fully underway. But hopefully within the next week or less, we'll see that process begin.
Additionally, another update has been noted on the Mesa Arizona Temple:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/mesa-arizona-temple/
I am grateful to have been able to pass this information along here, and I again would like to thank you all for your continued interest and ongoing support.
On this Thursday afternoon, I wanted to share some additional Church news reports. The Newsroom and the Church News have provided coverage on the next video in the "How I #HearHim" series, which focuses on insights from general Church leaders from their personal lives that illustrate how they follow the divine direction given to Joseph Smith by the Father in relation to His Son. The newest video features Elder Renlund's thoughts and testimony on that subject:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-renlund-shares-how-he-hears-the-savior-in-latest-hearhim-video
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2020-10-15/elder-renlund-hear-him-personal-revelation-covid-19-195525
The Church News also reported today that 5 men had been called to serve on the Young Men General Board:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/callings/2020-10-15/young-men-general-board-callings-bytheway-ballard-vidmar-lisonbee-mullen-193896
among those called, Craig B. Ballard is the son of President M. Russeell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; John Bytheway is a BYU professor who has given many motivational addresses to youth and other groups that have focesed on living the gospel more fully, and Peter Vidmar is a former Olympic athlete, and also one of the few outside the general leaders of the Church to have spoken in a Priesthood Session at General Conference, which he did in April of 1985. The message he delivered can be found at the following web address:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1985/04/pursuing-excellence?lang=eng
There may or may not be temple updates to pass along, but if there are, I will do so shortly. My thanks once again to you all.