Stokes Sounds Off: 11/02/20

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Monday, November 2, 2020

UPDATED: Report on How My Predictions for the November 2020 Ensign Table of Contents Turned Out

Hello again, everyone! Between the apostolic birthdays coming up later this month, and the exact dates being confirmed for 2 of the 8 temple groundbreakings within just the last 48 hours or less, I wanted to get ahead of the rush on everything else I'll need to cover. Although the PDF version of the Novembmer 2020 Ensign is not yet available for online viewing or downloading, I received my physical copy of the magazine in the mail today.

Due to those upcoming projects that will come down the pike in the next couple of weeks, I wanted to provide a comparative look at how my projected table of contents for this issue compared with the actual layout. As has been the case for previous General Conference editions of the Ensign, any differences between what I had predicted and what the magazine actually shows is in parentheses.

The one other note I have on this document (which largely speaks for itself aside from that) is that this will, of course, consittute my final analysis of General Conference editions of the Ensign. That's true because, as of January 2021, The Liahona will be the standard monthly magazine for adults, and the next analysis of a General Conference magazine will be the first General Conference edition of the Liahona after those changes go into effect.

Aside from these notes, the information largely speaks for itself. 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.

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Specific Date Announced for the Groundbreaking of the Salta Argentina Temple

Hello again, everyone! Within the last hour or so, new information from the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site has provided more specific information about the timing for the Salta Argentina Temple groundbreaking.  According to that site's page for the Satla Argentina Temple, the groundbreaking for that temple will occur on Wednesday November 4 (two days from now) at 6:30 PM local time. That coverts to Wednesday November 4 @ 2:30 PM here in Utah.

A couple of other thoughts about this: I had thought (and suggested) that the groundbreaking for this temple could have its' groundbreaking occur on the same date as the groundbreakings for the Mendoza Argentina and Antofagasta Chile Temples. But unless there is confirmation on those two occurring on this date, either or both may occur on another day (or two separate days) later this month.

And this means that the groundbreaking for this temple will occur ten days before the also recently-confirmed groundbreaking for the Coban Guatemala Temple. And in 48 case, we now have confirmation of the exact dates for the groundbreakings of 2 of the 8 temples scheduled to have that occur this month. I think we may see at least one more temple have a groundbreaking prior to the mid-point in November, but I'm not as certain on that.

Either way, it's been a crazy 48-72 hours in terms of temple construction developments, and I can only imagine what's ahead in the coming days. I will be sure to monitor it all and will try to bring word of those updates to you all as I become aware of such things. 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.


BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Announces Changes in Area Leadership Assignments; Other Assignment Changes for General Authorities at Church Headquarters

Hello again, everyone! Some additional breaking news was just shared that is unrelated to temples or any other recent announcements. As reported by the Church News, some changes have been made in area leadership assignments, with the assignments of other General Authority Seventies also changed in the announcement as follows:

First, the Church News has confirmed all area leadership changes previously shared by ScottS in his comment on that subject in the threads of a previous post, so we now have another official Church source stating that, with Bishop L. Todd Budge's new assignment in the Presiding Bishopric, Elder James R. Rasband replaces Bishop Budge as First Counselor in the Asia North Area Presidency, while Elder John A. McCune in turn succeeds Elder James R. Rasband as Second Counselor in that Area Presidency.

And since Elder McCune has been serving as Second Counselor in the North America Northeast Area, he has also been replaced in that assignnment as previously detailed by ScottS in his aforementioned comment, with Elder Kelly R. Johnson now filling that role. Elder Johnson had previously been serving as an area assistant for that area, so it was a fairly logical shift.

But for the first time of which I'm aware, the First Presidency also provided information today about additional assignments that have been given to other General Authority Seventies. Announced today was the assignment of Elder William K. Jackson as an Asssistant Exeuctive Director of the Church's Missionary Department.

I had previously mentioned that the Church had confirmed that Elder Brent H. Nielson, the newest member of the Presidency of the Seventy, had been succeeded as Executive Director of the Church's Missionary Department by Elder Marcus B. Nash, so it's not altogether surprsing that additional assistants have been called for that department, given how the current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting missionary work.

Meanwhile, in addition to their other assignments, Elder Adrian Ochoa will serve as serve as a Priesthood Advisor for Welfare and Self-Reliance Services and as a member of the JustServe Steering Committee, with Elder Lynn G. Robbins now serving as as a member of the Welfare and Self-Reliance Executive Committee. In light of these announcements, I hope that is an indication that the Church will be trying to be more transparent about the assignments in which each of its' leaders are serving.

I continue to monitor all such news and temple updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of 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 all in everything you do.