Hello again, everyone! This morning, the Church News has reported that the Quetzeltenango Guatemala Temple is the latest to transition to phase 3, offering all living and proxy ordinances in priority order, with appropriate protocols and procedures in place to keep all Church members safe. With this latest development, the Church has almost 93% of its' 168 temples open in phase 3.
With this weekend marking the dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, and next weekend marking the dedication of the Pocatello Idaho Temple, the Church will then have 170 operating temples by mid-November, 158 of which will be open in phase 3, as a result of which the percentage of temples open in phase 3 by mid-November will then remain steady at 93%.
The Church also noted that the Medford Oregon Temple, which had been projected to move into phase 3 in August of this year, has not yet moved into that phase, but will do so at a later time when COVID-19 conditiions allow that to occur. Aside from these updates, there have not been any other changes reported. so the latest data, which is also featured in the temple reopening status tracker and in the Church's official Newsroom release, now shows the status of temple reopenings as follows:
9 remain closed for major renovations,, all but 2 of which (Hong Kong China and Tokyo Japan) have been granted phase 3 designation, which allows the members residing in those other 6 temple districts to schedule living and proxy ordinances at the temples cloesest to them that are also in phase 3); 3 remain paused in their reopenings (with 2 that were in phase 3 and 1 that was in phase 2 at the time their pauses went into effect); just 2 remain in phase 1; 3 in phase 2; 4 in phase 2-B; and the remaining 147 in phase 3.
I continue to find it very humbling to witness the inspired and careful way the Brethren have directed the weekly efforts to reopen temples around the world. Modern technology has allowed the apostles to more frequently check in with the area presidencies for the areas in which they each have oversight, and since those conversations are able to carry on weekly, no matter where any of them are geographically, the Church has been very smart in evaluating and assessing things and responding accordingly.
I also keep going back to what President Nelson described as he came to the painful decision that all temples should be closed for the time being. He noted that he agonized over what he would say to them and that he was "going to see them soon"(which to me does not sound like he's talking about when his ministry as prophet ends and he is called home to help direct the work from the other side of the veil). I can understand his feelings on some level: it's a huge, unprecedented thing for the Church to have closed all temples worldwide for a significant duration of time.
At the same time, unprecedented times (during a global pandemic of a highly-transmissible disease) call for unprecedented measures, and I for one do not find it accidental in any respect that the Church is dealing with the effects of a global pandemic at a time when the prophet representing the Lord to the Church is a former medical physician and surgeon. I think on that level, President Nelson's fellow prophets would be very understanding of what had to be done. I also think that their biggest question for him would be: "Did you do what the Lord instructed you to do on the matter?" And when he answered in the affirmative, that would be the only thing they'd be concerned about.
It's something I've thought about a lot and wanted to put into words now. It's natural that unprecedented times requiring unprecedented measures would cause worry for the Lord's prophet, but my personal opinion is that he didn't need to worry on that count. As I've previously mentioned, two weeks ago today, no temple reopening updates were provided. With such updates provided anew the last couple of weeks, I think that most weeks will see updates on that going forward, especially as COVID-19 becomes less of an issue worldwide, but that there could be a few weeks where no updates are announced as things hold steady.
It's also worth noting that I anticipate that the Church could potentially begin to transition temples to phase 4 either just prior to Christmas 2021 and New Years' Day 2022 or as 2022 progresses. I will be sure to monitor all of that and bring you word of those developments as I become aware thereof. I'd be remiss if I also didn't note that it seems more likely than not that opening arrangements for the Yigo Guam and Quito Ecuador temples could be coming down the pike within the next week or two, as could the reopening arrangements for the Tokyo Japan and Hamilton New Zealand Temples.
Right now, the Church only has 2 temples currently scheduled for a groundbreaking: Pago Pago American Samoa (on Saturday October 30), and Bacolod Philippines (on Saturday December 11). Right now, no other temple groundbreakings have been scheduled. I have been hoping that for some temples, it might be psosible to hold a private groundbreaking for the temple before publicly releasing the video and photographs verifying that those groundbreakings took place on those dates.
Either way, I am anticipating that a maximum of 9 temples within the United States will have groundbreakings occur soon (whether or not they are announced in advance), along with a maximum of 8 other temples outside the United States. And if at least 10 of those 17 are able to have a groundbreaking by the end of this year, temple groundbreakings in 2021 will exceed the 21 that occurred last year.
I will monitor all of those updates and will do my best to bring you word of any developments as I become aware thereof.In the meantime, 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! Within the last 24 hours, the Church Temples site has noted progress updates on the status of the Praia Cabo Verde, San Juan Puerto Rico, Helena Montana, and Coban Guatemala Temples:
ReplyDeletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/praia-cape-verde-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/san-juan-puerto-rico-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/helena-montana-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/coban-guatemala-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has provided the following additional reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2021-10-26/episode-54-elder-weatherford-clayton-senior-missionary-misconceptions-230879
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-10-26/rev-teal-brigham-young-university-forum-book-of-mormon-cancel-culture-230870
My thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom and the Church News have both shared information on Acting President m. Russell Ballard and Elders Jeffrey R. Holland and Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The trio of apostles are currently conducting tours of and providing training to missionaries, and speaking to congregations of Church members. Elders Holland and Cook were formerly mission companions there, and both President Ballard and Elder Cook have ancestral ties to the area as well. Here are those reports:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/three-apostles-great-britain-2021
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-26/spiritual-home-president-ballard-elder-holland-elder-cooke-british-isles-missionaries-230942
A Church News article featured in the Newsroom feed has also shared how a second DI opened in Puyallup Washington, under the direction of Elder Gary F. Gessell, an area seventy in that region:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-dedicates-second-deseret-industries-in-puyallup-washington
My thanks once again to you all.
On this Tuesday, I have 2 new updates from the Church News, but also two previous updates which I might have failed to pass along earlier. Those two are first, followed by the two newer reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2021-10-24/orson-hyde-dedicated-jerusalem-holy-land-180-years-230492
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-26/elder-rasband-ensign-college-devotional-stand-as-a-witness-of-god-be-not-moved-230930
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-27/elder-soares-young-adults-devotional-mesa-arizona-marriage-230943
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-27/president-ballard-visits-scottish-parliament-british-isles-elder-holland-elder-cook-231063
I would just add here that it would not shock me if, while he is in Scotland, President Ballard does some preliminary scouting for a temple in that nation. I know that some people have shared their thoughts that Dublin Ireland or Glasgow Scotland are likely to be the next cities in which the next temples in that part of the British Isles is likely to be announced, but for a variety of reasons, research on my end seems to point to Edinburgh as being that likely location.
Either way, I think we will see the next temple announced somewhere in the British Isles within the next 1 or 2 General Conferences, and as I've observed, there are multiple cities where early missionaries of the Church labored in England that could, and likely will in due course of time, each have temples announced. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
On this Thursday, while it remains to be seen if any other major announcements will be shared by the Church to close out the week, it's worth mentioning that the Church News has provided 3 new reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2021-10-28/international-treks-argentina-handcart-pioneers-230861
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-28/sarah-jane-weaver-chance-meeting-missionaries-from-england-mtc-ballard-holland-cook-british-isles-231121
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2021-10-28/martha-hughes-cannon-utah-state-senator-doctor-230382
There may or may not be temple construction updates to pass along. If such updates are available, I will be sure to pass them along to you all here. For now, thanks again, everyone!
Updates have been provided in the last 48 hours on the following temples: Yigo Guam, Quito Ecuador, Saratoga Springs Utah, Bentonville Arkansas, Helena Montana, Feather River California, Salvador Brazil, Harare Zimbabwe, and St. George and Manti Utah:
Deletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/yigo-guam-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/quito-ecuador-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/bentonville-arkansas-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/helena-montana-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/feather-river-california-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/salvador-brazil-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/harare-zimbabwe-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/st.-george-utah-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/manti-utah-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom provided the following update on progress made with the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square renovation projects:
Deletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-square-renovation-update--october-2021
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello
ReplyDeleteI hope you are well together with your wife, in good spirits and in good health, here in Santiago de Chile, it is spring, these last few days it has been very hot.
Hopefully this pandemic begins to give truce, so that the dedications of temples, and the groundbreaking is soon, although there have been advances, it is still slow, I imagine it must be due to the bureaucracy of each country in permits, and also , because of the church's planning of it.
In this last conference it was a reason for joy for all, the new announcements of temples around the world, it is to be hoped that each country will have more temples nearby, so that the baptized can attend and work in their OWN GENEALOGY and ordinances.
Although in Chile, there are not so many active, it takes at least 7 temples, the few that go to church are dedicated and faithful.
A hug and greetings
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and announcements from the church on your blog.
Omar, thank you for taking time to comment. I apologize for my delayed response. I've been dealing with a few health challenges that have put some limits on the amount of time I can devote to this blog. Aside from my recent uptick in health issues, we are both well enough. Thanks for your always kind expressions of concern.
DeleteAs far as temple dedications go, on Sunday, Elder Gerrit W. Gong will dedicate the winnipeg Manitoba Temple in four (or five) sessions. The following Sunday (November 7), President Ballard will dedicate the Pocatello Idaho Temple, and the Church has also set the rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple to take place on Sunday December 12, with President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, presiding at that rededication.
Yes, temple dedications and rededications did slow down during the pandemic, but those are starting to pick up again. The temples in Yigo Guam and Quito Ecuador are currently awaiting the announcement of their opening arrangements, and the Church also hopes to rededicate the temples in Hamilton New Zealand and Tokyo Japan at some point next year as well.
One good thing we have seen in terms of temple dedications is that President Nelson has delegated the responsibility for presiding at temple dedications to his counselors and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. With Elder Gong set to preside at the dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, each of the 15 apostles has presided over one dedication or rededication in recent years, except for Elder Gary E. Stevenson, and, in view of Elder Stevenson's connections to the Asia North Area, it wouldn't shock me if he is asked to officiate at the dedication of the Yigo Guam Temple early next year.
Some who have previously commented on Elder Stevenson eventually presiding at a temple dedication have conjectured he could rededicate the Tokyo Japan Temple, since he has some specific connections to Japan. While I understand that line of reasoning, my research shows that Elder D. Todd Christofferson, as the ninth in overall apostolic seniority (including the members of the First Presidency) will be the most junior apostle (for the time being) to preside over a temple rededication. And since the odds are more likely that the dedication of the Yigo Guam Temple will be set to occur before the rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple, the logical option would be for Elder Stevenson to dedicate the Yigo Guam Temple.
It will be interesting to see what happens with temple construction going forward. A couple of weeks before the October 2021 General Conference, the Church had released information about 4 temples in Latin America (Belo Horizonte Brazil, Cali Colombia, greater Guatemala City Guatemala, and Torreon Mexico).
Although there are also quite a few Latin American temples currently under construction (12 in total, if I've counted correctly), there is one new Latin American Temple (Bahia Blanca Argentina) which could hopefully have a groundbreaking before the end of this year or by early next year.
And each of the four Latin American temples I mentioned earlier in this comment (Belo Horizonte Brazil, Cali Colombia, greater Guatemala City Guatemala, and Torreon Mexico) could potentially have their groundbreakings in the first several months of next year.
In the meantime, hopefully more official details will also come down the pike soon for the Managua Nicaragua, Sao Paulo East Brazil, Santa Cruz and La Paz Bolivia, Vitoria Brazil, and Santiago West Chile Temples.
Thanks again for weighing in with your thoughts here, Omar. I always appreciate hearing from you and hope all is well with you and your family as well. I will be running the text of this reply to you through Google translate to Spanish. Thanks again.
Omar, gracias por tomarse el tiempo para comentar. Pido disculpas por mi respuesta tardía. He estado lidiando con algunos problemas de salud que han limitado la cantidad de tiempo que puedo dedicar a este blog. Aparte de mi reciente aumento en los problemas de salud, ambos estamos lo suficientemente bien. Gracias por sus siempre amables expresiones de preocupación.
DeleteEn cuanto a la dedicación del templo, el domingo, el élder Gerrit W. Gong dedicará el Templo de Winnipeg Manitoba en cuatro (o cinco) sesiones. El domingo siguiente (7 de noviembre), el presidente Ballard dedicará el Templo de Pocatello, Idaho, y la Iglesia también ha fijado la nueva dedicación del Templo de Mesa Arizona para el domingo 12 de diciembre, con el presidente Dallin H. Oaks, Primer Consejero de la Primera Presidencia, presidiendo esa nueva dedicación.
Sí, las dedicaciones y nuevas dedicaciones de los templos disminuyeron durante la pandemia, pero están comenzando a repuntar nuevamente. Los templos en Yigo Guam y Quito Ecuador están actualmente esperando el anuncio de sus arreglos de apertura, y la Iglesia también espera volver a dedicar los templos en Hamilton Nueva Zelanda y Tokio Japón en algún momento del próximo año.
Una cosa buena que hemos visto en términos de dedicaciones de templos es que el presidente Nelson ha delegado la responsabilidad de presidir las dedicaciones de templos a sus consejeros y a los miembros del Quórum de los Doce Apóstoles. Con el élder Gong listo para presidir la dedicación del Templo de Winnipeg Manitoba, cada uno de los 15 apóstoles ha presidido una dedicación o nueva dedicación en los últimos años, a excepción del élder Gary E. Stevenson y, en vista de las conexiones del élder Stevenson con Asia Área Norte, no me sorprendería si se le pidiera que oficiara en la dedicación del Templo de Yigo Guam a principios del próximo año.
Algunos que han comentado anteriormente sobre el élder Stevenson que eventualmente presidirá la dedicación de un templo han conjeturado que podría volver a dedicar el Templo de Tokio, Japón, ya que tiene algunas conexiones específicas con Japón. Si bien entiendo esa línea de razonamiento, mi investigación muestra que el élder D. Todd Christofferson, como noveno en antigüedad apostólica general (incluidos los miembros de la Primera Presidencia) será el apóstol más joven (por el momento) para presidir un nueva dedicación del templo. Y dado que es más probable que la dedicación del Templo de Yigo Guam ocurra antes de la nueva dedicación del Templo de Tokio, Japón, la opción lógica sería que el élder Stevenson dedicara el Templo de Yigo Guam.
Será interesante ver qué sucede con la construcción del templo en el futuro. Un par de semanas antes de la Conferencia General de octubre de 2021, la Iglesia había publicado información sobre 4 templos en América Latina (Belo Horizonte Brasil, Cali Colombia, Gran Ciudad de Guatemala Guatemala y Torreón México).
Aunque también hay bastantes templos latinoamericanos actualmente en construcción (12 en total, si he contado correctamente), hay un nuevo templo latinoamericano (Bahía Blanca Argentina) que, con suerte, podría tener una palada inicial antes de fin de año. o a principios del próximo año.
Y cada uno de los cuatro templos latinoamericanos que mencioné anteriormente en este comentario (Belo Horizonte Brasil, Cali Colombia, Gran Ciudad de Guatemala Guatemala y Torreón México) podrían tener sus innovaciones en los primeros meses del próximo año.
Mientras tanto, es de esperar que pronto lleguen más detalles oficiales para los templos de Managua Nicaragua, Sao Paulo Este de Brasil, Santa Cruz y La Paz Bolivia, Vitoria Brasil y Santiago Oeste de Chile.
Gracias de nuevo por opinar aquí, Omar. Siempre agradezco saber de usted y espero que todo esté bien para usted y su familia también. Le enviaré el texto de esta respuesta a través del traductor de Google al español. Gracias de nuevo.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News has shared their edition of yesterday's update (provided by the Newsroom) on the progress reported for the Salt Lake Temple renovation:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2021-10-29/salt-lake-temple-renovation-update-seismic-excavation-truss-stone-removal-231249
Additionally, a new update from the Newsroom indicates that Elder David A. Bednar, currently touring the Middle East/Africa North Area,has made a stop at the location of Expo 2020 in Dubai. As some of you might recall, that is the area in which the Dubai government has offered to allow the Church to build a temple in that area:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/dubai-united-arab-emirates-temple/
As some of you might also recall, Expo 2020 in Dubai was postponed a year due to COVID-19. It began this year on October 1, and will last until the last day of March of next year:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_2020
According to the Church Temples page for the Dubai temple, Expo 2020 is anticipated to begin the handover of the proerty to the Church in late 2022. I am hoping that the handover might be able to occur sooner than that. Since the temple will be in a central location, and likely restricted in usage to those Church members, including military personnel, who live and work in the Middle Eastern nations of the world. Here is the update about Elder Bednar's visit to the general area in which the Church will build the Dubai UAE temple:
https://news-middleeast.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-leaders%C2%A0visit%C2%A0dubai-temple-area-at-expo-2020%C2%A0
My thanks once again to you all.
Here is one more report from the Church News:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2021-10-29/computer-assisted-indexing-familysearch-records-231067
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has provided additional coverage of Elder Bednar's ongoing tour of the Middle East/Africa North Area:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-10-29/elder-bednar-president-bingham-eubank-ministering-middle-east-northern-africa-231320
My thanks once again to you all.