Hello again, everyone! This morning, the Church released the exterior renderings for two Utah temples: Smithfield Utah and the redesigned Provo Utah Temple. Let's get right into the details. Firstly, while there has previously been some speculation that Provo's redesign could mirror Ogden's, the new design is more unique, but more closely resembles its' sister temple in neighboring Orem Utah. The overhauled design will also apparently involve the removal of the angel Moroni statue, which is being phased out in newer temples of the Church.
The Smithfield Utah Temple, meanwhile, reminds me of a slighly-larger design from what the Church is using with the Feather River California Temple, among others. As we know, the Smithfield Utah Temple was announced in April of this year, and it was in October of this year that President Nelson first mentioned the redesigning of the Provo Utah Temple. Longtime reader and commenter Jim Anderson usually is very good at analyzing temple designs, so if you, Jim Anderson, have any insights on these designs, they would be most welcome here.
Although the reconstruction of the Provo Temple could be two years or so away, it is good to see that rendering released. And the Church continues a gradual release of information on newly announced temples, which is also wonderful to see. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates, and will pass word of those along to you all 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! The Church News has published two new articles on today's announcement:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2021-11-24/redesigned-provo-utah-temple-exterior-rendering-233985
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2021-11-24/exterior-rendering-smithfield-utah-temple-released-234132
It did occur to me to wonder if part of the reason for overhauling Provo's design was to implement a two-baptistry design there, given the fact that the Provo Temple is usually busy, especially when it comes to youth groups doing baptisms. It will be interesting to see what happens there. On the timing of the renovation for that temple, what we currently know is that the Orem Utah Temple will be completed sometime during early-to-mid 2023, which makes it likely that a dedication could follow between August and OCctober of 2023. With that in mind, Provo could close for its' renovation either in December 2023 or January 2024 at latest.
In the meantime, I'd anticipate construction on the Smithfield Utah Temple might be able to begin in the early-to-middle months of next year, which might allow that temple to be dedicated in late 2024-early 2025. As I've mentioned recently, I am not sure whether any other temples (aside from the Bacolod Philippines Temple) will have a groundbreaking prior to the end of this year. But the recent announcements made by the Church relating to temples gives me hope that the first 4-6 months of next year will see several groundbreakings.
That being said, here are a couple other reports, courtesy of the Church News:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-23/giving-machines-open-vending-machines-light-the-world-233894
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-11-24/south-africa-ronald-rasband-prosper-faith-job-kearon-budge-golden-sitati-234136
On that last article, as some of you might recall, I have mentioned in the past that I've had some trouble finding any information about which apostles are assigned tversight for each of the Church's areas. In the biographies of most current members of the Presidency of the Seventy, those bios list the areas for which eacch President of the Seventy has resoonsibility.
But the problem I ran into is that some of those biographies list an area, but not the apostle who has oversight thereof. As we also know, when Elders Gerrit W. Gong and Ulisses Soares first met with the media just shy of 3 months after their calls to the apostleship, they detailed their new assignments:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2018-06-29/these-are-very-sacred-times-elders-gong-soares-speak-of-first-months-as-new-apostles-10429
From that article, we learned that Elder Gong supervises the two Asia Areas, while Elder Soares has oversight for the Africa West and Central America Areas. And in the article about Elder Rasband's visit to the Africa Central and Africa South Areas, it mentions point-blank that Elder Rasband has recently been assigned oversight for those two areas.
So that's official confirmation that we have not had up to this point. and given the fact that Elder Rasband now has oversight for those two areas, it seems probable that a few other apostolic area assignments have shifted from what they used to be. By extension, that could also apply to which members of the Presidency of the Seventy are assigned to each area. I will keep my eyes open for any information that could shed light on those assignments, and will do my best to pass along those updates as I become ware thereof. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has shared two additional reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-24/indebtedness-grateful-to-god-deeper-richer-gratitude-thanksgiving-thankful-blessings-234050
The reported information in the second Church News article were also provided by the Newsroom:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2021-11-24/temple-square-renovation-update-north-visitors-center-iremoved-234321
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-square-renovation-update--november-2021
And here is one more additional report from the Newsroom:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/the-tabernacle-choir-releases-new-christmas-video
My thanks once again to you all.
On this day after Thanksgiving, the Church News has featured the following reports:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.deseret.com/opinion/2021/11/23/22784080/utah-washington-abraham-lincoln-gratitude-thanksgiving-harvard-researchers-brain-waves
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-11-25/president-nelson-thanksgiving-memory-of-hope-and-gratitude-234344
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-11-25/elder-stevenson-4-missionary-pillars-gratitude-thanksgiving-devotional-provo-mtc-234405
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-25/thanksgiving-service-project-provo-mtc-meal-kits-234416
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-26/visiting-temple-square-christmas-lights-nativity-displays-tabernacle-234400
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2021-11-26/peace-on-earth-animated-nativity-tabernacle-temple-square-234105
And both the Church News and the Newsroom shared this year's Christmas message from the First Presidency:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2021-11-26/christmas-message-first-presidencys-2021-jesus-christ-birth-atonement-234338
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-2021-christmas-message
In the Newsroom release that shared that Christmas message from the First Presidency, details on the First Presidency's annual Christmas Devotional are also mentioned. With that in mind, I wanted to note that I have taken a look at the speaker lineup for all previous Christmas Devotionals since 2013 (when the Church shifted from having only the First Presidency speak to having one First Presidency member and 2-3 other general leaders of the Church 9which has usually included one member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles). Based on that research, I have provided a prediction about the speaker lineup for the upcoming Christmas devotional:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wQjgIEHxoKNdkO-1GGRenwL2DorGEF_X_2HEAVNF69Y/edit?usp=sharing
The Christmas Devotional speaker lineup is much more difficult to accurately predict than General Conferences are, so I will be interested to see what happens this go-round. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
I had a few other things to take care of today, so I'm slightly delayed in bringing you the latest edition of "This week on Social":
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-26/social-media-thanksgiving-president-nelson-gratitude-234558
In the latest edition, the natural focus was on Thanksgiving. The following general leaders were featured therein: Church President Russell M. Nelson; Elders Jeffrey R. Holland, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, and Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sister Jean B. Bingham, Relief Society General President; the entire Young Women General Presidency (General President Sister Bonnie H. Cordon and Sisters Michelle D. Craig and Rebecca L. (Bekcy) Craven, her respective First and Second Counselors; Primary General President Sister Camille N. Johnson; the entire Sunday School General Presidency (General President Mark L. Pace and hisrespective First and Second Counselors, Brothers Milton Camargo and Jan E. Newman); nd Young Men General President Steven J. Lund and his Second Counselor, aBrother Bradley R. (Brad) Wilcox. My thanks once again to you all.
I got back last week from a major medical incident and things are taking their time to get back to normal. Had 18 inches of intestine removed due to a blockage.
DeleteAs to Sithfield, notice the arched window on the side, are they going to mirror Provo City Center as far as some sealing room placement where the mid-size rooms were placed on the sides of the temple?
As to Provo, looks like it will be the same size as the main floor seems to occupy the same footprint. The upper floors will be slightly smaaller though. But the spire tower is taller, so that finial on top may attract more lightning strikes than the old one did, tall structures typically are lightning bait in any setting.
Jim Anderson, so sorry to hear about your continuing health challenges. I hope you have a good support system and wish you a speedy recovery.
DeleteI appreciate your analysis on the renderings for Smithfield and Provo. Since posting my initial analysis here, there seems to be speculation that both will have 2-baptistry designs, which makes sense in view of the closure of the Provo cafeteria.
Again, thanks for weighing in, and best wishes for a full and swift recovery.
Hello again, everyone! Today, the Church News has published the following additional reports:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/history-revisited/2021-11-27/tabernacle-choir-christmas-concerts-20-years-lds-living-234158
https://www.ldsliving.com/a-gift-to-the-master-20-years-of-tabernacle-choir-christmas-magic/s/10221
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-27/music-and-the-spoken-word-an-invitation-to-hope-christmas-234363
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/christmas-temple-square-2021
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-27/witnesses-of-christ-christmas-temple-square-broadcast-music-234575
My thanks once agai to you all.
Updates have been provided on four temples under construction and two others undergoing renovations:
Deletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/praia-cape-verde-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/san-pedro-sula-honduras-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/mendoza-argentina-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/columbus-ohio-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/st.-george-utah-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
I wanted to add something here: During KSL's 10:00 PM newscast on Sunday, one story focused on the latest COVID-19 variant, and noted that several nations had closed their borders to travelers from the United States. Among those nations was Japan. So it seems likely that the rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple may be further delayed 6-8 months, unless something changes within that time. That also applies to South Africa, which has been a hotspot for the newest variant. So Tokyo will be in flux as far as the rededication is concerned. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared the following reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2021-11-29/register-for-rootstech-2022-online-family-history-event-233899
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2021-11-28/fsy-conferences-anchor-children-and-youth-program-233991
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2021-11-29/bishops-storehouse-managers-greensboro-north-carolina-church-service-missions-church-welfare-program-233229
My thanks once again to you all.
Here is one more Church News report:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2021-11-29/denton-texas-family-history-project-elder-carter-springville-234343
My thanks once again to you all.