Hello again, everyone! The Church's final Monday temple announcement before General Conference has just been shared. Today's update includes the opening arrangements for the Bangkok Thailand Temple, groundbreaking arrangements for the Belo Horizonte Brazil, Port Vila Vanuatu, and Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temples, and the release of an exterior rendering for the Cody Wyoming Temple.
Let's get right into the details. We start in Bangkok Thailand. A media day will be held on Monday, August 28, with VIP tours held from Tuesday, August 29-Thursday August 21. Public tours will follow from Friday, September 1-Saturday, September 16, excluding the Sundays of September 3 and 10. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the Bangkok Thailand Temple in two sessions at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM Bnngkok time on Sunday, October 22.
Although I had ventured an estimate of October 8, 15, or 22 for the Bangkok Thailand Temple, I was more than a little surprised that this dedication will occur on the last of those dates, given the Church's recent setting of 3 dedications for September 17. I don't know how or to what extent that might affect the timing of other temple dedications that I've protected, but I'll be looking into that ASAP and will provide updates as I make them.
I was also slightly surprised that the temple in Thailand will not be dedicated by one of our apostles with Asia connections. Elder Gerrit W. Gong served in the Asia Area presidency, and Elder Gary E. Stevenson served in the Asia North Area presidency. So I assume the Church is saving those apostles for other temple dedications. Despite the details of the announcement not being exactly what I anticipated, I am grateful to see this temple's dedication scheduled.
We now move on to the three temple groundbreakings. First up, the groundbreaking for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 8, with Elder K. Brett Nattress, Pacific Area President, pressing as originally announced (it had been set to occur on March 4 but was postponed due to two major cyclones) The Church released the site location and exterior rendering for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple on May 19, 2021.
The groundbreaking for the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple will occur on Saturday, April 22, with Elder Peter F. Meurs, First Counselor in the Pacific Area, presiding. The site location and exterior rendering for Papua New Guinea's first temple was announced on September 15, 2020, so it's great to have a groundbreaking announced almost 3 years later.
Ground will be broken for the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple on Saturday, June 17, with Elder Juan A. Uceda, Second Counselor in the Brazil Area presidency, presiding thereat. The temple's site location and exterior rendering were originally released on September 23, 2021. Two of the other three temples for which site confirmations and renderings were released have had groundbreakings, leaving only the Cali Colombia Temple as the one from that group of four for which a groundbreaking has not yet been announced.
Finally, just two weeks after the Church confirmed the location of the Cody Wyoming Temple, the Church has today released its exterior rendering, which may suggest that the Church is fast-tracking that temple's construction start. With that in mind, this temple may also use the modular design to speed up construction. I am grateful to have learned of these updates and to be able to pass them along here.
I continue to monitor Churchwide developments and will be sure to pass along Church News updates, Newsroom reports, and other temple construction updates as they cross my radar. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines.
I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News provided 3 articles covering today's updates as well:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/3/27/23644421/bangkok-thailand-temple-lds-open-house-dedication-dates
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/3/27/23654586/temple-groundbreakings-belo-horizonte-brazil-port-moresby-papua-new-guinea-port-villa-vanuatu
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/3/27/23583928/cody-wyoming-temple-exterior-rendering
Additionally, the Church News released 4 reports before today's temple updates:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/27/23653720/asia-nations-church-members-growth-philippines-india
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/27/23650258/scott-taylor-memorable-moments-when-latter-day-saints-meet-visiting-church-leader
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/27/23655636/mesa-easter-pageant-2023-jesus-the-christ
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/27/23654986/primary-young-women-relief-society-leaders-minister-in-puebla-mexico
And the Church News has released 1 more new report since reporting the major Church News:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/27/23658249/nit-college-basketball-uvu-uab-vegas-orleans-arena-faith
There is also one additional new report from the Newsroom:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/gospel-apps-update-march-2023
My thanks once again to you all.
Also, in view of the confirmation of today's 3 temple groundbreakings, I have updated my document showing a side-by-side comparison of temple groundbreakings last year vs. this year. We have now had 5 groundbreakings announced, 1 of which has taken place. Since the Church announced two April groundbreakings in late March, I consider it a high likelihood that other groundbreakings will be set for May and the other weeks in June. So I think that by June 17, more than 5 temple groundbreakings will be held. Here is that document:
Deletehttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1H5mEFgOIJzXiMDKz86xzhyydCTpuuerjC_t35x6Skm4/edit?usp=sharing
My thanks once again to you all.
Hi James, I’ve been a silent reader for a while now. I think you would like to know that the modules for the Cody temple seem to be stored in Cody already. The same member family who provided the temple site owns a prominent business in town where a new crane and what appear to be the shrink-wrapped temple modules are stored behind the business. You may indeed be correct about the church’s intention to fast-track this project.
ReplyDeleteAndre, thanks for your readership. Thank you as well for the feedback. If the supplies are already ready and stored near the temple site, then that could be a definitive sign that the Church intends to move quickly on this. And if the Church is familiar enough with using the modules by now to the point where components are being stored nearby in advance of being used, that would seemingly indicate also an intention to use those components on more temples going forward.
DeleteWith yesterday's release of the exterior rendering, I've moved the Cody Wyoming Temple up in the queue of temples with sites announced. That change will be reflected in my first-quarter 2023 temple construction progress review, which will be published here on Friday night.
In the meantime, Andre, thanks for being a longtime reader and for commenting now. Feel free to comment again anytime. I appreciate hearing from you.
James, good analysis. Thanks for the warm welcome and your attention to Church growth here and on Matt’s blog. Have a good General Conference week!
DeleteMy pleasure, Andre! Thanks for weighing in with your thoughts. Feel free to comment as often as you'd like to do so here, and stay tuned later this week for my final April 2023 General Conference predictions, my first-quarter 2023 Temple Construction Progress update, and the coverage of all major news and events from General Conference weekend. I appreciate your readership.
DeleteOn this Tuesday, the Newsroom and the Church News have shared the following additional reports, which each speak for themselves:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/news-releases
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/27/23658249/nit-college-basketball-uvu-uab-vegas-orleans-arena-faith
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/28/23654117/global-youth-service-day-justserve-beyond-april
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/28/23658634/diversity-guests-church-news-podcast-context-ongoing-restoration
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/28/23659493/feather-river-california-temple-interfaith-relationships-sikh-hindu-yuba-city
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/28/23660465/sunday-school-president-pace-byu-pathway-devotional-seek-christ-through-scripture-study
Additionally, the Church Temples site has updated the placing and completion timing for the Elko Nevada Temple today. As of late yesterday, the Elko Nevada Temple had a completion estimate of late 2024, and was in the queue between the Phnom Pehn Cambodia Temple (also with a completion of late 2024) and the Antofagasta Chile Temple (with a completion estimate of late 2024-early 2025). It now has a completion estimate of mid-2024, and is in the queye between the Salvador Brazil Temple (which also has an estimated completion in mid-2024) and Syracuse Utah (which has a completion estimated for mid-to-late 2024):
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/elko-nevada-temple/
Here is a link to my updated document tracking the corresponding adustments to the queue:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L7HBLNZZTnlI4Dk8fpr3HZCf-wqkjUBcCCYqdxP7HRk/edit?usp=sharing
My thanks once again to you all.
Construction status updates have been reported for the Puebla Mexio and Grand Junction Colorado Temples:
Deletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/puebla-mexico-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/grand-junction-colorado-temple/
Additionally, adjustments to the completion order and time frames have been noted for a few temples:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L7HBLNZZTnlI4Dk8fpr3HZCf-wqkjUBcCCYqdxP7HRk/edit?usp=sharing
Specifically, the Lindon Utah and Burley Idaho Temples have switched places and estimates in the construction queue. The Burley Idaho Temple, previously estimated to be completed in mid-2025, will now be completed in early-to-mid 2025, and the Lindon Utah Temple, previously estimated to be completed in early-to-mid 2025 will now be completed in mid-2025.
In addition, as recently as this afternoon, both the Ephraim Utah and Bacolod Philippines Temples were both estimated to be completed in late 2025-early 2026. The Bacolod Philippines Temple is now estimated to be completed in early 2026, just ahead of the Managua Nicaragua Temple. These updates will be reflected in my first quarter 2023 temple construction update, which is set to be published later this week. My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! With General Conference now less than 70 hours away, the Church News has shared 4 new reports as a lead-up to that:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/29/23661083/general-conference-april-2023-talk-summaries-session-highlights-news-announcements
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/29/23658876/tabernacle-choir-general-conference-2023-international-singers
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/29/23640530/12th-international-art-competition-awards-show-ends
https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2023/3/29/23661810/episode-129-general-conference-special-mary-richards-justserve
And the Newsroom has shared the April 2023 World Report:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/april-2023-world-report
Additionally, a new update from the Church Temples site indicates that construction is now finally underway on the Freetown Sierra Leone Temple:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/freetown-sierra-leone-temple/
As some of you may recall, months after its' March 2022 groundbreaking, a new report appeared to indicate that construction on that temple was underway. Since that report was found to be erroneous, it's wonderful to hear today that full-scale efforts are actually underway now. That information will be reflected on my end-of-first-quarter 2023 temple construction review.
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has published 3 new reports:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/3/29/23661707/mark-madsen-utah-valley-university-california-berkeley-college-basketball
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/3/29/23654453/118-lds-temples-announced-by-president-nelson-current-status
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/29/23662145/april-2023-world-report-news-of-the-church-watch
My thanks once again to you all.
And here are two more Church News updates:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/29/23660967/elder-soares-visits-tonga-fiji-australia-new-zealand-closer-to-the-savior
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/29/23658225/sacred-music-evening-many-faiths-one-family-interfaith-roundtable-concert
My thanks once again to you all.
On this first day of the General Conference leadership meetings, the Church announced the calls of 61 new areas seventies. But interestingly, they also announced in advance the release of 50 additional area seventies on or before August 1:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-area-70s-april-2023-general-conference
My thanks once again to you all.
They have announced changes that take place on August 1 in April conferences before. I wouldn't be surprised if the "or before" refers to those who are about to be sustained as General Authorities on Saturday, as well as those who will begin service as Mission Presidents in July.
DeleteScott, I know in the past (under Presidents Hinckley and Monson) that presenting releses effective August 1 was somewhat standard. What I was trying to convey is that, under President Nelson, it was only around 2020 or 2021 when the changes in area seventies that would have been noted in October (but effective August 1) were featured in the Church News sometime in August. So this is the first time under President Nelson that releases effective on or before August 1 were noted with the April changes. Sorry if my previous wording was confusing.
DeleteI am, of course, aware that 5 of the 8 changes in the Presidency of the Seventy that have occurred effective August 1 under President Nelson were presented for sustaining vote in April, so if there is a change in the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, that could be sustained in advance. And last April marked the first time that the announced release of general officers went into effect on August 1. I heard somewhere last year (I believe it may have been in the Church News) that the new call of GA Seventies announced in April was only effective August 1 ss well, but I saw nothing official from the Church to support that.
So I think that if there are changes in the Presidency of the Seventy effective August 1, those changes and the August 1 changes in the Young Women General Presidency will be sustained in advance. But this is the first time under President Nelson that changes effective August 1 or sooner were noted in advance of the April General Conference. Hope that clarifies what I meant to say. I always appreciate your feedback, Scott, so thanks for stopping by to comment.
I have confirmed that Elder Hakalenko (7th Quorum) was released February 1st, and Elder Leite (5th Quorum) was released on March 1st. I have not found anyone else who has already been released. Also, Elder Lee (8th Quorum), who was sustained today, previously served as an Area Seventy from April 2018-October 2019.
ReplyDeleteScott, I assume that last comment was left by you. Does the CDOL confirm the information you indicated? If not, how did you find out about this? Also, I sent you an email with an inquiry about your Seventies database. Thanks again for all your great insights.
DeleteYes, the info came from CDOL. I looked up one or two of the newly called Mission Presidents and they had not been released yet. I will check my email and reply when I can. We will be driving from Idaho to Salt Lake tomorrow for conference.
DeleteHello again, everyone! After a busy day updating documents, I am pleased to share the following other Church News reports shared since this morning:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/30/23663179/april-2023-general-conference-new-area-seventies-called
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2023/3/30/23653904/book-of-mormon-videos-bring-stories-to-life-163-videos
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/30/23643401/mtc-devotionals-apostles-church-leaders-beloved-fellow-missionaries-love-counsel
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history/2023/3/30/23632836/joseph-smith-papers-project-church-history-lds-faith
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/3/30/23663619/video-president-ballard-elder-cook-mission-british-isles-strength-latter-day-saint-women
If there are any other Church News or Newsroom reports, or temple construction updates, I will be sure to share those with you all here ASAP. For now, my thanks once again to you all.