Stokes Sounds Off: BREAKING CHURCH AND TEMPLE NEWS: Kirtland Ohio Temple (& Other Church Properties) Open for Tours; Site Location and Preliminary Details Announced for the Tacloban City Philippines Temple

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Monday, March 25, 2024

BREAKING CHURCH AND TEMPLE NEWS: Kirtland Ohio Temple (& Other Church Properties) Open for Tours; Site Location and Preliminary Details Announced for the Tacloban City Philippines Temple

Hello again, everyone! This afternoon, the First Presidency reported that the Kirtland Ohio Temple and other Church-owned properties in Ohio and Illinois are now open for public tours. Additionally, through October 26, 2024, artifacts and documents transferred from the Community of Christ to the Church are now on display at the Church History Museum. The rest of that report speaks for itself. The First Presidency has also announced official information for the Tacloban City Philippines Temple. Let's break down those details:

The Tacloban City Philippines Temple was originally announced in October 2021 and is one of the temples outside the US for which I felt official information was coming in the near term. A 6.99-acre site located at Tacloban Bypass Road Brgy. Utap-Caibaan, Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines, will serve as the home of what is anticipated to be a two-story temple of approximately 21,407 square feet. As a result of today's announcement, of the 94 currently announced temples, 39 have not had any official information confirmed.

And there are still two Mondays remaining before General Conference weekend on which that 39 could taper down further. As I've mentioned previously, given the delays that have ensued between the groundbreakings for the Heber Valley Utah and Knoxville Tennessee Temples and now, when full-scale construction is still pending for both temples, I believe the Church is taking more time and care to secure approvals for other announced temples to be sure that process goes more smoothly. 

If that is the reason for the lack of groundbreaking announcements for the time being, in my opinion, it is well worth it. I was slightly surprised that we only got word on the Kirtland Ohio and Tacloban City Philippines Temples, but the Church could be working on getting the approvals process done right for any other temples, so the fact that these two announcements are all we got this week doesn't concern me greatly either. 

I am grateful to have heard of these updates and that I had the opportunity to share that news with you all here. I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all 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.

19 comments:

  1. The Church News also provided coverage on today's announcement about the Tacloban City Philippines Temple. Additionally, open house reservations are now available for the Layton Utah Temple, President Dallin H. Oaks spoke to the cast of the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant, and the open house officially kicked off for the Puebla Mexico Temple today. And Sunday School General President Mark L. Pace is ministering in the Asia North Area with Brother Bradley R. (Brad) Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.

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    1. As reported this afternoon by the Newsroom, the Church has begun to host tours of the Kirtland Temple. My thanks once again to you all.

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    2. One new report has been shared by the Church News. My thanks once again to you all.

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  2. On this Tuesday, the next apostolic Easter video (featuring Elder David A. Bednar) was released. Church support helped displaced families in Lebanon. The latest edition of the Church News podcast has been released, and the text of the dedicatory prayer for the Red Cliffs Utah Temple. My thanks once again to you all.

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    1. Major shifts have been noted in the queue of and general estimates for temples under construction or undergoing renovation. As of yesterday, this document shows where things stood. And with the many changes made today, this document shows the numerous changes. I will let the two documents speak for themselves. This obviously means I'm back to the drawing board as far as the general and more specific dedication/rededication estimates I've previously offered. The latest updates to my temple construction progress report will be shared with my first quarter update, which is set to be posted here late on March 31. My thanks once again to you all.

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    2. On this Wednesday, the Church News has noted a few new reports: a former BYU basketball star is headed to the Olympics, Elder Ricardo P. Gimenez was the featured speaker at this week's BYU-Idaho Devotional, the newest apostolic Easter video features Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Texas Interfaith efforts continue, and the Church has offered 4 principles for community service.

      Additionally, aside from the updated general estimates and reordered temple construction queue, updates have been noted on the status of each of the following temples: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Mendoza Argentina, San Pedro Sula Honduras, Auckland New Zealand, Farmington New Mexico, Burley Idaho, Grand Junction Colorado, Montpelier Idaho, Willamette Valley Oregon, and Belo Horizonte Brazil. My thanks once again to you all.

      My thanks once again to you all.

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    3. One new report has been shared by the Church News. My thanks once again to you all.

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  3. The St George Tabernacle will close for reconstruction and maintenance for about 90 days. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2024/03/27/prc-cherished-landmark-st-george-tabernacle-to-close-for-reconstruction/?fbclid=IwAR0Z32j0EVJZ1JJkjp48LU9mEg8K4ExYEVKguLJv46eaj6IHeqrO6Abgx1g

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    1. Interesting information, Chris! Thanks for stopping by to share that.

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  4. In the late afternoon/early evening of what has been a very busy Thursday for me personally, I am pleased to now bring you the latest updates from the Church News and the Newsroom. The newest apostolic Easter video featured Acting President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who shared snippets of a talk he originally gave in April 2009. President Holland, as I've mentioned, is my favorite current apostle, and I greatly missed hearing from him in the two General Conferences last year. That April 2009 address was particularly poignant for and touching to me, and I'd recommend it as worthy of review by all of us on this Easter Sunday when the bulk of our day will be spent with our families at home.

    In other news, emeritus GA Seventy Elder Larry Echo Hawk spoke during the recent "Gathering of the Tribes" Conference for Native Americans residing in North, Central, and South America and the Pacific. A new tool in LCR (Leader and Clerk Resources) allows local leaders to assist members of their congregations in their efforts to gather information about their deceased family members for the purpose of enabling them to do baptisms for the dead. And one new report from the Newsroom speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.

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    1. A new Church News video highlights the "Aloha spirit" of BYU-Hawaii. My thanks once again to you all.

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    2. On this Friday, the biographies of ten new temple leader couples have been shared. Of significant and particular note is the calling of the first leaders for the Salvador Brazil Temple. Also of note is the fact that new leaders were called for both the Johannesburg South Africa and Vancouver British Columbia Temples, in which the outgoing leaders have only served for 2 years.

      Each couple, both individually and together, has served in a wide range of assignments. Among the incoming temple presidents, 1 is a counselor in the presidency of the same temple for which he will assume oversight; 2 are temple sealers and stake patriarchs; 1 is a temple sealer who formerly served as a stake patriarch; 1 is currently a stake patriarch; 1 is a Sunday School teacher and temple ordinance worker; 1 is an Elders' Quorum Presidency counselor and temple preparation instructor; 1 (Benjamin T. Sinjoux) is a former area seventy currently serving as senior missionary coordinator, ward missionary, and temple sealer; 1 is an Elders' Quorum president and temple ordinance worker; and 1 is currently a bishopric counselor.

      As a result of today's 10 biographies, the total number of temples for which new leaders have been called this year now rises to 67. 10 new temples may have their first leaders announced, and approximately 16 currently-operating temples whose leaders have served for 3 years or longer may see new leaders called. I continue to track all of these changes. I will return with additional news items in a moment. My thanks once again to you all.

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    3. Today's apostolic Easter video features President Henry B. Eyring. Just two more to go. An ASL sign language congregation in Florida recently provided support for the DeafNation Expo. And the latest edition of "This Week on Social" was dubbed "This Holy Week on Social", featuring extensive content related to this Holy Week. The following general Church leaders had content featured in that special edition:

      President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency; Acting President Jeffrey R. Holland and Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf, David A. Bednar, Quentin L. Cook, D. Todd Christofferson, Neil L. Andersen, and Ronald A. Rasband, all of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sister Kristin M. Yee, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency; Sister Amy A. Wright, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency; and Brothers Milton Camargo and Jan E. Newman, the respective First and Second Counselors in the Sunday School General Presidency.

      One additional report highlights 3 siblings in Engaland who are all currently Church service missionaries. My thanks once again to you all.

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    4. An update was provided earlier today on the Antofagasta Chile Temple. If there are other temple updates, I will post them ASAP. In the interim, the Church News has also published one new report. My thanks once again to you all.

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    5. Also, as another temple update, the Davao Philippines Temple has been moved ahead of the Bahia Blanca Argentina Temple. Both now have a completion estimate of mid-to-late 2025, which would put their temple dedications sometime in 2026. My thanks once again to you all.

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    6. The Church Temples site has also noted updates on the Montpelier Idaho and Managua Nicaragua Temples. Additionally, both the Kaohsiung Taiwan and Knoxville Tennessee Temples have officially been moved ahead of the Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple. The Queretaro Mexico Temple and the temples in Kaohsiung and Knoxville are now all estimated to be completed in late 2026-early 2027, which means their dedications could follow in mid-to-late or late 2027. The Lubumbashi temple is estimated to be completed in 2027, so its' dedication could either follow later that year or sometime in 2028. My thanks once again to you all.

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  5. On this Saturday, the day before Easter, the Newsroom and the Church News have shared the second-to-last apostolic Easter video, featuring President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency. Tomorrow, that series will be capped off with a video from our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.

    In the interim, the Church Educational System schools have been preparing their students for Easter, Church News Editor Sister Sarah Jane Weaver explains the importance of temple ordinances and covenants, strengthened relationships with various governmental officials are yielding extensive growth in the Africa Central and Africa West Areas, and the text of the message written by Lloyd Newell for the English and Spanish broadcasts of "Music & the Spoken Word" tomorrow has been shared. Temple updates (if any) will follow later today, as will any additional Church News or Newsroom updates. My thanks once again to you all.

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    1. A surprising update on the Vienna Austria Temple indicates that the Church may be in the preliminary stages of assessing that site's readiness for construction. As a result of the status of that temple and several others, I have added a couple new sections to my temple construction progress report that will be included in my first-quarter 2024 report that will be published here late tomorrow night. My thanks once again to you all.

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    2. Late last night, the Church News shared one additional report. And on this glorious Easter Sunday, several new Church News reports have been shared. The Church's 335 current temples (with that number expected to rise again by this time next week) are shown across 6 maps. 8 stake presidencies have been reorganized. As the capstone to the apostolic Easter video series, the final video features thoughts from our beloved prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. The latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" features the top 9 developments covered by the Church News this week. For the coming week, the "Come Follow Me" curriculum will be drawn from Jacob 1-4. The Church News shared what Church leaders have said about those chapters. And the painter of a prominent mural in the Conference Center shares his story of faith. I will be back later tonight with my first quarter 2024 review of temple construction progress. For now, my thanks once again to you all.

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In addition to my life-long love for the subjects which I cover in the posts of this blog, I have long held the belief that we can disagree without becoming disagreeable. Differences of opinion are natural, while being disagreeable in expressing those differences is not. And in that sense, I have no desire to close the door on anyone who earnestly desires to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on subjects covered in the posts on this blog.

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