Hello again, everyone! This afternoon, the First Presidency confirmed area changes affecting South America and the Caribbean. The South America Northwest Area nation of Venezuela will be part of the Caribbean Area of the Church effective August 1 of this year. This adjustment is intended to bless and strengthen the Church in the Caribbean.
The number of stakes in the Caribbean will double, and the number of missions and temples in the Caribbean Area will increase. This will leave the South America Northwest and South America South Areas with four nations apiece. I am grateful to have read about this announcement and for the opportunity to share that 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.
The Church News has looked back at the 2019 dedication of the Rome Italy Temple, and how it truly became a hinge point in the history of the Church and the ongoing restoration of the Gospel. And this month's issue of For the Strength of Youth is a special edition focused on how youth can make good choices in their lives. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Newsroom has shared a new report. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared a new video. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Friday, I am a little delayed posting the latest upates due to some unexpected health issues. Nothing I can't handle, just enough to be a nuisance and cause delays in the latest updates today. With the confirmation that no other mission leader biographies will be published until after General Conference, effective this week, the Church News switched the biographies of new temple leaders from Thursday to Friday. 16 more leader biographies have been shared this week. Of significant note is the fact that I failed to correctly predict that the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple would be getting new leaders this year, and that new leaders have been called for the Helsinki Finland Temple after only one year, and that new leaders have been called for the Veracruz Mexico, Copenhagen Denmark, and Arequipa Peru Temples after only 2 years, rather than the traditional 3.
ReplyDeleteAlso, no new temples had their first leaders identified with the latest batch. Among the newest 16 leaders called today, as always, the couples have served separately and together in a wide range of assignments. Significant notes on the incoming presidents include: 1 (Michael J. Hess) is a current area seventy and stake missionary preparation instructor; 1 (Hernando Camargo Pedraza) is a former area seventy now serving as a national comunications director; 1 is an area seventy executive secretary temple sealear; 2 are counselors in the presidencies of the same temples for which they will assume oversight; 1 is a stake presidency counselor and temple ordinance worker; 1 is a temple sealer and an area temple and family history adviser; 1 is a temple sealer and former stake president; 2 are temple sealers and stake high councilors; 1 is a temple ordinance worker and ward temple and family history leader; 1 is a temple sealer and ward Elders' Quorum presidency counselor; 1 is a ward Elders' Quorum president and temple ordinance worker; 1 is a temple ordinance worker and Sunday School teacher; 1 is a branch presidency and mission presidency counselor; and 1 is a temple ordinance worker.
As a result of today's announcement, my document tracking these changes now shows 48 temples for which new leaders have been called thus far, 12 new temples for which the first new leaders may be called this year; and 30 currently--operating temples for which new leaders might yet be called this year. I'll return with more news in a few minutes. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has shared 2 new reports. The first speaks for itself. The latest edition of "This Week on Social" was also published.
DeleteThe newest installment in that weekly series featured social media posts from the following general Church leaders: President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency; Elders David A. Bednar, Gerrit W. Gong, and Patrick Kearon; Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson and her respective First and Second Counselors, Sisters J. Anette Dennis and Kristin M. Yee; Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman (posting on Relief Society Worldwide) and her Second Counselor, Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus (on Young Women Worldwide, in a joint post with Sister Irene Caso-McCrary of the Young Women General Advisory Council); Primary General President Susan H. Porter and her First Counselor, Sister Amy A. Wright; and Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.
Over the last 3 days, the Newsroom has shared 3 new reports. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteSorry. The second link above isn't working. Hopefully this works now.
DeleteUpdates have been noted today on the construction status of the Montpelier Idaho and Cleveland Ohio Temples. Based on the update for the latter temple, it now moves to the top of the queue of temples for which a groundbreaking announcement is pending. I have Bakersfield California listed next, followed by Austin Texas. Each of these temples could potentially have groundbreakings in June or August of this year. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteBased off of my information, this change will move 4 Area Seventies from the 9th to the 6th Quorum: Efraín R. García, Pedro E. Hernández, Bhanu K. Hiranandani, and Ramon E. Sarmiento.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds about right, assuming all of them are still serving by August 1, when this change goes into effect. Thanks, Scott!
ReplyDeleteOn this Saturday, the Church News has shared two new updates. In addition, there have been major changes in the queue of temples estimated to be completed in 2024.
ReplyDeleteThe Church of Jesus Christ Temples site now notes that major construction has been completed for the Tallahassee Florida and Salvador Brazil Temples, which are now awaiting the announcement of their opening arrangements. The Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and San Pedro Sula Honduras Temples are now nearly completed, and their completion estimate is early-to-mid 2024. The same completion estimate also applies to the Mendoza Argentina and Deseret Peak Utah Temples, but no new updates have been noted for the latter two temples. My thanks once again to you all.
Updates have been provided on the Syracuse Utah, Elko Nevada, Grand Junction Colorado, Yorba Linda California, and Manhattan New York Temples. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the Church News has shared a few new reports: a light in dark times, 14 new stake presidencies, "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review", and what Church leaders have said about 2 Nephi 31-33, the "Come Follow Me" study for this week. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Newsroom has also shared one new report as well. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom also reported on the Relief Society devotional. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Monday, with the next major temple construction announcement just two hours away, the Newsroom has shared one new report, which speaks for itself. Meanwhile the Church News has shared two apostolic updates.
DeleteWith 15 days between today and Easter Sunday, the Church News will share the testimonies of each of our 15 current apostles, culminating with the testimonies of each member of the First Presidency. It starts today with the testimony of Elder Patrick Kearon, our newest apostle. Also, last night, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke at the Salt Lake City Utah University Institute of Religion.
I will return during the 2:00 PM hour with coverage on the next major temple construction announcement. In the meantime, my thanks once again to you all.
With the next major temple construction announcement coming any minute, I wanted to note here that the Newsroom has shared two articles in preparation for Easter. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteApparently all the apostolic Easter videos will be released by Palm Sunday, so the video featuring thoughts from Elder Soares was also just shared. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom release clarifies that two videos were released for today, and that one per day will be released subsequently between tomorrow and Easter Sunday. Also, no new temple updates thus far. If that changes, I will be sure to provide analysis on it ASAP. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
DeleteNo temple announcement today. Perhaps tomorrow. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAn update has been noted on the status of the Mendoza Argentina Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Wednesday, we may be less than an hour away from the next major temple construction update if, as I theorized yesterday, they switched this week's update to Tuesday. In the interim, the next apostolic Easter video features the testimony of Elder Gerrit W. Gong. The Church has also published the journals of two of the first sister missionaries. And the latest edition of the Church News podcast has also been released. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteTuesday. It's Tuesday. I've been in a bit of a time warp again with all I've been dealing with personally lately. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteNo temple update today either. The Church News and the Newsroom have shared one new report apiece. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has shared one new update, as has the Church News. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared an update on how the Church is helping to improve maternal and infant health in Africa. The next Easter video features Elder Dale G. Renlund, which was also reported by the Newsroom. Elder Brian K. Taylor spoke at this week's BYU-Provo devotional and Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson spoke to Provo MTC missionaries. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe widow of the late Elder V. Dallas Merrell, Sister Karen D. Merrell, has passed away, and the Church News has featured an article on a Norwegian service missionary who is doing good by cutting wood. Additionally, the Church Temples site has noted status updates on the Bacolod Philippines, Pago Pago American Samoa, and Grand Rapids Michigan Temples. The update on the latter temple suggests that a groundbreaking could occur in mid-2024 and not late 2024, as I have most recently projected. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has shared one new report. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteI attempted to post this on the Church Growth Blog, but for whatever the reason, it was not approved there. So I am reproducing that comment here:
ReplyDeleteThe latest updates on the Cleveland Ohio, Grand Rapids Michigan, Bakersfield California, and Austin Texas Temples all suggest that each could have a groundbreaking in the near term.
It occurs to me to wonder if the reason there were no major temple construction updates this week is that the Church is gearing up to make an announcement affecting multiple temples. It's also worth noting that major construction has been completed on the Tallahassee Florida and Salvodor Brazil Temples, with construction nearly completed on the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and San Pedro Sula Honduras Temples and construction nearing completion on the Mendoza Argentina, Deseret Peak Utah, and Antofagasta Chile Temples.
So it could be that the Church opted to take a break before making announcements about multiple temples in the next couple of weeks before and immediately following General Conference. With that in mind, I'm not overly concerned that there was no major temple construction announcement this week, and would expect announcements on most (if not all) of the 11 temples I mentioned between next Monday and the end of June. My thanks once again to you all.
On this Wednesday, the Newsroom and the Church News shared the story of 3 Muslim young men playing basketball at BYU. The Newsroom and the Church News also reported on the Church's charitable giving in 2023. The Newsroom and the Church News also featured a new Easter video from Elder Gary E. Stevenson.
DeleteAnd the Newsroom additionally reported on when the last batch of Book of Mormon videos will be released this year.
Meanwhile, from the Church News comes additional reports on the Eurasian Area ministry of Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, who visited Armenia, Georgia, and Kazkhstan, and the inspiring story of two cousins meeting for the first time on their missions. My thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom has shared one additional report, highlighting a significant donation to the American Red Cross. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Friday, the Church News has covered the donation to the American Red Cross. They also shared the next 9 biographies of new temple leaders. Because I am currently in Salt Lake for a medical appointment, I will let those biographies speak for themselves. I will also refer you to the link I last shared of the temples with new leaders called.
DeleteOther than that, I would just note that the first leaders of the Auckland New Zealand Temple have been called, and that there are a total of 5 temples for which the outgoing leaders have only served for a year or two. The updated list now shows 57 new temple leaders called this far this year, 11 for which the first leaders may be called, and 23 currently operating temples for which new leaders may be called.
The First Presidency also announced this morning that the new voice of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will be Brother Derrick Porter. Lloyd Newell's last broadcast on June 16 will be followed by Derrick Porter's first broadcast on June 23. My thanks once again to you all.
And the newest apostolic Easter video features Elder Ronald A. Rasband's testimony of the Savior. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared coverage on the release of the < a href="https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/03/22/first-video-final-season-book-of-mormon-videos-released/" >final batch of the Book of Mormon videos. Church News reporter Scott Taylor shares thoughts about repentance and remembering and not remembering. The widow of another GA Seventy has passed away.
DeleteA new Church News video thanks Church members for their contributions that recently made the Red Cross donation possible. And a true temple marriage was discussed in this week's BYU-Idaho devotional.
And the latest edition of"This Week on Social" was also published.
The latest installment in that ongoing series shares posts from the following general Church leaders: Church President Russell M. Nelson; Elders Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, Dale G. Renlund, Gerrit W. Gong, Ulisses Soares, and Patrick Kearon, all of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Sisters Tamara W. Runia and Andrea Munoz Spannaus, the respective First and Second Counselors in the Young Women General Presidency (Sister Runia 's post was made via Young Women Worldwide); Sisters Amy A. Wright and Tracy Y. Browning, the respective First and Second Counselors in the Primary General Presidency; and the Young Men General Presidency (President Steven J. Kind and Brothers Bradley R. (Brad) Wilcox and Michael T. Nelson). My thanks once again to you all.
On this Saturday, the Church News has shared a few new reports: with the dedication of the Red Cliffs Utah Temple tomorrow, between tomorrow and mid-April, St. George will have the distinction of having the oldest and newest operating temples in the Church. With the Red Cliffs Utah Temple being dedicated tomorrow, it will become the 189th operating temple in the Church. I have mentioned my belief that the Church could easily have 300 operating temples by April 6, 2030 (the bicentennial annivesrary of the Church's restroation). With 111 temples to dedicate in the roughly 6.04 years between tmorrow and that bicentennial date, 18.38 temples would need to be dedicated per year. That number will drop between now and the end of June, with the dedication of 6 more temples set to occur between now and then.
DeleteThe Church News has also shared one, two, three, https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2024/03/23/music-and-the-spoken-word-quiet-prompting-do-something-good-tabernacle-choir/" >four, five aditional updates that speak for themselves. And the Newsroom has shared one additional update as well. My thanks once again to you all.
Here is one more update from the Newsroom. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd a new update on the Anchorage Alaska Temple indicates that the demolition of the Brayton meetinghouse is almost compled. Once that demolition is complete, work can begin on the new Anchorage Alaska Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteHello again, everyone! On this Palm Sunday, the Church has reported on the Red Cliffs Utah Temple dedication. It was dedicated today by President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, who was accompanied by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Contrary to what I had supposed, President Jeffrey R. Holland, the Acting President of the Quorum, did not attend today's dedication.
ReplyDeleteThe Easter testimonies of each apostle continues to be shared in the lead-up to Easter Sunday, with Elder D. Todd Christofferson's testimony being featured today. And one new Newsroom report speaks for itself.
The Church News also shared key highlights of RootsTech 2024, the teachings of Church leaders about Easter, which is our "Come Follow Me" study for this week, "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" shares the top 9 developments covered by the Church News this week, some suggestions on how to teach children about Holy Week and Easter, how BYU-Hawaii has become a place of refuge, and the introduction of 2 new and 5 reorganized stake presidencies. My thanks once again to you all.
I was reminded that tomorrow is the media day for the Puebla Mexico Temple, but after the Church took a hiatus on major temple construction announcements last week, I do not believe that the media day for Puebla or today's dedication of the Red Clfifs Utah Temple will be the only big announcements for omorrow. I'm personally hoping for one or two groundbreakings, maybe one or two exterior renderings, and perhaps one or two site confirmations as well, though I could see one or two temple dedications announced also. Stay tuned for my coverage of whatever the announcement tomorrow is. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Monday, with the next anticipated major temple construction announcement just about 3 hours away, the Newsroom has shared the newest apostolic Easter video featuring Elder Quentin L. Cook. That means we just have the three senior members of the Twelve and the three First
DeletePresidency members to be featured in the 6 days between now and Easter Sunday next week. The Church News hasn't yet shared that update, but it's just a matter of time before they do. And while an update on the Puebla Mexico Temple is pending from the main Newsroom page, the Mexico Newsroom has the Mexican Newsroom page has provided such an update. My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News also shared Elder Cook's Easter video. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOne new report has been shared by the Newsroom. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd I missed passing along one additional update. My thanks once again to you all.
Delete