Note: This post was originally published at 9:30 AM, when the broadcast was announced, and was updated following the broadcast, just after 1:00 PM the same day.
Hello again, everyone! As was reported this morning, a new First Presidency was announced just after 1:00 PM MDT today. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles conducted the broadcast to announce that. It goes without saying that President Dallin H. Oaks is the 18th Church President in this dispensation, having been ordained and set apart in that role on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. He has selected Presidents Henry B. Eyring and D. Todd Christofferson as his respective First and Second Counselors.
President Jeffrey R. Holland is the new President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I did not see President Christofferson's call coming, but as the Lord said to Isaiah, His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts. I fully sustain this new First Presidency, and I hope that is true for each of you.
I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. 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 all such 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. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. 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 latest edition of the Church News podcast has been shared. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Church News has provided this additional report. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom released this update about today's announcement. Meanwhile, the Church News posted this article about President Oaks, along with one other update, unrelated to the new First Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News shared this introduction to President Dallin H. Oaks as the new prophet, and this summary of the new leadership. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Wednesday, the Church News has shared a new video about President Oaks, featuring observations from President Holland and now-President Christofferson. Although it was very short, it was a wonderful tribute to our new prophet. The Church News also reported on the late September ministry in Cancun Mexico of SisterJ. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteYoung Women General President Emily Belle Freeman, who serves on the Missionary Executive Council, testified to missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center that we have a prophet of God on the Earth today (President Dallin H. Oaks). My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared one additional report that speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared one more update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAt some point yesterday, the Church Temples site noted some changes to the general completion estimates and order of some temples. This document highlights the latest estimates. For those curious about the specific changes, although the Austin, Texas, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Temples are both still estimated to be completed in early to mid-2027, the former temple is now ahead of the latter in the queue (previously it was behind Kaohsiung). Meanwhile, the completion estimate for the Vancouver Washington Temple has shifted from mid-2028 to mid-to-late 2028.
DeleteAside from those estimate changes, updates were noted yesterday on the following temples: Montpelier Idaho, Cody Wyoming, and Vancouver Washington. My thanks once again to you all.
Then today (Thursday), the Church News has shared one new report thus far, which speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteBased on the most recent photos for the Osaka Japan Temple Site, demolition of the existing structure is well underway. The site could easily be ready for groundbreaking by the end of Q1 2026.
DeleteHey, Noah! Thanks for that observation. You may be right. But that depends on how much preliminary work may need to be done on that site following demolition but preceding the groundbreaking. A site clearing does not always indicate that a groundbreaking is imminent. See for example the latest status updates on theVitoria Braziil, and Barcelona Spain Temples.
DeleteThat being said, not having a First Presidency for as long as the Church was without one stalled all major temple announcements, so I do expect such announcements to increase and accelerate. I am sure we've got several temple dedications, temple groundbreakings, exterior renderings, and site announcements coming. Hopefully those updates are still provided regularly on Monday or Tuesday, but even that's not a given with the new First Presidency in place. Thanks, Noah, for taking time to comment. I always appreciate hearing from you.
The Church News has shared recent teachings from the new First Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Newsroom has shared one other update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe new First Presidency sat down for an interview with renowned journalist and Church member Jane Clayson Johnson yesterday, as reported by the Newsroom. And the Church News has shared one additional report on how the Church community in Grand-Blanc Michigan is sharing hope and healing following the shooting that took place in their chapel. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Church News also reshared 12 Church News videos featuring Church President Dallin H. Oaks. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News also covered the first interview for the new First Presidency. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom also shared one additional update that I somehow missed. And thus far today, the Church News has shared just one update thus far today. My thanks once again to you all.
Delete2 of President Oaks' daughters and 2 of his grandchildren shared reflections, memories, and insights into who their father and grandfather is as a family man and what they hope the Church will see as he now stands in his new role of the prophet.. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAfter a very busy afternoon, I am back now to share some additional updates: The Church announced the details for the third (and final) Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults in 2025. Elder Neil L. Andersen and his wife, Sister Kathy W. Andersen, will speak from the grounds of the Washington D.C. Temple (where they got married), and they will address the topic of "The Prophet and the Temple Point Us to Jesus Christ." That devotional will be carried live in the Americas on November 2, and will broadcast elsewhere in the world the following Sunday.
DeleteThat is a timely message title, given the recent shifting of the prophetic mantle to President Dallin H. Oaks, and it's similarly fitting that the Andersens will address that topic, since Elder Andersen is the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles currently serving on the Temple and Family History Executive Council. And speaking of the prophetic mantle, that leads me into other updates from the Church News. The Church News reshared 4 podcast episodes featuring President and Sister Oaks. And the latest edition of "This Week on Social" likewise has a focus on the new members of the First Presidency.
Those posts included an overview by the Newsroom of the meeting introducing the new First Presidency, which was conducted by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles at the request of President Oaks. The introductory broadcast included preliminary remarks by Elder Stevenson, President Oaks briefly introducing the leadership changes, and testimonies and expressions of support from President Oaks' respective First and Second Counselors, Presidents Henry B. Eyring and D. Todd Christofferson, and from the new President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Jeffrey R. Holland, before President Oaks offered additional brief remarks to conclude the broadcast.
Following that meeting, Presidents Oaks, Eyring, Christofferson, and Holland posted summaries of their remarks on their social media accounts. marking the first such posts in their new roles. An additional reel from the Church's official social media accounts shared President Oaks' response to his prophetic call. The day after the broadcast, the prophet took to social media again, this time to wish his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, a happy birthday.
In posts unrelated to the new First Presidency, Primary General President Susan H. Porter posted a special message for children, while Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles posted reflections on his recent ministry in Mongolia, and fellow apostle and Quorum member Elder Patrick Kearon shared insights from his ministry in Kazakhstan.
And the Church News also covered the aforementioned update from the Newsroom about the BYU time capsule. My thanks once again to you all.
Aside from these latest updates courtesy of the Newsroom and the Church News, the Church Temples site has seen a massive overhaul of the general completion estimates for temples under construction. I am still evaluating which of those temples listed have had a status change to go with the estimate changes. And I have had to overhaul the specific dedication estimates I offered in my last temple construction progress update here, especially in view of the fact that there have been no recent dedication announcements.
DeleteI am hopeful that, with the new First Presidency in place, they will hit the proverbial ground running on major temple construction announcements. I don't know at present how often to expect those under President Oaks' leadership, or if they will be coming regularly every Monday as they did under President Nelson, but given our new prophet's stated desire to bring the blessings of the temple to the areas where temples have been announced by President Nelson, hopefully regular announcements are in the plans there.
Stay tuned here for my coverage of those latest updates as often as they may come. My thanks once again to you all.
On this Saturday, the Church News has posted four new updates, with the first highlighting the unifying power of a prayer offered by President Oaks, the last focusing on the excitement of Latter-day Saints in the Grand Junction Colorado region for the dedication of their temple tomorrow by President Jeffrey R. Holland, and two others highlighting <a href="https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2025/10/18/mexico-donation-nutritional-health-initiative/' >humanitarian contributions</a>. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteSorry. The link to that last story was broken. Here is that report. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared the text of the message that will be shared tomorrow by Brother Derrick Porter during "Music & the Spoken Word". The Church News also highlighted three humanitarian projects in Africa, and the upcoming Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults previously highlighted in the Newsroom.
DeleteMeanwhile, construction status updates have been reported for the temples in Cleveland Ohio, Wichita Kansas, and Kona Hawaii. Above and beyond that, the Neiafu Tonga Temple has moved ahead of the Fort Worth Texas Temple, although both temples and the Cody Wyoming Temple all retain the general completion estimate of mid-2026.
And, as I've previously stated, I think that, under President Oaks' prophetic administration, we are likely to still see regular temple construction announcements. The only question is, will those continue to be released on Monday or Tuesday as they have been for the last couple of years, or will such announcements come on another day of the week? And how regular will they be? Every week? Every other week? Hopefully with two attorneys now in the First Presidency, we will see construction approvals accelerate. Stay tuned here for my coverage on that and all other announcements made under President Oaks' guidance. My thanks once again to you all.
On this Sabbath Day, the Newsroom has confirmed that the groundbreaking for the Kumasi Ghana Temple took place on Saturday morning as schedulec. I am anticipating another report at some point later today confirming the dedication of the Grand Junction Colorado Temple took place as scheduled this morning. I don't know whether those two reports will be the sum and total major temple construction news for the week, but I am hoping for something else to potentially be announced either tomorrow or on Tuesday during the 2:00 PM MDT hour here in Utah.
DeleteIn the interim, the Church News has shared a few new reports today: Church leaders are sharing their insights about the leadership and anticipated legacy President Oaks will have during his prophetic administration; the latest edition of In Case You Missed It: Week in Review highlighted the top nine developments reported by the Church News this week; and with our "Come, Follow Me" curriculum focused this upcoming week on D&C 121-123, see what Church leaders have said about those sections.
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has also reported on the groundbreaking for the Kumasi Ghana Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd in what I believe is the first time in a long time, the Church News has reported on the dedication of the Grand Junction Colorado Temple before an official report from the Newsroom on that same update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Newsroom has also reported on today's temple dedication. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteHello again, everyone! As I shared in a YouTube video on my channel late last night, I don't know what to expect from the new First Presidency as far as whether major temple construction announcements will continue to be shared each Monday at 2:00 PM here in Utah, but I have prepared a post to publish at that time just in case that occurs. In the interim, on this Monday, the Church News takes a look back at President Oaks' opening remarks during the October 2025 General Conference. The Church News also reported on how women in the Pacific are building faith through service. And President D. Todd Christofferson, the new Second Counselor in the First Presidency, made his first ministry visit to a Las Vegas stake conference. That was an assignment given to him before his call to the First Presidency, even though he is filling it as a member of the First Presidency. The article says that when President Christofferson asked President Oaks if he could still fill that assignment, President Oaks said "Yes, and give them my love." My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Newsroom has also reported on President Christofferson's ministry trip. My thanks once again to you all.
Delete