Hello again, everyone! On this Friday (following the call of Presiding Bishop Gerald Causse to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles a week ago yesterday), the First Presidency has announced the new Presiding Bishopric. As anticipated, Bishop Causse's First Counselor, Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, is the new Presiding Bishop, and Bishop Causse's Second Counselor, Bishop L. Todd Budge, is the new First Counselor to Bishop Waddell. And current GA Seventy Bishop Sean Douglas has been announced as the new Second Counselor to Bishop Waddell.
Presiding Bishop Waddell served from 2011-2015 as a General Authority Seventy, from 2015-2020 as Second Counselor, and from 2020 to now as First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. He will be 70 in 2029, so either this will be a very short-term assignment, or he will continue to serve past his 70th birthday. The same is true for Bishop Budge (that he will be 70 in 2029). Bishop Budge was a General Authority Seventy from 2019-2020, and has served as Second Counselor from 2020 up to now. Bishop Douglas has been a GA Seventy since 2021, and his 70th birthday will occur in 2034, so he will likely be in the Presiding Bishopric until at least that time.
I would just note that Bishop Douglas' call will necessitate his release as a GA Seventy, effective immediately, and that the Mexico Area Presidency will be reorganized in the near term (if that has not already happened), since Bishop Douglas has been serving as the Mexico Area President. Other than these notes, the extensive and impressive biographies of these brethren speak for themselves. I am glad that these changes were announced today. I look forward to this Presiding Bishopric's ministry in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead.
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.
On this Friday, the Church News has also covered the new Presiding Bishopric and has also posted resources for studying and teaching from the October 2025 General Conference talk by Elder Neil L. Andersen. The Church News also reported on the new Faith & Learning Centre in Preston England. And the latest edition of "This Week on Social" featured posts from the following general Church leaders:
ReplyDeleteChurch President Dallin H. Oaks and his respective First and Second Counselors, Presidents Henry B. Eyring and D. Todd Christofferson; President Jeffrey R. Holland, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the following additional members of that Quorum: Quentin L. Cook, Patrick Kearon, and Gerald Causse; Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman (who posted via Young Women Worldwide); Sister Amy A. Wright, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency; and Brother Sean R. Dixon, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency.
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has also covered the new Presiding Bishopric, while the Newsroom and the Church News have both shared a rare mid-month update on the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple. The Newsroom also reported on Elder Rnelund's South American ministry. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared one addiitional report., while the Newsroom shares some tthoghts on environmental stewardship from Elder Gerald Causse. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteA construction status update has been reported for the Vancouver Washington Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Saturday, the Church News has shared two new reports thus far that speak for themselves. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared the text of the message written by Brother Derrick Porter for delivery during tomorrow's episode of "Music & the Spoken Word". My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared another update that speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all,
DeleteYesterday, I reported on Elder Caussé's counsel about environmental stewardship. The Church News has also covered that counsel. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has also shared one other report that speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAn update has been reported on the Tarawa Kiribati Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the Church News has shared a few new updates: 31 new stake presidencies (13 for newly created stakes and the other 18 reorganized). Among those of note is a new stake in Arkansas created by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and area seventy Elder Eric D. Bednar (who may be Elder Bednar's son). The to ten updates from the last week were reported in "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review". And with this upcoming week's "Come, Follow Me" study centering on D&C 133 & 134. see what Church leaders have said about those sections. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThis didn't occur to me before now, but it is now just past noon on Monday in the Philippines. As a result, the media day for the Alabang Philippines Temple has been held. Four GA Seventies were on hand for the media day: Elder James R. Rasband, an Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department, and the three members of the Philippines Area Presidency (Elders Carlos G. Revillo Jr., Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, and William K. Jackson). Given that this report has already been shared, that will likely not be the only temple construction news we get this week. So stay tuned for my coverage of whatever the tradiitional 2:00 PM MST announcement may involve or entail. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Monday morning, the Church News has shared teaching & study resources for the October 2025 General Conference talk by then-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, though the resource for some reason incorrectly lists him by his current title of "President". Given that the Philippines Newsroom has shared a report on the Alabang temple media day, I don't know if a corresponding report on the main Newsroom will be all we get today, but I'm hoping that's not the case. We've got some good momentum in the queue that I am hoping will continue. I will be sure to bring you word of whatever today's announcement is as that report is shared during the 2:00 PM MST hour here in Utah. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the newest update on the Springfield Missouri Temple moves it further up the queue to be one of the next most likely temples to have a groundbreaking (joining the Lehi Utah Temple with that distinction. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared one new report, as has the European Newsroom. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe main Newsroom just shared this report on the media day for the Alabang Philippines Temple. Given that it's not yet 2:00 PM, I don't think that will be the only temple news we get today. Stay tuned for my report on whatever happens in that regard. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom's homepage for temple news in 2025 has been updated with the aforementioned article about the Alabang Philippines Temple open house. So that may be the sum and total temple news this week. But I will keep my eyes open during this hour just in case anything else is reported. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has shared this report on the centennial celebration of the Church in South America, at which Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided and offered remarks in Spanish. I was somehow not aware that Elder Renlund spoke Spanish. It's a wonderful thing to have so many multi-lingual apostles now. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared counsel from Sister Courtney Rich of the Young Women General Adviosry Council, in addition to a report on the Church Music Festival. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteA construction status update and a general completion estimate change have been noted for the Heber Valley Utah Temple, while there have been a number of changes to the general completion order and estimates of temples undergoing renovations. Those estimates previously stood as follows:
DeleteLate 2025: San Diego California Temple
Late 2026: Anchorage Alaska Temple
Late 2026-early 2027: Salt Lake Temple4
Early 2027: Kona Hawaii Temple
Early to mid-2027: Manhattan New York Temple
Mid-to-late 2027: Orlando Florida Temple & Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple
Early 2028: Stockholm Sweden Temple
Those estimates now stand as follows:
Late 2025: San Diego California Temple
Late 2026: Anchorage Alaska Temple
Late 2026-early 2027: Salt Lake Temple4
Early 2027: Kona Hawaii Temple
Early to mid-2027: Manhattan New York Temple
Mid-2027: Stockholm Sweden Temple
Mid-to-late 2027: Orlando Florida Temple
Late 2027: Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has shared this article covering Elder Renlund's aforementioned ministry in the South America South Area. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Tuesday, the Church News has shared study and teaching resources for the October 2025 General Conference talk by Elder James E. Evanson. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared the origin story of the new hymn <"This Day Is a Good Day, Lord. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe latest edition of the Church News podcast has been released. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd during his South America South Area ministry, Elder Dale G. Renlund toured a children's hospital in Argentina. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAfter twin typhoons hit the Philippines, the Church has been providing emergency aid in the affected areas. My thanks once again to you all.
DeletePresident D. Todd Christofferson, Second Counselor in the first Presidency, will be the speaker at the January 2026 Worldwide Devotional for Youth. My thanks once again to you all.
Delete