Hello again, everyone! This afternoon, the First Presidency announced the groundbreaking for the João Pessoa Brazil Temple, and released the exterior rendering for the Jakarta Indonesia Temple. We start with the groundbreaking information: Elder Joni L. Koch, president of the Brazil Area, will preside at the Saturday, January 24, 2026, groundbreaking for Brazil's newest temple.
That groundbreaking will take place on the same date as the previously announced groundbreaking for the Jacksonville Florida Temple, but since João Pessoa time is one to two hours ahead of Jacksonville, João Pessoa now replaces Jacksonville as the first temple groundbreaking for 2026. The groundbreaking announcement follows the temple's announcement in October 2023 by President Nelson, with the site confirmation following just over a month later, and the exterior rendering released in July 2024.
And with both the João Pessoa Brazil and Jacksonville Florida Temples' groundbreakings set to occur on January 24, the second groundbreaking of the year will betaking place more than a month earlier in 2026 than the second groundbreaking in 2025 (which took place on March 1). So that already sets 2026 ahead of 2025 in terms of scheduled groundbreakings, and others could soon follow. I am grateful we got this groundbreaking announcement today, even though it wasn't what I expected.
As mentioned above, we also got the rendering for the Jakarta Indonesia Temple. The release of the rendering follows the April 2023 announcement of that temple and the March 2024 release of its exterior rendering. While the rendering speaks for itself, it seems worthwhile to note that Indoesia's first temple is being built up rather than out, which is a common theme for Asia temples.
It's also worth noting that, as with the Yigo Guaam Temple, the Jakarta Indonesia Temple is rising in an area that is projected to be submerged in water in 50-100 years. But as with the Yigo temple, the construction of this temple iscoming by inspiration from the Lord, who can temper those elements as He sees fit. As one of my seminary teachers observed: "Who was right, Noah, or the weatherman?" The Church will go forward with constructing this temple, for which I'm grateful.
I was a little surprised we didn't get another temple dedication announced today, so I will have to factor that into my projected estimates for temple events in the near term. I was also somewhat surprised that we didn't get any announcement for other temples that have not had any details announced thus far. Hopefully such announcements come down the pike next week, as it will be the last week for major temple construction announcements before the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
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.
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The Church News has also covered the João Pessoa groundbreaking and the Jakarta rendering. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Church News has shared two new reports,which speak for themselves. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDelete14 men have been called to the Young Men General Advisory Council, including one or two who have previously spoken at EFY or FSY events, and even one emeritus GA Seventy (Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita). Meanwhile, the Church News explores the global launch of Giving Machines.
DeleteI will just add here that I don't know what to expect. Elder Gérald Caussé was called as an apostle over one month ago, on November 6, and within a couple of months after Elder Patrick Kearon's early December call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a new Quorum photograph was released. Given that such a photograph has not been released since Elder Caussé's call, that might happen within the next month. But I don't anticipate it happening until after the Christmas and New Year's holidays, especially given those Quorum members who are out of state on ministering visits currently. My thanks once again to you all.
The latest edition of the Church News podcast features the new Presiding Bishopric, while one other report speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteConstuction status updates have been noted for the Modesto California, Tarawa Karibati, and Heber Valley Utah Temples. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Tuesday, the Cnurch News has shared one new report, while I may have missed sharing one other update from yesterday. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Newsroom has shared one new report today as well, in addition to which, I may have forgotten to pass along this update from the Philippines Newsroom yesterday. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Bells at Temple Square have held their Christmas Concert. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteIn view of the latest update on the Wellington New Zealand Temple,I have tentatively moved it up onto my list between the Vancouver Washington and Lone Mountain Nevada Temples, although the temple's main page shows that full-scale construction is still pending. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News and the Newsroom have published one new report apiece this afternoon. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteElder John A McCune, a GA Seventy who is also the First Counselor in the Utah Area presidency provided 10 principles about revelation at the BYU-Provo devotional today. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteWell, this is sooner than I expected it to be: a >a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/quorum-of-the-twelve-apostles-photo-2025" >new official photograph of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was released today. The photograph in question was apparently taken on December 5 but not released until today for unexplained reasons.This is wonderful news, News I was waiting for but wasn't necessarily anticipating until afterthe holiday season.I am grateful for this update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteWell, this is sooner than I expected it to be: a new official photograph of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was released today. The photograph in question was apparently taken on December 5 but not released until today for unexplained reasons.This is wonderful news, news I was waiting for but wasn't necessarily anticipating until after the holiday season. I am grateful for this update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the good news just keeps coming: the First Presidency has called 5 couples as temple leaders. Among that newest group are the first leaders for the Ephraim Utah and Phnom Pehn Cambodia Temples. It should also be noted that these temple leaders are called to serve starting in either September 2026 or whenever the new temples are dedicated. So I will be listing those leaders in both my lists for 2025 and 2026. Aside from those notes, I will let the rather impressive biographies of these newest temple leaders speak for themselves. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will make their return to the Hollywod Bowl for the first time in a century. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd more Giving Machines have launched worldwide. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared the origin story of the new children's song I'm a Poineer, Too. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteFrom the Democratic Republic of the Congo Newsroom comes this report, which speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News continues its "Get to know President Dallin H. Oaks" series with a video summarizing what President Oaks learned from four key women in his life: his mother, his grandmother, and his first and second wives. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has reported on the 2025 Tabernacle Choir and Orechestra at Temple Square's Christmas Concert. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News also reported on the Tabernacle Choir's Christmas Concert, in addition to also covering the aforementioned scheduled performance of the Tabernacle Choir at the Hollywood Bowl. And the latest edition of "This Week on Social" featured social media content from the following general Church leaders:
DeletePresident Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency (from whom two posts were shared); President Jeffrey R. Holland and Elders Neil L. Andersen, Ronald A. Rasband, Gary E. Stevenson, ; Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson; Sister Andrea Munoz Spannaus, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency; Primary General President Susan H. Porter and her First Counselor, Sister Amy A. Wright; andYoung Men General President Timothy L. Farnes.
My thanks once again to you all.
On this Saturday, the Church News has shared several new reports: Scott Taylor looks at how to use $100 dollars to "do good"; meet the Broadway couple that served as guests for the Taberancle Choir's 2025 Christmas Concert series; a top Church leader in Asia advocates for women's involvement in global peacemaking; the Christmas story in Luke 2 serves as the message delivered by the Broadway couple during tomorrow's "Music & the Spoken Word"; that Broadway couple reacts to performing with the Choir, and Church volunteers unite in Mexico for a National Day of Service. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the Church News has shared a few new reports: different versions of children taking part in the "#LighttheWorld" videos; Elder Hugo E. Martinez, Second Counselor in the United States West Area, gave counsel to BYU-Hawaii graduates; and the latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" featured the top 9 updates shared by the Church News within the last week. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOur "Come, Follow Me" study will center on "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". See what Church leaders have taught about that Proclamation. As part of that study, the October 2025 General Conference talks by Elder Ronald A. Rasband and President Dallin H. Oaks may be helpful. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteTemple news!!! https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/temple-to-be-built-in-portland-maine
ReplyDeleteAs part of the announcement, Elder Haynie shared that “in a recent meeting of the First Presidency of the Church, a decision was made that, when directed by the First Presidency, the announcement of the construction of a new temple should be made on location by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or a member of an Area Presidency.” He added that, “such an announcement by a member of an Area Presidency has never occurred before. Tonight, will be the first.”