Hello again, everyone! Contrary to my previous assertion that, aside from the Lindon Utah Temple media day, there would be no other major temple news, the First Presidency recently announced the opening arrangements for the Cleveland Ohio Temple.
My assumption is that the main reason the Church is already announcing this update is because the Cleveland Ohio Temple is smaller and is in the United States, which makes those arrangements easier to set than the opening arrangements for their comparatively larger counterparts in both the United States and elsewhere in the world. That being said, let's get right into the relevant details:
The temple will host a media day on Monday, June 15, 2026, followed by two days of tours for invited guests, with the public open house following between Thursday, June 18, and Friday, July 3. The dedication of the temple will occur under the presiding direction of Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 10:00 AM local time, with a rebroadcast at 2:00 PM.
Both the dedication and its rebroadcast will be carried to all units in the new temple district. The dedication is occurring sooner than I expected, although I had correctly surmised that at least one other temple dedication would be set to occur before the previously announced dedication of the Phonm Penh Cambodia Temple. I still think it is likely that at least one additional temple dedication will also be set to occur before the dedication of Cambodia's first temple at the end of August. But we'll have to see what's announced next week.
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 Church News has also covered today's temple update, and this dedication has been added to my running tally of current apostles' temple dedications during President Oaks' prophetic administration. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteThe Church News has shared this additional RootsTech update. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Tuesday, the Mexico Newsroom shares this report, while both the Newsroom and the Church News share the 2025 report on how the Church cared for those in need, with the record giving exceeding the previous year.
DeleteThe Church News also reported how missionaries have used primary songs to teach the gospel. Elder Jorge T. Becerra, Second Counselor in the Utah Area Presidency, explains how temples draw us closer to Christ. The latest edition of the Church News podcast has been released, and the Church News has also provided coverage of the First Presidency's invite to the April 2026 General Conference. My thanks once again to you all.
On this Wednesday, the Newsroom shares this update, while the Church News shares two additional RootsTech updates. New GA Seventy Elder Clement M. Matswagothata, who may also address us in the upcoming April 2026 General Conference, spoke today at BYU-Idaho, and longtime ministering companions share their thoughts about why ministering works.
DeleteAnd in a surprise development I could not have foreseen, the general completion order for temples at the top of the current construction queue has shifted dramatically. Most notably, this is where that list stood 3 days ago:
Awaiting the Announcement of Opening Arrangements: Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala; Ephraim Utah; San Luis Potosi Mexico; Managua Nicaragua; Belo Horizonte Brazil; Montpelier Idaho; Cleveland Ohio; & Torreón Mexico.
Under Construction: Pago Pago American Samoa; Port Moresby Papua New Guinea; Wichita Kansas; Cody Wyoming; Neiafu Tonga;
And this is where those same temples stand in order today:
Awaiting the Announcement of Opening Arrangements: San Luis Potosi Mexico; Ephraim Utah; Pago Pago American Samoa; Torreón Mexico; Belo Horizonte Brazil; Managua Nicaragua; Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala; Port Moresby Papua New Guinea; & Montpelier Idaho.
Under Construction: Wichita Kansas; Neiafu Tonga; Cody Wyoming;
So that shift has been somewhat dramatic. But I assume it is easier for the Church to provide finishing touches on some of the smaller temples that are now well ahead of their larger counterparts. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how these changes line up with the order in which the dedications for each of these temples are set. I am cautiously optimistic that most, if not all, of the 9 temples awaiting the announcement of their opening arrangements might be dedicated before the end of the year. But it might even be possible for the Church to dedicate all of the temples I listed above before the end of the year. My advice: stay tuned. My thanks once again to you all.
This just in from the Newsroom: Effective April 1, 2026, current General Authority Seventy Elder James R. Rasband will succeed new apostle Elder Clark G. Gilbert as the Commissioner of Church Education. Regarding Elder Rasband, the First Presidency made the following statement in the letter to General Authorities and other Church leaders:
Delete"Elder Rasband comes to this assignment with extensive academic experience, including an undergraduate degree from BYU and law degree from Harvard University, service as dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School, and as the Academic Vice President of Brigham Young University." Elder Rasband's impressive biography is included in the news release and speaks for itself, but I would like to note that he's been serving most recently as an Assistant Executive Director of the Temple Department.
I would also like to note that, given the heavy administrative load the apostles carry, it's not surprising that Elder Gilbert will be replaced by Elder Rasband as the Commissioner of Church Education. I'm grateful to have learned of this change and to be able to pass word of it along here. My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has also covered the news of the new Commissioner of Church Education. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the widow of emeritus General Authority Jack H. Goaslind has passed away. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteElder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at a Provo MTC devotional that was broadcast to other MTCs worldwide. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Thursday, with no new updates from the Newsroom, the Church News has shared a few new updates: At RootsTech, several presenters taught about Utah Pioneers. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson and Presiding Bishop W. Christopher Waddell shared how the Church caring for others is what the Savior would do. The wife of a BYU professor shares her observations about how Easter is a season. And the Church News has shared the biographies of the incoming leaders for 11 currently-operating temples. Those 11 temples will shortly be added to my document tracking those changes. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteAnd construction status updates have been reported for the following temples: Cagayan de Oro Philippines, Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Birmingham England. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has shared two new RootsTech reports. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Friday, in a new news release from the Newsroom, the Church has confirmed that the Easter Weekend General Conference will focus heavily on the Savior's atonement, death, and resurrection. But the news release also confirms that a Solemn Assembly will be conducted during the Saturday Morning Session of General Conference. I had anticipated that would be the case. What is less clear is whether this First Presidency will opt to do that the way it was done in April 2018, with the Solemn Assembly in the morning, and the sustaining of other leaders in the afternoon, or whether the Church will go the traditional route and do it all in the morning. Time will tell in that regard. But it is nice to have the Solemn Assembly confirmed.
DeleteMeanwhile, from the Church News comes a new video on the 2025 Caring Report. My thanks once again to you all.
A new First Presidency letter contains directives and counsel in connection with religious liberty in the world in general and suggestions for how Church members in the United States specifically can help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signining of the Declaration of Independence.
DeleteA separate First Presidency letter provides parameters for the April 2026 General Conference, held over Easter weekend, which will focus heavily on the life, ministry, and mission of the Savior, but will also include a Solemn Assembly during the Saturday Morning Session. Only four 2-hour sessions will be held. Up through the Solemn Assembly for President Monson, those events typically involved the sustaining of the new First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, but also included the ratification of other changes in general Church leadership.
When President Nelson was sustained as Church President, the Solemn Assembly sustained the apostles in the Saturday Morning Session, while other changes in general Church leadership were ratified in the Saturday Afternoon Session. Given that Solemn Assemblies can take up to 15 minutes, I have projected that the sustaining of other Church leaders will occur in the Saturday Afternoon Session, which will allow both of President Oaks' counselors to have a part in leading the sustaining vote.
What the rest of General Conference might look like is harder to say. I have previously posted my predictions, particularly responding to the elimination of the Satruday Evening Session, but I may or may not have the right ideas in mind. Time will tell on that. The Church News also covered Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson''s Eurasian ministry and shared the latest edition of "This Week on Social", which featured posts from the following general Church leaders:
Acting President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (from whom 2 posts were highlighted), and Elders Quentin L. Cook (from whom 2 posts, the second of which also featured the Relief Society General Presidency and was posted on Relief Society Worldwide, were shared), Ronald A. Rasband (from whom two posts were also shared), and Clark G. Gilbert of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson; the Young Women General Presidency (President Emily Belle Freeman and Sisters Tamara W. Runia and Andrea M. Spannaus, who posted on Young Women Worldwide as a continuation of their discussion on the For the Strength of Youth guide); Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes (who posted via Young Men Worldwide); and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency (who posted via Primary Worldwide).
My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has published one additional report that speaks for itself. And the United States Northeast Area Presidency (Elders Allen D. Haynie, Mathias Held, and Robert M. Daines) issued this statement in the aftermath of a violent attack at a Jewish synagogue in Michigan. Any new temple construction progress updates will be shared here later this afternoon. My thaks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has also covered Elder Gary E. Stevenson's recent ministry in Mexico. This report may illustrate that Elder Stevenson now has responsibility for the work of the Church in Mexico, and that he is assisted in that assignment by Elder Marcus B. Nash of the Presidency of the Seventy, who accompanied him. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Saturday, several Church News updates have been posted. First, ground was broken today for the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple. The dates have been announced for the 2026 Utah Area YSA Conference. The text of the message that will be given by Brother Derrick Porter during tomorrow's 5,035th episode of "Music & the Spoken Word" has been provided. A group of Primary children in Orem Utah has donated more than 500 books to local organizations. Elder Ronald A. Rasband shares his thoughts on how RootsTech is pointing people to Jesus Christ. And youth in South America enjoyed For The Strength of Youth conferences recently. With no new updates from the Newsroom, any further Church News updates or temple construction status updates will be shared here ASAP as I learn about them. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteTurns out that the Guatemalan Newsroom has also covered the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple groundbreaking. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the First Presidency (Presidents Dallin H. Oaks, Henry B. Eyring, and D. Todd Christofferson) has shared an Easter invitation. The Church News shares how signing in on the Gospel Library app enhances study and can deepen conversion. Accompanying the Choir on their recent Brazil tour was the Rev. Dr. Amos Brown, a friend of President Nelson, who shared his testimony of Jesus Christ. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman spoke at the recent 2026 Utah Coalition Against Pornography Conference. With our "Come, Follow Me" study this week focusing on Genesis 42-50 (9 chapters in all), see what Church leaders have taught about those passages. In this week's edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review, the Church News recapped the top 9 developments reported within the last week. And finally, Church donations have helped fund a new heart center and outpatient building in Cambodia.. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteWe are now about an hour away from the next anticipated major temple construction announcement. In the interim, the main Newsroom has done an official report of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple. Meanwhile, from the Church News comes a report on quintuplet missionaries, Church donations promote educatioal efforts in Africa.. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom repository page for 2026 temple news has been updated to include the Guatemalan temple groundbreaking under today's date. I don't know whether or not any other updates will be reported, but I am keeping an eye on it. Incidentally, the main Newsroom site seems to be having technical difficulties (everything appears to be stretched out weirdly), so I don't know how or if that is impacting the ability to get any additional temple news posted. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has reported on the results of the Giving Machines, which the Church News also reported. two other new reports speak for themselves. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteGiven its' recent status update, the Cody Wyoming Temple has now moved ahead of the Neiafu Tonga Temple. Given the update on the Cody Wyoming Temple, that temple could leapfrog other temples below it in the queue. How far is less certain, but that move was unexpected. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteSorry. I meant above that the Cody Wyoming Temple could leapfrog other temples above it in the queue. I apologize for the unintentional error.
DeleteOn this Tuesday, the Church News has published the following new updates: Brother Sean Dixon, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, spoke at BYU-Provo. Primary-aged children in Ecuador attended a "mini-MTC". In the NCAA's upcoming "March Madness", meet the Latter-day Saints who are participating. The latest editiono of the Church News podcast has been released. And finally, today marks the 184th anniversary.
DeleteAside from those updates, a new status update is now available for the Modesto California Temple. Myt thanks once again to you all.
Apostolic ministry updates include Elder David A. Bednar ministering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (which may suggest Elder Bednar now has apostolic oversight for the Africa Central Area), while Elder Neil L. Andersen ministered in Papua New Guinea.
DeleteElder Bednar was accompanied by his wife, Susan, and Elder Carl B. Cook, Senior President of the Seventy and his wife, Lynette, while Elder Andersen was accompanied by his wife, Kathy, and Elder Edward Dube of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Naume. My thanks once again to you all.
Sorry. I forgot to note yesterday that the report of Elder Andersen ministering in the Pacific Area may indicate he has apostolic oversight for that area now as well. As I believe I mentioned previously, it is fairly standard practice that when the leadership of the Quorum of the Twelve changes, so do apostolic assignments. I look forward to hopefully having some confirmation of which apostles are now serving where in the coming weeks and months. My thanks once again to you all.
Delete