Building Bridges--My New Year's Testimony 2019

Hello again, everyone! Just over a year ago, the Church laid to rest our beloved Church President, Thomas S. Monson. President Monson always seemed larger than life, a heroic individual who, even in his declining years and months, was still reaching out to the one to rescue them from the sorrows, ills, and transgressions in their lives, or anything else that was keeping distance between them and the Lord.

The stories about the way he ministered to the one could and do fill volumes. Through word and deed, he pointed those within the sound of his voice to a higher way of life, to live the gospel more fully, and urged all of us to reach out and rescue all those within the scope of our influence who are struggling in their own paths. President Monson demonstrated that attitude through engaging personal stories and the many poems and scriptural passages he amazingly committed to memory.

One such poem which he often quoted was "The Bridge Builder". In 2009, while I was taking the "Teachings of the Living Prophets" class at BYU, my classmates and I were assigned to individually memorize one scripture cited by President Monson, one of his many most-recognized quotes, and poems he shared over the pulpit. I chose to memorize "The Bridge Builder". As we get further into this New Year, I felt impressed to share that poem, and some thoughts about what it (and the opportunities afforded by each new year) means to me.

An old man going a lone highway,
Came, at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast and deep and wide.
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The sullen stream held no fear for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day,
You never again will pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you this bridge at the eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;
"Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
There followeth after me to-day
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
"This chasm that has been as naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

A new year has often been considered to be the optimal time to start something anew, to mend fences or broken bridges in relationships, to correct mistakes in our conduct and day-to-day living, and to look with hope towards the promise that, if we will do such things, each new year can and will be better than however many years have come before it. But more than that, we can and must reach out to rescue those within our circle of influence who have, for whatever reason, managed to get any aspect of their lives off-course.

Earlier today, the first Music & the Spoken Word broadcast for 2019 was a special one with a "New Year" theme. Lloyd Newell, who gives the "spoken word" portion of the program, shared this message this morning. Part of any transition we make in this life from one stage to another surely involves the process whereby we are presented with new territory in which to forge a path ahead, and the opportunity to cross various chasms and, where possible, turn around and build bridges for others who will, through no fault of their own, need to cross similar chasms in their own lives and situations.

Will we, as the ones who have gone before, make the path easier for those who will follow after us? It has well been said that those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. While serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (and Acting President of the Church during the apostolic interregnum following the death of Brigham Young), John Taylor was quoted as follows: "If you do not magnify your callings, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty."

Therefore, if we fail to learn from the mistakes we and others before us have made, do not successfully cross the chasms in our own lives and build bridges for those who will follow after, do not take the time to ensure that each New Year can be such an opportunity to change ourselves for the better and to build bridges for those that will follow after us, we will definitely be accountable to the Lord on Judgement Day for those faults and failings.

That said, since there has only ever been One Man I know of who was absolutely perfect, and who never lost sight of His mission and purpose, who was willing to pay the price for our shortcomings, faults, failures, and flaws, if we have failed in these priorities before now, then this new year also presents an opportunity for each of us to correct course now, to resolve to do better, and to ensure that we do what He has sent us here to do.

While it is never an easy process to make such course corrections, He never said it would be easy: He only said it would be worth it. If we lay claim to the merits, mercy, compassion, understanding and opportunity to course correct, which is freely offered by Him through the gift of His atonement, then not only can we correct our course and resolve to do better in the year ahead, but we can also be successful in doing better in the future, and in preparing the paths we have already trod for those who will follow after, and who would, if not for our preparation, fallen by the wayside.

This is the opportunity that each New Year affords for us all. I pray that we will take that opportunity this year, and every New Year for the rest of our lives. If we can do so, we will then be able to stand blameless before our Father in Heaven and His Son, who makes it all possible. This is the New Year testimony which I offer on this Fast Sunday in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Church News Updates Reported

Hello again, everyone! This will be the first of two posts I will be publishing within the next hour or so. This one will share some extensive Church news updates which have been reported in recent days, and the second post will detail newly-reported temple developments. So let's get right into all of that. First of all, Elder Hartman Rector Jr., an emeritus General Authority, passed away yesterday at the age of 94. He was the first member of that Council who did not convert to the Church until his adult years. His inspiring conversion story is detailed in the article to which I lined

He was called as a member of the now-defunct First Council of the Seventy on April 6, 1968. While serving in that capacity, he spent a one-month period serving as the interim president of what was then the Church's Italian Mission. In 1971, he became the first president of the Alabama-Florida Mission. During the final year of his service in the First Council of the Seventy (October 1975-October 1976), he simultaneously served as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, and as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. With the reconstitution of the First Quorum of the Seventy, he was released from his assignment in the Presidency of that Quorum.,

Elder Rector also served for two years as president of the California San Diego Mission, spent two years as a counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, another year as a counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, and also served in area presidencies in North and South America. He had an almost-3-year term as Assistant Executive Director of the Family History Department, and 9 years as the Managing Director of the Genealogical Department. He also gave 16 addresses during his many years of active service as a General Authority, each of which is worthy of review. I would refer you to the article cited above for any other information you may need on Elder Rector's life and ministry.

In other Church news, I previously referenced how the media did two interviews during the weekend of the Concepcion Chile Temple Dedication, one with President Nelson and Elder Stevenson, and the other with Sister Nelson. In the latter interview, Sister Nelson provided a first-hand look at the many positive changes she has seen in her husband since his appointment as Church President almost 10 months ago. A Church News article provides some additional details from what the Newsroom originally reported.

On the campus of LDS Business College, President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, spoke at a devotional in which he highlighted the life-changing moment in which he began to realize his full potential. Additional details were also provided on the recent meeting held between NCAA representatives and Church leaders regarding LGBT students. And another Church leader met in Brussels with EU officials, where the subject of religious freedom was addressed. And the Church News shared an inspiring story of how one man's patience in waiting for a quarter-century to receive the priesthood changed a community.

I continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will keep doing my level best to bring word of those to you all as I receive it. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Additional Church News Reported

Hello again, everyone! Within the last 50 hours or so, the Church News has shared several news articles covering a few different topics. This post will serve the purpose of passing along those articles, along with any analysis of those developments as needed. We will move as quickly as possible through these articles, so let's jump right into that discussion.

First of all, the BYU-Provo Museum of Art (hereafter referred to as MOA) has a new exhibit on display which showcases some unique illustrations done by a Jesuit Priest. Next, as many of you may recall, during the recent Women's Session of General Conference, Church President Russell M. Nelson issued four invitations to women of the Church. The first of those was to take part in a 10-day fast from social media, and he provided a prophetic promise that doing so would prove to be a blessing. The Church News is requesting feedback from those who responded to that invitation.

Also published was another set of death notices for Church members who had served in various prominent leadership positions around the world. This week's edition notes the passing of 4 former mission presidents (1 of whom had also served as an MTC presidency member and a regional representative, and 1 other of whom had also served a regional representative and a member of a temple presidency), 2 former mission president’s wives (1 of whom also served as a temple matron), 1 member of the Church curriculum committee, and 1 former Primary General Board member.

As some of you may recall, among the changes in area leadership which occurred on August 1, an area presidency was reestablished for Utah, and Elder Randy D. Funk now serves as Second Counselor in that presidency. He spoke at a recent devotional for LDS Business College students, at which he shared 4 ways in which college students (and, by extension, everyone else) can lighten their burdens in the course of day-to-day living.

The Church News has also provided picture quotes from the October 2018 General Conference, which are designed to be perfect for phones and tablets. I continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments on an ongoing basis, and will do my level best to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time.

Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Sister Barbara Ballard Passes Away at Age 86; First Presidency Announces Dedication Information for Kinshasa DR Congo Temple

Hello again, everyone! Though these breaking news developments are a few hours old, in view of some personal illness that has kept me from doing my first check of the Church websites until now, I only found out about two major developments a few moments ago.

First of all, Sister Barbara Bowen Ballard, wife of President M. Russell Ballard,, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, died earlier today after struggling with many health issues, one of which was Alzheimer's. Further information about her life and thoughts from her family about her legacy can be found in the Church News and via the Newsroom on the Church's official website. Those sources speak for themselves, so I will say no more about them, except that funeral services will be held a week from today, and that I am sorry those will coincide with his birthday, though perhaps that was President Ballard's choice so he could share one last birthday with her. My condolences go out to the Ballard family at this time.

While I don't want to overshadow that news, I am also pleased to report that the First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple. The official release about that notes that a public open house will begin for that temple on Tuesday March 12, and will go through Saturday March 30, with the exception of the Sundays of March 17 and 24.

The Church, which will continue the tradition of having a youth devotional instead of a cultural celebration, will have such a gathering for the youth in Kinshasa on Saturday April 13, with the temple dedication to be held the next day in 3 sessions, and will be broadcast to all Saints living in the Kinshasa temple district. But here's the thing that intrigued me most: The release also notes: "Additional details regarding the temple dedication will be announced at a future date." What that means exactly, I don't know.

I would just like to add here that the timing of this dedication was just about when I estimated it would be. When I last posted my estimates for known temple events, I had shared my feelings that this temple could have a dedication in mid-April. But I should also note that I thought that the next big temple news would be either the confirmation of the groundbreaking for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple or the rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple. There is still time for both of those to be officially confirmed in the near future.

With my thanks to those who commented here earlier today to share these developments with me, and my thanks to all of you for your ongoing interest and support, that does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any subject at any time. Thank you for the ongoing additional privilege of your time.

If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Church News Update: Part Two--Other News Items

Hello again, everyone! I am back as promised, to pass along additional Church news updates. Let's get right into it all. We start with a look at the keynote address given earlier today by Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary General President, at the annual BYU-Provo Education Week. She spoke of how enticement goes "both ways" and also covered some thoughts about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ serves as a "practical guide to happiness".

Next, as most of you are probably aware, today would have been President Monson's 91st birthday if he were still with us. This article was written in honor of his many decades of service in Church leadership. 

Meanwhile, in two other "history revisited" articles, it has been announced that over 7,000 pages of Wilford Woodruff's meticulously-kept journals are now available for public viewership online, while retired Church News editor Gerry Avant continued her retrospective look back at her career with this article highlighting how she accompanied President Spencer W. and Sister Camilla E. Kimball in a visit to historical Church sites in Illinois, which included a bakery and Carthage Jail.

And in this article, which focuses on a Church-owned farm in Montana, the farm in question is referred to as "holy ground". I have previously referenced the fact that a temple was publicly proposed for the city of Missoula by Elder David A. Bednar sometime during 2016, and how I confirmed through my own study and feedback from others that land is being held in reserve for such a prospect. While the Montana farm's location (in Geraldine) is over 200 miles from Missoula, it is not hard to believe that a similar "sacred spot" of land will mark the spot of a temple in Missoula when the time is right.

The Church News also shared 3 responses to the question of what the single members of the Church bring to the Church and how such members can be better utilized, along with another "History Revisited" article article about how, in the early days of the Church, Sidney Rigdon's acceptance of the gospel of Jesus Christ led to him losing his job as a minister. 

And 4 days ago, the Church continued their series "This Week on Social", which shared comments from several members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on subjects such as learning from the living prophet, resurrection, and revelation, which you can read more about here. There was also this story about an Australian medical student (and member of the Church) whose membership has blessed her in her life, career, and progression, and this one highlighting remarks given by Elder Brent H. Nielson, who serves as the Executive Director of the Church's Missionary Department. Those remarks were given during BYU-Provo commencement exercises earlier this month.

That is all the updated Church News I wanted to post here for now, so that does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do. 

President Eyring Teaches How to Be Confident Rather Than Self-Doubtful

Hello again, everyone! The Church News continues to report on the addresses given during the Seminar for New Mission Leadership.. Just about an hour ago, this report was published summarizing President Eyring's counsel to those new leaders. His message was on a subject he has covered before, how to be confident instead of self-doubting in assignments and situations that seem beyond an individual.

He spoke of his personal experiences receiving Church callings for which he felt inadequate and, to a certain degree, unworthy. He again highlighted an experience he shared before about how President James E. Faust had called him into his office shortly after then-Elder Eyring's call to the apostleship. He could see that the new apostle was struggling with the magnitude of his new role. Elder Eyring anticipated that the veteran apostle would offer him advice to get through those feelings. But President Faust instead offered this powerful lesson: "Don't ask me. Ask him."

Now-President Eyring went on to talk about how he now occupies the office in which that visit with President Faust occurred. He then noted that at times since that meeting in April 1995, and particularly as he has been called to continue his service in the First Presidency under a third president of the Church, he has kept President Faust's counsel in mind.

He went on to describe his understanding of how those called to preside over missions or serve as Church missionaries may face the same feelings on inadequacy. And he offered some suggestions in terms of how all Church members, in whatever their calling may be, can refocus their attention away from wanting their service to be acceptable to those under whose direction they are called to serve to instead being more concerned about whether that service is acceptable to the Lord.

He pointed out that, of all opinions, our standing with the Lord should be the most important. And he urged mission presidents to encourage their missionaries to serve under the Lord's direction, endorsement, blessing, and approval.

It is a very timely message. In a world dominated by the idea that we need to focus first on pleasing others and ourselves by what we do, we are prone to forget that the Lord's opinion should be the one that matters most. Only He knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and at the day of judgement, we will not be asked about what we did to be acceptable to our fellow man, but what we did to be accepted of Him, which includes rendering service to those among whom we share our earthly sojourn.

May we all remember the importance of that message. That does it for this post. If you liked what you read here and would like to, please feel free to subscribe to stay informed about new content on this blog. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time.. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Additional Church News Updates

Hello again, everyone! I am posting again now to share some additional Church news updates of which I have become aware just recently. We start on somewhat of a somber note, as the Church News has reported the death of another emeritus General Authority, Elder W. Mack Lawrence, who served as a General Authority Seventy from December 1990 until his death (he was released from general Church service in October 1996), passed away at age 91.

Some of you may remember my mentioning that, although it has been tradition for members of the First Quorum of the Seventy to be granted emeritus status at age 70 and for members of the Second Quorum to be released after roughly 5 years of service, it was reported in October 2015 that several former members of the Second Quorum had been sent letters from the First Presidency designating them as emeritus General Authorities as well, which is why the Church News referred to him as such in the article about his death.

Although he only served for around 5 or 6 years, he filled many assignments for the Church. He also gave two excellent addresses in General Conference during that time. Since I was very young during his service period, I have no personal recollections of seeing him or hearing him speak, but it sounds like he was a very remarkable man.

The Church News also shared this report about how the Gateway Arch renovation, which took $380 million to accomplish, underscores the vital role of Church history. And as the Tabernacle Choir continues their tour, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom joined them for a special sacrament service yesterday in San Francisco. More on that is shared here.

Again, I continue to monitor all Church and temple news and will do my level best to pass along such developments as I learn of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Elder David A. Bednar Marks His 66th Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! After a very busy day for me personally, I am back to do the first of two or three posts I will be publishing by the end of the day today. As some of you may recall my mentioning, today marks the 66th birthday of Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

So let's get in to some details about his life experiences. David Allan Bednar was born on June 15, 1952 in Oakland California to Anthony George and Lavina Whitney Bednar. His mother came from a long line of Latter-day Saint ancestors, but his father was not a member of the Church. Despite that fact, Anthony Bednar fully supported the rest of his family participating actively in the Church, and he would often step in and participate in meetings and Church activities, including various service projects.

One major highlight of Elder Bednar's life came long after his marriage. Although he frequently asked his father when he would be baptized, his father replied that he would do so when he felt it was right. Anthony called his son one day and asked, "Would you be free on (and he named a date in the near future)? I would like you to come and baptize me." He was able to baptize, confirm, and ordain his father to the priesthood.

Elder Bednar served a mission in southern Germany, and some may recall the late President Boyd K. Packer recounting in General Conference a story of how he was in Germany and a young missionary gave him money, which he was able to use to get through border security. That young missionary was David A. Bednar.

Elder Bednar attended BYU-Provo, where he earned a bachelor's degree in communication and a master's in organizational communication. He went on to earn a doctoral degree in organizational behavior from the prestigious Purdue University.

He met Susan Kae Robinson at an activity for young adults. He recounts that they were playing flag football, and that he threw a pass, which she caught, and that, incidentally, was the only time she could remember catching a pass. This impressed him, and the two started dating not long afterward. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975, and would go on to raise 3 sons together.

For a four-year period (1980-1984), he was an assistant professor of management at what was then the College of Business Administration at the University of Arkansas. He spent the next two years as an assistant professor at Texas Tech University, after which he returned to Arkansas, where he served first as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, then the Director of the Management Decision-Making Lab. During this time, he was recognized with numerous awards as being an outstanding educator.

He also had a few ecclesiastical responsibilities within the Church at around the same time. He spent several months as a bishop, then went on to serve first as the president of what was then the Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, then as the first president of the newly-established Rogers Arkansas Stake. During the final months of his service as a stake president, he was called to serve as a regional representative.

In 1997, he was among the first men called to be an area seventy. That same year, he was also called to serve as president of Ricks College, during which time he led the transition of that college to BYU-Idaho. His tenure in that assignment came to an end on December 1, 2004, roughly one month following his call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He and fellow apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf were called to fill the vacancies created by the July deaths of Elders Neal A. Maxwell and David B. Haight 10 days apart. Interestingly enough, Elder Bednar joined only two other current apostles (now-Presidents Nelson and Oaks) who were called to the apostleship without having previously served as a general authority.

Elder Bednar's tenure as an educator has molded how he speaks as an apostle. One of his hallmarks is to invite the Holy Ghost to bless him and us as we listen to his remarks. In view of his almost-14-year tenure in the apostleship, he has given 28 General Conference talks, which are always well crafted and insightful, and are well worthy of review by all of us.

At the time of his call to the apostleship, Elder Bednar, at age 52, was the youngest apostle to have been called since then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to the apostleship at age 51 in 1984. He is currently the fourth most senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (which makes him the 7th in overall apostolic seniority), and is the eighth oldest current member of the Quorum (which means he is the 11th oldest current apostle).

While I have never had the honor to meet him personally, I can fully attest to the validity and inspiration of his apostolic call, and it is significant that after just 14 years in the apostleship, he is within the senior ranks of that apostleship. Some have voiced their opinion that Elder Bednar might one day preside over the Church, and I concur that that is a very likely prospect. Given that he is in such a senior position at this point, and given that only six current apostles are more senior to him, unless something very unexpected happens, he is sure to be with us for at least the next two or three decades.

I hope this post has served as a fitting tribute to this remarkable servant of the Lord. That does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Miscellaneous Church News Reported

Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post again now with some Church news updates. There's a lot to cover, so let's get right to it. First of all, a few days ago, the Church News shared this report on the funeral services held recently for Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone. General Church leaders in attendance at the funeral services included Presidents Russell M. Nelson and Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency (with President Eyring representing the Brethren in speaking at the funeral, in view of his long friendship with Elder Featherstone) and Elders Jeffrey R. Holland and Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. It sounds like the service was a fitting tribute to this remarkable servant of God.

Less than 24 hours following the rededication of the Jordan River Utah Temple, the Church News released the text of the rededicatory prayer written and offered by President Eyring, who quoted many things said in the original dedicatory prayer penned by President Spencer W. Kimball, and offered by President Marion G. Romney, both of whom, as I mentioned earlier this week, have a familial connection to President Eyring.

The Church announced yesterday (May 22) that nearly 170 missionaries currently serving in Nicaragua would be relocated, due to political unrest and in consideration of their safety. Those nearing the end of their service period will be honorably released to return home, and those who remain will be reassigned to missions in North and South America or Europe.

It is heartbreaking in a way to see that happening, since the Church is in the preliminary stages of trying to get a temple built there, but hopefully things will settle down sufficiently enough to allow the missionaries to return and for work to begin on the temple before too much longer. You can find more details in this Church News article and this release from Mormon Newsroom.

President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in company with Elder Gary E. Stevenson and other leaders, recently visited Saints residing in Australia and New Zealand, at which time, he encouraged Church members to "keep it simple" when sharing the gospel. You can read more about their ministry among these members from the Church News and Mormon Newsroom.

In the meantime, from the Blog section of Mormon Newsroom, the Church shared this report highlighting Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's recent visit to Germany, during which time he presented the president of Germany with his family history. And, in continuation of the cooperative effort between the Church and the NAACP, this article highlights a luncheon that featured addresses from individuals on both sides of that effort.

The Church News also shared this account of a recent address given by Elder Anthony D. Perkins of the Seventy during a BYU-Idaho Devotional, this article highlighting a message given during the BYU Women's Conference by Sister Kathy Andersen, wife of Elder Neil L. Andersen, which emphasized following the watchman on the tower, and this article from the new Young Women General Presidency, which notes that, while programs and methods may change, the doctrines of the Church will not.

And finally, in a continuation of the Church's ongoing efforts to increase transparency, this article was released on the subject of how Church finances are managed and distributed. That article was apparently a companion piece to this post by Presiding Bishop Gerald Causse, who wrote some thoughts on why and how the Church preaches and practices financial self-reliance. To provide more context for both of those resources, the Church included these questions (and their answers).

Here's the interesting thing about those materials being published now. I have been involved in my fair share of conversations with people not of our faith who suggest that, instead of spending money on temples or anything else, the money coming into the Church should be used to help the poor. I don't know how it is that people don't seem to understand that the Church is doing both. I have seen (and been positively influenced by) the process by which the Church holds itself accountable for the expenditures of Church resources. And so on that level, these materials are a timely release indeed.

We live in a most remarkable time. Not only is the Lord hastening His work in miraculous ways, but we have also entered an era where more information about the day-to-day ministry of the leaders of His church is being published, and where the Church and its' leaders are truly interested in being more transparent and promoting greater understanding of and cooperation with those not of our faith.

I continue to monitor all such developments and will do my level best to keep passing those along to you as i become aware of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone Passes Away at Age 87

Hello again, everyone! Less than an hour ago, the Church News reported that Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone, an emeritus General Authority, passed away earlier today at the age of 87. For those not aware of who he is, he had served in the Presiding Bishopric for four years (1972-1976), and then served as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy for 25 years (1976-2001), and he was granted emeritus status in October 2001.

During his time in the First Quorum of the Seventy, among other assignments, he served for five years as the Young Men General President. He also had experiences serving as a mission president and temple president. During his tenure as a mission president, one of the missionaries who served under him was our current Young Men General President Stephen W. Owen.

The Church News shared this tribute to his life. During his almost 30-year ministry as a general authority, he served in variety of important assignments, and he had 18 opportunities to give addresses during General Conference. You can review any of those addresses (which covered a variety of subjects), here.

Funeral arrangements are pending. I will keep you posted with more details on this as I receive them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Temple Updates (Including Reported Progress on the Barranquilla Colombia Temple)

Hello again, everyone! I first became aware of an update on the status of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple a day or two ago, but in view of some personal circumstances and more pressing developments that needed my attention, this is my first opportunity to post about it. The update shows that work on the interior is progressing, that the landscaping around the temple grounds is closer to its' completion, and that the exterior of the housing facility on the temple lot has been finished. With its' dedication set to occur exactly 8 months from today, it is great to hear of the progress that has been made on this temple..

The day-to-day milestones that are marked in temple construction are wonderful indeed to observe. While we are still waiting for news that full-scale efforts are underway for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, and while there has not been any other progress reported on any temples under construction, undergoing renovation, or announced, I did want to note that, with the Church being 3 days past April 6, which marked the 188th anniversary of the gospel's restoration, there are now 11.99 years in which the Church would need to announce and complete 11 temples, in addition to completing the 30 in various phases (which includes the 7 announced 8 days ago by President Nelson during General Conference) in order to have 200 operating temples dedicated by the Church's 200th anniversary (which will, as noted, occur on Saturday April 6, 2030).

By extension, that means that the Church will need to dedicate 3.42 temples per year during those 11.99 years between now and then. Since we know that 2 temples will be dedicated by the end of this year (which is slightly below that average), as we look to the years ahead, we already have seen the announcement of the first temple dedication planned for next year, and in addition to that, we have 5 others that will likely be dedicated next year, which is above that average. With two others already anticipated to be dedicated in 2020, if, as anticipated, full-scale construction begins in Winnipeg at some point this month, and if any other temples have a groundbreaking within the next 8-12 months, they may go on to be dedicated during 2020 or within the years following.
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I know that I heard from a lot of people their opinion that President Nelson would not announce temples during his first General Conference. I felt confident enough in the results of my research on the subject to suggest that he could do so, and likely would, and I was very gratified when he announced 7 new locations in which future temples would be built. I don't know if any of you noticed this (I may be one of the few who did), but the number of temples announced by President Monson in 2015 and 2016 (the third-to-last and second-to-last occasions during his presidency when he would do so) were exactly equivalent to the 7 announced by President Nelson during his first General Conference.

I may be incorrect in this assessment, but that fact suggests to me that President Monson's health struggles during the last 3-5 years of his life may have impacted his ability to determine the timing of such announcements and to announce those locations in General Conference. Between the April 2017 General Conference and President Monson's passing on January 2 of this year, he may have been unable to approve the announcements for any other temples.

With all of that in mind, and based on the fact that the announcement of 7 temples in the first General Conference of any Church president before now has almost been unheard of, and with all we have seen President Nelson do regarding temple announcements in the less than 3 months of his presidency so far, and also in view of President Nelson's good health and extreme vigor, I have no doubt we will see multiple temples announced on other occasions. What will be really interesting to see is whether or not President Nelson will announce a few during every General Conference over which he presides, or if he might opt to keep those to a once-a-year thing, as President Monson did for the last 3 years of his presidency.

Whatever might occur in terms of continuing temple developments, you can count on my reporting on such news here as I learn of it. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Emeritus General Authority Elder Alexander B. Morrison Passes Away At Age 87

Hello again, everyone! I mentioned in my last post that there had been a lot of Church news today. One such item is that Elder Alexander B. Morrison, an Emeritus General Authority, has passed away. You can find the Church News report on his life, Church ministry, and funeral arrangements here, and review any of the four addresses he gave during General Conference over the years of his ministry (which are well worth a review) here. From a quick review of those sources, I can tell Elder Morrison is a wonderful man, and that the Church was blessed to have his voice in Church leadership. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Report: Funeral Services for Elder Richard Gordon Scott/We will start moving in tomorrow! (Wednesday's the big day!)

I wanted to post about a couple of things. First, to get it said and out of the way of the more important item, I wanted to let my readers know that the current owner of the trailer is planning to have all her stuff moved out by tomorrow. We have to go over and retrieve the bill of sale, so we will be moving in some of the smaller stuff at that time. We will also get me set up so I can pick up my prescriptions in the future from Walgreens, which is on the same road as the trailer court. I think I will be happy with Walgreens' pharmacy, which opens an hour earlier and closes an hour later during the week than Fresh Market does. Only problem is, it closes at 6 pm on Saturdays. But I've considered my options very carefully, and Walgreens just seems to make the most sense.

My purpose in mentioning all that is leading up to the fact that I will be taking a bit of time off work tomorrow to get these things taken care of. And I have been granted approval to have Wednesday off to help move the bigger things, even though I may not be able to get much done that way.

In the meantime, the more important news is that funeral services were held today honoring the life of Elder Richard Gordon Scott. President Henry B. Eyring conducted, just as I had predicted, and, in doing so, offered his brief tribute to Elder Scott., who he said had embraced him with open arms and sound advice when President Eyring first became an apostle.The invocation was offered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and the benediction by Elder M. Russell Ballard, who now sit with only Robert D. Hales between them after the three apostolic deaths this year. I was spot on in predicting the speakers. Michael Scott did represent the Scott family and paid a beautiful tribute to his dad, mainly focused on the fact that he was with his beloved Jeanene now, along with the two children they had earlier lost. Elder D. Todd Christofferson gave a special tribute in representation of all the missionaries who had served under Elder Scott and his wife. President Russell M. Nelson reminisced about his travels with Elder Scott. And President Thomas S. Monson concluded the service with a beautiful account of his last visit with Elder Scott, wherein he gave him a blessing and told him how much he and the other apostles, and indeed the whole Church, love him. Each spoke in joyful anticipation about a future reunion with their beloved associate in the work of the Lord. It was truly a celebration of life rather than focusing on the sadness of it. The Tabernacle Choir provided beautiful music, closing the service with Mack Wilberg's stirring arrangement of Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing. I was grateful I had made the effort to get up and watch it.

Now all that remains is to wait for moving day to get here, get the stress of that over with, and then look forward to our first General Conference not only in our own home, but also marking the calling of three new apostles of the Lord. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but the third apostle called will bring the number of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation to an even 100. With all the moving, I haven't given any more thought to who might be called. Whether I'm right or not in feeling the way I do about who might fill the apostolic vacancies, the important thing is that I know these men, whoever they may be, will be the ones the Lord would have called to the apostleship at this time. It is my hope and prayer that we will with all our hearts and our uplifted hands sustain these new prophets. seers and revelators as fully as we strove to sustain President Boyd K. Packer, Elder L. Tom Perry. and Elder Richard G. Scott while they were still here with us. If they were among us still, that is what they would ask us to do.

I will get through the next couple of days and then perhaps be able to post pictures of both the old and new dwelling places. I am excited to dedicate another home, just as I did with this place. I am grateful to have been raised in a home where that happened every time we moved. It has definitely made a difference in my life. Well, that's all for now. More to come as time and circumstances allow. All the best until I write again!

Funeral of Elder Richard Gordon Scott announced/Three New Apostles

The LDS Church announced today that funeral services honoring the life of Elder Richard Gordon Scott would be held Monday September 28. I have pondered who the speakers might be, and I think I have a fairly good idea. President Henry B. Eyring is likely going to be asked to conduct the funeral, as he conducted the funerals for both Elder L. Tom Perry and President Boyd K. Packer. Michael W. Scott, a son of Elder Scott, seems to be the designated spokesperson for the Scott family, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was asked to represent the family at the funeral. Other speakers might be President Russell M. Nelson (since it's common to have the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speak at the funeral of his fellow apostles, though obviously that didn't happen with funeral services for either Elder Perry or President Packer), Elder D. Todd Christofferson (who was one of Elder Scott's missionaries), and President Thomas S. Monson. I won't be surprised, of course, if other apostles or First Presidency members are asked to speak, but it seems to be a fairly sensible guess.

My team leader at work, John Thomas, and I were discussing general conference earlier this week. I told him of my predictions, and he said he'd love to follow along. So I got him a copy of them. But Elder Scott died before I could get that to John, so I had to redo my predictions, including the three new apostles, whomever they might be. John talked to me a bit about why I enjoyed making such predictions, and that led to him asking who I thought would be the new apostles. I told him I felt they would all be younger men and that at least one of them would be international. I'm kind of hoping all three will be from foreign countries, but that remains to be seen.

My purpose in telling you all about this is that I have come to a decision. I said earlier I would not be posting any additional speculation or guesses about who the new apostles might be. However, I have had some feelings on the matter that I just had to share.

Before Elder Scott's passing, I had pondered the two apostolic vacancies, and two particular brethren came to mind: Bishop Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric, and Elder Michael John U. Teh of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Both of them are younger, and, in Elder Teh's case, I have a precedent for believing he will one day become an apostle, whether or not it happens this time.

As I prayed prior to the April 2008 General Conference, I had a distinct feeling that Elder Teh would be called as the new apostle. Obviously that didn't happen, but I never have quite been able to shake off the feeling that he will be called this time.

As I pondered additionally who might be called to fill the third vacancy, the name of Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy came to mind. If I'm right, we will get three international apostles who are all under 60.

John asked me if I thought we might get a black apostle this time, as there are two black brethren serving as members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (Elder Joseph W. Sitati, and Elder Edward Dube). I said I didn't think the Church was ready for a black apostle.

If the three men mentioned above are called, Elder Soares would be the first Brazilian apostle and the first from South America, Bishop Causse would be the first French apostle, and Elder Teh would be the first Filipino apostle. Each of them would be historically significant, and any of them might one day subsequently preside over the Church.

I want to make this next declaration very clear: These are just my own thoughts, and should not be taken as gospel truth. While I don't know why the Lord would reveal to me who the new apostles will be before He tells President Monson is beyond me. But feelings like this are not unprecedented in my life.

When the bishop of my ward that had seen me through my Aaronic Priesthood years and interviewed me for my ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood was released, I had a distinct feeling about who the new counselors in the bishopric would be, and I was right. After leaving that ward when I transferred to the Singles' Ward, and several years after my marriage, that ward bishopric was going to be again reorganized. Again, I had a feeling that a particular brother would be called as the First Counselor in the new bishopric, and so it was.

To prove that I am by no means infallible, I will also say that when I knew the General Primary Presidency was going to be released in 2010, I had a feeling that Mary N. Cook, then serving as First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, would be called to be the new Primary General President. Obviously, that didn't happen. And the fact that Elder Teh was not called to the apostleship when I thought he would be says volumes about how reliable my inspiration can be. But the more I think about it, the more these three above named brethren make sense as the new apostles. Now all that remains is to wait a week and a half and see just how right (or wrong) I am about my feelings regarding the identity of the new apostles. Since I recognize my own infallibility, I will by no means be surprised whether or not the above named brethren are called. And whoever the new apostles are, they will have my whole-hearted sustaining vote and prayers. I just wanted to get my feelings on the matter down while I was thinking about it. Time will tell just how right (or wrong) I am. Hope you enjoyed this post. Can't wait for Conference. More to come on the outcome of my predictions as well as the new apostles when such information becomes available. Until I write again, all the best!

Elder Richard G. Scott Passes Away/Updated General Conference Predictions

Sad  news today. Elder Richard Gordon Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles passed away from causes incident to age. He had been ailing in health for quite a while, missing the opportunity to speak in the April 2015 General Conference. Known around the world for his gentle manner and unique ability to give talks from memory, Elder Scott was preceded in death by two of his children and his beloved companion Jeanene Watkins.

Elder Scott's passing today means that three apostles have passed away since the last General Conference. It also means three new apostles will need to be called prior to the next General Conference. It has been about 110 years since the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had three vacancies, so, as you can see, it's a very rare occurrence. I believe this will provide the Church with the opportunity to get some younger men called. Who they will be remains to be seen. I have had a very good feeling about who two of them might be, but will not be identifying those I think will be called until I am proven right or wrong. And now there's another apostolic vacancy to fill.

This apostolic vacancy also necessitated a change in my general conference predictions. I have made those changes now. Here they are. As you can see, there are only minor adjustments, and, as I usually do, I have narrowed my prediction down to one name for each speaking slot. That will also be reflected in the changes below. Enjoy!

NOTE: I learned from looking at the last time we had new apostles that the regular General Conference speaking order might be altered. Accordingly, I have made this prediction in this particular way. The tables below list the possible changes in general Church leadership and the speaking order. There are some changes in general Church leadership that are definite because they have already been announced. The other changes are conditional based on who is released and sustained. The order may be altered in view of whoever might be called to be the new apostles and when they might be called upon to speak. On the subject of who might be called, I have had a good feeling about two particular names. I am not confident enough in my feelings about who the new apostles might be to add their specific names to my prediction, and Elder Scott’s death came so suddenly. I really haven’t had a chance to give any thought as to the identity of the first new apostle. I could be totally wrong in my feelings about who might be called, so, I will not be making my predictions for the new apostles known. Hope that makes sense. Here are my predictions for what changes might be made to general Church leadership, followed by my predictions for who might speak and when and in what order.

October 2015 Predictions for changes in General Church Leadership

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Russell Marion Nelson sustained as Quorum President; Three new apostles sustained. (I think I know who two of them might be, but I’m not going to say just in case I’m wrong.) NOTE: We know from previous announcements that Russell Marion Nelson should be sustained as Quorum President since he was set apart in that position on July 15. Three new apostles will be sustained to succeed Elder L. Tom Perry, President Boyd K. Packer and Elder Richard G. Scott. RESULT: Russell Marion Nelson was so sustained. Three new apostles were called, namely:  , , and .

Presidency of the Seventy: New member(s) sustained (if new apostle(s) come from the Presidency of the Seventy. NOTE: We may see one of the new apostles come from the Presidency of the Seventy, though who it might be is beyond me. RESULT:

First Quorum of the Seventy: Elder Don R. Clarke released and granted emeritus status; other member(s) possibly released if called to the Twelve. NOTE: I believe Elder Don R. Clarke will be released and granted emeritus status because he will turn 70 at the end of the year, and it seems to be a common practice to release and grant emeritus status in October to First Quorum brethren that are or will be 70 by the end of any given year. I also believe that the third new apostle will come from the First Quorum, and will thus need to be released as well, but, as stated above, I won’t be revealing who I think that will be. RESULT:

Second Quorum of the Seventy: Elders Koichi Aoyagi and Kent F. Richards and others possibly released if called to the Twelve. NOTE: I believe that at least Elder Koichi Aoyagi will be released. Not so sure about Elder Kent F. Richards. He’s at an age and service length where a release could be expected, but as of September 13, he is still the Temple Department Executive Director, and any changes to Executive Directors of Departments are usually made by or before August 1. So either only Elder Aoyagi will be released (as he is unassigned and over 70) or both Elders Aoyagi and Richards will be released, and someone else will take on the role of Temple Department Executive Director. I do not believe we will see any other changes here. RESULT:

Presiding Bishopric: Change(s) made if new apostle(s) come from the Presiding Bishopric. NOTE: I believe the second new apostle will come from the Presiding Bishopric, but again, as stated above, I won’t be revealing who I think that will be. If any members of the Presiding Bishopric do become apostles, that would necessitate changes. RESULT:

Area Seventies: Releases and sustainings, especially if new apostle(s) come from currently serving Area Seventies. NOTE: I believe we will only have a few changes here, as it seems to be typically the pattern for major changes to be made in April when President Dieter F. Uchtdorf presents the Sustaining of Church Officers and for only a very few to be made in October when President Henry B. Eyring presents the Sustaining of Church Officers. I’m not infallible, however, so I will just say that I believe there will be few, if any, changes here. RESULT:

Sunday School General Presidency: John Sears Tanner released as First Counselor; Devin G. Durrant released as Second Counselor and sustained as First Counselor; Brian K. Ashton sustained as Second Counselor. Possible additional changes if new apostle(s) come from Sunday School General Presidency. NOTE: We know from the Church’s June 12 announcement that these changes have been made and will most likely be ratified by sustaining vote during General Conference. I don’t believe there will be any other changes here. RESULT:

Young Men General Presidency: Change(s) made if new apostle(s) come from Young Men General Presidency. NOTE: I don’t believe there will be any changes here. RESULT:

October 2015 General Conference Speaking Order Predictions

Session	Conducting	Speaker
General Women’s	Bonnie L. Oscarson	Rosemary M. Wixom
		Carol F. McConkie
		Linda S. Reeves
		President Thomas S. Monson
Saturday Morning	President Henry B. Eyring	President Thomas S. Monson
		President Russell M. Nelson
		Elder Richard J. Maynes
		Neill F. Marriott
		Elder Kim B. Clark
		Elder Quentin L. Cook
		President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Saturday Afternoon	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf	President Henry B. Eyring (Sustaining of Church Officers)
		Elder Robert D. Hales
		Elder M. Russell Ballard
		Elder Von G. Keetch
		Elder Allen D. Haynie
		Elder Hugo Montoya
		Elder Vern P. Stanfill
		Elder Neil L. Andersen
Saturday Priesthood	President Henry B. Eyring	Elder David A. Bednar
		Bishop Gary E. Stevenson
		Elder Ronald A. Rasband
		President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
		President Henry B. Eyring
		President Thomas S. Monson
Sunday Morning	President Dieter F. Uchtdorf	President Henry B. Eyring
		New apostle #1
		New apostle #2
		New apostle #3
		Elder D. Todd Christofferson
		President Thomas S. Monson
Sunday Afternoon	President Henry B. Eyring	Elder Dallin H. Oaks
		Carole M. Stephens
		Devin G. Durrant
		Elder Mervyn B. Arnold
		Elder Yoon Hwan Choi
		Elder Kevin R. Duncan
		Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
		President Thomas S. Monson