UPDATE: Post-Conference Documents

 Hello again, everyone! With tomorrow marking two weeks since the October 2022 General Conference convened, I wanted to share my post-conference document analysis. First, I wanted to provide a report on my predictions for General Conference. First up is the review of my predictions for the speaker lineup, the changes in general Church leadership, and the most like prospective temple locations. As a result of those predictions vs. what actually happened, I have taken the opportunity to analyze and score those predictions.

Some reminders on the scoring might be helpful. Regarding my projected speaker lineup, 3 points were awarded if I got the right speaker in the right position in the right session. Some examples of that are my correct predictions that President Henry B. Eyring would conduct the Saturday Morning Session, and that Elder Dale G. Renlund would speak in the exact spot he did in the same session. 

Two points were awarded if I got the right speaker in the right session but in the wrong position. Some examples of that were President Dallin H. Oaks and President Russell M. Nelson, who both spoke in the first session, but in the reverse order from what I predicted. One point was awarded when I correctly predicted that a leader would speak at any point in the conference, but had them both in the wrong session and the wrong order in that session. 

Examples of that are Tracy Y. Browning, who spoke Saturday Morning rather than Sunday Morning, and Bishop Causse, who spoke Saturday Evening rather than Saturday Morning. And of course, anything I had not predicted that occurred was given a score of 0. Examples of that would be the two counselors in the Relief Society General Presidency since I had predicted that Relief Society General President, Sister Camille N. Johnson, would speak.

Regarding my predictions for changes in general Church leadership, on the General Authority Seventies, each name was awarded 3 points, as I had all of those correct. Then there were 3 points apiece for the two changes (releases and sustaining) that were ratified as groups.  And on the temple locations, 3 points meant I had the correct location exactly right, with 2 points for having the correct general region but the wrong specific location. 

I gave myself a small margin of error on both the temple predictions and the speaker lineup since there were some things I couldn't have predicted, like President Nelson being the last speaker in the Saturday Morning Session, or the two temples in the Philippines and 4 locations around Mexico City. 

So, as reflected in the scorecard, even though there was a lot about this conference that I had no way to predict, what I put together yielded a 62.8% accuracy rate, and with all of the unknowns, I'm satisfied with that. If that was all I had to pass along tonight, I'd be satisfied therewith, but I do have a few more items. As I usually do, I have also been able to compile a document showing the lengths of each apostolic address. 

I have likewise updated the document showing the total number of General Conference addresses given by each of our current apostles. And I have also created a mock-up of what I think the table of contents might look like for the November 2022 Liahona. It appears as though the HTML version of that magazine is already available. It wouldn't shock me if the PDF version follows in the next week or two. Whenever that is officially available, I will cover that information here. I will also be sure to provide a follow-up on how my mock-up table of contents compares with the actual thing. I likewise continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments and will be sure to post here with the latest on that as I become aware thereof.

In the meantime, that does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time.All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered 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 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 TEMPLE NEWS: Prophet Announces 18 New Temples, Including Multiples for Major Metropolitan Areas, as the October 2022 General Conference Concludes

Hello again, everyone! The October 2022 General Conference concluded a short time ago, and I am pleased to report that, in the final minutes of his concluding remarks, Russell M. Nelson, the Prophet and President of the Church, announced 18 new temples to be built in the following locations:

Busan Korea; Naga and Santiago Philippines; Eket Nigeria; Chiclayo Peru; Buenos Aires City Center Argentina; Londrina and Riberao Preto Brazil; Huehuetenango Guatemala; Jacksonville Florida; Grand Rapids Michigan; Prosper Texas; Lone Mountain Nevada; and Tacoma Washington. 

Additionally, President Nelson noted that, in view of the growing Church, large metropolitan areas of the world will need multiple temples to serve the members and save them from unnecessary hardship for temple worship. Since the above total was only 14, four new temples were also announced to serve the greater Mexico City area: Cuernavaca, Pachuca, Toluca, and Tula Mexico.

Of those 18, I had the exact location correct for 8 (Santiago Philippines, Chiclayo Peru, Buenos Aires #2 (no surprise it will be built in the center of the city), Ribeirao Preto Brazil, Huehuetenango Guatemala, Jacksonville Florida, Grand Rapids Michigan, Tacoma Washington) and the right general location but the wrong specific one for the temples in Nigeria, Texas, and Nevada. For Brazil and the Philippines, I had one of the two locations correct and the other incorrect.  

Since I also had no way to predict multiple temples in major metropolitan areas, it goes without saying that I didn't see the 4 Mexico City area temples coming all at once. The Lord has once again proven, as He always does, that His ways ad thoughts are higher than my ways and thoughts (I know that will come as a great shock to so many of you). The total number of temples has now risen to 300 in any phase, and hopefully, the temple-related announcements will continue to finish out the year and for the foreseeable future.

For my part, I am monitoring all such developments and will bring word of those to you all here as I become aware thereof. In the meantime, that does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered 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 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.

UPDATE: October 2022 General Conference Predictions (Final Version)

Hello again, everyone! Now that the October 2022 General Conference is only 24 hours away, and with the deadline for comments on my predictions for this weekend having lapsed 12 hours ago, I am pleased to present the final version of those predictions. As a refresher, the initial version of those predictions was published here in mid-May, with an updated version following in early August. Then at the beginning of this month, the confirmation of official parameters for the conference led to further adjustments.

So what I would like to present as the final version of these predictions is the revised projected lineup for the speakers this weekend, the list of anticipated changes in general Church leadership, and my master list of all possible locations in which a temple is likely to be announced this weekend. It's also worth noting that I have prepared a list of 18 more specific locations, which seem particularly likely to be announced this weekend, and those are featured at the bottom of a different document tracking an area-by-area history of temples announced by President Nelson in each General Conference.

Just by way of clarification, anyone seeing these predictions that takes them as gospel will be sadly disappointed. My best analysis and reasoning always and forever pale in comparison to the inspiration of the Lord through His prophet, President Nelson. I am just as likely to be wrong about any or all of these projections as I am to be right. But I am grateful for the opportunity I take every six months to provide my best projections regarding what could happen.

As we move into this General Conference weekend, I have no doubt there will be new temples announced but don't have any solid idea regarding anything else that could occur. Whatever might happen, I will be sure to pass my analysis thereof along here as I can put that together. I am also pleased to announce that I will be providing my traditional end-of-third-quarter report on temple progress here before midnight tonight.

I continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments and remain committed to bringing word of those reports to you all here as I find out about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered 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 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.

Prophet & Church President Russell M. Nelson Becomes the First Apostle to Observe His 98th Birthday

Hello again, everyone! I am back once again, this time to share a post in tribute to our beloved prophet, Church President Russell M. Nelson, who officially marks his 98th birthday today, thus becoming the first apostle and prophet of this dispensation to reach that age milestone. So let's talk about this wonderful man whom we sustain as the prophet, seer and revelator for the Church, and the only man currently authorized to speak in behalf of the Lord. Russell Marion Nelson was born in Salt Lake City Utah to Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson on this day in 1924 (just a day before the birth of Boyd K. Packer, his future immediate predecessor to the Presidency of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) .

Though he grew up in a loving family, his parents were not active in the Church. As a teenager, he went looking for books about the Church at Deseret Book. His parents allowed him and his siblings to be baptized when he was 16. President Nelson married his first wife, Dantzel, in the Salt Lake Temple. They have nine daughters and one son. When his wife unexpectedly died in 2005, he described having "inconsolable grief" for a time. He married Wendy Watson, a BYU professor, the following April.

He studied at LDS Business College and went on to obtain his BA and MD at the University of Utah. He simultaneously trained as a surgeon and did doctoral studies at the University of Utah. He was part of the research team that developed the heart-lung machine that was first used for an open-heart operation on a human being in 1951. He spent two years on medical duty for the US Army during the Korean War, then underwent another training period in Boston at the prestigious Harvard Medical School's Massachusetts General Hospital.

At one key point in his medical career, the University of Chicago was anxious to get him to come and teach at their school of medicine, so the president of that university asked Dallin H., Oaks, then a professor at the law school, to try and persuade him to come. Then-Brother Oaks did his best to convince then-Brother Nelson to accept the offer. But Church President David O. McKay advised Brother Nelson not to go, so he turned down that opportunity.

In 1955, he accepted a teaching opportunity at the University of Utah School of Medicine, where he built his own heart-and-lung machine. Around a year later, he was on duty to perform the first pediatric cardiac operation. In 1960, he performed the first successful operative repair of a tricuspid heart valve. Being worried that a surgical procedure he had been asked to perform was too risky for anyone, he requested and received a blessing from then-Elder Spencer W. Kimball, who was one of his patients.

That surgery was a success, and he later used the same technique to operate on Elder Kimball himself, a risky procedure, which only moved forward following a pointed directive from President Harold B. Lee, who at that time was serving as First Counselor in the First Presidency. While performing that operation, Brother Nelson had the overwhelming feeling that President Kimball would one day be President of the Church.

As a result of that operation's success, Church members were blessed to enjoy the counsel and ministry of President Kimball for almost another decade and a half. The doctor-patient relationship he experienced with President Kimball enabled Brother Nelson to write a letter of assurance about President Kimball's health when the latter was called as Church President.

He has served in many positions on different hospital boards and has received several awards for his pioneering work. He likewise had many service opportunities in the Church. He served as a stake president for over six years, during which time he served alongside another future apostle, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin.

In mid-1970, Ernest L. Wilkinson, then president of BYU, submitted his resignation, which went into effect early the following year. As Neal A. Maxwell, Commissioner of Church Education, searched for a replacement, Brother Nelson was one of the candidates considered for the position, which was in due course filled by Brother Nelson's future apostolic seatmate, Dallin H. Oaks.

In the meantime, Brother Nelson was called in June of 1971 as the Sunday School General President (during which time, Brother Wirthlin would again serve alongside him.) Brother Nelson would go on to also serve in the now-defunct calling of regional representative, during which time, having been present when President Kimball suggested that some of them should learn Mandarin Chinese, took on that task in obedience to the prophet's counsel.

In April 1984, with the advice and consent of President Spencer W. Kimball, President Gordon B. Hinckley, then Second Counselor in the First Presidency, called Brother Nelson to fill one of two vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Then-Brother Oaks was called to fill the other vacancy, and the two have sat side-by-side in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since that time.

In the natural course of life between then-Elder Nelson's apostolic call (announced on April 7, 1984) and early July 2015, the Church had lost 4 Chrch Presidents and all of the apostles senior to then-Church President Thomas S. Monson, in addition to all apostles junior to President Monson but senior to Elder Nelson. The last of those was President Boyd K. Packer, whose passing on July 3, 2015 led to Elder Nelson becoming the de facto President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was officially set apart in that capacity 12 days later, on Wednesday July 15, 2015, by Church President Thomas S. Monson, who had by that time begun to decrease his involvement in the day-to-day administration of the Church.

When the Church released an official statement in mid-May 2017, which noted that President Monson would no longer be taking an active role in leading the Church, as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Nelson filled a vital role in assisting President Monson's counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and then-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, in taking care of the day-to-day administration of the Church.

When President Monson passed away on January 2. 2018, President Nelson directed the affairs of the Church as the senior apostle (and the de facto Acting President of the Church) for 12 days before his ordination and setting apart as Church President.

Following his ordination, he met individually with each of the other 12 apostles to get their input on who should serve as his counselors and who should be called to fill the resulting 2 vacancies in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Once that process was complete, he selected as his counselors his seatmate, Elder Oaks, and Elder Eyring, who had served as a counselor to both Presidents Monson and Gordon B. Hinckley, as his First and Second Counselors, respectively, in the First Presidency. As a result of that reorganization, Elder Uchtdorf again took his place in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. During the broadcast and subsequent press conference when the new First Presidency was introduced to the world on Tuesday January 16, President Nelson paid tribute to his predecessor's counselors and mentioned that both were willing to now serve where they were most needed. The responsibilities assigned to Elder Uchtdorf were those previously held by the senior three apostles of the Church, Presidents Nelson and Oaks, and the new Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, M. Russell Ballard.

Even prior to serving as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, or subsequently as President of the Church, President Nelson took great care of his fellow Brethren in the apostleship.

Many of you will recall how, in the midst of an address about charity, the pure love of Christ, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin began shaking uncontrollably, In a silent demonstration of what his colleague was teaching, Elder Nelson stood by and supported Elder Wirthlin until he closed his address, then gently helped him back to his seat. Not long after Elder Richard G. Scott underwent a needed surgical procedure, he was surprised to learn that President Nelson had stood inside the operating room observing the procedure in its entirety.

And, of course, as recounted during the funeral of Elder Robert D. Hales, following the Sunday Morning Session of the October 2017 General Conference, President Nelson felt impressed skip his lunch break and go immediately to the hospital to visit Elder Robert D. Hales, who passed away within a few minutes after President Nelson arrived.

President Nelson has demonstrated a keen intellect, a willingness to seek for and follow revelation from the Lord, and an undeviating loyalty and full commitment to his family, his Church, and his apostolic colleagues. We have seen him respond swiftly to such revelation, and perhaps the greatest details of the revelation he continues to receive regularly are yet-to-be revealed in the upcoming General Conference.

I have always been impressed and touched by President Nelson's remarks. He has given 105 addresses thus far in General Conference, including 65 following his call to the apostleship, 5 given while he served as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and 35 so far which he has given since becoming President of the Church. By all accounts, he continues to think, move, and act with the health, vigor, and energy of one 20-30 years younger than his current 98 years. Something Sister Nelson has repeated in public comments lately is that she is highly suspicious of his birth certificate, because he is anything but a typical 98-year-old.

I am grateful for the chance to have paid this birthday tribute to President Nelson. He and all of the other apostles have my unequivocal and everlasting support and sustaining vote. I know for myself that President Russell M. Nelson is a prophet of God, that he will not lead us astray, that he speaks for and on the behalf of he Lord and that we will be blessed by the Lord as we follow the counsel given by His chosen mouthpiece.

That does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered 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 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.

UPDATED: Current Apostolic Data

Hello again, everyone! It has been a tradition on this blog for me to provide updates on apostolic data every 7 weeks. Having last done so on July 17, it is time to publish the newest such data. As with every two-part update, the first part contains updated data about the age and tenure length records for all 17 Church Presidents. The first part also includes updated information on the tenure length records for each of the 28 Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The first document also shows information on the three sets of apostolic groups: the longest-serving First Presidencies (which will not be updated with the First Presidency as presently constituted until 2024), in addition to the longest-serving groups of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and groups of all ordained apostles (the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).

The latest version of that document also shows when the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as currently comprised will move up on the list of the longest-serving Quorums of the Twelve Apostles, in addition to specifics on when the current members of that Quorum, along with the current First Presidency, will reach the next milestones on that list.

Meanwhile, the second part of today's update shows the long-form and decimal ages for the members of the current First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the apostolic groups overall, in addition to the average ages of each group and apostolic nonagenarians (with 3 of the current 15 apostles being on that list, and the timing noted for when each of the other 12 apostles will join that list).

Hopefully this shared data will be of interest to you all, and again, I offer an open invitation to anyone who has any questions about those documents to ask them here. I will, of course, continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments, and will do my level best to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of all such reports. 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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: First Presidency Announces Parameters for the October 2022 General Conference

Hello again, everyone! On this Friday, I am pleased to share some breaking news from the First Presidency: in a letter to be read in all Sacrament Meetings this Sunday, the parameters have been set for the October 2022 General Conference (in order to access the contents, you'll need to sign into the Church website with your Church account). The letter indicates that the conference will consist of five general sessions for all members, including one on Saturday evening. 

The details provided in the letter were later confirmed in a report from the Church News while this post was being put together here. With that announcement in mind, it appears as though my interpretation of both last July's announcement about the Saturday evening session and the introductory First Presidency message given by President Oaks at the beginning of last April's Womens' Session is correct: the focus and audience for the Saturday evening sessions will be determined by revelation on a conference-by-conference basis. 

Some people reportedly complained that the Church abandoned the specially-focused sessions (Priesthood in April and Women's in October) only to reinstate that with the Women's Session last April. But as President Oaks announced in April, the focus and audience will be determined on a conference-by-conference basis. Parenthetically, it's a valid point to me that the April 2022 General Conference featured a Women's Session since that was the closest conference held to the late March 180th anniversary of the establishment of the Relief Society organization. 

And the establishment of that organization eventually led to the creation of the Relief Society, Primary, and youth programs as we know them today. I could see the Church doing something similarly special in April 2029, to mark the 200th anniversary of the restoration of the Priesthood, and in April 2030, to mark the Church's bicentennial, particularly since, if current traditions hold, the Saturday of that conference will coincide with the exact bicentennial day.

So that leads me to my next point: with the general session for all members, who might speak? As reflected in my General Conference predictions, I would anticipate at least 1 or 2 General Officers, 1 member from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and one member of the First Presidency. The only questions in my mind are whether that would be President Nelson (since President Eyring spoke then last October and President Oaks did so in April) or whether the counselors will continue to alternate, and how many other speakers there might be.

In terms of the second question, the number of speakers in that Saturday evening session has varied in recent General Conferences of the Church. In April 2020, there were 7, with 6 each the following October and April, 8 in October 2021, and 5 in April of this year. If Presidents Oaks or Eyring speaks during that session, it's possible they could also give a short introductory address specific to that session.  

If President Nelson speaks, we could either see a shorter or normal-length talk from the prophet, which may affect how many other talks he gives and their respective lengths. As far as how many other speakers the session will feature, that's anyone's guess. The announcement also notes that the Saturday evening session will be 90 minutes, as opposed to the other sessions, which will be 120, and that could also impact the speaker lineup.

Nothing would surprise me at this point. The announcement also notes that, due to ongoing renovations of the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square, in-person attendance at the Conference Center will be limited. Last April, the cap was 10,000 (with the Conference Center half-full as a result). There could be that same number or slightly lowered as a result. In any case, my unexpected discovery of the letter answered a lot of questions on my end.

I was grateful to have found that, and hope this post has been illuminating for you all. I continue to monitor all other Church news updates and temple construction developments and will be sure to bring word of those to you all as they cross my radar. In the meantime, that does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. 

If you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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 TEMPLE NEWS: Text of the Washington D.C. Temple's Second Dedicatory Prayer Published Official Name Confrimed for Rexburg North Idaho Temple; Name Clarified for the Newest Temple in the United Kingdom

Hello again, everyone! I have three major temple announcements to cover in this post. First, as I mentioned in the comment threads of my previous post, I have been anticipating that the text of the second dedicatory prayer written by President Nelson and offered by him in the first session and each of his counselors in the final two sessions of yesterday's rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple has been published. 

In all honesty, although I expected that to happen this week, I was surprised to see it already released today. As I've previously noted, as a general rule, the links I provide for any content I share are usually for any of you to pick and choose which ones you'd actually like to read based on your personal interests, but from time to time, an article crosses my radar that I recommend to all of my readers. This is another such article.

However, that report is a secondary reason for this latest post. The primary reason is that a new announcement from the First Presidency has provided the first major temple update since yesterday's rededication. And contrary to what I had supposed, the update did not relate to any new temple groundbreakings, or opening or reopening arrangements for temples nearing completion. 

Instead, there has been an official confirmation of the name of the Rexburg North Idaho Temple, and a clarification of the name of the newest temple in the United Kingdom. As reflected on the official temple list, the new name of the second temple in Rexburg Idaho, set to be built in the northern part of that city, will be the Teton River Idaho Temple.

As previously mentioned, the current status of that temple and a similar status for the temple in Montpelier Idaho means those two top the list of the temples most likely to have a groundbreaking announced soon. That being said, for the Teton River Idaho Temple, we are also awaiting confirmation of the official site. Even so, I'm glad we at least have confirmation of the name now.

Now, regarding the newest temple in the United Kingdom, when President Nelson announced it in April, he referred to it as the Birmingham United Kingdom Temple. However, as we know, the other two temples in England use the name of England rather than the UK moniker. Either is technically correct. But conventionally, the other two temples use England. 

So the official name there is the Birmingham England Temple. While I'm glad that has been officially confirmed, we do not have a site confirmation on that temple yet. And thus we see that temple-by-temple, the Church is confirming official names for temples that only had generic or directional ones up to this point. I am pleased to have been able to provide this update.

I continue to monitor all such developments and will be sure to pass them along as I learn of 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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.

Hello again, everyone! I have three major temple announcements to cover in this post. First, as I mentioned in the comment threads of my previous post, I have been anticipating that the text of the second dedicatory prayer written by President Nelson and offered by him in the first session and each of his counselors in the final two sessions of yesterday's rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple has been published. 

In all honesty, although I expected that to happen this week, I was surprised to see it already released today. As I've previously noted, as a general rule, the links I provide for any content I share are usually for any of you to pick and choose which ones you'd actually like to read based on your personal interests, but from time to time, an article crosses my radar that I recommend to all of my readers. This is another such article.

However, that report is a secondary reason for this latest post. The primary reason is that a new announcement from the First Presidency has provided the first major temple update since yesterday's rededication. And contrary to what I had supposed, the update did not relate to any new temple groundbreakings, or opening or reopening arrangements for temples nearing completion. 

Instead, there has been an official confirmation of the name of the Rexburg North Idaho Temple, and a clarification of the name of the newest temple in the United Kingdom. As reflected on the official temple list, the new name of the second temple in Rexburg Idaho, set to be built in the northern part of that city, will be the Teton River Idaho Temple.

As previously mentioned, the current status of that temple and a similar status for the temple in Montpelier Idaho means those two top the list of the temples most likely to have a groundbreaking announced soon. That being said, for the Teton River Idaho Temple, we are also awaiting confirmation of the official site. Even so, I'm glad we at least have confirmation of the name now.

Now, regarding the newest temple in the United Kingdom, when President Nelson announced it in April, he referred to it as the Birmingham United Kingdom Temple. However, as we know, the other two temples in England use the name of England rather than the UK moniker. Either is technically correct. But conventionally, the other two temples use England. 

So the official name there is the Birmingham England Temple. While I'm glad that has been officially confirmed, we do not have a site confirmation on that temple yet. And thus we see that temple-by-temple, the Church is confirming official names for temples that only had generic or directional ones up to this point. I am pleased to have been able to provide this update.

I continue to monitor all such developments and will be sure to pass them along as I learn of 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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 Dallin H. Oaks Becomes the Third Current Apostolic Nonagenarian

Hello again, everyone! With today being August 12, it's time to pay tribute to the third (and last) apostle who has his birthday this month. With the observation of his birthday today,  President Dallin H. Oaks becomes the third current apostolic nonagenarian. Let's take a look at key highlights from his life. Dallin Harris Oaks was born on this day in 1932 to Dr. Lloyd E. and Stella Harris Oaks in Provo, Utah. Included in his mother's ancestry is Martin Harris, who, as we know, was one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon. 

President Oaks' first name was given in honor of the last name of an artist with whom his mother had worked (as the model) for a statue in Springville Utah. His father was an ophthalmologist, and he died when young Dallin was age 7 from complications of tuberculosis. Being the oldest child of his family, the death of his father gave young Dallin some unique opportunities to help his mother and to be an example to his younger siblings, which was one thing of which he has frequently spoken.

After his father died, his mother was able to earn a graduate degree at Columbia University and support her family by working to provide adult education opportunities for those who needed it. She also went to be the first woman elected to Provo's City Council, and she also served for a time as assistant mayor. In the meantime, young Dallin attended Brigham Young High School, where he played football and became a certified radio engineer.

Once he started attending BYU, he took many opportunities to be the radio announcer at high school games. At one of those games, he was introduced to June Dixon, whom he would later date and subsequently marry. He was unable to serve as a full-time missionary because he was a member of the National Guard, and there was a possibility he could have been called up to serve during the Korean War. Dallin and June were married in 1952, and he graduated from BYU two years later with a degree in accounting. 

He went on to study law at the University of Chicago, graduating with his degree 3 years later. He spent the early part of his professional career clerking for Chief Justice Earl Warren of the US Supreme Court. After that, he practiced law at Kirkland and Ellis. He left that job in 1961 to become a professor at Chicago Law, While in that capacity, he served as interim dean. During that same period of time, the University of Chicago was desperate to get Dr. Russell M. Nelson, a renowned heart surgeon, on their staff, and Professor Oaks was asked to represent the university in trying to convince Dr. Nelson to accept the offer. 

Although those efforts proved unsuccessful, that encounter resulted in lifelong friendships for the Nelsons and the Oaks. He also served on the foundational board of a Mormon thought periodical. He was also chairman of the university's disciplinary committee. He took a leave of absence from the University while serving as legal counsel to the Bill of Rights Committee of the Illinois Constitutional Convention. He left the law school for good in 1971 when he was appointed the new president of BYU (for which many candidates, including Brother Nelson, were considered), a position he held for nine years. 

He then went on to serve for five years as chairman of the board of directors for PBS, and eight years as chairman of the board of directors of the Polynesian Cultural Center. In 1980, he was appointed a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, an office he held for the next four years. He was rumored to have been considered by two US Presidents (Gerald Ford and later Ronald Regan) for a nomination to the US Supreme Court. He had made plans with his wife, June, to serve a mission after he had served on the Utah Supreme Court for a decade.

However, a surprise change in direction for him came in 1984. He was at a law conference fulfilling several judicial obligations when President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor to the ailing Church President, Spencer W. Kimball, tracked him down via phone call. The purpose of the call was to notify him that he'd been selected to become an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. 

At the time, there were two vacancies in the Quorum due to the deaths of Elders LeGrand Richards on January 11, 1983, and Mark E. Petersen exactly one year to the day later. Due to the ill health of President Spencer W. Kimball, neither vacancy had been filled prior to the April 1984 General Conference. Elder Oaks became the junior apostle to Elder Russell M. Nelson, though the two were sustained in the same General Conference. Although both were called at the same time, Elder Oaks was unable to be present at the General Conference at which the two were sustained.

President Hinckley, in leading that sustaining, offered the following explanation: "With reference to Dallin Oaks, I should like to say that while we nominate and sustain him today, he will not be ordained to the apostleship, nor will he be set apart as a member of the Council of the Twelve, nor will he begin his apostolic service, until after he completes his present judicial commitments, which may require several weeks. He is absent from the city, and necessarily absent from the conference. We excuse him."

Elder Oaks was ordained an apostle just short of four weeks after being sustained, having been sustained on April 7 and being subsequently ordained to the apostleship on May 3. He had his first opportunity to respond to his apostolic call six months later, speaking on the importance of witnesses, within the context of his new assignment to be a special witness of Jesus Christ. He has now been an apostle for over 38 years, during which time he has filled a wide variety of assignments, and has had many opportunities to meet with and speak to Church members in various parts of the world. In addition to losing his father early on in his life, Elder Oaks also experienced the death of his wife June, who passed away in 1998.

Just over two years later, Elder Oaks married Kristen M. McMain, who has been by his side ever since. In 2002, he and Elder Holland were asked to be the first apostles in around 100 years to live on-location in two of the Church's geographical areas, with then-Elder Oaks being based in the Philippines, and Elder Holland being assigned to preside in Chile. With the death of President Thomas S. Monson in January 2018, Elder Oaks became the second most-senior apostle.;

President Nelson, in becoming the new Church president, felt impressed to call his apostolic seat-mate, Elder Oaks, to serve as First Counselor in the First Presidency. He was set apart in both that capacity and as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on January 14, 2018. President Oaks has given a total of 91 addresses in General Conference, the first of which was given during his service as BYU-Provo President. Interestingly enough, that address from the early 1970s is somehow not listed in the Church's repository webpage of his General Conference addresses). He gave 68 additional addresses in General Conference as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the remaining 22 (so far) as a member of the First Presidency. He currently ranks as both the second most senior member and the second oldest member of the First Presidency, while he is the second in overall apostolic seniority, and the third oldest apostle who is currently serving.

As previously mentioned, he has now become the third current apostolic nonagenarian, and I am honored to have been able to pay tribute to him as he observes this milestone. I testify that his apostolic call, along with the calls of all other apostles, have indeed been divinely directed and inspired, as has how and when they have each moved up in the ranks thereof.

That does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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: President Nelson Officially Becomes the Oldest Living Apostle in This Dispensation

Hello again, everyone! I do have a breaking news development to get to this morning. From his death on the last day of July 2004 until today, Elder David B. Haight has distinguished himself as the oldest living apostle. Effective today, the age of our current prophet, Church President Russell M. Nelson, has officially surpassed that of Elder Haight, who died at the exact age of 97 years, 10 months, and 29 days. With President Nelson officially reaching the age of 97 years, 10 months, and 30 days today, that is the official new record for the oldest living apostle, which will continue to be broken as long as he lives.

By all reports, our prophet continues to be healthy, and every Church leader has reported having trouble keeping up with him. I have also not heard anything currently to contradict previous reports I've mentioned that his public appearances, vigor, and energy match or exceed that of someone 20-30 years younger than he is. So I have no doubts whatsoever that he will continue to set a new record for the oldest living apostle every day for the foreseeable future.

If I hear anything to contradict that impression, I will be sure to post a correction ASAP. I continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware thereof. 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. 

Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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.

UPDATE: October 2022 General Conference Predictions (Second Edition)

Hello again, everyone! In the last several weeks, I have put more thought into my predictions for the upcoming October 2022 General Conference. There are many things we don't currently know about that conference right now. For example, we still have no idea what the focus of the Saturday Evening Session will be. We have also not yet seen notification of any changes being made to area seventies effective August 1. 

So that makes things slightly more difficult to predict. However, I have taken a look back at what we saw in October of last year, and tried to model my predictions for this October after that. The process of the resulting revisions is far enough along that I am ready to formally present them for review here. So I am pleased to provide a revised speaker lineup, an adjusted list of changes to general Church leadership, and an expanded list of potential locations in which a temple could be announced. 

If I may provide it, some brief context on each might be helpful. First of all, I realized that the original speaking order I laid out did not account for one of the GA Seventies who had not spoken recently, while it had included that GA Seventy's counterparts who had last spoken at the same conference, so I added him in and adjusted accordingly. I had also failed to account for GA Seventies who will be released during that conference and have not spoken recently in General Conference. 

I had similarly forgotten that the Church has rotated speaking opportunities between members of the Sunday School and Young Men General Presidencies on an alternating basis, but that I had representatives from both in the lineup. And I also realized I hadn't allowed for an increased number of speakers from the female General Officers. So the revised speaker lineup fixes all of those issues.

As I mentioned above, the Church has not yet released a list of changes in area seventies that will go into effect this month. So either that list will be released tomorrow or there will not be any changes in area seventies this time around. And based on a deeper analysis of Nelsonian temple announcements thus far, I realized I needed to expand my list of potential temple candidates. I think I've been pretty thorough with all of that.

I think that's all the explanation the revisions require at this point. Once any details on the Saturday Evening Session are announced, further updates may be necessary. As a reminder, an open commenting period on these predictions remains in effect until 10:00 PM on Thursday, September 29, so that there will be sufficient time for me to make any necessary revisions before General Conference officially gets underway.

I look forward to a robust discussion. 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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 TEMPLE NEWS: Church President Russell M. Nelson Will Rededicate the Washington D.C. Temple on August 14; Other Participating General Leaders Identified

Hello again, everyone! Within the last 20 minutes, the Church News has shared a breaking update on the rededication plans cfor the Washington D.C. Temple. According to the news article, Church President Russell M. Nelson will preside at the 3 sessions, set to be held at 9:00 AM, 1:30 PM, and 5:00 PM on Sunday August 14. He will be accompanied by both of his counselors, Presidents Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring. 

Other general Church leaders participating to varying degrees in the 3 sessions are Elders Quentin L. Cook and Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder Paul V. Johnson (who may have supervisory oversight for the North America Southeast Area as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy); Sister Amy A. Wright, the new First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, who, while serving as Second Counselor in that presidency for the last year, was a member of the Temple and Family History Executive Council (as Elder Gong is currently); 

Elder Kevin R. Duncan, Executive Director of the Temple Department; and the presidency of the Church's North America Northeast Area (Elders Allen D. Haynie, W. Mark Bassett, and Vaiangina Sikahema). I am grateful the Church News has confirmed these details, including verifying my theory that President Nelson will personally preside at this temple's rededication.

I continue to monitor all other updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples site and will be sure to pass those along to you all as I become aware thereof. 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. 

Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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.

UPDATED: Current Apostolic Data

Hello again, everyone! It has been a tradition on this blog for me to provide updates on apostolic data every 7 weeks. Having last done so on May 29, it is time to publish the newest such data. As with every two-part update, the first part contains updated data about the age and tenure length records for all 17 Church Presidents. The first part also includes updated information on the tenure length records for each of the 28 Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The first document also shows information on the three sets of apostolic groups: the longest-serving First Presidencies (which will not be updated with the First Presidency as presently constituted until 2024), in addition to the longest-serving groups of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and groups of all ordained apostles (the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).

The latest version of that document also shows when the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as currently comprised will move up on the list of the longest-serving Quorums of the Twelve Apostles, in addition to specifics on when the current members of that Quorum, along with the current First Presidency, will reach the next milestones on that list.

Meanwhile, the second part of today's update shows the long-form and decimal ages for the members of the current First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the apostolic groups overall, in addition to the average ages of each group and apostolic nonagenarians (with 2 of the current 15 apostles being on that list, and the timing noted for when each of the other 13 apostles will join that list).

Hopefully this shared data will be of interest to you all, and again, I offer an open invitation to anyone who has any questions about those documents to ask them here. I will, of course, continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments, and will do my level best to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of all such reports. 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 the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 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.

2,200th Blog Post: Tribute to President Henry B. Eyring, Who Observes His 89th Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! On this last day in May, I am grateful for the opportunity I have to pay tribute to President Henry Bennion Eyring, who is celebrating his 89th birthday today. "Hal" as he is known, was born in Princeton New Jersey in 1933, to well-known physicist Henry Eyring and Mildred Bennion. His father's sister, Camilla Eyring, married Spencer W. Kimball, while his father's first cousin was Marion G. Romney. He was generally a very good student. He recounted an experience where his father was helping to explain a scientific concept to him. When Hal still had trouble understanding the material, his father asked him whether or not he wanted to become a scientist. When Hal said he didn't, his father asked him what he thought about when he had nothing else to consider, and told him that he should pursue that subject.

This led young Hal to an eventual career as an educator and academic administrator. His family would later relocate from New Jersey to Salt Lake City, Utah. Although he did not serve a full-time mission, he was an active member of the U. S. Air Force, and was stationed in New Mexico, where he served as a liaison between military officers and scientists, where he was responsible for analyzing data from tests done on nuclear weapons. Prior to his military service, he had earned a degree in physics from the University of Utah. He also studied at Harvard, where he eventually earned both a masters' and doctoral degrees in Business Administration.

While he was highly sought after by business owners who admired his analytical work, he chose to continue to pursue his education. In the meantime, it was not until 1960 (when Hal was 26 or 27 and serving in a district presidency) that he met Kathleen Johnson at a YSA meeting in New Hampshire. She was born in Palo Alto California, and had studied at Stanford before coming to Harvard. She also spent some time studying at the Universities of Vienna and Paris.

Because Hal was serving as a counselor in the district presidency, his district president (Wilbur Cox) adjusted his assignments to accommodate his desire to date Kathleen. Much of their dating relationship was built through long-distance communication or travel, with Kathleen making several cross-country trips prior to their engagement in the early months of 1961.

They continued their courtship for the next year or so, and were married in the Logan Utah Temple on July 27, 1962, by which time Hal was 29 years old. Their marriage was solemnized by his uncle, then-Elder Spencer W. Kimball of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Their family would eventually include six children (four sons and two daughters).

Two of their sons are Henry J. Eyring (who current serves as president of BYU-Idaho and as an area seventy) and Matthew J. Eyring (who is a Chief Strategy Innovation Officer with Vivint, a company specializing in home automation, who served previously as an area seventy as well.). Hal eventually became a professor at Stanford University. He continued his career as an associate professor at the Stanford School of Business for 9 years (between 1972 and 1981), and went on to be a Sloan Visiting Faculty Fellow at MIT, during which time he also took courses in human behavior.

Sometime between late 1970 and early 1971, his wife asked him if he shouldn't be studying with Neal A. Maxwell, who was serving at that time as Commissioner of Church Education. After considering her question and following a lot of reflection, Hal accepted an offer to become president of Ricks College. Although other job offers came his way during his 6-year tenure at the college, he continued to serve until his release in 1977. His previous Church callings included being a bishop, serving as a member of the Sunday School General Board, and as a regional representative.

In 1980, Hal was called to serve as the Commissioner of Church Education, succeeding Jeffrey R. Holland. He would continue to serve in that capacity until 1986. When the Church reorganized the Presiding Bishopric in April 1985, Robert D. Hales was called as the new Presiding Bishop, and he recommended that Hal serve as his First Counselor. After serving in that capacity for 7.5 years, he was called in October 1992 to serve as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

When he began his new assignment, he was called for a second time to serve as the Commissioner of Church Education, an assignment in which he would continue until 2004. While Hal continued that service, Church President Howard W. Hunter passed away. Following the subsequent reorganization of the First Presidency in March 1995, new Church president Gordon B. Hinckley called Elder Eyring to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

12.5 years later, following the death of President James E. Faust, who had served as Second Counselor to President Hinckley, Elder Eyring was invited to join Presidents Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson in the First Presidency. The way that came about is an interesting story. Elder Eyring had taken the phone call from President Hinckley and had heard his invitation to join the First Presidency, but because he had occasionally taken calls on the Church's phone system that were meant for some of his apostolic colleagues, he asked President Hinckley if he was sure he was talking to the right person. "This is Hal Eyring." he said. President Hinckley quickly responded, "I know who this is." Thus it was that the first apostle appointed during President Hinckley's administration was called to serve in the First Presidency for an almost four-month period prior to President Hinckley's passing.

When the First Presidency was reorganized, new Church President Thomas S. Monson called President Eyring to continue serving in the First Presidency, this time as his First Counselor. While in that capacity, President Eyring dedicated 8 temples (San Salvador El Salvador, Gilbert Arizona, Payson Utah, Indianapolis Indiana, Philadelphia Pennsylvania (for which he had also presided at the groundbreaking), Hartford Connecticut, Paris France, and Cedar City Utah). The dedication of the Gilbert Arizona Temple was an interesting anomaly. Although President Monson presided at all three sessions, he requested that President Eyring read the prayer during the first session, so that was one recent example of how the dedication duties were shared by two apostles.

President Eyring also rededicated seven temples (Ogden Utah, Buenos Aires Argentina Mexico City Mexico, Montreal Quebec, Suva Fiji, Idaho Falls Idaho, and Jordan River Utah Temple). The Ogden Utah Temple rededication is another interesting case. President Eyring conducted all three sessions and presided at the final two sessions, in which he also offered the dedicatory prayer, with President Monson having presided at and offered the dedicatory prayer in the first session. As we also know, roughly 5 years ago (on May 23, 2017), the Church announced that President Monson would be stepping back from an active role in the day-to-day administration of the Church.

was that the first apostle appointed during President Hinckley's administration was called to serve in the First Presidency for an almost four-month period prior to President Hinckley's passing.

Following the release of that statement, Presidents Eyring and Dieter F. Uchtdorf assumed oversight of all decisions except for those requiring the prophet's direct approval. Following President Monson's passing last year on January 2, the First Presidency was reorganized on January 14, at which time President Eyring was called to continue his service in the First Presidency, and is serving as Second Counselor a second time, working with Church President Russell M. Nelson and his First Counselor, President Dallin H. Oaks. For the last several years, President Eyring's wife has been in ill health, and he has done a remarkable job of balancing his responsibilities in the First Presidency with his role being his wife's caregiver.

Because President Eyring has a familial connection to both Presidents Spencer W. Kimball and Marion G. Romney, who were both involved in the 1981 dedication of the Jordan River Utah Temple, President Nelson asked President Eyring to preside over that temple’s rededication on May 20, 2018. As noted in an earlier post, President Eyring drew heavily on the original dedicatory prayer in composing the dedicatory prayer for that temple. Just about one year later, he was asked to preside over the one-session private rededication for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple, since he also has ancestral connections to that temple. As we also know, in July, he will preside at the rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple, which was also originally dedicated by President Spencer W. Kimball.

Although he is now 89 years old, by all accounts, he continues to be in good health. His lifelong devotion to education and his decades of committed Church service is an inspiration to all. I had the opportunity to attend a stake conference around 16 years ago, over which then-Elder Eyring presided. His message to us at that time focused on unity. It is a message he has since shared repeatedly in several General Conference addresses, a focus that has since been adopted by the current First Presidency, with multiple efforts underway to unify the Church on a global scale and to streamline and standardize policies and procedures.

That message of unity was particularly poignant during the October 2017 General Conference, when he, as First Counselor to the ailing President Monson, served as the de facto presiding authority, since his talks highlighted the important concept that the Lord is at the helm of His work, and that, regardless of the health of His chosen prophet, He continues to move the work forward. To date, President Eyring has given a total of 111 addresses in General Conference.

Of those, 5 were given during his 7 years in the Presiding Bishopric (including his first which, for unknown reasons, is not in the main repository page where his other talks can be found), with 25 others given during his 12.5 years in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the remaining 78 since he was first called to the First Presidency in October 2007. During his apostolic tenure thus far, he has served as a counselor to 3 Church Presidents. Aside from his being the junior and youngest member of the current First Presidency, he is the fifth-most senior apostle and the fourth oldest overall. Among his fellow apostles, President Eyring has been one who has clearly shown when the feeling behind the message he is giving during each General Conference has had a direct impact on him. We are blessed to see how deeply he wants to convey such ideas, thoughts, and feelings to each of us.

I am grateful for the life, ministry, and service of this amazing man, whom I sustain with all my heart, and for the opportunity I have had in this small way to pay tribute to him on this day as he celebrates his 89th birthday. That does if for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. 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.

UPDATED: Current Apostolic Data

Hello again, everyone! It has been a tradition on this blog for me to provide updates on apostolic data every 7 weeks. Having last done so on February 20, it is time to publish the newest such data. As with every two-part update, the first part contains updated data about the age and tenure length records for all 17 Church Presidents. The first part also includes updated information on the tenure length records for each of the 28 Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

The first document also shows information on three sets of apostolic groups: the longest-serving First Presidencies (which will not be updated with the First Presidency as presently constituted until 2024), in addition to the longest-serving groups of members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and groups of all ordained apostles (the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles).

The latest version of that document also shows when the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as currently comprised will move up on the list of the longest-serving Quorums of the Twelve Apostles, in addition to specifics on when the current members of that Quorum, along with the current First Presidency, will reach the next milestones on that list.

Meanwhile, the second part of today's update shows the long-form and decimal ages for the members of the current First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the apostolic groups overall, in addition to the average ages of each group and apostolic nonagenarians (with 2 of the current 15 apostles being on that list, and the timing noted for when each of the other 13 apostles will join that list).

Hopefully this shared data will be of interest to you all, and again, I offer an open invitation to anyone who has any questions about those documents to ask them here. I will, of course, continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments, and will do my level best to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of all such reports. In the meantime, that does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such feedback offered is consistent with 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. 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.

Initial Predictions for the October 2022 General Conference

Hello again, everyone! I am pleased to be able to report to you all now that I have completed the initial draft of my predictions for the October 2022 General Conference. At the outset, I would like to note that there has not yet been any official announcement about the type of session that will be held on Saturday evening. Therefore, for the purposes of these predictions, I am assuming that it will be another Saturday Evening Session for all members and friends of the Church. A First Presidency announcement in the coming months will either confirm, clarify, or correct that supposition.

That being said, here are my predictions for the potential speaker lineup (for which I used patterns of the past to attempt to predict the future). I have also prepared a list of the most likely changes in the general leadership of the Church. The final document I have is the list of locations in which a new temple announcement is most likely. On that document, where I have felt impressed to do so, you'll see that I have added one or more new locations to just about every area of the Church.

This is because the trend of announced temple locations by President Nelson has been harder to anticipate. So in addition to everything else I typically do to prepare the list of locations (searching existing temple districts, weighing in considerations for lengthy or dangerous travel, current known conditions that could impact such announcements, and the unpredictability of the times in which we live), I also took more time to look at any trends in the announced temples under the direction of President Nelson.

The times have changed, so the usual criteria for likely new temples has changed as well. Given the recent Nelsonian trend of temples being announced in more isolated areas, I have particularly opened up my Brazil and Mexico picks. And I needed to make additional considerations for any type of surprising or unexpected scenarios. Anyways, hope that information is helpful to all who view and comment on these predictions. Effective immediately, I am initiating an open commenting period. Since General Conference Saturday is on October 1, that commenting period will run from now until 10:00 PM on Thursday, September 28.

And of course, whenever that First Presidency announcement confirming the details relating to General Conference is made public, I will be adjusting the Saturday Evening Session information if needed. I look forward to your feedback.

In the meantime, that does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such feedback offered is consistent with 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.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.

Hello again, everyone! I am pleased to be able to report to you all now that I have completed the initial draft of my predictions for the October 2022 General Conference. At the outset, I would like to note that there has not yet been any official announcement about the type of session that will be held on Saturday evening. Therefore, for the purposes of these predictions, I am assuming that it will be another Saturday Evening Session for all members and friends of the Church. A First Presidency announcement in the coming months will either confirm, clarify, or correct that supposition.

That being said, here are my predictions for the potential speaker lineup (for which I used patterns of the past to attempt to predict the future). I have also prepared a list of the most likely changes in the general leadership of the Church. The final document I have is the list of locations in which a new temple announcement is most likely. On that document, where I have felt impressed to do so, you'll see that I have added one or more new locations to just about every area of the Church.

This is because the trend of announced temple locations by President Nelson has been harder to anticipate. So in addition to everything else I typically do to prepare the list of locations (searching existing temple districts, weighing in considerations for lengthy or dangerous travel, current known conditions that could impact such announcements, and the unpredictability of the times in which we live), I also took more time to look at any trends in the announced temples under the direction of President Nelson.

The times have changed, so the usual criteria for likely new temples has changed as well. Given the recent Nelsonian trend of temples being announced in more isolated areas, I have particularly opened up my Brazil and Mexico picks. And I needed to make additional considerations for any type of surprising or unexpected scenarios. Anyways, hope that information is helpful to all who view and comment on these predictions. Effective immediately, I am initiating an open commenting period. Since General Conference Saturday is on October 1, that commenting period will run from now until 10:00 PM on Thursday, September 28.

And of course, whenever that First Presidency announcement confirming the details relating to General Conference is made public, I will be adjusting the Saturday Evening Session information if needed. I look forward to your feedback.

In the meantime, that does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such feedback offered is consistent with 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.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.