BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Confirms Area Changes Affecting South America and the Caribbean

Hello again, everyone! This afternoon, the First Presidency confirmed area changes affecting South America and the Caribbean. The South America Northwest Area nation of Venezuela will be part of the Caribbean Area of the Church effective August 1 of this year. This adjustment is intended to bless and strengthen the Church in the Caribbean. 

The number of stakes in the Caribbean will double, and the number of missions and temples in the Caribbean Area will increase. This will leave the South America Northwest and South America South Areas with four nations apiece. I am grateful to have read about this announcement and for the opportunity to share that with you all here. 

I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as they cross my radar. 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.  

BREAKING NEWS: New Leadership Assignments in the Presidency of the Seventy

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency announced this afternoon that Elder Carl B. Cook has officially succeeded Elder Patrick Kearon as Senior President of the Seventy, following Elder Kearon's call last month to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Further, to fill the existing vacancy in the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Marcus B. Nash, a GA Seventy who had been serving as the Exectuvie Director of the Church's Missionary Department, will now serve in that Presidency.

The biographies of these men speak for themselves. While I was a little surprised that the Church appointed an American-born individual rather than an international GA Seventy to fill the vacancy caused by the call of Elder Kearon, as has been the case for years now, the moment I read about these changes, I knew they were in harmony with the Lord's will for the Church at this time. 

I should also note that I don't know who has succeeded Elder Nash as Exectuvie Director of the Church's Missionary Department, but I assume we will find out in the days ahead. I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as they cross my radar. 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. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Europe East Area Renamed Eurasian Area

Hello again, everyone! In a comment yesterday, I had mentioned that the Europe East Area had been renamed the Eurasian Area. A new report on Elder Quentin L. Cook's ministry to Europe officially confirms that. The report also states that he met with Russian leaders. I am hoping that part of that meeting included dialogue about the temple the Church hopes to build in Russia. If so, hopefully we might be able to hear news on that temple sooner rather than later. He also visited locations in the Europe Central and Europe North Areas.

I am glad we finally have confirmation on this change. I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as they cross my radar. 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Church Will Create 36 New Missions in 2024

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency has made a stunning announcement this morning. In order to accommodate an ever-growing missionary force, effective July 1 of next year, 36 new missions will be created. The total number of missions will thus rise to 450, the highest it has ever been in the Church. While I'm sure Matthew Martinich will cover this himself on the Church Growth Blog, and I will defer to him for better analysis of this stunning development, I wanted to break down the details:

Each new mission will be created from an existing mission. Each of the following Church areas will see the addition of the following missions:

Africa Central

Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa South

Democratic Republic of the Congo Kolwezi

Kenya Nairobi East

Africa South

Madagascar Antananarivo North

Africa West

Ghana Accra North

Ghana Takoradi

Nigeria Calabar

Nigeria Port Harcourt North

Sierra Leone Bo

Asia

Cambodia Phnom Penh East

Thailand Bangkok East

Asia North

Japan Sendai

Brazil

Brazil Manaus South

Caribbean

Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North

Europe Central

Germany Hamburg

Europe North

Portugal Porto

México

México Mexicali

México Puebla East

North America Central

Montana Missoula

North America Southeast

Florida Tallahassee

South Carolina Charleston

North America Southwest

Nevada Henderson

Texas Dallas South

Texas El Paso

North America West

California Modesto

Philippines

Philippines Dumaguete

Philippines General Santos

Philippines Tuguegarao

South America Northwest

Bolivia Cochabamba South

Ecuador Quito West

Perú Lima Northeast

South America South

Argentina Tucumán

Chile La Serena

Utah

Utah Salt Lake City East

Utah Saratoga Springs

Utah Spanish Fork

I will just add a note here that the creation of new missions may also point to a major realignment in area boundaries in August of next year, and that I anticipate some of these locations with new missions might soon have temples announced (if temples are not already announced there). The missionary force is increasing in direct response to President Nelson's call for more missionaries, and it is good to see this development.

I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as they cross my radar. 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Church Announces Schedule for 2024 Churchwide Events

Hello again, everyone! The Church has announced the schedule for the 2024 Churchwide Events. Here are the relevant dates:

January 28: Worldwide Event for Youth: “I Am a Disciple of Jesus Christ”

February 4: Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults

February 29–March 2: RootsTech Family History Conference and Family Discovery Session

April 6–7: April 2024 General Conference

May 5: Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults

October 5–6: October 2024 General Conference

October 27: Worldwide Event for Youth

November 3: Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults

December 8: First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional

A few surprises: The Worldwide Devotionals for Young Adults have typically been held in January, May, and August (the beginning of each third of the year). This year, they will be in February, May, and November. Likewise, although the First Presidency's Christmas Devotionals are typically held on the first Sunday in December, next year, it will be on the second Sunday, which may mean that new temples could be dedicated on the first and third Sundays of next year. The schedule otherwise speaks for itself.

Other noteworthy events are scheduled as follows:

January 26: Seminaries and Institutes Annual Broadcast

March 1: Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction

March 9: Friend to Friend for Children

March 31: Easter Sunday

June 18: CES Religious Educators Conference

June 20–23: Seminar for New Mission Leaders

July 19–20: Tabernacle Choir Summer Concert

August 10: Youth Music and Arts Festival

September 14: Friend to Friend for Children

November TBD: Seminaries and Institutes Annual Broadcast

November TBD:  Luz de Las Naciones

November 16: Church Music Festival from Temple Square

December 12–14: Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert at Temple Square

December 25: Christmas Day

Interestingly, there are two Seminaries and Institutes Annual Broadcasts scheduled next year, whereas there has typically been only one. There is also a CES Religious Educator's Conference, which I assume may allow several general Church leaders to provide training and counsel to seminary and institute instructors. 

I'm also fascinated that the Church has scheduled both a Youth Music and Arts Festival and a Church Music Festival, which I assume will be for all Church members. Although it was not specified, I assume that on Easter Sunday and the Sunday before Christmas, it will be Sacrament Meeting only. And I think we could potentially see a couple other Churchwide broadcasts as well. 

Looking ahead to 2024, I also wanted to put out a fun teaser of my own plans ahead for 2024. I have compiled a 2024 schedule showing content I will focus on in the new year. We will have several more apostolic milestones next year, as the current First Presidency will join the list of the longest-serviung First Presidencies and observe several milestones related to their tenure, unless there are forthcoming changes in the First Presidency that would prevent that.

So there will be a lot to look forward to in the next 14 months.  I continue to monitor any and all Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as they cross my radar. 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Provides Directive for Christmas Eve; Next Leg of Multiyear Global Tour Announced for Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Hello again, everyone! With Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday this year, the First Presidency has issued a directive for that Sunday. In a letter released on Monday, the First Presidency has indicated that all meetings except for Sacrament Meeting are canceled for Christmas Eve. In consultation with bishops and branch presidents, stake and district presidents have the option to adjust meeting times to best meet the needs of the members over whom they have stewardship.

I am grateful for the First Presidency's directive on this matter. I look forward to the Christmas season and all that it will bring with it. If that were the only breaking news, it would be reason enough for this new post. But while I was preparing this post to be published, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square announced the next leg of its' multiyear global ministry tour, which will take the Choir to the Philippines for the first time in its' 95-year history.

That tour will span from February 20-29, 2024. Local Filipino artists will join the Choir in the 9-day tour, which may include multiple venues. The Choir's concerts, which will also incorporate local music, will be available to livestream online. The Choir will continue to go to one location per year every year for at least the next 4, and venue information about the Choir's performances will be released later.

So there you have it: two major developments in one post. I continue to monitor all Church News, Newsroom, and temple construction updates and will bring word of those to you all here 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below.  Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Elder Ulisses Soares Marks His 65th Birthday

Hello again, everyone! On this day after the October 2023 General Conference, I am pleased to bring you all a post honoring Elder Ulisses Soares, who is celebrating his 65th birthday today. As I've mentioned previously, Elder Soares has a most unique life story and background, and I am grateful to share some thoughts about him with you all. Ulisses Soares was born on this day in 1958 in São Paulo Brazil to Apparecido Soares and Mercedes Carecho Soares. He has European and Amerindian ancestry. When an aunt joined the Church, that was how the Soares' family first learned of the gospel. His parents, after being taught by the missionaries, were baptized when young Ulisses was five years old.

Regarding his experience with worshipping in the Church during his growing-up years, his small branch would meet in a tiny rental place that was located above a bakery. He served a full-time mission in Rio de Janeiro, Upon his return, he connected with;Rosana Fernandes Morgado, who had served in the same mission at around the same time, but whom he had not met until after they both had returned. The two were married in the Sao Paulo Temple, and together they raised three children

His academic experience involved studying at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, from which, in 1985, he received a bachelor's degree in economics and accounting. He then continued his studies at the;National Institute of Postgraduate Study, where he earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration. He spent his professional career working for several multinational companies (one of which was Pirelli Tire Company) as an accountant and an auditor. Donald L. Clark, who at that time was serving as director of temporal affairs for the Church in Brazil, convinced him to take a job with the Church as a senior auditor.

When Brother Clark was asked to serve as a mission president, Brother Soares took over for him as director of temporal affairs. He went on to fill a special assignment for the Church's Presiding Bishopric. Within the Church, Elder Soares has served as an elder's quorum president, counselor in a bishopric, stake high councilman, and as a regional welfare agent.

When the;São Paulo Brazil Cotia Stake was created in 1995, Elder Soares was called as the first president thereof. 5 years later, he served a three-year term as president of the Porto Portugal Mission. Less than two years after his return (during the April 2005 General Conference), he was called as a General Authority Seventy.

As a General Authority Seventy, he served as First Counselor in the Brazil South Area.from 2005-2007, as First Counselor in the Brazil Area from 2007-2009, and as President of that area from 2009-2011. He served from August 2011-January 2013 as First Counselor in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency, at which point he was called to serve in the Presidency of the Seventy, with responsibility for the North America Southeast Area; Then, in November 2015, Elder Soares was reassigned to oversee the Idaho and North America Central Areas of the Church. He still had oversight of both of those areas in 2018.

On March 31, 2018, Elder Soares was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and he was ordained an apostle on Thursday April 5, 2018. He thus became both the first Latter-day Saint apostle from Brazil and the first one from Latin America. Elder Soares has had many opportunities to grow into his new assignment. In the last 1.5 decades in which has has served as a general authority, he has given a total of 17 General Conference addresses, with the first 2 given as a General Authority Seventy, 3 more as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and the remaining 9 given since his call to the apostleship, which includes his address given this General Conference weekend.

I know that the Lord inspired the calls of Elders Gong and Soares. I gratefully and wholeheartedly sustain all 15 “special witnesses of Christ” in their divinely-inspired and doctrinally-supported roles prophets, seers, and revelators in their roles and responsibilities as special witnesses of Christ, and am grateful to have been able to provide this birthday tribute to him today. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring you all word of the major developments as I learn thereof, particularly those that will occur during this weekend of the October 2022 General Coferece.

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 NEWS: Church Confirms Details of Consolidated Hymnbook/Children's Songbook

Hello again, everyone! On September 7, I reported an update on the Church's plans for a consolidated hymnbook/children's songbook, based on a Newsroom report which was subsequently removed. That report has been published again, with corroboration provided by the Church News. So I assume the Septtemer news release was just prematurely released before it was supposed to be.

Because I provided rather extensive analysis on the release in my September post, the only thing I will add to that today is that it's good to have this finally confirmed. Stay tuned for further coverage of General Conference weekend as those reports and updates are shared. 

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

Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Consolidated Collection of Hymns and Children's Songs Will Begin Rollout in the Next Nine Months

Hello again, everyone! A breaking news update was just provided on the new music collection the Church is creating. The Hymnbook and Children's Songbook will now be a single volume, with the hope being that Primary children will sing more hymns and that congregations will sing more children's songs in their meetings. The consolidated collection will begin rollout in the first half of next year (being made available online). 

Per the article, "By the end of 2026, the hymnbook is expected to be available digitally and in print in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. By 2030, the Church plans to have it published in 50 languages. Other languages will receive a collection of around 60 hymns and children’s songs called “Selected Hymns.” 

This process starts in May 2024, when an early release of new hymns and children’s songs will begin to roll out online in English and other languages. They include such favorites as "Faith in Every Footstep", which were composed after the last edition of the hymnbooks and children's songbooks were released.

Elder Dale G. Renlund, Primary General President Sister Susan H. Porter, and Elder Isaac K. Morrison, a General Authority Seventy, were quoted in the article expressing their excitement for the new music collection. The news release provides other information, including how the new music is anticipated to be implemented in Sunday and at-home worship prior to the release of the full new volumes.

I am grateful to have learned of this update and to have been able to pass it along to you all here. I continue to monitor all other Church News, Newsroom, and temple construction updates and will bring word of those to you all here as I receive 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Issues Directive for Easter Sunday 2023

Hello again, everyone!  A short time ago, the Church News reported a directive for Easter Sunday meetings. As we already know, Palm Sunday will coincide with the April 2023 General Conference weekend, so Easter will be observed the following Sunday, April 9. Today's directive indicates that, except for a  Sacrament Meeting in which music and talks will focus on the Savior, all other meetings are canceled to allow Church members worldwide to focus on that day.

This means that there will be no second-hour meetings, and any other ward or stake leadership meetings or interviews that might have taken place on that day are canceled for April 9. As soon as I read this update, I again experienced the instant confirmation that the decision was inspired. With all of you, I look forward to a greater focus on the Savior in my own life on that day. That may or may not include an Easter-themed post from me here. If it does, I will preset it to publish on Easter Sunday proper. 

I also continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple construction developments 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. 

I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

2022 Year-End Review of Developments Covered On This Blog

 Hello again, everyone! Although the Newsroom and the Church News have already provided multiple reports to cap off the year, and although more of those have come through today, I would be remiss as we close out the year if I did not look back myself at the major highlights covered on this blog this year. Either this year or last year, someone in the comments of this blog said that the content I provide was comparable to "the Church News on steroids". While I don't know if that's an accurate assessment of my work, there has been a lot going on this year. Let's take a look back at key highlights from 2022.

Temple updates, as noted in my last post, were outstanding and significant. Numerous reports covered the day-to-day ministry of our apostles and General Officers of the Church, including birthday tributes to the apostles and female general officers. Breaking news often came down the pike, not all of which was related to temple construction. I hit the outstanding milestone of 2,200 posts earlier this year. And of course, there were the unique projects and milestones of which I took note.

So many of the major announcements were developments I wasn't necessarily anticipating. But with the Church finding ways to hasten temple construction, and with the ongoing ministry of general leaders, updates were never in short supply. And I continued my personal tradition of praying in advance of every maojr announcement. As those developments were reported, I felt they were exactl;y what the Church needed for this period of time.

In the midst of global disasters, the Church stepped up in big ways to help in any way possible. Numerous Church leaders met with dignitaries and major representatives of governments around the world. The Church expanded its' golobal reach, and missionaries continued to find innovative ways to expand their reach as well. If there is one hting I hope my readers take away from coverage of these developments here in 2022, I hope it is that the Lord is very much at the helm of His work, that prophets and apostles continue to provide inspired direction, and that all is well in the Lord's kingdom here on Earth because of that.

And so, as I close out this look back, I also want to look ahead to the future. As I mentioned in my last post, I will not be shocked if 2023 is another big year for temple developments. The Church is on track to dedicate 20-30 temples in 2023 alone, and around the same number of groundbreakings appear to be anticiapted. I also expect the Church will announce a minimum of 35 temples again this year.

As far as content unique to this blog, I have complied a list of anticipated projects for the upcoming year. And the day-to-day updates from the Church News, the Newsroom, the Church Temples site, and the Church Growth Blog will also be shared here as time and circumsstances allow. 2022 has also been a big year for feedback from all of you, my readers, in the way of corrections, clarifications, or additional observations.

I could not do what I do here to the extent that I do it were it not for the extensive intinerest and support provided by those of you who follow along here, who often share feedback and thoughts, and who continue to encourage me in those ongoing updates. So as we look back at 2022 and ahead to 2023, "thank you" seems woefully inadequate, but it will have to do.

For my part, I continue to monitor all Church news and temple construction updates and will be sure to pawss word of the latest developments to you all here as time and circumstancs allow going forward. 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. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. 

Please subscribe if you liked what you read here and would like to be informed of newly-added posts and comments. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Church Releases New Recommendations for YSA Wards and Stakes

Hello again, everyone! A short time ago, the Church News shared an article outlining revised recommendations for young single adult congregations. Those changes were announced by an official notice from the Priesthood and Family Department. These changes are being made in response to counsel given by Church President Russell M. Nelson to Young Single Adults in a Worldwide Devotional held last May 

So what are these changes? While married Brethren will continue to serve as bishops and stake presidents of YSA wards and stakes, all other adult married couples supporting YSA wards and stakes should be honorably released ASAP. Stake presidents and bishops will call YSA men to serve as their counselors, and the high council of each YSA stake should be made up of YSA members. That also extends to the stake officers serving in the Relief Society and Sunday School presidencies.

The Church is also requesting that, in non-YSA stakes, YSA committees should be formed, with a YSA man and woman called as co-chairs of that committee. If there are insufficient YSA numbers in non-YSA stakes, neighboring stakes may join to form that council. Stake leaders are encouraged to use stake budgets to create "gathering places" for YSAs.

In his address in May, President Nelson made it clear that the Lord trusts the Young Single Adults of the Church, and these adjustments reflect that. I am pleased to have been able to share this update with you all. I continue to monitor all temple updates and Church news reports and will be sure to bring word of those to you as I become aware of such updates. 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. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. Please subscribe if you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added content. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Church to Create 6 New Missions (and Rename 1 Other) in 2023

Note: An original one-paragraph version of this post was published at around 11:30 AM, just after the announcement was made. Additional details and analysis in subsequent paragraphs were added during the 1:00 PM hour.

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency has announced this morning that 6 new missions will be created next year: 5 in Africa and one in Europe. Of the 5 in Africa, 2 are in Nigeria. I will have further analysis on this here later this afternoon, and I'm sure the news will also be covered by the Church Growth Blog. For now, my thanks once again to you all, 

I am back, as promised, with the additional analysis I mentioned. While I will certainly defer to Matthew Martinich at the Church Growth Blog to provide important context on today's updates, I can provide some initial thoughts I have, for whatever they may be worth to you all here. So let's break down the details: 

The first mission, the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan North Mission, will be created from a division of the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan East Mission, and will also take in some areas currently pertaining to the Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission. Given the fact that 3 missions will now cover the capital city in Côte d'Ivoire, it did occur to me to wonder if this newest mission, with or without any additional missions being created, could eventually lead to a second temple in the capital city of Côte d'Ivoire. 

We now shift to Central Africa, where the Church will divide the current Democratic Republic of the Congo Mbuji-Mayi Mission to create the Democratic Republic of the Congo Kanaga Mission. Since the Church has announced plans for a temple in Kananga, the creation of this mission makes sense. That is because we have seen several recent examples of those involved in the construction of a temple for the Church being converted to the gospel in the course of being involved with such projects. So I wouldn't be shocked if the new temple there plays a vital role in expanding missionary efforts in that newest mission.

The next two missions will be based in Nigeria, with the Nigeria Aba Mission being created from a division of the Nigeria Owerri Mission. Additionally, parts of the current Nigeria Benin City and Nigeria Enugu Mission will be reassigned to the Nigeria Owerri Mission. I am a little surprised a mission was not created in Aba before now, since the temple there was dedicated 17 years ago. In addition to the Nigeria Aba Mission, the Church will also create the Nigeria Abuja Mission by dividing the current Nigeria Lagos Mission.

The announcement doesn't indicate that parts of any other Nigerian missions will be incorporated into the Nigeria Abuja Mission, but I see that as a potentially likely scenario. During a period of time when the Church has 3 temples in Nigeria in various planning stages, it's not surprising that 2 new missions will serve that nation. Additionally, I have mentioned in the recent past that, per feedback from Matthew Martinich on the Church Growth Blog, it appears likely that the Church will split Nigeria off into its' own area at some point. 

Based on these two new missions, and on the fact that the Church has called at least 1 new GA Seventy from Africa every April for the last several years, the Church could conceivably have 3 GA Seventies who are native Nigerians by either next year or the year after. Whether or not that happens, I wouldn't be shocked if the 2023 or 2024 area leadership assignments include the announcement of a new Nigeria area.

The final new mission in Africa will be the South Africa Pretoria Mission, which will be created through a division of the Botswana/Namibia and South Africa Johannesburg Missions, while also taking in parts of the South Africa Durban Mission. Since the April 2021 General Conference, when the Cape Town South Africa Temple was announced, I have felt and said that I think the next temple in South Africa will be in Pretoria, and the creation of the South Africa Pretoria Mission may certainly strengthen the case for a temple in that city.

The final mission will be located in Europe. The Hungary/Romania Mission will be renamed the Hungary Budapest Mission, and the Church will create the Romania Bucharest Mission, which may in due course lead to a new temple in Romania at some point in the near term. The one other thing I wanted to note is that all of these missions will be operative on July 1, and the announcement of new mission presidents for 2023 is anticipated in January or thereabouts. These additional missions will bring the worldwide total to 416 as of July 2023, which means that the worldwide total for the year-end 2022 is 410.

And the fact that 5 of the 6 new missions are in Africa, with 2 in Nigeria alone, indicates to me that the Church continues to expand well throughout Africa. As I've mentioned a few times in this post alone, it will be interesting to see how existing, planned, or yet-to-be-announced temples might impact missionary work going forward. Having noted all of this, I will be sure to post a note in the comments of this post when Matthew Martinich has provided his analysis, as he will have more contextual information.

I also continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple construction developments and will bring word of those to you all as I receive it. 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 NEWS: Latest Updates from the Presidency of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Hello again, everyone! I mentioned previously that, since opening arrangements were announced on Monday for the Richmond Virginia and Columbus Ohio Temples, the Church might subsequently make another announcement this week relating to opening arrangements for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple. While we didn't get that announcement, the presidency of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square has redefined its' mission. Let's get right into the relevant details: 

In a recent meeting with Church President Russell M. Nelson, the prophet shared his vision for the Choir, as cited in the news release today: "The Church will continue to grow. It will fill the world. It will continue to bless more and more nations, tongues, and people. The Lord is hastening his work in the promised global gathering of Israel. You can be sure that the Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra, and Bells at Temple Square will be a pivotal part of that era.” 

With the goal to expand the reach of the Choir worldwide, the Choir presidency has revised the Choir's mission statement and outlined three new initiatives to extend the Choir's global reach: First, the Choir will create Spanish and Portuguese editions of the weekly "Music and the Spoken Word" broadcast, with customized visuals and graphics relating to the areas where the international broadcasts will be shown, and native speakers in both languages providing the weekly "Spoken Word" message. Editions in other languages will be created at a later date.

The Choir will utilize travel more frequently with shorter tours requiring less travel per trip, but will provide the opportunity to perform in more locations worldwide. The first of those "targeted tours" will occur between June 13 and 19 next year, where the Choir will do multiple performances in Mexico City Mexico. And thirdly, to represent more regions globally, qualified Church members in Latin America, West Africa, the Pacific, and the Philippines will have the opportunity to audition to sing with the Choir during the April 2023 General Conference.

The Choir will evaluate after that conference whether that should be a one-time thing, something done more frequently, or something that will be done in every General Conference going forward. The Choir presidency will continually seek the counsel of Church leaders and the inspiration of heaven to ascertain additional ways to expand the reach of the Choir going forward. And thus we see that the concept of a Choir presidency has been inspired by prophetic direction.

I was grateful to learn about this development and will be sure to pass along any others to you all as I become aware thereof, whether they are related to the Church in general or temples in particular.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 NEWS: Church Announces Christmas Day 2022 and New Year 2023 Plans: Construction Concludes on Columbus Ohio Temple

Hello again, everyone! A few years ago, the last time Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, the First Presidency announced that only Sacrament Meeting would be held Churchwide on that day to emphasize and underscore the importance of family time. According to a First Presidency announcement made this afternoon that will be the case again this year. Based on local needs, stake and district presidents may consult with bishops and branch presidents to determine the best time to hold that service on Christmas Day. 

The announcement also notes that, since the following Sunday marks New Year's Day 2023, stake and district presidents may opt to hold Fast Sunday in January on a Sunday other than January 1. Today's announcement further indicated that any Church functions (dances or other social events) occurring on New Year's Eve should promptly end at midnight on Sunday, January 1, 2023, which is consistent with the Church's policies relating to the Sabbath Day observance.

I am grateful to have been able to find out about this announcement and to pass that along to you all here. I also continue to monitor all other Church news updates and temple developments and will be sure to pass those along to you all as I receive them. Regarding that statement, the Church Temples site noted today that the renovation of the Columbus Oho Temple has officially been completed. 

With that in mind, I think that Monday's temple announcement, whether or not anything else is announced with it, will be the reopening arrangements for that temple. If that happens, my research shows that the rededication may occur on either of the last two Sundays in March or the second Sunday of April, following General Conference weekend. Stay tuned for news on any other fronts.

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 NEWS: "Tithing Settlement" to be Retired & Replaced with "Tithing Declaration"; Bishops Can Begin Annual Reviews In September

 Hello again, everyone! Breaking news has been announced by the First Presidency this morning. For years, at the end of each year, members have been invited to meet with the bishops of their congregations yearly to declare their tithe-paying status. These interviews have been known as "Tithing Settlement". But in a continued effort to differentiate between doctrinally-defined practices and traditions, that term will now be retired.

Instead, members will be invited to meet with bishops, and may begin doing so as early as September of every year, for a "Tithing Declaration" interview. The rationale offered for the change in terminology is that those interviews are not meant to "settle" anything, but instead are intended to enable each Church member once a year to declare the degree to which they have followed the doctrinal practice of paying tithes and offerings. 

I originally became aware of this update courtesy of a Church News report to which I was alerted on my phone. This change makes perfect sense to me, and it of course follows the other recent announcement about the simplification of the categories for other offerings. This change makes perfect sense to me, and I'm grateful to have been able to learn of it and pass it along to you all here. 

I continue to monitor all Church News, Newsroom, and temple construction updates, and will do my best to pass those along here 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.

BREAKING NEWS: Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Released as Church Historian and Recorder; Elder Kyle S. McKay Called to Serve in his place; No Changes in Area Seventies

Hello again, everyone! There has been no official word from the Church about releasing Elder LeGrand R. Curtis as the Church Historian and Recorder, so I had mistakenly assumed that he would not be released from that assignment, even if he was granted emeritus status and released from active service. But according to a Deseret News report, Elder Curtis has indeed been released from that assignment and will be granted emeritus status in October.

That same article reports that Elder Kyle S. McKay has been called to succeed Elder Curtis in that assignment. Because Elder McKay was called as a GA Seventy in 2018, and will only turn 70 in 2030, that will provide the Church History Department with some definite consistency for the next 8 years. I found it somewhat odd that there was not an official acknowledgment in either the Church News or the Newsroom of this change, but was grateful to find this report in the Deseret News either way.

In the meantime, as I noted in a comment on the previous thread, there have been no reports from either the Church News or the Newsroom indicating that any area seventies have been released. And I can also confirm there haven't been any such updates noted in the Deseret News either. It is, therefore, my assumption that there will not be any other changes in area seventies before the end of this year. I continue to monitor all such updates (or the lack thereof) and will provide updates as I learn of them.

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: 2022 Days of '47 KSL Parade Makes History

Hello again, everyone! KSL just shared a major new report regarding how the 2022 "Days of '47" KSL Parade will make history. As some of you are no doubt aware, for a long time, members of the First Presidency rotated the assignment to serve as grand marshal of that parade. In recent years, two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles did so (Acting President M. Russell Ballard, who has prominent pioneer ancestry, and Elder Ronald A. Rasband, who, at that time, had apostolic supervisory oversight for the Utah Area).

Elder Craig C. Christensen, who served for several years as the president of the Utah Area of the Church, also served as the grand marshal of the parade one year. Today, in a teaser for a story coming during the 6:30 PM newscast, KSL showed longtime religion reporter Carole Mikita with outgoing Relief Society General President Sister Jean B. Bingham, with the voiceover description indicating that the story would cover how this year's parade grand marshal will make history.

I am pleased to thereby confirm that Sister Bingham will fill that role this year, as one of the last (if not the very last) public appearances she will make as Relief Society General President before her release becomes effective August 1. This is another example of the Brethren publicly acknowledging the important role of Latter-day Saint women in the Church. Although this will be the first time the Church does this, I have no doubts it will not be the last, and I look forward to seeing when it will happen next.

I am grateful to have been able to learn of and pass along this news. 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.

BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Reiterates Church Policy on Abortion

Hello again, everyone! Another development, this one on the US judicial stage, has occurred. In a 5-4 ruling today, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark court case establishing the constitutional right to an abortion. In overturning that ruling, SCOTUS has turned the determination on abortion rights back over to individual states. 

This ruling has been anticipated for a while, thanks to previously-leaked details on the ruling. I am mentioning this on this blog because, as a result of the ruling, the Church this morning also reiterated long-standing doctrine on the sanctity of life and detailed under what circumstances the Church condones abortion, which are exceptions rather than the rule. The update leads to a topic page on the matter. 

As has been mentioned in other settings, abortion is condoned by the Church when sought by individuals, in consultation with their priesthood leaders, under the following parameters: cases of rape or incest, if the health of the mother is deemed to be in danger by a competent physician, or if a competent physician determines that a fetus will not survive beyond birth due to severe defects. 

The Church supports measures that protect the sanctity of all human life and preserve religious freedom. I am grateful that the Church has reiterated established doctrine and policy on this matter. I realize that this is a hot-button issue with some controversy attached to it, and I also acknowledge that mentioning this reiteration of policy may open up a can of worms comment-wise, but I would hope that all who weigh in in response to this post will ensure that their comments are respectful of the Church's position and of the opinions of other individuals who comment here.

I would respectfully suggest that, as a guide for commenting on this issue here, we'd all be well-served to remember the words of the second verse of the hymn, Lord, I Would Follow Thee:

Who am I to judge another
When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden
Who am I to judge another?
Lord, I would follow thee.

My prayer is that that verse may be our guide for further discussion on this matter here. 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 Issues Statement on Armed Conflict

Hello again, everyone! On the heels of my report last night about the Kyiv Ukraine Temple, the First Presidency has issued an official statement on the armed conflict currently underway by the government of Russia targeting Ukraine. The Church News app alerted me to this development. While the First Presidency was not under any obligation to weigh in on the matter, I am grateful for and comforted by their calming words at this time.

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 comments are made in accordance 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.