Updated Estimates For Known Temple-related Events During the Next 3-4 Years

Hello again, everyone! As I promised to do, I did some additional research into factors that may affect the timing of temple-related events, and I updated my estimates for those events based on my findings. This process involved considering what was known about the status of the temples involved, the best information I could find on climate and weather issues that may affect the timing of these events, and anything else I was able to ascertain regarding how feasible such estimates might be.

The updated estimates follow below. Since so much has changed in this regard just within the last 24 hours or less, I have no doubt that there will be plenty of other changes as this month progresses. The only constant in such estimates is that they continuously change. Those updates follow below.

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

Future estimates for known temple-related events

2018:

Monday February 19: Oakland California temple Renovation Closure (date has been confirmed)

Sunday March 4: Washington DC Temple Renovation Closure (date has been confirmed)

Sunday April 15 or 22: Houston Texas Temple Rededication (private)

April or May: Full-scale construction anticipated to begin on the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple

Sunday May 20: Jordan River Utah Temple Rededication/Mesa Arizona Temple Renovation Closure (both have been confirmed)

July: Hamilton New Zealand Temple Renovation Closure (confirmation of official closure date is pending)

Sunday August 12 or 19: Concepcion Chile Temple Dedication (160^th operating temple)

Sunday October 14 or 21: Barranquilla Colombia Temple Dedication (161^st operating temple)

Sunday December 9 or 16: Rome Italy Temple Dedication (162^nd operating temple)

2019:

Mid-January: Kinshasa DR Congo Temple Dedication (163^rd operating temple)

Mid-February: Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple Dedication (164^th operating temple)

Mid-March: Memphis Tennessee Temple Rededication

Mid-to-late April: Fortaleza Brazil Temple Dedication (165^th operating temple)

Early-to-mid May: Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Rededication

Mid-to-late May: Lisbon Portugal Temple Dedication (166^th operating temple)

Early-to-mid June: Raleigh North Carolina Temple Rededication

Early-to-mid August: Durban South Africa Temple Dedication (167^th operating temple)

Mid-to-late August: Asuncion Paraguay Temple Rededication

Mid-to-late October: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Rededication

Mid-November: Arequipa Peru Temple Dedication (168^th operating temple)

Mid-December: Oakland California Temple Rededication

NOTE: While the Church has indicated that this temple’s rededication is anticipated during 2019, it is one of the older ones, and, as such, if the renovation process is delayed for any reason whatsoever, its rededication could be pushed back into 2020.

                       

2020:

Mid-February: Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple Dedication (169^th operating temple)

Mid-to-late April: Tokyo Japan Temple Rededication

Early-to-mid June: Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Dedication (170^th operating temple)

Early-to-mid September: Mesa Arizona Temple Rededication         

Mid-November: Washington DC Temple Rededication

2021:

Mid-May: Hamilton New Zealand Temple Rededication

NOTE: I heard that 2018 and 2019 could be big years for temple groundbreakings. If that proves correct, then many other temples could also be dedicated during 2020 and 2021. It also seems safe to assume that other temple renovations will be announced, which will in turn necessitate subsequent rededications. As the next two years unfold, I will have a better idea of when such events may occur, and they can then be added to the other estimates above.

Completion estimate changed for Frankfurt Germany Temple Rededication

Hello again, everyone! I didn't realize this until now,  but I just internalized that the estimate for the rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple has been pushed back into early 2019. So that will be something else for me to take into account as I make alterations to my previously altered estimate. Hopefully I can post those updates within the next little while. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Further Temple Updates Provided

Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post with some additional updates provided on the construction status of several other temples. Let's dive right in to those. An update has finally been provided on the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple. While the last update I noted indicated that the site was being graded and the foundation excavation was underway, it has now been noted that the main floor concrete slab is being poured.

And the Fortaleza Brazil Temple has had another update to its' status as well. While exterior cladding continues, the interior is being painted, and ceilings and millwork are being installed. It was great to have these additional updates.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. I am continuing to work on the estimate updates I promised in my last post, and will be back with those as soon as I can make it happen. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Temple Updates (Including Altered Completion Estimate for Fortaleza Brazil Temple_)

Hello again, everyone! In addition to the information the Church released earlier today about new missions and those that will be consolidated, some very significant updates (including an altered completion estimate for the Fortaleza Brazil Temple) have been provided. There is a lot to talk about in that regard, so let's get right to it.

First, the Concepcion Chile Temple has made progress yet again. It has now been reported that while perimeter gardens continue to be planted, and while interior work continues to progress, more exterior lighting tests are being conducted.

Next, we turn out attention to the Fortaleza Brazil Temple. As I have previously noted, that temple had a groundbreaking in 2011, but full-scale efforts did not begin on that temple until 2016. And in the 1.5-2 years or so since that time, it has made significant progress. Even so, it has also seen many shifts in its completion estimate.

Today another shift for that estimate was identified. While as recently as yesterday, this temple was anticipated to be completed in mid-to-late 2019, sufficient progress has been noted to such a degree that that general completion estimate has been revised to early-to-mid 2019. And that move puts its' completion estimate after that of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, meaning the Fortaleza Temple is now anticipated to be the 165th operating one dedicated in this dispensation.

Because this development was not expected, I am still analyzing how this might change the sequence of temple-related events during 2019, and I will post the revision I will make ASAP. Just wanted to note that is in progress.

Additionally, the  status of that temple has been updated to note that the exterior is being cladded, that scaffolding has gone up around the tower of the temple, and that trees have been planted around the parking area of the temple.

I also wanted to note that the change in Fortaleza's completion estimate is not anticipated to have much (if any) impact on the completion estimates for either the Lisbon Portugal or Durban South Africa Temples, which are still anticipated to have their dedications during mid-2019.

For the Durban South Africa Temple, its' status has been updated with the note that window openings have been boarded, that insulation snd drywall is going in, and that the roof decking is being waterproofed. Even with those updates, the dedication of the Durban temple is only anticipated after that of the temple in Lisbon.

That brings us to the Arequipa Peru Temple, where structural framing is being installed for the temple tower. Since this temple has progressed so consistently, I am still convinced that its' dedication will be held in late 2019, rather than being pushed back to early 2020.

I continue to keep an eye out for all such developments, and I will be posting further updates as I become aware of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Some Observations About the New & Consolidated Missions and Their Presidents

Hello again, everyone! Since it is heading towards the evening here in Utah, many of you may have already seen or heard about the news of Church mission changes. The Church is establishing 5 new missions (Brazil Rio de Janeiro South, Cote D'Ivoire Yamousoukro, Nigeria Ibadan, Philippines Cabanatuan, and Zimbabwe Bulawayo). Along with that, the number of missions will be going down from 421 to 407 as the following 19 missions have their boundaries realigned (which will result in a merge with adjoining missions):

Australia Sydney North, Bulgaria Sofia, California Modesto, California San Fernando, England London South, Greece Athens, Illinois Chicago West, México Ciudad Obregón, México Reynosa, Mississippi Jackson, New York New York South, Ohio Cleveland, Portugal Porto, România/Moldova, Russia Samara, Spain Málaga, Ukraine L’viv, Utah Logan, and Washington Federal Way.

First, I wanted to note that you can be sure Matthew Martinich, a Church growth expert who always provides such great analysis of such developments, will (if he has not done so already) be putting these changes into context, which you can look for here.

In the meantime, as I have done for the last couple of years, I wanted to post my reaction to some of the things I found interesting about the newly announced mission presidents. First of all, the Church has confirmed today that Matthew S. Holland, the son of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and the current president of UVU, is being assigned to preside over the North Carolina mission based in Raleigh.

Above and beyond that, the Church has continued the recent tradition of assigning a current General Authority Seventy to serve as a mission president. Elder Taylor G. Godoy, called in General Conference last April, will preside over the Nevada Reno Mission.

Additionally, many of those called as mission presidents are current or former area seventies. Last year, the Church began a somewhat unusual tradition of allowing area seventies called as mission presidents to continue serving as area seventies while assuming their new responsibilities. 

Based on that occurring, I present the following observations I have put together regarding a few of those current area seventies that may continue to serve as such while taking on the added role of mission president:

Tasara Makasi’s assignment (to preside over the Zimbabwe Harare mission) will likely allow him to continue his as an Area Seventy in the Africa Southeast Area.

Fred A. Parker, currently serving as an Area Seventy in the Sixth Quorum (within the North America Southeast Area) will, if he continues his service as an Area Seventy, be reassigned to the Fourth Quorum (serving in the Caribbean) while he presides over the Jamaica Kingston Mission.

Miguel A. Reyes, currently serving in the Mexico Area, will likely continue his service as an Area Sveventy in that same area while he presides over the Mexico Guadalajara Mission.

Just wanted to note all of this, which I hope will be of interest to some of you. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.