Payson Utah Temple Dedicated/Provo City Center Temple Dedication Dates Announced

The Payson Utah Temple was dedicated on Sunday. Just as I'd thought and predicted, President Henry B. Eyring presided at the dedication. He read the prayer for the first two sessions, and invited Elder Neil L. Andersen to read it for the final session. Additionally, the sessions were attended by Elder Russell M. Nelson, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, and Elder Quentin L. Cook, all of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elders Ronald A. Rasband, Donald L. Hallstrom and Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Kent F. Richards of the Second Quorum of the Seventy and Temple Department Executive Director; and Bishop Gérald Caussé. The new Payson Temple Presidency and matrons also spoke. I have not yet ascertained who exactly did what in each session, but I will post such a list if and when it becomes available.

Additionally, the Church announced today the open house and dedication dates for the Provo City Center Temple. The temple will be open to the public Friday January 15-March 5, 2016. A cultural celebration will take place on Saturday March 19, 2016. The dedication will take place in three sessions (10 am, 1 pm, and 4 pm) on Sunday March 20, 2016. Due to the ties many in Utah have to what was once the Provo Tabernacle, the dedication will be broadcast in all stake centers in Utah. I am excited by this news. As can well be expected, this dedication bumps other temples who had, prior to the Provo City Center Temple groundbreaking, had their ground broken. In light of this most exciting news, I thought I would post my list of temple progress again. Numbering and approximate dates for events come from ldschurchtemples.com. Here's the list:

Temples Undergoing Renovation:

26. Mexico City Mexico Temple: Scheduled to be rededicated Sunday September 13, 2015.

86. Montreal Quebec Temple: Scheduled to be rededicated Sunday November 22, 2015.

91. Suva Fiji Temple: Anticipated to be completed in early 2016.

33. Freiberg Germany Temple: Anticipated to be completed in mid-2016.

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Anticipated to be completed in late 2016.

Under Construction:

146. Payson Utah Temple: Scheduled to be dedicated Sunday June 7, 2015.

147. Trujillo Peru Temple: Scheduled to be dedicated Sunday June 21, 2015.

148. Indianapolis Indiana Temple: Scheduled to be dedicated Sunday August 23, 2015.

149. Tijuana Mexico Temple: Scheduled to be dedicated Sunday December 13, 2015.

150. Provo City Center Temple: Scheduled to be dedicated Sunday March 20, 2016.

151. Rome Italy Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-2016.

155. Hartford Connecticut Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-2016.

156. Fort Collins Colorado Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-2016.

152. Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-to-late 2016.

153. Sapporo Japan Temple: Projected to be completed in late 2016.

157. Paris France Temple: Projected to be completed in late 2016.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-2017.

159. Star Valley Wyoming Temple: Projected to be completed in mid-2017.

154. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Projected to be completed in 2018.

Announced:

160. Cedar City Utah Temple: Local government approval phase; site plan presented at January 2015 meeting; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday August 8, 2015.

168. Tucson Arizona Temple: Construction approval phase; general contractor selected; groundbreaking pending.

161. Concepcion Chile Temple: Approval phase; temple and site design plans complete; groundbreaking pending.

165. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Planning and approval phase; temple and site designs complete; groundbreaking pending.

162. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Planning and approval phase; land purchase finalized; groundbreaking pending.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Planning and approval phase; final piece of land for temple site acquired; groundbreaking pending.

164. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

167. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

170. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

163. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

166. Durban South Africa Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

171. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

172. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

173. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Any feedback is welcome. I will keep my eye on temple-related developments, and you can be sure to find the information here. Massive update still pending.

Report on Elder Perry's funeral/Who will be the next apostle?/Payson Utah Temple Cultural Celebration

Elder Perry's funeral was Friday. President Henry B. Eyring conducted, the invocation was offered by Elder Russell M. Nelson, and the benediction was offered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Elder Perry's only son, Lee T. Perry, gave a beautiful tribute to his father. Elders Dallin H. Oaks and M. Russell Ballard both shared different portions of their final tender visit with Elder Perry. President Monson, looking hale and hearty, paid a beautiful tribute to Elder Perry. That should debunk some rumors about his health. Anyways, the Tabernacle Choir sang some of Elder Perry's favorite hymns. It was a beautiful service, with all testifying that they knew Elder Perry still lives and continues to carry on the work of salvation on the other side of the veil, unencumbered by the health conditions that hindered him for the last month or so of his life. I watched most of it when it originally aired (on Friday morning on a sub-channel of KSL (I overslept and missed the first 20 minutes or so)), then watched it in its entirety late last night. I think it went very well.

Now that the funeral is over, speculation can begin in earnest about who the new apostle will be. I offer my thoughts on the matter. As mentioned in a previous post, 6 of our 14 currently serving apostles came from the Presidency of the Seventy. So it is most likely that the apostle could come from that presidency. The most likely candidate? When Elder Ballard was called to be an apostle, he was the 3rd most senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy. When Elder Scott and Elder Christofferson were called to be apostles, (Scott in 1988 and Christofferson in 2008) they were both the 2nd most senior members of the Presidency of the Seventy. When President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elder Quentin L. Cook were called as apostles, (Uchtdorf in 2004 and Cook in 2007) they were both at that time the 5th most senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy. And when Elder Neil L. Andersen was called to be an apostle, he was serving as the Senior President of the Seventy. So any one of the currently serving Presidency of the Seventy could be called. If I had to give my top three picks from this body, I would pick Elder Ronald A. Rasband (Senior President), Elder L. Whitney Clayton (2nd most senior member) or Elder Ulisses Soares (who as the 6th most senior member would also be an international apostle).

Two currently serving apostles (President Henry B. Eyring and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland) were serving as members of the First Quorum of the Seventy. So the new apostle might come from there. My top three picks would be Elder Michael John U. Teh (who would be the first Filipino apostle), or either Elder Joseph W. Sitati or Elder Edward Dube (either of whom would make history as the first black apostle of the Church), If I had to pick my top candidate for the First Quorum, it would be Elder Teh. In April 2008, after the First Presidency had been reorganized and there was a vacancy in the quorum) I was praying for the new apostle and felt distinctly that it would be Elder Teh. I didn't pray for Elder Teh by name at that time, and it was just as well because Elder Christofferson was called. But I just can't shake the hope that my gut feeling was right and that Elder Teh will be called as an apostle one day, perhaps even this time.

The new apostle could also come from the Presiding Bishopric. Elder Robert D. Hales was the Church's Presiding Bishop, and, Elder Eyring, prior to his call to the Seventy, served as his counselor. This means it's not out of the question for the new apostle to come from the Presiding Bishopric. The most likely candidate in my mind is Bishop Causse, who would be the first French apostle and also become the youngest apostle.

Of course, the Lord could surprise us by inspiring President Monson to call the new apostle from either the Second Quorum of the Seventy, Area Seventies, the Sunday School or Young Men's general presidencies, or the church at large. Whomever the Lord inspires President Monson to call will have my full support.

I also wanted to remind my readers that the Payson Utah Temple will be dedicated tomorrow. It looks like President Eyring will preside over that dedication, as he was there for the cultural celebration. If that's the case, this will be only the second temple President Eyring has dedicated solo. (The first was the San Salvador El Salvador in 2011, though he has rededicated or been the presiding member of the First Presidency at some sessions of other temples.) Four apostles (Elders Nelson, Oaks, Cook and Andersen) were also there and may participate in the dedicatory services tomorrow. There were three members of the Presidency of the Seventy there (Elder Rasband, Elder Hallstrom, and Elder Soares). Bishop Causse was there as well as Elder Richards, the Temple Department's Executive Director, and Sister McConkie of the Young Women General Presidency, and Sister Esplin of the Primary General Presidency. I hope the Church publishes who participates in which sessions, because that will make me feel a little better about not having the privilege of attending the dedication (which is only open to those living in the Payson Utah Temple District). I will report more on that as information becomes available.

In the meantime. I've "sounded off" enough for one day. I will try to post tomorrow with a report on the Payson Utah Temple Dedication participants and a general update. Until I write again, all the best!

Elder Perry's funeral is Friday

The Church has announced that Elder Perry's funeral will be held this Friday @ 11:00 am. It will be carried live on LDS.org and KBYU's and KSL's subchannels. I imagine we will hear from at least one apostle and perhaps each member of the First Presidency, and either of his two surviving children. I don't know quite what to expect. But one thing I do know. It will be a celebration of life focused on the doctrinal foundation that death is just another step in our progression to eternal life. How grateful I am to know that Elder Perry still lives and that he is now free of health problems and can be about the work on the other side of the veil. Still no word on who might replace him, though I have my own theories on this matter. I have elected not to post any speculation at least until Elder Perry's funeral is over. After that, I make no promises. Still intend to do that much-needed update. Just wanted to post the latest developments.