Two Major Addresses given recently by General Authorities/Sunday School General Presidency Reorganized

I am posting today for two good reasons. The first is to give a brief report on two major addresses given to two major governmental organizations, and the second is to report on (Friday) today's reorganization of the Sunday School General Presidency.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, during a Europe tour, addressed an All-Party Parliamentary Group in the United Kingdom's House of Lords on June 10 on the subject of how the Church's humanitarian aid can help in the midst of religious conflict. For a report on his address, please see this article. Yesterday,Elder Jörg Klebingat encouraged dialogue and deeper understanding among global faiths in an address to the Fifth Congress of Traditional and World Religions, which convened in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, June 11, 2015. For a report on his address, please see this article.

Mormon Newsroom reported today (Friday) that the Sunday School Presidency had been reorganized. Tad R. Callister remains Sunday School General President. His former second counselor, George D. Durrant, is now the first counselor, replacing John S. Tanner, who will start his new assignment as the new President of BYU–Hawaii on July 27. This made necessary the calling of a new Second Counselor. Brian K. Ashton will assume that assignment immediately following his return from being president of the Texas Houston South Mission. He becomes the youngest currently serving auxiliary leader in the Church. I knew that a reorganization of the Sunday School General Presidency would follow the announcement of soon-to-be President Tanner's new assignment. But I didn't expect it to happen this fast. It makes me wonder if perhaps a new apostle might be called soon. But I really don't anticipate that happening until the week before General Conference. Anyhow, I got off topic. This was exciting news to me, and I am happy to share it with my readers.

Barring any unexpected post to report on Church News, I fully anticipate that the next post will contain my long-promised massive life update. The longer time goes by, the more things happen that I need to report to you who read this blog. And the more things happen, the more daunting the update becomes. So I bump it in favor of the latest Church News. But I promise, it is coming soon. You have my word on that. Thanks, as always, for reading my posts.

Big Temple News

I know I said the next post would likely be the general update I've been promising for 3 months now, but some temple news crossed my radar that I just had to share. First, the Frankfurt Germany Temple will undergo a renovation starting on September 7. Additionally, the First Presidency announced the open house and rededication dates for the Suva Fiji Temple. The temple open house will only span a 12-day period from Monday January 30-Saturday February 6, 2015, excluding Sunday January 31. A cultural celebration will be held on Saturday February 20, and the temple will be dedicated the next day. Dedicatory services will only be broadcast within the temple district, which spans the small island nations of Fiji, Kiribati, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia. I wasn't aware of this, but apparently those islands and the others immediately within that area comprise the region of what is called Melanesia. Who knew, right? Anyways, that's the newest exciting temple-related developments. I will post more about temples when news is available to me, and, in the meantime, my next post should be this weekend and contain the long-promised and hopefully long-awaited update on my life, unless any Church news catches my attention tomorrow. Thanks for your readership. I hope you all are still enjoying my posts. "Happiness to you in your life ahead!"

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.