Updated Temple Progress Report

As it has been a full 9 days since I last posted my list of temple progress, and since so much has happened in regards to construction progress, and also since we are not very busy at work tonight, I am posting an updated report of temple progress. Enjoy, and feel free to post comments/questions/feedback.

Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 7/7/16)

Current Temple Status: 150 operating, 16 under construction (5 scheduled for dedication), 11 announced (2 groundbreakings anticipated to be announced soon), 4 undergoing renovation (1 scheduled for rededication).

Dedication scheduled:

151. Sapporo Japan Temple: Accepting free reservations for public open house; dedication scheduled on Sunday August 21, 2016.

152. Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple: Accepting free reservations for public open house; dedication scheduled on Sunday September 18, 2016.

153. Fort Collins Colorado Temple: Open house tickets available beginning Monday July 11 @ 10 AM MDT; dedication scheduled on Sunday October 16, 2016.

154. Star Valley Wyoming Temple: Facing landscape structures with ledge rock; installing fence posts around temple; dedication scheduled on Sunday October 30, 2016.

155. Hartford Connecticut Temple: Granite being attached to front façade; building entrance plaza and temple president’s residence; dedication scheduled on Sunday November 20, 2016.

Under Construction:

156. Paris France Temple: Planting trees shrubs, and flowers; awaiting art glass installation; completion estimated sometime in early 2017.

157. Meridian Idaho Temple: Stained glass windows installed; pouring parking lot curbing; completion estimated sometime in late 2017.

158. Cedar City Utah Temple: Exterior panels attached; work continues on interior and grounds; completion estimated sometime in late 2017.

159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Angel Moroni placed atop temple on July 7, 2016; completion estimated sometime in late 2017 .

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work underway including some material replacement and rework; completion estimated sometime in 2018.

161. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior walls poured; completion estimated sometime during 2018.

162. Durban South Africa Temple: Site fence erected; full-scale operations pending; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.

163. Fortaleza Brazil Temple Site preparation phase; building permit sign posted; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.
164. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Site clearing and preparation phase; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.
165. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Building the substructure; completion estimated sometime in 2019.
166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Ground broken on Saturday December 5, 2015; completion estimated sometime in 2019.

Rededication scheduled:

33. Freiberg Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication scheduled on Sunday September 4, 2016.

Undergoing Renovation:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; installing marble trim; rededication estimated sometime in early 2017.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication estimated sometime in mid-2017.

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication estimated sometime in late 2017.

Announced:

167. Arequipa Peru Temple: Construction preparation phase; groundbreaking date anticipated to be announced soon.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction preparation phase; plans approved by local government; groundbreaking may be announced soon and scheduled sometime after the summer Olympics.

169. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

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

174. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

175. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose number already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose number may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose number may change based on the order in which their future groundbreakings are announced.

Church News Article about New Primary General President Joy D. Jones

Hello. I am posting again today to let you all know that this weekend, the Church News ran an article about Joy D. Jones, who was called and sustained in April General Conference as the new Primary General President. As part of that article, it does give her exact birth date. I don't know the reason for this, but for some reason, the last several years, the Church has omitted information on the exact birth date from official Church publications except the Church News. I don't think any of the female auxiliary leaders are bothered if the Church knows their exact birth date, and it doesn't make much sense that in most cases the Church is just providing either just their birth years or their birth months and years. It makes no sense that the Church does this for women, but always gives a month, day and year for men. To read this most excellent article, please click here. Thanks.

4th edition of cities that are most likely to get a temple soon

In light of new information I've heard of and comments and feedback I have been given, I am posting to give a 4th edition of the list of locations most likely to get a temple in the near future. Enjoy!

1. Managua Nicaragua Temple (proposed in 2012 by Elder Russell M. Nelson; note that Nicaragua is the nation with the strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase; note also that Rick Satterfield, webmaster of the most excellent LDS Church Temples site, has informed me that a temple site has been purchased in this city for when membership warrants it )
2. Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby; note that Papua New Guinea is the nation with the second strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase; note that this is another location for which Brother Satterfield said a potential temple site has been purchased when membership warrants it. )
3. Puerto Rico (San Juan; note that Puerto Rico is the nation with the third strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase
4. Russia (Moscow; the Church seems to really be expanding in Russia; note that Russia is the nation with the fourth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)
5. Kiribati (Tarawa; note that Kiribati is the nation with the fifth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)
6. Sierra Leone (Freetown; may be announced soon due to extensive Church growth in Africa; note that Sierra Leone is the nation with the sixth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)
7. American Samoa (Pago Pago; note that American Samoa is the nation with the seventh strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)

8. Uganda (Kampala; may be announced soon due to extensive Church growth in Africa; note that Uganda is the nation with the eighth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)

9. Cambodia (Phnom Penh; please note that Cambodia is the nation with the ninth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase; I favor this location because my brother-in-law served his mission there)
10. Nairobi Kenya Temple (proposed in 1998 by President Gordon B. Hinckley; note that Kenya is the nation with the tenth strongest LDS presence that doesn't have a temple in any phase)

11. Bentonville Arkansas (According to my team leader at work who served a mission in that region and who follows Church milestones there religiously (pun intended), a lot for a temple has already been purchased there and an announcement of that temple will happen when Church growth warrants it. How soon that will be remains to be seen.)
12. Montana (Missoula; identified by Elder David A. Bednar as a potential temple site)
13. Southwest Salt Lake Valley Temple (proposed in 2005 by President Gordon B. Hinckley; the site has already been purchased and an official announcement will happen when Church activity warrants it)
14. DR Congo (Kasai region/Likashi; recent extensive and expansive growth in the DR Congo seems to bear out the inevitability of a second and even third temple for this region. A temple for Kasai region was publicly proposed by Elder Neil L. Andersen in February of this year)
15. Hungary (Budapest; the difficulty in getting to the Kyiv Ukraine temple, along with growth in the area, makes it a good candidate for a temple)
16. Nigeria (Lagos/Benin City)
17. Ghana (Kumasi)
18. Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar; I favor this location because a good friend served his mission there. The growth of the Church there may be indicative of the need for a temple.)
19. Bolivia (La Paz; I favor La Paz because my favorite bishop, a close friend, served his mission there. He shared a little bit of Bolivian culture with our ward during his service as bishop because, in addition to giving each returning missionary their plaque, at the conclusion of their service, he also gave them a Bolivian abrasso)

20. South Dakota (Rapid City; I favor this location because my dad served his mission there)

21. New Zealand (Auckland)

22. Indonesia (Jakarta; a site I favor because a good friend served his mission there)
23 Wyoming (Cody; makes more sense for a potential temple than Cheyenne)

24. Idaho (Pocatello; the one major city in Idaho that does not already have a temple)

25. Spain (Barcelona, which seems more likely as a temple site than Malaga, where a good friend served her mission; note that I feel there will be a temple in both cities in the future)
26. Tooele Utah (a somewhat overlooked site that makes sense)

27. Heber Utah  (could be a dark horse choice, as it would be unexpected but needed)
28. Mapleton Utah (another site that could benefit from a temple; how likely it is remains to be seen)

29. Scoland (It was brought to my attention that Ireland or Scotland would be a good location for a temple. Of the two, I think Scotland is more likely, and Brother Satterfield agrees with me; though it's admittedly another dark horse candidate.)

30. Czech Republic (Ostrava; I’m sure President Uchtdorf would love to see a temple in his homeland)

31. Lehi Utah (I favor this location because my wife grew up there and it seems to be expanding at an astonishing rate, including the LDS presence)
32. Texas (El Paso/Corpus Christi/Fort Worth; of the three I don't know which I favor more or might be more likely: El Paso has more of a Church presence, but Corpus Christi is a region familiar to my mom who served part of her mission there and a good friend of mine served her mission in Fort Worth , so any one of the three would be good)

33. Austria (Vienna; I favor this location because my wife served her mission there)
34. Norway (Oslo; another dark horse choice)

35. Guatemala (Guatemala City (2nd temple))/San Cristobal)

36. Mexico (Mexico City (2nd temple))/Quezon City)

37. Chile (Santiago (2nd temple))/Valparaiso)

38. Philippines (Manila (2nd temple))/Quezon City/Davao
39. Argentina (Buenos Aires (2nd temple)/Bellville/La Plata)
40. Brazil (Sao Paulo (2nd temple)/Belo Horizonte/Brasilia (Note on Brasilia: Brother Satterfield has told me he thinks this is a very likely possibility)
41. Ivory Coast (One or two additional temples; might be needed due to extensive growth in the area)
42. Honduras (San Pedro Sula)
43. India (New Delhi; temple publicly proposed by Neal A. Maxwell in June 1992)
44. Lithuania (Vilnius; temple publicly proposed by M. Russell Ballard in May 1993)
45. Venezuela (Maracaibo; temple publicly proposed by Gordon B. Hinckley in August 1999)
46. Singapore (temple publicly proposed by  Gordon B. Hinckley in January 2000)
47. Vietnam (Hanoi; may be a bit early for a temple; but the odds for it are increased by the fact of Vietnam granting official recognition to the Church earlier this year, especially as any Vietnamese Church members are travelling a long distance to the nearest temple.

I am predicting that the Church will announce at least 3 temples this General Conference, whether they be in the US or other parts of the world. I would love to see new temples announced in the US, as it has been 3 years since any temples were announced here. I have tried to prioritize the information based on fact, but a lot of it is just how I feel. Please let me know what you think. One thing is sure: only 23 temples have to be announced before we reach 200.

As an overview of temple progress, it appears we are looking at 155 completed temples by the end of this year, with 159 by the end of 2017, and potentially as many as 164 by the end of 2018. We have 2+ temples that may be scheduled for groundbreaking soon, with another 4 that may soon also have a site announcement and groundbreaking scheduled. The remaining 4 are still in the planning phase. With such remarkable strides in temple progress, hitting 200 operating temples by April 6, 2030 (the 200th anniversary of the Church's organization) may be very doable. And if, within the next 10 years, even half of those on this list along with some others are announced for unexpected locations, that makes it even more likely.

I will keep an eye on all temple-related developments and you can be sure to find them here. Hope you have enjoyed this post. Thanks for reading and, if you feel so inclined, leaving comments/suggestions for improvement and consideration.