Minor Progress Noted on the Fortaleza Brazil Temple

Hello again, everyone! I found out about an update on the construction status of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple either yesterday or the day before, but personal health issues kept me from posting about that before now. I wanted to note that stone cladding is progressing on the exterior of that temple, while the steeple has been attached to the adjoining meetinghouse. It has been interesting to see how quickly things have changed for this temple. After its 2011 groundbreaking, a 5-year delay ensued before full-scale construction could begin. Once this temple was able to get full-scale construction started (sometime last year), it progressed very steadily (and very rapidly, in some instances). As we know, this temple was originally anticipated to have its dedication in early 2019 or so, but that estimate has since been pushed back to sometime during mid-to-late 2019. I have always been fascinated by the process of temples progressing or being delayed in terms of their construction.

Aside from this update, there have not been any significant developments in terms of temple construction anywhere else. I am still waiting for news on what the Asuncion Paraguay Temple renovation process may involve, and now that we are four weeks from the day the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple had a groundbreaking, we still have no word on when full-scale efforts may begin. And though I have kept a faithful eye out for any other new temple news, not a lot has occurred in that regard.

That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my nest 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 Extension of Light the World Campaign That Began Last Year

Hello again, everyone! The Church News recently released this article to announce an extension of the Light the World Christmas Initiative that the Church started last year. I hope that all of us will take the opportunity to take part in this initiative, whatever the extent of our involvement therewith might be. That does it for this post. Any 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.

Miscellaneous Church News

Hello again, everyone! As you know, most US employers are gracious enough to allow their employees a four-day weekend for Thanksgiving. Because Church employees are among those that have that happen, many articles that would have otherwise been published towards the end of any other work week are now available on the Church News website. With that in mind, here are some recently published items that I found fascinating and significant enough to pass along. Let's dive right in and talk about those articles.

In this article, I learned that Sister Harriet R. Uchtdorf, wife of President Uchtdorf, today received the German-American Friendship Award. In attendance at the presentation were President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, among other leaders of the Church. The award recognized Sister Uchtdorf for her efforts to build bridges, promote peace, and to be a good citizen of both the United States and Germany. It was awesome to read about that.

As reported here, the Harman Music Fund was established almost 20 years ago for the purpose of enabling senior missionary couples to teach the congregations they serve how to direct and play hymns for Church meetings. Prior to that time, senior missionaries would take on those roles, and then the congregations would have no one to succeed them in that assignment once their service period ended. I am glad someone recognized the need for that.

Church service efforts continue worldwide with volunteers who give time to the Mormon Helping Hands program, and volunteers in that group recently planted 4,000 trees in the Pacific Area of the Church, as recounted here. As one who served two years with the Welfare Services program of the Church, I am profoundly grateful to hear of the volunteers in this outreach efforts.

Other recent stories include temple-related developments. The second counselor of the Preston England Temple presidency was recently announced as the new president following the death of the previous one in the midst of his active service. Additionally, in conjunction with the dedication of the Meridian Idaho Temple on Sunday, the Church News released this article (with a copy of the dedicatory prayer and information about the new temple) this article about how the saints in Meridian Idaho are ready to go to work on the new temple.

As with everything else, I am keeping my eyes open for any and all Church- and temple-related news and developments, and I will be sure to pass along any additional developments in that regard. 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 in everything you do.