Updated Future Estimates for Known Temple Events

Hello again, everyone! As I promised to do, I have taken another look at the estimates I have previously provided for future temple events that are currently anticipated. Based on that additional research, I have made those changes that I have felt would be appropriate. So as to absolve myself of any trouble, I should throw out a disclaimer: I do not in any way have access to inside information that would prove the merit of the information below. 

What I have done is to use my knowledge of the progress (or lack thereof) on new temples and others undergoing renovation to gauge how close each might be to a dedication, then used any other facts I could find (including estimates mentioned by others whose opinions I greatly respect, information about climate-related concerns that might alter such estimates further, and even a few newspaper articles from well-respected publications covering progress on such projects on a local level).

The estimates below represent my best efforts to figure out how reasonable a suggested time-frame might be, and they 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 be with and bless you all in everything you do.

Future estimates for known temple-related events

First half of 2018:

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

Note: This temple, which had a groundbreaking in December 2016, has been stalled in the approval process, which necessitated a plan modification. So I fully anticipate that, once winter 2018 clears Canada, construction will begin soon afterward.

Sunday April 22: Houston Texas Temple Rededication (private; date has been confirmed; President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will preside at this event)

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

Note: Since the rededication Jordan River Utah Temple is the first public temple event of President Nelson’s administration, it seems to be a given conclusion that he will preside at this event, but it will be interesting indeed to see how soon he shares such duties with his counselors, which has seen some variation for each Church president in recent years.

Second half of 2018:

July: Hamilton New Zealand Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed; official date confirmation pending)

Sunday October 28: Concepcion Chile Temple Dedication (160^th operating temple; confirmed)

Sunday November 18 or December 16: Rome Italy Temple Dedication (which would, if confirmed, make this temple the 161^st or 162^nd operating temple of the Church)

Note: In a recent Italian newspaper article, (if I interpreted the translation correctly), a construction worker assigned to this project indicated that Church leaders had set a date near the end of May by which the project would be turned back over to them. If that occurs on schedule, then I could easily see the dedication scheduled for one of these two dates. That said, because this temple has had other delays in its construction process up to this point, if those delays continue, that would push back the estimated timeline for this event.

Sunday December 9: Barranquilla Colombia Temple Dedication (161^st or 162^nd operating temple; date has been officially confirmed)

Note: With this temple’s dedication date confirmed, the one questions, as noted above, is whether or not the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple will be able to occur in late 2018. Until that is officially confirmed or denied, the numbering for this temple is tentative.

Final note on 2018: If the Rome Italy Temple dedication is delayed at all, that may push other events in subsequent years back as well. I have also heard that 2018 could potentially be a big year for groundbreakings of temples currently announced. With the Bangkok Thailand Temple having taken a major step forward towards its’ potential groundbreaking (as the site was announced and the architectural rendering was released on March 19, 2018), I will be watching that one. And with President Nelson set to tour Africa, Asia, and Europe, there may be a possibility that he could break ground for one or more of the announced temples that might be ready for that while he is there. I continue to keep my eyes open for anything official and will be sure to post such news as I receive it.

First half of 2019:

Mid-February: Fortaleza Brazil Temple Dedication (163^rd operating temple)

Note: My main rationale for moving this temple up to this spot on this list is in the fact that, as of today, that temple has a similar status to that of the Concepcion and Barranquilla Temples, meaning it may be far enough along to be dedicated sooner than anticipated. I will keep my eyes open for information that could change my mind again, but for now, the rationale to move it up seems sound.

Mid-to-late March: Memphis Tennessee Temple Rededication

Mid-April: Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Rededication

Early-to-mid May: Kinshasa DR Congo Temple Dedication (164^th operating temple)

Mid-to-late May: Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple Dedication (165^th operating temple)

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

Second half of 2019:

Early-to-mid August: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Rededication

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

Mid-September: Frankfurt Germany Temple Rededication

Note: While I would hope that the Saints served by the Frankfurt Temple, which has been closed since 2015, will not have to wait this long to have their temple operating again, at the same time, this temple has had numerous delays, while its’ US counterparts that have closed for renovation more recently have made much more substantial progress. If and when I see anything that would necessitate shifting this estimate again, I will do so.

Mid-to-late October: Durban South Africa Temple Dedication (167^th operating temple)

Mid-November: Asuncion Paraguay Temple Rededication

Note: While this temple was the second one to close for renovation in 2017, it has not progressed beyond the securing of building permits. For that reason, while I hope to be able to move this estimate up once full-scale efforts are reported, for now, it has felt wise to be more conservative.

Mid-December: Oakland California Temple Rededication

Note: This temple closed for renovation on February 19, 2018 and the renovation process was officially underway as of February 28, 2018. When its’ closure was announced by the First Presidency, the announcement indicated that this temple would be rededicated in 2019. That said, it is an older temple, and if anything delays or prolongs that process, another adjustment to this estimate would be necessary.

Final note on 2019: As with 2018, I have heard that 2019 could potentially be another big year for temple groundbreakings. If that proves to be the case, there will be other temple-related events to add to this list for subsequent years.

                       

First half of 2020:

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

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

Mid-May: Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Dedication (170^th operating temple)

Note: This estimate will only prove justified if, as widely anticipated, full-scale construction begins for this temple in April or May 2018. If that process is delayed for any further reasons, or if the 20-month construction estimate no longer applies, any subsequent adjustments that may be needed will be made.

Early-to-mid June: Tokyo Japan Temple Rededication

Note: While I previously noted that, because this temple is considerably smaller than others, the renovation would likely be concluded in early 2020, not much progress has been reported since the temple closed on October 2 of last year, which I have felt is sufficient reason to push this estimate back. If such progress is reported in the near future, I will be sure to change this estimate again.

Mid-September: Mesa Arizona Temple Rededicatiom

Mid-December: Washington DC Temple Rededication

2021:

Mid-to-late April: Hamilton New Zealand Temple Rededication

Final note: If, as noted above, several temples have a groundbreaking during the next two years, that in turn would necessitate adding their completion estimates to the list above. I continue to monitor all temple-related developments and will pass news of them along as I receive word of them.

Significant Update Noted on the Raleigh North Carolina Renovation Process

Hello again, everyone! I was made aware earlier today of a significant update that has been noted on the renovation process for the Raleigh North Carolina Temple, but this is the first opportunity I have had to report it officially on this blog. The new update indicates that the roof line has been raised for the altered exterior shell, and that the temple's exterior (including the roof line) has been sprayed with mold-resistant coating.

With the last update on the status of that temple reported on this blog on February 26 of this year, this update is a clear indicator that work is moving along at a very steady pace. With that in mind, not only does a general completion estimate for mid-2019 make sense, but it seems clear that, with the sheer amount of progress made on this temple's renovation since its' official closure on January 7 of this year, a more specific estimate of April or May for that rededication may be much more reasonable to assume than the later side of that estimate (which would be in August or September).

As time and current circumstances allow, I will be taking another look at the estimates I have offered and will hope to post updates to those later this week. 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 your all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

BREAKING NEWS: Church Releases Official Statement on Alleged Abuse Accusations Against a Former Mission President

Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post now with some breaking news from the Church. In response to a request for comment about an ongoing police investigation of charges that a former MTC president may have abused one of the missionaries under his stewardship, the First Presidency has released this statement.

What impressed me as I read it was how balanced it was, making it clear that abuse of any kind by anyone is cause for immediate disciplinary action if the allegations are subsequently verified, but also making it clear that since the recollection of the two people involved (the accuser and the accused) differ so much, and since the police continue to investigate, there is not much Church leadership can do unless and until this is settled one way or the other.

And I for one appreciate the balance. While this may not be true in other nations, in the US, someone is believed innocent until proven guilty. So for that reason, until the allegations are verified as true or false, the situation needs to be in the hands of the law enforcement members involved in the investigation, and if and when the claims are verified as factual, the Church would, of course, take the necessary action on their part.

This measured response from the First Presidency shows clearly how much they intend to keep the balance between the love of the Lord and the law of the Lord, as they mentioned in the press conference on January 16. In my opinion, this is the best approach they could have taken to responding about this issue.

If and when more details are determined about the case, subsequent releases will follow, I am sure. In the meantime, for any of my readers who may have been or are currently being subjected to abuse of any kind, I wanted to post some links to official Church resources on that subject.

You can find resources on that subject, among others, from the Church's page on that subject from the gospel topics section, from Mormon Newsroom's additional resource page covering the subject, and these General Conference talks as well.

Perhaps my all-time favorite among those is the most recent one, given in April 2008 by Elder Richard G. Scott, who, as some of you might recall, committed his talks to memory so he could focus on making sure he was always looking right into whatever camera was covering him. And since the Church has released this statement today, perhaps another talk or two from this next General Conference may be added to that list.

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.