Latest Apostolic Statistics: Part One--Updated Data for President Oaks, President Nelson, and Longest-Serving Apostolic Groups

Hello again, everyone! While I hope you all will feel free to continue to comment on any previous posts, another 6 weeks have come and gone since I last posted updated information on the latest apostolic statistics. (The last time I did so was Sunday September 23, 2018.) Since there have been an impressive number of changes in that information within that period of time, and in view of a previously-given promise that I would do so, I wanted to focus two other posts on that subject today.

While I hope most of you will find this information interesting and enlightening, there may be some of you who are not interested in the data I will present. Consequently, I will not in any way be offended if any of you skip over this data. The information I will be presenting is current as of today (Sunday November 4, 2018), and the data will again be presented in the same order.

After updates on the tenure of President Dallin H. Oaks as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and on the tenure and age of Church President Russell M. Nelson, there will be some observations about the tenures of our First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all currently-living ordained apostles as a group. At that point, I will end this post, and publish another a few minutes later to cover updates on upcoming apostolic birthdays, the long-form and decimal ages of our apostles, and a discussion on apostolic nonagenarians.

So let’s begin with some information on President Oaks’ current tenure length as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which will include exploring how soon he will move up on this list. The length of his service has currently spanned 9 months and 21 days. Two weeks ago today, the length of President Oaks’ tenure as such became equal to that of President Gordon B. Hinckley, and the former officially served longer than the latter by the following day. President Oaks is now the 25^th longest-serving Quorum President. There will be a roughly 5-month hiatus before President Oaks observes his next milestone (which will occur in April 2019). He will then observe two additional milestones two days apart in July, followed by one each in November and December of next year. More specific details on those milestones will be forthcoming closer to the time. 

President Oaks appears, by all accounts, to be in good health. So I have no doubt he will at least be around to observe the next 10 milestones which are upcoming for his tenure as Quorum President. But as previously observed, the length of his tenure will not just depend on how long he lives, but also on how long President Nelson lives. Since the prophet is in very good health, as he appears to be 20-30 years younger than he is when speaking to Church congregations around the world), he will likely be around for a while. So the health of Presidents Oaks and Nelson will be something to keep an eye on for sure.

And speaking of President Nelson, since he was ordained and set apart as Church president on the same day he set apart President Oaks as Quorum President, his tenure has spanned 9 months and 21 days as well. He is now 94 years, 1 month, and 26 days old. President Nelson observed the first tenure length milestone of his presidency on Wednesday October 10, 2018, at which time he had served longer than President Howard W. Hunter. He will observe both another tenure-related and his first age-related milestone two days apart in July of 2019, with subsequent milestones more spread out in the years following that. And again, I will be detailing those more specifically closer to the time when they will be reached.

In the meantime, as also noted previously, the current First Presidency will only be joining the list of longest continuously serving First Presidencies in Church history on Saturday April 20, 2024, so I will be outlining their future milestones on that list closer to the time. I am also not aware of any other current apostles having health issues, so I have no doubt the current members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will continue to serve together for a while.

Those 12 men (who have served together since March 31 of this year), will mark 3 years together on March 31, 2021, at which point they will join the list of the longest-serving Quorums of the Twelve Apostles in Church history. I will likewise be providing updates on those future milestones in the near future. And interestingly enough, less than two months prior to that, the 15 apostles will make the list of the longest-serving such group (the exact date is February 8, 2021).

With that said, I want to conclude this portion of the update. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on this or any other post at any time. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post (which should be the second one on this subject and will be published here within the next few minutes), I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Changes Made Yet Again to Announced Temples Section of My Temple Construction Progress Report

Hello again, everyone! I took some time tonight to go over the information I had available on announced temples. Based on my ongoing analysis of those developments, and on new information which has come to light in recent days, I have once again reworked the section of my temple construction progress report for announced temples. One of the most significant changes I have made is splitting that section into two separate parts.

The first part contains temples for which, in my opinion, there is sufficient information to allow me to make an educated estimate about the general time-frames within which those temples could have a groundbreaking. The second part of that section now contains those temples for which more information will be needed before I move them up to the first section and make an estimate for the groundbreaking process.

That said, I am anticipating that something big will be occurring within the next 2 years or so to clear the current backlog to some degree, and to prepare for any additional temples that may be announced. With a backlog of 31 announced temples in various phases currently, something significant will need to be done to clear it.

But I have a feeling that the Lord would not have prompted President Nelson to announce 19 temples this year alone (with 12 other previously-announced temples in various phases working towards construction) if there was not a plan to deal with the resulting backlog.

I have a similar feeling that temple announcements will not slow at all. If anything, we will enter an era when temple developments are reported with greater frequency, and where announced temples will move more quickly from announcement to groundbreaking to construction. It will certainly be interesting to see it all unfold. That said, my updated list of announced temples, complete with the changes I mentioned, follows below.

So as to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in eveyrthing you do.

 Note on announced temples: On October 30, 2018, I reviewed the information I had available, and I accordingly reordered the temples in this section splitting them into two sub-categories. The first contains those for which there is sufficient information, based on which I have provided a rough groundbreaking estimate, which will, of course, be subject to alteration in the future as more information is available. The second section contains those temples which are ordered based on the information currently available, but for which more information will be needed before they can join the first list. And for that second list, I do not feel comfortable offering any groundbreaking estimate until more information is available.

Announced Temples (for which sufficient information has me confident enough to venture a general groundbreaking estimate):

172. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Site preparation phase; construction barrier in place; groundbreaking could occur in late 2018-early 2019.

Note: The Church of Jesus Christ Temples site notes that preliminary site work is underway to prepare for construction. Depending on how long that process takes, a groundbreaking could occur by the end of this year or during the first part of next year.

173. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Government approval process; streets around temple site opened; groundbreaking anticipated in early 2019.

Note: When the artist’s rendering was released for this temple (which occurred on September 7, 2018), that announcement noted that construction was anticipated to begin at some point in 2019. I am anticipating that will occur within the first quarter of the year.

174. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Government approval phase; probable site identified; awaiting official confirmation and artist’s rendering; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2019.

Note: Although no official site confirmation has occurred, a probable site has been identified, and a zoning variance has been approved for a special project. If official confirmation occurs and an artist’s rendering is soon released, I could see a groundbreaking occur in the time-frame noted above, if not sooner.

175. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

Note: Although an official site confirmation is pending for this temple, a public affairs representative for the Church in Kenya noted that one has been selected, and that this temple, which will be on the smaller side, is anticipated to be dedicated in 2021. So it is not hard to believe that a groundbreaking could occur during the time-frame noted above.

176. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Artist’s rendering and site announcement released on March 19, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

Note: Although President Nelson noted in March that he foresaw no delays in getting construction of this temple underway, it was not until October 14 that the Church of Jesus Christ Temples reported that the final building would be vacated. Until that building is razed (which could take another month or two) a groundbreaking may potentially be delayed. Until more is known, I prefer to be more conservative in the estimates I offer. But I would not be shocked if a groundbreaking were held in the time-frame indicated above, but certainly sooner than that if all goes well.

177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited probable site on October 20, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

Note: Although an official confirmation of the site location is still pending, if the site visited by President Nelson is confirmed as being the temple location, then given the fact that preliminary work has been underway since March of 2017, I would hope a groundbreaking could occur within the window noted above, but certainly sooner if all goes well.

178. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited potential site on April 17, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

Note: If the potential site President Nelson visited last April is confirmed as the location where the temple will be built, a groundbreaking could occur within the noted window of time above.

179. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

Note: With a site having been confirmed for this temple not long after its’ announcement in April 2017, it is my hope that a groundbreaking could occur as indicated above, but certainly sooner if all goes well.

180. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

Note: As noted on the Brasilia Brazil Temple, a site was confirmed for this temple not long after its’ announcement. With that in mind, an official name could be announced in the near future, and a groundbreaking could easily occur in the time-frame noted above.

181. Layton Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.

Note: The Church of Jesus Christ Temples site notes that the Church purchased land in Layton two days before the temple was announced. If confirmation is provided in the near future that that land will be used for the temple, then a groundbreaking could easily occur as specified above.

182. Richmond Virginia Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

Note: Not long after this temple was announced, an article published in a Richmond newspaper noted that the Church had procured several acres of land in that city sometime during 2015. If that purchased land is confirmed as the location of that temple, then a groundbreaking could occur within the above time-frame, but certainly sooner, if all goes well.

183. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

Note: For several years before this temple was announced, land had been held in reserve for such an edifice when the time was right. If at any point the Church confirms that will be the location of the temple, then a groundbreaking could easily be held within the window specified above, if not sooner.

184. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

Note: The Church of Jesus Christ Temples site has reported that the Church acquired land that may be used for this temple in the recent past. If that land is confirmed as the location where the temple will be built, then a groundbreaking could easily take place in the time-frame suggested above, though I could see that occurring sooner depending on what happens between now and then.

185. Bengaluru India Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson toured potential locations on April 19, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

Note: During his initial Global Ministry Tour in April, President Nelson made a visit to Bengaluru, where he explained to the Saints that the Lord had told him to announce a temple there the night before General Conference began. During that tour, he took the time to visit and consider several locations where the temple could be built. If all goes well, this temple could easily begin construction within the noted time-frame specified above.

186. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in ­mid-2020.

Note: In late October 2018, the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site noted that land had been acquired a short distance from the Phnom Penh North Stake Center. If the Church confirms at any point that this will be the location for the temple in that city, then it is not hard to believe that a groundbreaking could be held within the next 1.25-1.75 years, depending on what happens between now and then.  

187. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.

Note: Although confirmation of the official site location is pending, many speculate that the temple will be built on the same hill on which the city’s MTC and the New Zealand Redoubt Stake Center is located. This information was indirectly and unofficially confirmed by someone who regularly comments on my blog. If the Church confirms that location, then a groundbreaking could easily occur within the next 2 years, but certainly sooner if all goes well.

Announced Temples (for which more information is needed before I provide an estimated groundbreaking time-frame):

188. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

189. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

190. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

191. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official location and site announcement.

192. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

193. Salvador Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

194. Yuba City, California Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

195. Praia Cape Verde Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

196. Yigo Guam Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

197. Puebla Mexico Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

198. Lagos Nigeria Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

199. Davao Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

200. San Juan Puerto Rico Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official site announcement

201. Washington County Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; Announced October 7, 2018; awaiting official location and site announcement.

Additional Church News Reported

Hello again, everyone! There have been some additional Church news stories reported, and all of them are well worthy of your attention, so I am pleased to both present them for your consideration, and to endorse each one of them without reservation or hesitation as deserving of your time. Let's jump right in to our discussion of those things.

We begin with an article published on the Church News website just around an hour ago. The article talks about the Hill Cumorah Pageant taking a "final bow" in 2020, and provides some context in terms of what has been determined for that and other productions.

We next shift our focus to the Church's Newsroom website, where it has been reported that President Oaks spoke at this week's BYU-Idaho Devotional. He discussed the interlinking roles of love and law, how they are related, how they differ, and how the Lord and His Church have tried to strike a careful balance between showing love for those of a differing viewpoint while still upholding the commitment to the laws and commandments of the Lord.

And interestingly enough, the Newsroom also provided a link to the full transcript of those remarks, which were also featured on the Newsroom. I have previously mentioned before how I can usually relate very well to what President Oaks says in such addresses, and that I like him approaching such topics in the same way he wrote legal briefs prior to his apostolic call, clearly differentiating when he moves on to the next point he wants to cover. I particularly appreciated how he explained the balance between loving everyone, while at the same time not condoning behaviors or practices which are displeasing to the Lord.

In the meantime, following the three dedicatory sessions for the Concepcion Chile Temple, President Nelson and Elder Stevenson sat down together for one interview, and Sister Nelson was featured in another interview. The Church provided both some written context and video highlights of that interview.

Since an earlier Church News article shared the portion of the interview with President Nelson and Elder Stevenson (including the remarkable statements by the prophet which I referenced in an earlier post on this blog), I wanted to focus my commentary in this post on some things Sister Nelson said during her interview. She talked about him de-aging as he speaks to Church congregations, and talked about his vim, vigor, and energy, and she provided more context into what she has observed day-to-day with her husband in the 9 months since he became President of the Church.

She particularly spoke more about her personal strong witness she has gained through first-hand observation of her husband day-to-day, and how she would be perfectly comfortable taking any witness stand in the world to attest to her husband's prophetic calling. She also mentioned that in many ways, he has been unleashed, meaning he is free now to do something about things which have concerned him for a while.

I want to interject some context here before going any further. From watching the video of Sister Nelson's interview, I don't think she meant to imply that he was unilaterally changing things. To the contrary, in remarks he has given, he has talked about things he has announced having been "under study/consideration for several months." It appears that she was referring to the fact that, at times, as an apostle, he felt impressions about things that needed to be done, but if any of those things were not within the scope of his assignment, he could not and would not act on or present them, since he did not yet have the authority to bring those things forward for consideration.

If he had done so, that may have been considered "going beyond the word of the Lord", which is something that would have been contrary to his nature. But particularly, if the declining health of his prophetic predecessor was such that the items which caused President Nelson concern could not be properly presented, encouraged, discussed, and decided upon, he would not have wanted to rock the boat or go beyond the authority he had.

Now that he is the prophet, with the authority to act on such impressions, he is free to take such action, with the full approval of his fellow apostles behind him. And I think that is what Sister Nelson meant: not that he was being previously hindered from doing what he felt impressed should be done, but that he wasn't comfortable doing so until he had the authority to ensure that such courses of action were in harmony with the Lord's will for His Church.

Sister Nelson also talked about how President Nelson's focus is on how best to prepare the Saints and the world for the Second Coming of the Savior, and that part of that process will involve a continuation of efforts to reduce and simplify the programs and practices of the Church to allow us as individual members to more fully focus on that as well in our personal lives.

She also talks about his consideration of how any decision will impact the Church on a global scale, and the impact such decisions will have on the way the world sees the Church. She also mentioned that he is most anxious to be out among the people as frequently as he can for as long as he can. President Nelson has talked about knowing that if he feels comfortable at home, he knows he is not doing what the Lord wants done. And she reiterated the idea that he will be doing much more traveling in the future.

I am grateful for prophets, seers, and revelators who are willing to put personal agendas and preconceived ideas aside to bring themselves into conformity with the Lord's will, and particularly for a prophet that recognizes a need for people everywhere in the world to be near him, who acts decisively and fearlessly in proclaiming what the Lord needs us to hear, even when that may not be what we want to hear, and for the wonderful wives of our apostles who fully and unequivocally support these "special witnesses of Christ" in their responsibility to minister to the Church and the whole world.

I do continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will, to the best of my ability, do all I can to keep bringing word of those developments to you all as I receive word of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time.

Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. 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.