Altered General Estimates for Future Temple Events

Hello again, everyone! I am back as promised with some revisions to general estimates I have previously offered for future temple events. First, the progress which has been made on the construction of the Lisbon Portugal, Arequipa Peru, and Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temples has been significant enough that it is now believed that Lisbon, along with the Durban South Africa Temple, could be dedicated in mid-to-late 2019. The completion estimate for Arequipa has been moved up to late 2019, and Rio de Janeiro is now anticipated to be dedicated during either late 2019 or early 2020.

In the meantime, I have also taken time to revise the "Groundbreaking anticipated" and "Announced" sections of my temple construction progress report yet again, based on new information which has shaped my reanalysis, and a copy of each section showing the revisions follows below:

Groundbreaking anticipated:

178. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Government approval phase; awaiting official site confirmation and release of artist’s rendering; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

179. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Existing institute building and meetinghouse closed on January 27, 2019 in preparation for demolition; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

180. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; property fence installed around temple site; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

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

182. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited potential site on April 17, 2018; groundbreaking anticipated in late 2019.

183. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

184. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

185. Puebla Mexico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.

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

186. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.

187. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

188. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

189. 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.

190. Layton Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

191. Richmond Virginia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.

192. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.

193. Salvador Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020.

194. Washington County Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city (and site) announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020.

195. Yuba City, California Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020.

196. Lagos Nigeria Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020-early 2021.           

197. Davao Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2021.

198. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2021.

199. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2021.

200. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2021.

201. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city and site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2021-early 2022.

Just a comment, if I may, on the list of announced temples and the timing anticipated for the groundbreaking of each. Most of those estimates are based on what is now known about the status of each temple, or what I can safely surmise from that knowledge. Some of it is an educated guess, and the rest is just me personally choosing to be cautious in the estimates I offer for the timing of such events. I am personally hoping it will not take another 3 years to clear out the queue of existing temples, and I recognize that there may be other temples announced which may lead to some of these estimates being pushed back further.

Estimating future time-frames for known or anticipated temple events is never a perfect process, and it evolves constantly and consistently as more information is made available. If anyone had told me that 3 temples announced in October of last year would have a groundbreaking within 7 months of their announcement, there was a time last year when I would have dismissed that as impossible. But the Lord has shown in abundance that He is in control of the timing of such things, and I am always happy to admit that He knows better than I do about such things.

That said, I hope my analysis on the subject, such as it may be, is helpful to all who read it. If that turns out to be the case, then my efforts will have been a success. I continue to monitor all temple developments and any other Church news and am committed to bringing word of such things to you all here as I receive it.

In the meantime, that does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. 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.

BREAKING NEWS: Praia Cabo Verde Temple Groundbreaking Scheduled; Buenos Aires Argentina MTC to Close

Hello again, everyone! One week ago, we heard news of the groundbreaking ceremonies to be held for the Pocatello Idaho and Yigo Guam Temples. Earlier today, the Church announced that the groundbreaking for the Praia Cape Verde Temple (with that temple adopting the Spanish version of its' name (in other words, Praia Cabo Verde Temple) will take place on May 4, which will be the same day on which ground is broken for the Yigo Guam and San Juan Puerto Rico Temples. This marks the first time in a long time (in my recollection) in which 3 temple groundbreakings have been set to occur on the same day.

The design for this temple is similar or identical to the designs previously announced for both the San Juan and Yigo Temples. And it also appears that Yigo Guam time is ahead of Praia Cabo Verde time, which is ahead of San Juan Puerto Rico time, which is ahead of Utah time. So the temples will have their groundbreakings in that order (Yigo, Praia, and San Juan). Construction of each temple is anticipated to take roughly two years, meaning that a dedication for each could occur in early-to-mid 2021.

But that's not the only news I have to share today. The Church also announced through Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff that the MTC in Buenos Aires Argentina will close this July. This is in accordance with President Nelson's desire to reevaluate how Church resources are being used, and what changes in that use of resources would be in the best interests of the Church. Missionaries who would have been trained in that MTC will now go to the MTCs in Brazil or Mexico.

It will be interesting to see what other developments are announced as 2019 continues. It appears that President Nelson's assessment (that 2019 will be more exciting than 2018, and that the years following will also be increasingly exciting ones for the Church) was not an understatement. I continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will do my level best to bring word of those 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, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. 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.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband Celebrates His 68th Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! With the date change that occurred less than an hour ago, Elder Ronald A. Rasband is celebrating his 68th birthday today. This post is written in honor of that milestone, and I am pleased to share a biographical overview of his life with you all on his special day. Ronald Anderson Rasband was born to Rulon Hawkins Rasband and Verda Anderson in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 6, 1951. He served as a full-time missionary in the Eastern States Mission, which was headquartered in New York City and encompassed the whole New York Metro area, while also stretching into western New York and Pennsylvania.

He married Melanie Twitchell in 1973, and together they raised five children. He studied at the University of Utah, and would later receive an honorary doctorate degree in business and commerce from Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) in 1995. He began his professional career in the Huntsman Container Company as a Sales Representative in 1976. Still in that employment 11 years later (in 1987), he was promoted to the position of president and chief operating officer of Huntsman Chemical Corporation, where he closely worked with Jon Huntsman Sr. and later served on the board of directors of that company.

His Church service has been extensive. He has been a bishop, Temple Square missionary guide, member of the Church’s Sesquicentennial Committee, and, from 1996-1999, president of the New York New York North Mission. On April 1, 2000, he was sustained a general authority and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, where he would serve in the Europe North & Europe Central Areas from 2000-2003; and went on to preside over the Utah Salt Lake City Area from 2003-2004. In August 2004, responsibility for oversight of the work of the Church in North America was transferred to the Presidency of the Seventy.

He then served from 2004-2005 as Executive Director of the Temple Department. His call to serve in the Presidency of the Seventy became effective in August 2005, where he had supervisory responsibility for the North America Northwest and North America West Areas for two years, after which he was given oversight for the Utah North, Utah Salt Lake City, and Utah South Areas (from 2007-2009).

By August of 2008, he had become the second most senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy. The following April, as a result of Elder Neil L. Andersen's call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Rasband became the Senior President of the Seventy, and, as such, was given oversight for all areas in the United States and Canada.

He was still serving in that same assignment when, in October 2015, he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. With Elders Gary E. Stevenson and Dale G. Renlund called at the same time (something that had not happened since 1906), the number of those who had served as members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reached a total of 100. He is currently the 8th in seniority among the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and is the 6th oldest among the members of that Quorum. He also ranks as the 11th in seniority among all current apostles, and is the 9th oldest of that same group.

I wanted to mention that I have an indirect personal connection to Elder Rasband. When my was involved in the institute program, Elder Rasband was one of her instructors. As a result of the three apostolic vacancies in 2015, my wife was one of many who felt Elder Rasband would be called to the apostleship to fill one of those, and she (and others who felt the same way) turned out to be right.

And I will never forget praying in advance of the October 2015 General Conference for my own personal witness to know that whoever was called had indeed been chosen by the Lord. The moment President Eyring read the names of the three new apostles, I received the witness I had requested. For that reason, I gratefully sustain not just Elder Rasband, but each of our 15 apostles

I also wanted to note that, in his nearly 19 years as a General Authority, Elder Rasband has had 13 opportunities to address us in General Conference: 1 as a General Authority Seventy, 5 more while in the Presidency of the Seventy, and the remaining 7 since his call to the apostleship almost 3.5 years ago. You can review any of those, which have cover a wide range of different topics, here

While I don't know if Elder Rasband will ever read this personally, I am grateful for this opportunity I have had, in my own small way, to pay tribute to and reflect on his life on this day, when he is celebrating his 68th birthday. I do continue to monitor all apostolic updates, general Church news, and any temple-related developments and will keep bringing you word of those as I receive it.

In the meantime, I have no idea right now when my next post will be published (as that will largely, if not entirely depend on any significant forthcoming event or announcement), but if nothing else, I will plan on continuing to report more minor developments in the comment threads of this blog, and will have another new post coming for sure on February 20 (two weeks from today) at which time President Ballard will be observing his first 2019 apostolic nonagenarian milestone.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. 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.