In order 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, 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.
2019:
Monday July 8:
Hong Kong China Temple Renovation Closure
Note: On January 30, 2019, the First Presidency
announced the renovation closure for this temple, with the plans to be detailed
more fully at a later time. I am anticipating that that process will take
around 3 years, so I have set a preliminary estimate of mid-to-late 2022.
Saturday August
17: Groundbreaking Ceremony for Belem Brazil Temple (confirmed)
Note: On June 17, 2019, new information noted that
the groundbreaking ceremony for this temple had been confirmed through a letter
from the Brazil Area Presidency to priesthood leaders. Although confirmation
through the Church’s official Newsroom is still pending, barring anything
unexpected, such confirmation is just a matter of time. Elder Marcos A.
Aidukaitis, President of the Brazil Area, will preside over this temple’s
groundbreaking. I am estimating that this will be a smaller temple, and that
construction on it could wrap up in mid-to-late 2021.
Saturday August
24-Monday September 2: President Nelson’s Latin American Ministry Tour
(confirmed)
Note: During the third week in May, comments on my
blog shared releases from a few country Newsroom websites of the Church noting
President Nelson would visit those locations in late August and early
September. Then on May 29, the Church released official details of the trip and
its’ itinerary. Accompanied by his wife, Wendy W. Nelson, Elder Quentin L. Cook
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Mary G. Cook, President
Nelson will visit 5 nations in 9 days. With stops in Guatemala, Colombia,
Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, it appears more likely than not that part of
that tour will involve scouting for future temple locations.
Sunday September 1:
Dedication of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple (165th operating
temple; confirmed)
Note: On November 14, 2018, the First Presidency
announced the open house and dedication information for this temple (with the
latter originally set for mid-May). Then, on January 18, 2019, the dedication
was pushed back to this date in view of delays in the construction process. Because
President Nelson will be wrapping up his aforementioned Latin American Ministry
Tour this same weekend, and given the precedent set with the prior two temple
dedications (in Kinshasa DR Congo and Fortaleza Brazil), it seems likely any of
the three apostles fluent in French (President Eyring or Elders Andersen or
Renlund) may oversee this dedication. Given that Elder Andersen is the only one
of those three who has not presided over a temple event, since he broke ground
for this temple, he may be asked to return to dedicate it.
Friday September
6: President Nelson’s 95th Birthday Celebration
Note: On March 14, 2019, the Church announced this
milestone celebration for President Nelson, which will occur 3 days before his
actual 95th birthday. In view of the fact that President Nelson has
announced 27 temples since his prophetic administration began, it seems appropriate
to mention this milestone birthday among other events on this timeline.
Sunday September
15: Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple (166th operating
temple; confirmed)
Note: On March 4, 2019, the First Presidency
announced the open house and dedication information for this temple. Given the
recent past precedent I noted previously, any of the 15 current apostles,
particularly those who have not personally presided over a temple event this
year and/or who have any kind of connection to Lisbon may be asked to oversee
this dedication. Who exactly that might be is anyone’s guess.
Saturday &
Sunday October 5 & 6: 189th Semiannual General Conference:
Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples
announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s
prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every
six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General
Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of
announced temples, at least for the time being.
Sunday October 13:
Private rededication for the Raleigh North Carolina Temple (confirmed)
Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency
announced that a one-session private rededication for this temple would take
place on this date (following a one-week public open house), with President M.
Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presiding.
Sunday October 20: Rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple
(confirmed)
Note: On March 5, 2019, the First Presidency
announced that this temple would be rededicated on this date. I am anticipating
that Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our native German apostle will be asked to
rededicate this temple.
Sunday November 3: Private rededication of the Asuncion Paraguay Temple
(confirmed)
Note: On May 21,
2019, the First Presidency announced the one-week open house and one-session
private rededication for this temple. It is my opinion that any of the senior
apostles (up to and including Elder Christofferson) who have not presided at a
temple event could preside over this
rededication. But what is far less clear right now is which of those 9 most
senior apostles is most likely to do
so.
Monday November 4:
St. George Utah Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)
Note: This temple’s renovation was announced on
January 25, 2019. Given the fact that seismic and systemic updates are
anticipated to occur, I have set a preliminary general completion estimate of
mid-to-late 2022.
Sunday November 17: Private rededication of the Baton Rouge Louisiana
Temple (confirmed)
Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency also
announced the one-week public open house for this temple, which will be
privately rededicated on this date by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles.
December 15: Dedication
of the Arequipa Peru Temple (167th operating temple)
Note: On May 21,
2019, the First Presidency also announced the dedication of this temple. Given the aforementioned past precedent, any
apostle could preside over this
temple dedication, with the only question being which of the 15 is most likely to actually do so. Insofar
as I am aware, I know of no current apostle who has direct ties to Peru. So at
this point, the prospect is too difficult to call.
Sunday December
29: Salt Lake Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)
Note: On April 19, 2019, President Nelson
announced renovation plans for the Salt Lake Temple, identifying this date for
its’ closure. I will offer an estimate for its’ completion (which is
anticipated in early-to-mid 2024) later in this document.
Final note on 2019: Groundbreakings have been held so far this year
for the Urdaneta Philippines, Bangkok Thailand, Pocatello Idaho, Yigo Guam,
Praia Cabo Verde, San Juan Puerto Rico, Quito Ecuador, and Lima Peru Los Olivos
Temples. Additionally, as noted above, a groundbreaking for the Belem Brazil
Temple will occur in mid-August. Given what I have heard about 2019, it seems
more likely than not that several other temples will have a groundbreaking at
some point during that year. In particular, I am watching for information on the
Brasilia Brazil, Greater Manila Philippines, Richmond Virginia, Nairobi Kenya,
Harare Zimbabwe, Saratoga Springs Utah, Bengaluru India, Auckland New Zealand
and Puebla Mexico Temples. Even if not all of them have a groundbreaking occur in 2019, many of them will likely
have a groundbreaking scheduled
before the end of this year.
