UPDATED: Revised Groundbreaking Anticipated and Announced Temples Sections of My Temple Construction Progress Report

Hello again, everyone! 8 days ago, when the site announcement was made for the Moses Lake Washington Temple, I had made a few revisions to the "Groundbreaking Anticipated" and "Announced Temples" sections of my temple construction progress report. I had been tempted to share htose updates that day or the day after, but something told me to wait to do so. Then, two days ago, a comment published to another post on this blog, which came from my Church member contact in Central America, shared information indicating that sites had been procured for all three announced Central American temples (Managua Nicaragua, San Pedro Sula Honduras, and Coban Guatemala), all of which could potentially have a groundbreaking during the first half of next year. So I had to again make adjustments to those two sections of that report. And then today, of course, we learned that the Washington County Utah Temple will be built in St. George Utah, becoming the second temple in that city. So that necessitated further changes. And although I fully anticipate that President Nelson's Southeast Asia Ministry Tour will almost certainly yield further informaiton about the Phnom Pehn Cambodia Temple, and that other temple announcements which may come down the pike before the end of the year, now seems as good a time as any to publish those updated and revised sections of my temple construction progres report.

Those updates follow below. In order to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here as I always do: That does it for now. 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.

Groundbreaking anticipated:

183. 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-early 2020.

Note: Aside from the information noted above, in mid-November of last year, Elder Andersen visited with Zimbabwe’s Vice President, and indicated to him that the Church was hoping to begin construction on the Harare temple in late 2019. Therefore, barring anything unexpected, it seems more likely than not that a groundbreaking could occur at around this time.

184. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; construction contract awarded; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020..

Note: Although a construction contract for this temple was awarded 1-3 months ago, since only 2.5 months remain in 2019, and since no additional information (including an official site announcement and rendering) has been released yet, it has seemed wise to update my estimate to this point. 

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

Note: On May 19, 2019, Bishop Dean M. Davies, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, visited members of the Bengaluru India stake and told them that the Church hoped to release the information about the site location and design for this temple before the end of 2019. Given that there are just 2.5 months remaining in 2019, and that nothing related to this temple has been announced, I felt it wise to readjust my estimate for this temple to around this time.

186. Richmond Virginia Temple: Planning and approval phase; official renderings released on August 28, 2019; groundbreaking anticipated in spring 2020.

Note: Two days after the renderings for this temple were released, an article printed in one of the Henrico County newspapers indicated that Church officials were planning to break ground for this temple during spring 2020. Accordingly, I have updated this estimate to this point.

187.  Tooele Valley Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; site location officially confirmed on September 25, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

Note: Because this temple is reportedly being fast-tracked, if the plans for it also receive rapid approval, a groundbreaking could easily follow within this time, if not sooner than that.

188. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Planning and approval phase; site acquired (location not yet officially confirmed); groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

189. San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple: Planning and approval phase; site acquired (location not yet officially confirmed); groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

190. Coban Guatemala Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

191. Feather River California Temple: Planning and approval phase; official rendering released and site location announced on September 26, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

Note: Since temples in the United States typically see an earlier start to their construction than their international counterparts (although not as quickly as their counterparts in Utah), it has 8 wise to move this temple and update the associated general estimate for its’ groundbreaking to this point. Depending on what happens over the next few months, I could see a need to readjust this temple’s position among the others and its’ estimate, which I will be sure to do. 

192. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; property fence installed around temple site; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

Note: On September 1, 2019, I was advised that the concept plans for this temple were floating around social media. If those plans are verified as official, a groundbreaking could easily occur within this period of time, if not sooner.

193.  Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020. 

Note: Based on what is and is not known presently about this temple, it seems probable that a groundbreaking for it could be fit in during this window, if all goes well.

194. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; site location and preliminary information confirmed on May 21, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.

195. Moses Lake Washington Temple: Planning and approval phase; site location and preliminary information confirmed on October 29, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020.

196. Washington County Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city (and site) announcement; site location and preliminary information confirmed on November 6, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in late 2020-early 2021.

Note on announced temples: During 2019, I had reasons to repeatedly reevaluate the information I had available, and made further adjustments to this section following the dedication of the revision process for the “Groundbreaking anticipated” section. I have felt that more information is needed on each of these temples before I offer any kind of estimate for their groundbreaking ceremonies. But as such information is made available, I will be sure to make further alterations to this section as needed.

Announced Temples (for which more information is needed before I provide a groundbreaking estimate):

197. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site acquired; awaiting official confirmation.

198. Bentonville Arkansas Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site acquired; awaiting official confirmation.

199. Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site acquired; awaiting official confirmation.

200. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site identified.

201. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site identified.

202. Salvador Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site identified.

203. Antofagasta Chile Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site identified.

204. Pago Pago American Samoa Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although nothing has been officially confirmed, two potential sites (adjacent to the Pago Pago Samoa Central and  Pago Pago Samoa Malaeimi Stake Centers could be considered as candidate sites for this temple.

205. Okinawa City Okinawa (Japan) Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: On July 31, 2019, the Japanese edition of the Newsroom’s official website noted that a new stake center had been completed for the Okinawa stake. In early August, I subsequently heard a theory that the temple in this city could be built on the site of the former stake center. While it will be up to the Church to confirm or deny that prospect, the suggestion thereof has led me to move this temple up to this point.

206. Lagos Nigeria Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

207. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

208. Davao Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

209. Neiafu Tonga Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

210. Budapest Hungary Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

211. Freetown Sierra Leone Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

212. Orem Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

213. Bacolod Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

214. McAllen Texas Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

216. Taylorsville Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

217. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city (and site) announcement.

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: First Presidency Announces Site Location of Waxhintgton County Utah Temple

Hello again, everyone! In a completely unexpected development, the First Presidency today announced the location and preliminary design information for the Washington County Utah Temple. While many people (myself included) had speculated that the temple would be built in Washington City (where the Church owns quite a bit of undeveloped land), will instead be built on a beautiful spot of land on a 14-acre site located northeast of 3000 East 1580 South in St. George, Utah. Preliminary plans note that the temple is anticipated to be a three-story edifice with an area of approximately 88,000 square feet. Thus, St. George becomes the fourth city in the world that will be home to two temples, joining Provo Utah, Lima Peru, and Manila Philippines. The statement also notes that the Church and project leaders will, in the coming months, be working through the approval process for this temple, that plans will be more fully detailed as they are developed and approved and that that process will culminate in the announcement of a groundbreaking ceremony once all approvals are granted. As previously noted, construction on the Washington County Utah Temple is not anticipated to be completed prior to the time when the St. George Utah Temple reopens in 2022 or 2023 following its' renovation process, and with ithe larger size of this newest temple, that is not surprising.

One other thing I also wanted to note: I will be interested to see whether or not a more official name is provided for this temple at some point along the way. The second Provo Utah Temple is known as the Provo City Center Temple. The second temple in Lima Peru has Los Olivos attached to its' name to distinguish it from its' counterpart in the same city. And a more official name announcement is hoped for on the second temple that willl, in coming years, be built in Muntinlupa City in the Philippines.

And this of course also increases the number of temples that may have a groundbreaking within the next year or so to now 15 or 16. As previously noted, temples in the United States, and particularly those in Utah, tend to have a much swifter start to construction than their counterparts in other places. It is wonderful to have heard of this news, and I was grateful to be able to pass it along to oyu all here. I continue to also monitor all major Church news and temple updates, and will, to the best of my ability, pass word of those along to you all as I receive it.

That does it for now. 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 Dieter F. Uchtdorf Observes His 79th Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! As it is now past midnight Utah time, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf is marking his 79th birthday today. As Elder Uchtdorf has long been one of my favorite apostles, I am pleased to offer this tribute in honor of this milestone. Dieter Friedrich Uchtdorf was born to Karl Albert and Hildegard Else Opelt Uchtdorf on this day in 1940 in the city of Ostrava, which, at that time, was known as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, but is now identified as the Czech Republic. With his family twice becoming refugees, he grew up in Germany, where his family joined the Church in 1947. In order to and went on to study engineering, business administration, and international management, after which he joined the German Air Force in 1959, where he trained to be a fighter pilot. In 1965, he joined Lufthansa German Airlines as a pilot, working as an airline captain from 1970-1996. He held many responsible executive positions with German Airlines. He reported feeling discouraged about having to learn English, but has also described how he was able to do so.

He married Harriet Reich on December 14, 1962 (whom he had met when the missionaries brought her and her family to Church while he was a young man),and they both have different recollections of the details whereby they actually got together). They raised two children and now have several grandchildren, along with a few great-grandchildren. He served as a stake president before his call as a General Authority. During that time, he gave an instrumental interview to the press in which he tackled tough topics related to his faith as the Frankfurt Germany Temple prepared to open.

He was subsequently sustained as a General Authority on April 2, 1994, and was initially assigned to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Roughly two years later, on April 6, 1996, he was sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy on August 15, 2002 and was sustained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 2, 2004 and ordained an apostle on October 7, 2004 (becoming the 11th apostle born outside the United States).

On February 3, 2008, he was set apart as the Second Counselor in the First Presidency to President Thomas S. Monson. Although 12 men born outside the United States have served as apostles, he became only the sixth apostle born outside the United States that served in the First Presidency. At the time of his call to the First Presidency, he was the 13th in apostolic seniority. During the period of almost a decade in which he served alongside President Monson and First Counselor President Henry B. Eyring, the deaths of six apostles senior to him meant he had become the 7th in apostolic seniority.

And with the death of President Monson occurring just three months after the death of Elder Robert D. Hales, the First Presidency was dissolved. The new Church President, Russell M. Nelson, chose as his counselors his seatmate Elder Dallin H. Oaks and President Eyring. As a result, Elder Uchtdorf returned to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. When he departed that Quorum to serve in the First Presidency, he had been the tenth most senior member of that Quorum, and he returned to it as the third in seniority, with only Acting President M. Russell Ballard and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland ahead of him.

In recognition of his administrative capacities and capabilities, his assignments as a recently-reassigned Quorum member were those that had previously been held by the three who had been the most senior members of the Quorum prior to that time (Presidents Nelson, Oaks, and Ballard). Elder Uchtdorf has spoken frequently about ways in which Church members should consider themselves called to action. I enjoy hearing what he has to say in his General Conference addresses every six months.

Throughout his 25 years as a general authority, and his now-15 years as a special witness of the Savior, (including almost a decade of service in the First Presidency, he has now given 71 addresses in General Conference, only 2 of which were given prior to his apostolic call.  Elder Uchtdorf is a man of great personal warmth and charm, and we are blessed indeed to have him among the Special Witnesses of Christ at this time. He has always struck a very warm and welcoming tone in his public discourses, and his current assignments are a clear testament to the great faith the Brethren have in him. In addition to being the third-most-senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he is also the third-oldest, behind only President Ballard and Elder Quentin L. Cook. He is also the seventh-most-senior apostle overall, and the sixth-oldest of the 15 apostles overall.

Although he may never personally read this tribute, it was an honor to provide it for him on this, his 79th birthday. I continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I receive it. That does it for now. 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 all that you do.