Hello again, everyone! I am still working on fleshing out my previous brief post about the rescheduling of the rededication for the Washington D.C. Temple, but additional breaking news has been shared by the Church. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who is the youngest of the 3 apostles born in 1940, has been admitted to the hospital. Doctors tested Elder Holland for COVID-19, with a negative result. Other tests are being run at the present time. As I have previously mentioned, my family has a double connection to Elder Holland. My dad's dad was his home teaching companion at the time young Jeff was a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. And my mom worked for Elder Holland during his tenure as Commissioner of Church Education, during which time she was one of many freelance proofreaders assigned to work on Church materials.
The strange thing is that Elder Holland is younger than Presidents Nelson, Oaks, Ballard, and Eyring, as well as being younger than Elders Cook and Uchtdorf, so for him to be dealing with some unknown something that is taking a while to figure out is somewhat unusual. From the wording of the news release, it is unclear whether he is still hospitalized. But hopefully whatever's going on with him will be figured out soon. At this point in time, Elder Holland's condition is surely a worry for all, particularly his fellow apostles, and specifically President Nelson, who has been the longtime apostolic physician who has always been concerned about the health of his Brethren. So I'm sure any prayers we can send heavenward for Elder Holland would be the best way we can help in this situation. For myself, I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will pass word of those along to you all as I learn about such things.
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.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
BREAKING NEWS: Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Admitted to the Hospital
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Washington D.C. Temple Reopening Dates Postponed
Hello again, everyone! As many of you might recall, on February 27, 2020, the First Presidency originally announced that the open house for the Washington D.C. Temple would take place from September 24-October 31, with a youth devotional and rededication following on December 12 and 13, respectively. Then today, in an amendemnt to that announcement, it was noted that the open house and rededication for the Washington D.C. Temple are postponed until large public gatherings are deemed safe. This mirrors the previous postponement of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple open house and dedication. As I noted previously, the Church's hope was to rededicate this temple before the end of 2020. so as not to interfere with the events surrounding next year's planned inauguration for the US President (which is set to be held on January 20, 2021, as mandated by the US Constitution).
But with the reopening of the DC Temple anticipated to generate widespread interest, the Church continues in its' efforts to ensure that, as an entity, they are good global citizens. So the precaution of postponement seems very appropos at this time. Based on this development, I don't see any scenario in which the rededication for this temple, the rededication for the Mesa Arizona Temple, or the dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple will be able to be held before the end of this year. Instead, I anticipate that all of these events will be pushed into 2021. And it could be that the rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple will be the first of those 3 events to be scheduled for after the first of the year. Although a delay for this event may be unsettling to some, I consider it a wise and prudent move on the Church's part. And as I said previously, smaller temples like Winnipeg, Yigo, Praia, and San Juan likely have a better chance of being completed and dedicated on the anticipated time-frames, while larger temples that will attract more interest may see the timing of their openings adjusted in response to COVID-19.
That being said, I do not see it as accidental but providential that, before COVID-19 shut things down, the prophet of the Church was inspired to take all living apostles will him to Rome for the dedication of Italy's first temple, and that most of the duties of dedicating or rededicating temples have been delegated to his fellow apostles. If a queue of new temples or temples being renovated does build up, the apostles can be sent by ones, twos, or threes to take care of any backlog. And in the interim, I don't anticipate COVID-19 having an impact on the Church's plans to break ground for a total of 18 temples this year. If anything, the timing for those groundbreakings and the conditions under which they are held, how many are in attendance, how the groundbreaking proceedings are dissemanated to the public, and so on. It seems to me that President Nelson, as a former practicing physician, is the best possible individual to be the prophet of the Church at the time of a global pandemic. An article from the Church News has provided additional context and information on this development.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring you all word of those developments as I become aware of such things.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.
That being said, I do not see it as accidental but providential that, before COVID-19 shut things down, the prophet of the Church was inspired to take all living apostles will him to Rome for the dedication of Italy's first temple, and that most of the duties of dedicating or rededicating temples have been delegated to his fellow apostles. If a queue of new temples or temples being renovated does build up, the apostles can be sent by ones, twos, or threes to take care of any backlog. And in the interim, I don't anticipate COVID-19 having an impact on the Church's plans to break ground for a total of 18 temples this year. If anything, the timing for those groundbreakings and the conditions under which they are held, how many are in attendance, how the groundbreaking proceedings are dissemanated to the public, and so on. It seems to me that President Nelson, as a former practicing physician, is the best possible individual to be the prophet of the Church at the time of a global pandemic. An article from the Church News has provided additional context and information on this development.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring you all word of those developments as I become aware of such things.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.
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
Monday, June 15, 2020
1900th Post: BREAKING NEWS: 4 More Temples to Reopen Nexxt Week Under Phase 1; Several Church Historic Sites Renamed
Hello again, everyone! As hard as it is to believe, this post is my 1900th on this blog. For this milestone post, I am pleased to cover two breaking news developments, which have been reported by the Church today. Firstly, as of totday, the total number of temples open under phase 1 now rises to 89. This morning, the First Presidency announced that 4 more temples will reopen under phase 1 one week from today (June 22). That will bring the total number of temples open under phase 1 to 92. The 4 in question are the Apia Samoa, Brisbane Australia, Paris France, and Santo Domingo Dominican Republic. After several weeks of double-digit temples opening, it's nice to see the Church slowing down a bit. We are clearly not yet at a point anywhere in the world where opening any of the soon-to-be 92 temples under phase 2 is practical as of yet. I think it's wiser to take things more slowly and steadily than it would be to backtrack in that respect. So I appreciate the measured, principle-based approach.And for the second time in many of the last 6 Mondays or so, the temple reopenings do not constitute the only big news from the Church today, As also shared by the Church News, the nnames of several of the Church's historic sites have received minor name changes,
With all Church sites still temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the following name changes go into effect: Brigham Young Winter Home will now be known as the Brigham Young Winter Home and Office. Historic Carthage Jail and Visitor's Center has been simpzlified to Cathage Jail. What was once known as Historic Cove Fort will now be known as Cove Fort. The Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site will now be known as the Grandin Building: Book of Mormon Publication Site. The Home of Jacob Hamblin will simply become the Hamblin Home. Haun's Mill has been renamed Hawn's Mill to reflect the corrected spelling for the name of the owner of the property, Jacob Hawn. The Historic John Johnson Home lis renamed the Johnson Home. The Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial is now Joseph Smith Birthplace. Historic Liberty Jail now becomes Liberty Jail. The Historic Isaac Morely Farm will be known as simply the Morley Farm. What has been known as the Joseph Smith Family Farm will be renamed the Sacred Grove, which is more descriptive of what the site honors. A similar adjustment better describes the Peter Whitmer Farm, which will now be known as the Whitmer Farm: Church Organization Site.
For the remaining sites on the lsit, the name adjustments require some context which I hope may be helpful. In the early days of the Church, with members of the Church known colloquially as "Mormons", during the pioneer treks that occurred in the mid-to-late 1800s and beyond, many sites prominent to the process of that trek used the name "Mormon", which became a common identifier to differentiate those landmarks from others more associated with the Oregon Trail or other US trails named after US pionners not so connected with the Church.
For the remaining sites on the lsit, the name adjustments require some context which I hope may be helpful. In the early days of the Church, with members of the Church known colloquially as "Mormons", during the pioneer treks that occurred in the mid-to-late 1800s and beyond, many sites prominent to the process of that trek used the name "Mormon", which became a common identifier to differentiate those landmarks from others more associated with the Oregon Trail or other US trails named after US pionners not so connected with the Church.
The usage of the word "Mormon" in tall such sites thus became an important differentiator. Above and beyond that, however, the usage of that term is technically historically correct for the preiod of time within which it became part of the Church's history and was easily identified as such. As a result, the next sites I will mention by name retain the usage of the word "Mormon" in their names to reflect the differntiating factor. First, the Mormon Battalion Historic Site at San Diego will now become the Mormon Battalion Center at San Diego. The Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters will be renamed the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters.
The Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Martin’s Cove will now be known as Martin's Cove: Mormon Trail Site. What has been he Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Willie Center at Sixth Crossing will be renamed Sixth Crossing: Mormon Trail Site. And finally, the Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Rock Creek Hollow will hereafter be known as Rock Creek Hollow: Mormon Trail Site. As previously noted, these are relatively minor but still fairly significant adjustments are being made for historical relevance or contexxt, for more effective descriptive purposes, or in some cases merely to simplify the names and make them easier to remember, and thus in essence be more memorable for visitors. I am grateful to have been able to bring you word of these developments. I do continue to monitor all Church newsand temple updates and will bring you all word of those here as I become aware of them. In the interim, I wanted to note in this post as well the reiteration of a development I reported in the threads of another recent post: With around 2.5 weeks having passed since I had to enable comment moderation, and with my having marked all spam comments as such in order to block those who made them, I have determined to lift comment moderation for now. I will do my best to be more diligent about watching posted comments for future spammers, but that's not sufficient enough reason to punish the rest of you who are earnest in your comments by preventing you frorm contributing to the relevant dialogue. So that's over for now.
Within the next week or two, I also plan to revisit other Church subjects I have previously covered, providing new information and updates as practical. I will likewise be reevaluating the ad setup for this blog as time and circumstancs allow me to do so, in the hopes of yielding better revenue for my efforts to report on these developments. During the period in which I will be doing so, the layout of this blog may change in some ways from time to time. I appreciate your patience with me as I navigate these issues to enable me to continue to provide the content you have come to expect, while ensuring those efforts yield sufficient returns for me financially. 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.
The Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Martin’s Cove will now be known as Martin's Cove: Mormon Trail Site. What has been he Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Willie Center at Sixth Crossing will be renamed Sixth Crossing: Mormon Trail Site. And finally, the Mormon Handcart Historic Site: Rock Creek Hollow will hereafter be known as Rock Creek Hollow: Mormon Trail Site. As previously noted, these are relatively minor but still fairly significant adjustments are being made for historical relevance or contexxt, for more effective descriptive purposes, or in some cases merely to simplify the names and make them easier to remember, and thus in essence be more memorable for visitors. I am grateful to have been able to bring you word of these developments. I do continue to monitor all Church newsand temple updates and will bring you all word of those here as I become aware of them. In the interim, I wanted to note in this post as well the reiteration of a development I reported in the threads of another recent post: With around 2.5 weeks having passed since I had to enable comment moderation, and with my having marked all spam comments as such in order to block those who made them, I have determined to lift comment moderation for now. I will do my best to be more diligent about watching posted comments for future spammers, but that's not sufficient enough reason to punish the rest of you who are earnest in your comments by preventing you frorm contributing to the relevant dialogue. So that's over for now.
Within the next week or two, I also plan to revisit other Church subjects I have previously covered, providing new information and updates as practical. I will likewise be reevaluating the ad setup for this blog as time and circumstancs allow me to do so, in the hopes of yielding better revenue for my efforts to report on these developments. During the period in which I will be doing so, the layout of this blog may change in some ways from time to time. I appreciate your patience with me as I navigate these issues to enable me to continue to provide the content you have come to expect, while ensuring those efforts yield sufficient returns for me financially. 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.
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
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