BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Groundbreakings Set for Two South American Temples

Hello again, everyone! In the threads of my previous post, longtime readers Jim Anderson and ScottS shared some insights on major Church news today. For the first time in a while, I didn't catch that development soon after it was reported. Earlier this week, I was diagnosed with a minor infection unconnected to COVID-19. I am under treatment here at home for that (through an antibiotic course), but have been more wiped out as a consequence of dealing with that, so I've been allowing myself more time to rest as a result.

That being said, let's get right to the news of the day: On this day before General Conference begins, and less than 24 hours following yesterday's announcement of the groundbreakings for3 more temples, the First Presidency announced this morning that two South American temples will also have groundbreakings this year. The Mendoza Argentina Temple, for which a rendering was released in mid-June, and the Antofagasta Chile Temple, for which details were released today, will both have groundbreakings next month.

Late last night, I had become aware of new information indicating that the general contractor had been selected and that the site had been cleared for Chile's newest temple. So today's announcement was not too much of a surprise in that respect. The location for that temple has been confirmed as a 2.2-acre site around Avenida de Las Palmeras 44 in Antofagasta, Chile. That temple is planned to be a single-story edifice of roughly 23,000 square feet. Elder Juan Pablo Villar, who is a Chilean native currently serving as Second Counselor in the South America South Area Presidency, will preside at that event.

Meanwhile, Elder Allen D. Haynie, First Counselor in the South America South Area Presidency, has been assigned to preside at the groundbreaking for the Mendoza Argentina Temple, which will also be held in November 2020. For those of you following along at home, that means that each member of the South America South Area Presidency is assigned to preside over the groundbreaking for 1 temple in their area during November 2020. 

Could we be looking at a scenario where the Church will conduct all three groundbreakings on the same day in November, with three different teams of Church leaders making that possible? I think there might be more than an outside chance of that. It will be interesting to see what happens in that respect. Also, the total number of temple groundbreakings set to take place in November is now up to 8, so if the 3 in the South America South Area do take place on the same day, the other 5 could be held on individual dates throughout that month.

But it is also possible that the Church will continue with one final push to clear out the queue even more by the end of this year. If so, among the options to watch for a potential announcement appear to be the temples in Nairobi Kenya, Managua Nicaragua, and Salvador Brazil. And because the Pacific Islands have faired so well in their individual battles against the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that something more could also be announced for Neiafu Tonga, Pago Pago American Samoa, and/or Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temples.

That is especially true when considering that the Church may be setting up one scenario this year where each of the 3 South America South Area temples could have groundbreakings done on the same day by each member of that area presidency. With 3 members of the Pacific Area Presidency, and also area seventies available to go anywhere the area presidency may not be able to go, there may be a scenario in November or December coming down the pike where groundbreakings could take place for those 3 temples on the same day.

It is also possible that, with the Church moving ahead on the groundbreaking for the Bengalur India Temple before the end of this year, something similar could happen with the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple as well. Interestingly enough, it appears that President Nelson released the rendering and site information for the first Cambodian temple because he was in the neighborhood thereof during his first Global Ministry Tour in 2018. 

A few months later, the information for the Bengaluru India Temple was subsequently released. It appearst that priority between the next two larger Asian temples was given to India's first temple, which was originally announced six months before Cambodia's first. So something could happen with the temple in Cambodia before the end of the year as well.

Whatever might happen in that respect, one thing is abundantly clear: Last April, during General Conference, Elder Bednar noted that 18 temples were planned to have a groundbreaking before the end of this year. Although the Tooele Valley Utah Temple may have been part of that planned number originally, despite the delays experienced there, the Church has pressed forward with temple groundbreaking arrangements, even in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

As a result, though only 18 temple groundbreakings were mentioned by Elder Bednar last April, it appears that the theory I presented a few times in the past has been verified as correct. The Lord has seen the diligence of His servants in setting (and then working towards) the goal of the 18 groundbreakings, even in the midst of great obstacles, especially the COVID-19 pandemic, and has enabled that goal to not only be met, but also exceeded by 3 temples so far, with others possible before the year officially closes out.

I had prepared some additiona insights I wanted to share here about the temple construction program of the Church, but it appears that they were lost due to a system error with my computer, so I may provide those later. In the meantime, it is sufficient to note that, while I had conjectured as recently as yesterday that 8-12 new temples could be announced in this weekend's General Conference, with 13 temple groundbreakings currently in queue, the number of announced temples will go down from its' current 35 down to 22. As a result of that, I'd anticipate perhaps any double-digit number totaling up to 20 new temples could be announced.

Aside from that, I don't know what to expect for the upcoming General Conference weekend, but you can count on my monitoring all such developments and bringing word of them all to you here as they are announced. 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.

Tribute to Elder Ulisses Soares, Who Is Marking His 62nd Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! On this, the day before General Conference, I am pleased to bring you all a post honoring Elder Ulisses Soares, who is observing his 62nd birthday today. As I've mentioned previously, Elder Soares has a most unique life story and background, and I am grateful to share some thoughts about him with you all today. He was born on this day in 1958 in Sao Paulo Brazil to Apparecido Soares and Mercedes Carecho Soares. He has European and Amerindian ancestry. When an aunt joined the Church, that was how the Soares' family first learned of the gospel. His parents, after being taught by the missionaries, were baptized when young Ulisses was five years old. 

Regarding his experience with worshipping in the Church during his growing-up years, his small branch would meet in a tiny rental place that was located above a bakery. He served a full-time mission in Rio de Janeiro, Upon his return, he connected with Rosana Fernandes Morgado, who had served in the same mission at around the same time, but whom he had not met until after they both had returned. The two were married in the Sao Paulo Temple, and together they raised three children. His academic experience involved studying at the  Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, from which, in 1985, he would receive a bachelor's degree in economics and accounting. He then continued his studies at the National Institute of Postgraduate Study, where he earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration. He spent his professional career working for several multi-national companies (one of which was Pirelli Tire Company) as an accountant and an auditor. Donald L. Clark, who at that time was serving as director of temporal affairs for the Church in Brazil, convinced him to take a job with the Church as a senior auditor.

When Brother Clark was asked to serve as a mission president, Brother Soares took over for him as director of temporal affairs. He went on to fill a special assignment for the Church's Presiding Bishopric. Within the Church, Elder Soares has served as an elder's quorum president, counselor in a bishopric, stake high councilman, and as a regional welfare agent. When the São Paulo Brazil Cotia Stake was created in 1995, Elder Soares was called as the first president thereof. 5 years later, he served a three-year term as president of the Porto Portugal Mission. Less than two years after his return (during the April 2005 General Conference), he was called as a General Authority Seventy.

As a General Authority Seventy, he served as First Counselor in the Brazil South Area.from 2005-2007, as First Counselor in the Brazil Area from 2007-2009, and as President of that area from 2009-2011. He served from August 2011-January 2013 as First Counselor in the Africa Southeast Area Presidency, at which point he was called to serve in the Presidency of the Seventy, with responsibility for the North America Southeast Area  Then, in November 2015, Elder Soares was reassigned to oversee the Idaho and North America Central Areas of the Church. He still had oversight of both of those areas in 2018.

On March 31, 2018, Elder Soares was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and he was ordained an apostle on Thursday April 5, 2018. He thus became both the first Latter-day Saint apostle from Brazil and the first one from Latin America. Elder Soares has had many opportunities to grow into his new assignment. In the last 1.5 decades in which has has served as a general authority, he has given a total of 10 General Conference addresses, with the first 2 given as a General Authority Seventy, 3 more as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and the remaining 5 given since his 2018 call to the apostleship. He will, of course, be speaking to us again in General Conference tomorrow or Sunday, which will mark his sixth address as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and his eleventh overall.

I gratefully and wholeheartedly sustain him and all the other prophets, seers, and revelators in their roles and responsibilities as special witnesses of Christ, and am grateful to have been able to provide this birthday tribute to him today. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring you all word of the major developments as I learn thereof. 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.

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Groundbreakings Scheduled for 3 More Temples

Hello again, everyone! During this unprecedented season of temple developments, it's almost impossible to gauge the likely course of events. At this time yesterday, 14 of the 16 groundbreakings to which Elder Bednar made reference in April had been scheduled, and it was unknown whether any others would take place. In the interim, I had offered the theory (which I couldn't substantiate) that the Lord, in seeing the diligence of the Church in working towards that goal, could open a way for that number to not only be met but exceeded.

A few minutes ago, breaking news was reported by the Church. Three more temples will have their groundbreakings before the end of this year, which, if no others are postponed, will bring the year-end total to 19, 1 above the 18 referenced by Elder Bednar. Let's get down to details. The three in question are in Bengaluru India, Davao Philippines, and Harare Zimbabwe. As part of today's announcement, the Church has also released an official rendering for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple.

Let's now get into details. The first in that group to have a groundbreaking will be the Davao Philippines Temple. That will take place in November 2020 (exact date not specified), which brings the total number of temple groundbreakings announced to occur sometime in November to 6. Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, president of the Philippines Area, will preside over that event. 

That temple, originally announced in October 2018, saw its' location confirmed and rendering released less than one month ago. Not since early last year, when the initial details were announced for the Yigo Guam, Praia Cabo Verde, and San Juan Puerto Rico Temples shortly before each of their groundbreakings were announced, has the Church had such a small period of time between releasing the first information about a temple and announcing its' groundbreak9ing arrangements.

Meanwhile, ground will be broken for both the Bengaluru India and Harare Zimbabwe Temples in December 2020. Elder Robert K. William, an area seventy whose location is identified as Bangalore India (that city was renamed Bengaluru in 2014), will preside at the groundbreaking for the temple in his home city. The site location and rendering for that temple were both released earlier this year (on January 15). 

As some of you might recall, in April 2018, the Bengaluru India Temple was among the first President Nelson announced during his first General Conference as prophet of the Church. As he later shared with the Saints in India, his intention was to only announce six new temples that weekend. But on the evening before General Conference began, he reported that the Lord instructed him to announce a temple in India, which is why he did so.

That brings me to the final temple. With the Harare Zimbabwe Temple set to have a groundbreaking in December 2020, as previously mentioned, that is the third of the four temples originally announced by President Monson to have a groundbreaking occur this year, and it leaves the Nairobi Kenya Temple as the last remaining temple announced by President Monson.

It seems feasible that some action could be taken on Kenya's first temple soon as well, especially with a native Kenyan serving as president of the Africa Central Area. But speaking of individuals native to regions in which temples will be built, the groundbreaking for Zimbabwe's first temple is set to be presided over by native Zimbabwean General Authority Elder Edward Dube, who became the First Counselor in the Africa South Area Presidency just two months ago in August of this year.

Some thoughts about the size and design of that temple. If I am evaluating that correctly, the temple is set to be a single-story edifice, with an approximate area of 17,250 square feet. Unlke the other two temples mentioned in today's announcement, it does not appear that any other buildings will be part of the temple project in Zimbabwe. The temple will rise at 65 Enterprise Road Highlands in Zimbabwe's capital city. 

I have not yet been able to ascertain whether the location confirmed today was one of those visited by President Nelson during his first Global Ministry Tour in April 2018. Meanwhile, the specific details for the other two temples were provided in the original announcements about their locations and renderings. And that brings the total number of temple groundbreakings in the current queue to 11. Once all of those take place, that will leave 24 others (that we know about so far) remaining in the queue of those announced.

In view of that fact, and because it has previously been noted that President Nelson likes to keep the queue of announced temples at or around 35, I am reasonbly certain that he could and will announce either the standard number of at least 8 new temples this weekend in General Conference (as has been the case every six months since April of last year), or perhaps up to 12, similar to what we saw him do in October General Conference in 2018. I am not, however, ruling out th prospect that he could easily announce any other number of temples, if he feels impressed to do so.

This means that there is now even more of a reason for me to reevaluate my previously-offered thoughts as contained in my temple files. Also, based on my research, there may be a chance, however slim, that other temples could have groundbreakings set to occur prior to the end of this year, whether or not full-scale construction efforts formally begin on the last of those before the end of the year. There is also an outside possibility, however remote, that any temple groundbreakings set for November currently could take place in late October, with any set for December potentially taking place in November, if the circumstances are right for that to occur. 

The general rather than specific windows for each event offers a degree of probable flexibility in that respect. And in any case, it looks as though 2021 and the years that follow are going to be even busier than we thought in terms of temple events. I am, of course, monitorng all such developments as closeely as I am able to do so, and will be sure to bring word of those to you all here as I become aware of such things. In the meantime, I first learned of this news through a breaking news alert on the Church News mobile app, and can recemmend that article to you all as well.

In conclusion, I know that what was breaking news when I began working on this post may have been reported by multiple sources in the meantime, but I wanted to take time to provide context and insight into this latest announcement, so I am still using the "Breaking News" label for this post. Based on today's surprise announcement, I can only imagine what may be coming down the pike for General Conference weekend. I may have some thoughts to pass along on what we can exxpect in that regard, which, if I do post them here, will be up for your enjoyment within the next 24 hours or less.

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.