Stokes Sounds Off

Search This Blog

Top Leaderboard

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

UPDATE: End-of-Third-Quarter-2025 Temple Construction Progress Review

Hello again, everyone! As the third quarter of 2025 draws to a close, it's time to look back on temple construction from the beginning of 2025 to this point. In order to provide that contrast, I am happy to present a look back at where things stood as 2025 began, how things had progressed 4 days before the April 2025 General Conference, what had transpired by the rough mid-point of 2025, and what that looks like now.

I will largely let that data speak for itself. I am grateful for the progress that has been made in temple construction thus far this year and am looking forward to reviewing this progress again at the end of this year. Stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. 

All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. 

Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Monday, September 29, 2025

BREAKING NEWS: Tribute Broadcast and Funeral Services Announced for President Nelson

Hello again, everyone! The funeral arrangements for President Nelson have just been confirmed. A special tribute broadcast will air on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 10:00 AM MDT, featuring remarks from several Church leaders, Public funeral services, including a public viewing, will be held the week after the October 2025 General Conference, which will proceed as scheduled. The public viewing will be held on Monday, October 6, from 9 AM-8 PM.in the Conference Center. The official funeral services will follow on Tuesday, October 7, at 12:00 PM MDT. A private burial service will follow the funeral proceedings.

This released information answers a slew of questions. The only unknown factor is how soon the First Presidency might be reorganized. My feeling is that such a reorganization may only happen on Wednesday, October 8, after President Nelson is laid to rest. But at least we have more information now than we had this morning.

I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Saturday, September 27, 2025

BREAKING APOSTOLIC NEWS: Church President Russell M. Nelson Passes Away at Age 101

Hello again, everyone! As reported by the Newsroom and the Church News, Church President Russell M. Nelson passed away just after 10:00 PM on this Saturday September 28, 2025, at the age of 101. His biography speaks for itself. With the passing of the prophet, the First Presidency is now dissolved, and Presidents Oaks and Eyring return to their places in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which now becomes the leading Quorum of the thChurch, and President Oaks assumes a de facto role as the Acting President of the Church.

I am not sure how long it will take to arrange a funeral or reorganize the First Presidency, but we will see. The most likely scenario I see at this point is the apostles leading the Church through General Conference weekend, with the funeral potentially following the concluding session of General Conference on Sunday, and the reorganization of the First Presidency coming the week after that. I'm sure the apostles had a heads-up that President Nelson's death was imminent, so I have no doubt there is a plan in place. The other option I see would be to delay General Conference, but we will see what happens there as well.

I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News and the Newsroom on this and all other subjects. I'll be sure to pass along such updates, including updates from the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site and the Church Growth Blog, as soon as I can after I learn of them. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.