BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Groundbreaking Held for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple; Groundbreaking Likely to Occur for Mendoza Argentina Temple

Hello again, everyone! I have breaking temple news to report. Per information provided just over an hour ago by Nigel, my Church member contact living in Africa, ground has been broken for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple. Official Church confirmation of the particulars through a news release is still pending, but will likely be available through the Zimbabwe edition of the Church's official Newsroom within the next several hours or so. 

Update (added at 2:00 PM Utah time): An official confirmation of this temple's groundbreaking was provided by the Newsroom a short while ago. In addition to Zimbabwean native Elder Edward Dube, who presided at this temple's groundbreaking, Elder Ciro Schmiel, who serves as Second Counselor in the Africa South Area presidency, was also present, along with the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe. Official resources, including photos and videos, will be released at a later time.

Given the fact that it is past 4:00 AM here in Utah, this post will be updated later this afternoon or evening once I can find the report, analyze the information from it, and pass my observations along here. Based on what I can ascertain from the temple's rendering and planned size, I am setting an initial completion estimate of early-to-mid 2023 for that temple, assuming there is no inordiante delay in getting it under construction.

In the interim, as many of you may also be aware, although the Church had originally planned to break ground for the Mendoza Argentina Temple last month, insofar as I have been able to ascertain, that has not yet occurred. According to a few more official Church sources I have found in the interim, it appears that that temple groundbreaking is still anticipated to take place before the end of this year, which leaves the Church around a week or so to take care of that without detracting focus from the Christmas and New Year's celebrations worldwide.

So I will keep my eyes open for any word on that tegmple. I'm hoping we will have official resources noting that both groundbreakings have taken place before the end of the day today (Saturday December 12) here in Utah. I will be sure to bring you all word on the confirmation of these events as they are provided. 

Update (added at 2:00 PM Utah time): There has still been no word on the Mendoza Argentina Temple groundbreaking having taken place. Given the fact that it is now roughly 6:00 PM on Saturday evening in Mendoza, it appears that the groundbreaking for that temple might not have occurred today after all. I am still reasonably certain, however, that that will have occurred at some point within the next week, unless we hear anything otherwise.

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: First FourTemples Will Begin Phase 3 of Reopening In the Near Future

Hello again, everyone! A few weeks ago, material released by the Church News and the Newsroom on temple reopenings noted it might be a whionle before any temples are reopen under phase 3 of th Church's 4-phase plan. Phase 3 allows all proxy ordinances and limited work for the dead. Fast forward to this morrning. In prerecorded messages from each of the 3 apostles of the Church who serve on the Temple and Family History Executive Council (Elders David A. Bednar, Gary E. Stevenson, and Dale G. Renlund, the latter of whom would have recorded his message well before his recent positive COVID-19 diagnosis), announced that 3 temples in the Pacific (Apia Samoa, Brisbane Australia, and Nuku'alofa Tonga) and 1 in the Asia North Area (Taipei Taiwan) will be the first to reopen under phase 3 next week.

Correction (posted at 1:45 PM): Although it appeared that the release had noted that phase 3 reopenings will begin one week from today (Monday December 14), on closer reading, it appears that the reopenings are only being prepared to occur on Monday December 21 at earliest, if all goes well. I apologize for the unintentional misinformation in that respect.  Having noted that, we now return you to your previously-composeed content on this subect.

In each of the brief video segnments, the three apostles comp what was involved in making this decision, the prevailing protocols that will be in place for each temple thus reopening, and other details that will impact which temples enter phase 3 and under which time-frames that might occur. The Brethren continue to take COVID-19 protocols worldwide very seriously, and the latest developments are yet another manifestation of that caution on their part. In order to aid in the process of planning for thiese reopenings, the Brethren also announced a new online tool that will specficially be for patrons who want to schedule proxy work at a temple in a phase 3 reopening.

The First Presidnecy also released a letter, complete with FAQs, in conjunction with today's announcement. Aside from the temples moving into phase 3, other reopenings (phases 1 and 2 have been announced as well. Effective next week, the Panama City Panama Temple will open under phase 1, which allows for living husband-to-wife sealings where both have previously been endowed. This announcement means 26 of the Church's 168 temples are now simply in phase 1. Meanwhile, phase 2 reopenings, which allow living husband-to-wife sealings and all other living ordinances, have been announced for 4 other temples, including 3 in Mexico (Meridia, Tampico, and Villahermosa) and 1 in the Pacific (Melbourne Australia).

For phase 2, ordinances are prioritized in the following manner: first, living husband-to-wife sealings where both have previously been endowed; next, endowments for those preparing for temple sealings who have not been previously endowed; next. to missionaries currently out in the field who departed prior to being able to receive their own ordinances; then to all missionaries preparing to depart for a field of labor; and finally, to anyone else who has not received their own endowments for any other reason. With the latest reopenings in phase 2 that will take effect next week, 122 of the Church's temples will be in phase 2 by next week.

So, to recap, as of next week, 4 temples will be in phase 3, with 122 more in phase 2, and 26 more will be in phase 1, all to be effective next week. The Church News has also provided covreage on the phase 3 reopenings this morning, and has provided a new status tracker, complete with a different demographic focus, on their part. I am grateful to have learned of this news, and to have been able to pass it along to you all here at this time. Hopefully the process of reopening under phase 3 will go smoothly, particularly for areas of the Church in which COVID-19 conditions are sufficiently lessening to allow that to occur.

On my end, I also continue to monitor all Church news and any other temple updates, and will bring you word of those here as i become aware of those developments. 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.

UPDATED: Current Apostolic Data

Hello again, everyone! As most of you are almost certainly aware, I have provided updates on the latest apostolic data (specifically relating to lifespan or tenure length milestones) roughly every seven weeks. Having last done so on Sunday October 18, I wanted to post that information again today. But I have overhauled that process. Let me explain what that means. There is a lot of data and information to update prior to publishing those updates on this blog. What I have been doing for a majority of the last two years has been updating three or more files, then compiling the relevant information and data into two other separate files, publishing only the latter two files on this blog.

But as I thought about the acceleration of the work of the Church, which will correspond to an increase in the amount of information reported here, I have come to the determination to streamline the process.  What I have done is consolidated the content in the three documents from which I compiled the data into two separate ones, and rather than publishing a report on the compiled data, I am posting the links to the two documents with the data in question. 

The new documents show tables with all the written information I previously shared. In being able to share updated versions of those new documents now every seven weeks, that wil simplify the process of preparing and publishing the data here. I'm a little surprised I didn't think of doing that sooner. Hopefully having the data in table form will make it easier to explore than the written-out reports on this data have been. 

As far as the new updates are concerned,the first part contains updated data about the age and tenure length records for all 17 Church Presidents, information on the tenure length records for each of the 28 Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and information on the longest-serving First Presidencies, Quorums of the Twelve Apostles, and groups of all ordained apostles, which will be relevant for our current apostolic groups beginning next year.

And the second part shows the long-form and decimal ages for the members of the current First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the apostolic groups overall, in addition to the average ages of each group and apostolic nonagenarians (with 2 of the current 15 apostles being on that list, and the timing noted for when each of the other 13 apostles will join that list).

I am grateful for the inspiration I received today to streamline the process of getting this updated information to you all here. Hopefully this shared data will be of interest to you all, and again, I offer an open invitation to anyone who has any questions about those documents to ask them here. I will, of course, continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments, and will do my level best to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of all such reports.

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 NEWS: Elder and Sister Renlund Diagnosed with COVID-19

Hello again, everyone! A short while ago, the Newsroom provided another COVID-19 update. Elder Dale G. Renlund and his wife, Ruth L. Renlund, have tested positive for the virus. According to the statement from Church spokesman Eric Hawkins, that diagnosis came despite the fact that Elder and Sister Renlund have been taking all of the necessary precautions.  Elder Renlund reportedly has mild symptoms, and Sister Renlund is presently asymptomatic. 

The release also notes that other Church leaders are being tested as a precautionary measure. The second paragraph of that statement notes that the Church and its' leaders are following all recommended guidelines related to COVID-19, including social distancing, wearing a mask, frequent handwashing, and all other recommendations of healthcare profressionals. Although it is not incidcated in the news release, I imagine that Elder and Sister Rnelund are also actively involved in contact tracing. 

So that now makes two apostles (who happen to be seatmates in the Quorum of the Twelve) who have tested positive for the virus. We now have three apostles this year alone (from what we know) who have had significant health challenges. I hope that is another clear indicator that the Brethren are not exempt from issues that afflict and affect so many. 

I also hope that this news is enough to convince any who may have any remaining questions or qualms about following COVID-19 protocols that this is something that needs to be taken seriously. During a time when there has been a spike in cases, hospitalizations, and even deaths here in Utah, it has troubled me deeply to hear so much about people that are cavalier, casual, or downright obstinante about following COVID-19 guidelines.

The leading Brethren of the Church have set the example right off the bat in following the guidances of local health professionals and governmental leaders, and so many still seem to think there is no danger in disregarding those receommendations, or that the offering of such recommendations is a medical or governmental overreach.  

There are even some leaders of governments in certain parts of the world that flat out aren't taking any of this seriously, and the results have been the devastation of their nations and extensive losss of life and widespread devastation in the wake of the effects of the virus. Let me be as frank as I can be: I am deeply disturbed to see the fulfillment of biblical prophecy happening. 

So many seem to be saying "All is well in Zion" when that is clearly not the case. And we know from scripture what the result of that attitude will be. Elsewhere in the scriptures, the Lord outlines the clear duty that we as His children have in terms of taking care of ourselves, looking after one another, and being good and responsible citizens who take wise advice from any of our leaders seriously. 

In a day where it seems that even the very elect are being deceived, I think it's high time we look at ourselves in the mirror, reevaluate our motives and actions, make any course corrections that are necessary, and do what we can to show how much we love our neighbors. The Lord always showed respect to the laws of the land, and it behooves us to follow His example and injunction: "Go and do thou likewise."

Since I am in the vulnerable demographic for COVID-19 due to longstanding respiratory issues, my wife and I have been tested, and my wife actually recently got a second test., all of which came back negative. Even so, we have made a concientious effort to stay at home where possible, and to always wear a mask if we are ever out in public and outside of our car. We feel we cannot afford not to take those precautions.

But as the community-at-large, I feel all citizens of the world need to recognize what we owe to each other as COVID-19 conntinues to be an issue. Part of loving God and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves involves recognizing that we need to stand with and take care of each other. And so, if any of the readers of my blog have not been taking the necessary precautions in accordance with recommendations from health experts, government leaders, and leaders of the Church, the time to start doing so is now.

That being said, I'll get off my soapbox now. I hope and pray that all who read my blog may remain healthy and well during this COVID-19 pandemic. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will be sure to bring word of those to you all as I become aware of such developments.

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: Groundbreaking Held for Okinawa Japan Temple

 Hello again, everyone! Yesterday, I reported on the December 2 groundbreaking for the Bengaluru India Temple, which had taken place on Tuesdayy December 2. On this Saturday morning, I am pleased to report that the groundbreaking for the Okinawa Japan Temple took place a short while ago. As had been previously announced, the Asia North Area President, Elder Taksashi Wada, presided thereat. The news release covering today's event reiterated the details on the temple: "The Okinawa Japan Temple will be located on a half-acre site at 7-11, Matsumoto, Okinawa Shi, in Okinawa-ken, Japan. Plans call for a two-story, 10,000-square-foot temple. A temple-patron waiting area will also be added to an adjacent existing meetinghouse that was completed in 2013."  

Given the relatively smaller size of this planned project, I'm going to assume that, if all goes well, the temple could be completed in mid-2023 at earliest or mid-to-late 2023 at latest. Of course, that will depend on how soon full-scale construction is able to begin, and a number of factors relative to any temple project. Between COVID-19 on the one hand, all kinds of natural disasters on the other, and any factors specific to Japan being added in, it will be interesting to see how all of that works out. Having noted that, we are barely 5 days into December, and reports have aloready been provided on two of the four remaining groundbreakings for 2020 already having taken place. 

This leaves just the Harare Ziimbabwe and Mendoza Argentina Temples in the queue, and with any luck, the next week will see both of those groundbreakings occur, unless either or both are postponed into early 2021. And with respect to those two groundbreakings, I have diligently checked the Argentina and Zimbabwe Newsroom pages, and have frequented the South America South Area page for any news on the specifics of either, and have not yet heard anything solid beyond what has been previously announced for the Mendoza Argentina and Harare Zimbabwe temples. 

As previously discussed on this blog, in some mentions of temple groundbreakings that were to take place this year, the Mendoza Argentina Temple was conspicuously absent, leading me to believe that it was possible that the groundbreaking might be delayed on that temple. Given that November specifically came and went without any word on that, and that there has been no subsequent information provided to suggest otherwise, I'm now going to assume that the Mendoza groundbreaking has merely been delayed, perhaps by local COVID-19 restrictions or some other reason. 

But as soon as I have anything solid to report on either temple, you can count on my bringing word of that to you all here. I also continue to monitor any other temple updates and all Church news and will be sure to pass along those updates here as well. 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.