On this blog, I, James Stokes, share insights and analysis covering the latest news and developments reported about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My specific emphasis and focus is on the ministry of our current apostles, General Conference, and up-to-date temple information. This site is neither officially owned, operated, or endorsed by the Church, and I, as the autthor thereof, am solely responsible for this content.
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Thursday, June 16, 2016
July Ensign Article about Elder Dale G. Renlund
The July Ensign is available on the web, and this month, a wonderful article by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles introduces Elder Dale Gunnar Renlund to the Church. It is an extremely good read, and well worth looking over. Please see this link for that article, and enjoy it.
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.
Church News Article about New General Authority Seventy Elder S. Mark Palmer
The Church recently published an article introducing us to Elder S. Mark Palmer, who was called as a new General Authority Seventy during the April General Conference. To read that article, please follow this link. Enjoy!
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.
More New Temple Presidents Announced
Here's an updated list of those temples that are getting or may yet get a new president in 2016:
Temples getting a new president in 2016:
1. Nashville Tennessee
2. Fort Collins Colorado
3. Star Valley Wyoming
4. Hartford Connecticut
5. Philadelphia Pennsylvania
6. Columbia River Washington
7. Chicago Illinois
8. Mexico City Mexico
9. Hong Kong China
10. London England
11. Manhattan New York
12. Medford Oregon
13. Dallas Texas
14. Birmingham Alabama
15. Seattle Washington
16. Hamilton New Zealand
17. Cochabamba Bolivia
18. Gilbert Arizona
19. Anchorage Alaska
20. Curitiba Brazil
21. Kyiv Ukraine
22. Panama City Panama
23. Fresno California
24. Memphis Tennessee
25. Winter Quarters Nebraska
26. Lima Peru
27. Nauvoo Illinois
28. Portland Oregon
29. Merida Mexico
30. Reno Nevada
31. Spokane Washington
32. Rexburg Idaho
33. Montreal Quebec.
34. Monterey Mexico
35. Ciudad Juárez Mexico
36. Aba Nigeria
37. Nuku’alofa Tonga
38. Raleigh North Carolina
39. Provo Utah
40. Guadalajara Mexico
41. Copenhagen Denmark
42. St. Paul Minnesota Temple
43. Santo Domingo Dominican Republic
44. Halifax Nova Scotia
45. St. George Utah Temple
46. Santiago Chile Temple
47. Campinas Brazil
48. Johannesburg South Africa
49. Tuxtla Gutierrez Mexico
50. Tampico Mexico
51. Paris France
52. Sapporo Japan
53, Seoul Korea
54. Orlando Florida (not predicted; outgoing president has only served one year, which is slightly unusual)
55. Detroit Michigan
56. Melbourne Australia
57. Columbus Ohio
58. Perth Australia
59. Twin Falls Idaho
54. Orlando Florida (not predicted; outgoing president has only served one year, which is slightly unusual)
55. Detroit Michigan
56. Melbourne Australia
57. Columbus Ohio
58. Perth Australia
59. Twin Falls Idaho
Temples that may still get a new president this year:
1. Frankfurt Germany (the Church may hold off on calling a new president for this temple until its rededication next year)
2. Quetzaltenango Guatemala
Well, what do you think?
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.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
List of cities that may soon get a temple
Here is a list of cities that may soon get a temple based on research I have done and data on the LDS Church Temples website and the LDS Church Growth Blog.
Thoughts?
1.
New Dehli India (proposed in 1992 by Elder Neal
A. Maxwell)
2.
Vilnius Lithuania Temple (proposed in 1993 by
Elder M. Russell Ballard)
3.
Nairobi Kenya Temple (proposed in 1998 by
President Gordon B. Hinckley)
4.
Maracaibo Venezuela Temple (proposed in 1999 by President
Gordon B. Hinckley)
5.
Singapore Temple (proposed in 2000 by President
Gordon B. Hinckley)
6.
Southwest Salt Lake Valley Temple (proposed in
2005 by President Gordon B. Hinckley)
7.
Managua Nicaragua Temple (proposed in 2012 by
Elder Russell M. Nelson)
8.
Kasai Region Democratic Republic of the Congo
(proposed in 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen)
9. Lehi Utah
10. Layton Utah
11. Orem Utah
10. Layton Utah
11. Orem Utah
12. Taylorsville Utah
13. Sandy Utah
14. Tooele Utah
15. Bentonville Arkansas
(Acccording to my team leader at work, who served his mission there, a temple lot has already been purchased and an announcement of that temple seems
to be imminent)
16. Virginia (Richmond or Buena Vista)
17. Kansas (Wichita or Topeka)
18. Sierra Leone (Freetown; may be announced due to extreme Church growth in Africa)
16. Virginia (Richmond or Buena Vista)
17. Kansas (Wichita or Topeka)
18. Sierra Leone (Freetown; may be announced due to extreme Church growth in Africa)
19 Uganda (Kampala; may
be announced due to extreme growth in Africa)
20. Cambodia (Phnom Penh)
21. Wyoming (Cheyenne or
Evanston)
22. South Dakota (Rapid
City; a favored location for me since my dad served his mission there)
23. Bolivia (Santa Cruz or
La Paz. Of the two, I favor La Paz, because my favorite bishop served his mission there. At the end of each missionary's service, he gave each missionary their plaque and a Bolivia abrasso)
24. Arizona (Safford or Thatcher)
25. Texas (Katy or Austin)
26. Nigeria (Lagos or Benin City; is likely due to growth in Africa)
27. Idaho (Pocatello)
25. Texas (Katy or Austin)
26. Nigeria (Lagos or Benin City; is likely due to growth in Africa)
27. Idaho (Pocatello)
28. Philippines (Quezon
City)
29. England (Birmingham)
30. Spain (Barcelona or
Malaga)
31. California (San
Bernardino)
32. Guatemala (Guatemala
City; 2nd temple)
33. Mexico (Mexico City; 2nd temple)
34. Chile (Santiago; 2nd
temple)
35. Argentina (Buenos Aires; 2nd temple)
35. Argentina (Buenos Aires; 2nd temple)
Thoughts?
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.
Important Church News Items and a Significant Post by Matthew Martinich
Matthew Martinich recently did a very interesting post about how, not even halfway through 2016, more than 50 new stakes has been created already, with many more to come. To read that informational and significant posts, please see this link.
Other significant Church news has crossed my radar. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently toured the Baltic Mission of the Church. For an account of what transpired during that visit, please see this article. Among the significant highlights of that article is that the president of the Baltic Mission was a missionary who served under Elder Ballard when he was a mission president, and that the president of the Ukraine Mission, which was part of Elder Ballard's tour, is Kenneth B. Packer, the grandson of President Boyd K. Packer, who dedicated Ukraine for the preaching of the gospel. See the article for additional details.
A new initiative for the Church Educational System was announced by Elder Kim B. Clark, a General Authority Seventy who serves as Commissioner of Church Education. For an overview of all that the initiative entails, please see this link.
A new Scouting leadership training facility and complex in West Virginia is being named after President Thomas S. Monson, who appeared at the groundbreaking ceremony for the complex by means of a pre-recorded video. Representing the Church leadership in person at the event were Elders Jeffrey R. Holland (who serves on the BSA National Executive Board) and D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, along with Young Men General President Steven W. Owen and Primary General President Joy D. Jones. For details of the services, please see this article.
Elder Neil L. Andersen recently returned from a tour of the Pacific Area of the Church. To see what he did during that visit, pleas see this article. Elder Dale G. Renlund recently welcomed Tongan royalty to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). To see what transpired at that event, please see this link.
That's what's the latest in Church News. Hope you enjoyed this post.
Other significant Church news has crossed my radar. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently toured the Baltic Mission of the Church. For an account of what transpired during that visit, please see this article. Among the significant highlights of that article is that the president of the Baltic Mission was a missionary who served under Elder Ballard when he was a mission president, and that the president of the Ukraine Mission, which was part of Elder Ballard's tour, is Kenneth B. Packer, the grandson of President Boyd K. Packer, who dedicated Ukraine for the preaching of the gospel. See the article for additional details.
A new initiative for the Church Educational System was announced by Elder Kim B. Clark, a General Authority Seventy who serves as Commissioner of Church Education. For an overview of all that the initiative entails, please see this link.
A new Scouting leadership training facility and complex in West Virginia is being named after President Thomas S. Monson, who appeared at the groundbreaking ceremony for the complex by means of a pre-recorded video. Representing the Church leadership in person at the event were Elders Jeffrey R. Holland (who serves on the BSA National Executive Board) and D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, along with Young Men General President Steven W. Owen and Primary General President Joy D. Jones. For details of the services, please see this article.
Elder Neil L. Andersen recently returned from a tour of the Pacific Area of the Church. To see what he did during that visit, pleas see this article. Elder Dale G. Renlund recently welcomed Tongan royalty to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). To see what transpired at that event, please see this link.
That's what's the latest in Church News. Hope you enjoyed this post.
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 13, 2016
New Apostle Song from the Sons of Ammon
The long-awaited day has arrived when the Sons of Ammon have made a new version of the apostles song. You can view that song here. It's even more catchy than my version and is so much better than any creation of mine. Enjoy! For those of you who might prefer my version, for which I've yet to provide a video (any takers? hello! hello! *crickets chirp* didn't think so), you can find it here, and if there are enough requests for it, I will fulfill my promise to post a video of my version here on the blog. Just let me know in the comments below if that's what you guys want. Thanks.
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.
Updated Temple Construction Progress Report
Much has happened on the temple news front, so I am posting an update on the progress that has been made.
Temple Construction Progress (current as of 6/13/16)
Current
Temple Status: 150 operating, 16 under construction (5 scheduled for dedication), 11 announced (2 groundbreakings anticipated to be announced soon), 4 undergoing renovation (1 scheduled for rededication).
Dedication scheduled:
151. Sapporo
Japan Temple Open house tickets available beginning Monday June 27, @ 10:00 am
JST; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday
August 21, 2016.
152. Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Temple: Accepting free reservations for public open house; scheduled
to be dedicated Sunday September 18,
2016.
153. Fort Collins Colorado Temple:
Finalizing construction in preparation for open house; scheduled to be
dedicated Sunday October 16, 2016.
154. Star Valley
Wyoming Temple: Pouring walkways and landscape structures; hanging sheetrock,
painting walls and adding millwork; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday October 30, 2016.
155. Hartford Connecticut
Temple: Building entrance plaza and temple president’s residence; granite
cladding nearing completion; scheduled to be dedicated Sunday November 20, 2016.
Under Construction:
156. Paris France
Temple: Installing lamp posts; planting trees and plants; attaching exterior
stone to visitor’s center wing; completion anticipated sometime in early 2017.
157. Meridian
Idaho Temple: Stained glass windows installed; pouring parking lot curbing;
completion anticipated sometime during late
2017.
158. Cedar City
Utah Temple: Exterior panels attached to main body of temple; light poles
installed in north parking lot; completion anticipated sometime during late 2017.
159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Roofing the dome; completion anticipated
sometime between late 2017 and early
2018.
160. Rome Italy
Temple: Interior work underway including some material replacement and rework;
completion anticipated sometime during 2018.
161. Concepcion
Chile Temple: Second floor exterior walls poured; completion anticipated
sometime during 2018.
162. Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Site clearing and preparation phase;
completion anticipated sometime during 2018-2019.
163. Fortaleza
Brazil Temple Site clearing and preparation phase; completion anticipated
sometime during 2018-2019.
164. Durban South
Africa Temple: Ground broken on Saturday April 9, 2016; completion anticipated
sometime during 2018-2019.
165. Lisbon
Portugal Temple: Ground broken on Saturday December 5, 2015; completion
anticipated sometime during 2019.
166. Barranquilla
Colombia Temple: Ground broken on Saturday February 20, 2016; completion
anticipated sometime during 2019.
Rededication scheduled:
33. Freiberg
Germany Temple: Closed for
renovation; adding extension; steeple covered; scheduled to be rededicated
Sunday September 4, 2016.
Undergoing Renovation:
8. Idaho Falls
Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; reroofing underway; rededication
anticipated sometime during early 2017.
41. Frankfurt
Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during
mid-2017.
20. Jordan River
Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; construction trailers on site; rededication
anticipated sometime during late 2017.
Announced:
167. Arequipa Peru
Temple: Construction preparation phase; groundbreaking date anticipated to be
announced soon.
168. Rio de
Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction preparation phase; plans approved by local
government; groundbreaking may be announced soon and scheduled for sometime
after the summer Olympics.
169. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Planning and
approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Planning and approval
phase; awaiting official site announcement.
171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and
approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approval
phase; awaiting official site announcement.
173. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase;
awaiting official site announcement.
174. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting
official site announcement.
175. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning phase; awaiting
official site announcement.
176. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting
official site announcement.
177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase;
awaiting official site announcement.
Key:
Bolded numbers and
text denote temples whose number already exists (for renovations), or is
certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain,
such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.
Italicized numbers
and text denote temples whose number
may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings
are scheduled.
Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose number
may change based on the order in which their future groundbreakings are
announced.
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.
Prayers for the victims of the senseless tragedy in Orlando
My thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in the tragic terror attack in Orlando. It sickens me that within these United States, an extremist should be allowed to attack people with whom he has a difference of opinion. This senseless act is tragic. The LDS Church has issued a statement about what happened. It says:
"With the rest of the nation, we mourn the tragic loss of life and serious injuries that occurred in Orlando this morning. We pray for the families and loved ones of the victims of this senseless shooting and pray they will be comforted and cared for as they seek to heal. Our prayers and support are also with community leaders and law enforcement officials as they continue to investigate this shocking crime."
I feel like I could say "Amen" and end this post right there, but I wanted to further state that those of the LDS Church, who underwent similar persecution as a result of difference of opinion in the early days of Church history, most likely understand more than anyone else what it means to be persecuted for practicing one's beliefs. In a land where the marriage of same-gender individuals has been declared constitutional, it boggles my mind that something like this could happen. My heart bleeds for all those affected by this incident, and I join in praying for all those whose lives have been made worse because this happened. I pray we will all unite in prayer on their behalf.
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.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Three Significant Posts by Matthew Martinich
Hello, all! Some exciting Church growth news crossed my radar just now, and I just had to share.
First of all, some significant growth milestones have taken place in the Ivory Coast. For an overview of these developments, please see this lnk.
Second, new stakes have been created in Guatemala, Hong Kong, Nigeria, and Texas, and a new district has been created in Nigeria. For details, please see this link.
New stakes have additionally been created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mongolia, another for Nigeria, and a new district in Brazil, For details, please see this link.
As you can see, the Church is exponentially growing throughout the world, How exciting it is to live in these latter days! I will keep my eye on Church growth developments, and let you know as news crosses my radar. Thanks for your readership.
First of all, some significant growth milestones have taken place in the Ivory Coast. For an overview of these developments, please see this lnk.
Second, new stakes have been created in Guatemala, Hong Kong, Nigeria, and Texas, and a new district has been created in Nigeria. For details, please see this link.
New stakes have additionally been created in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mongolia, another for Nigeria, and a new district in Brazil, For details, please see this link.
As you can see, the Church is exponentially growing throughout the world, How exciting it is to live in these latter days! I will keep my eye on Church growth developments, and let you know as news crosses my radar. Thanks for your readership.
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.
Article on new General Authority Seventy Elder Peter F. Meurs
The Church News this week posted an article about Elder Peter F. Meurs, a General Authority Seventy. To see that article, please follow this link, Thanks.
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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