Health Update

Just posting to report that I saw my neurologist on Friday. She authorized the increase of my dose of the medications that I felt I needed. In the meantime, she talked about other things that might help me. So now we just wait to see the neurosurgeon and get my shunt turned up. I am also sleeping better as a result of using the CPAP machine. As a matter of fact, I have been able to wake up the last few mornings well in advance of my alarms feeling well rested. This almost blew us away. It's been a while since that last happened.

In the meantime, I may have found a new job. It is full-time with benefits. The pay would be $1.50 per hour than I was getting at ROI and might include a better insurance option for Amy. The job is with Rocky Mountain Oils, and I'd be doing the same type of thing as I did on loan to Yong Living; I would just be also doing support and orders in person and by e-mail. The headquarters is right here in Orem. I applied for the job early Saturday morning and am hoping to hear back anytime now. I will keep you posted.

Thanks to you all for your interest, readership, and support. Your continued prayers would be appreciated.

My little sister is a mommy!

Just blogging to report that my little sister gave birth to the newest addition to our family this morning. Millen Dan Atwood was born after almost 40 hours of labor. Both Elizabeth and Millen are doing well, just very tired. Much to my extreme relief, the doctors are keeping both in the hospital for a few more days. I am so proud of my little sister and so anxious to meet my newest nephew. I am so happy that she met Jon Atwood and that both are healthy and well. Well done, baby sister! I love you all and look forward to seeing you both and to meet Millen! Rest up, and take good care of yourself!

Temple developments

Further temple developments have happened.  Since I last posted, art glass is being installed in the Paris France temple, and site grading and clearing have begun for the Durban South Africa temple.  Also, a general contractor has been selected and construction is anticipated to begin in October 2016 for the Arequipa Peru temple.

I know I may have posted about some of the developments already, but I wanted to make sure that they are on the blog. Thanks to all of you for your interest, support, and readership.

Site grading and clearing underway for Durban South Africa temple

As this blog title suggests, site grading and clearing is underway at the Durban South Africa temple site. More stride may be made in the next few days, and you can depend on hearing about them here once I learn of them. Thanks.

I passed the 200 blog post mark/My employment has been terminated

Hello, all! A couple of reasons for this post. First of all, the biggest reason: As of tomorrow @ 10  PM MDT, I will no  longer be employed. We got word earlier this week that Young Living was terminating their contract with ROI (primarily because our agents are too good), and all of us were caught in the windfall. Most of my coworkers have been reassigned to other campaigns. My team leader, John Thomas, will be working on a campaign overseen by my former TL Trent Ginnett; In my case, I was told that "ROI regrettably doesn't have any positions matching your  unique skills and abilities." I could read the writing on the wall. So I will be without work until further notice. It won't be all bad. I will be able to start looking for work on Monday. In the meantime, I can work on getting better and on my writing. I have a couple of easy writing projects in mind for pieces I can send to the Church magazines, and I can work on my book. Both Amy and I have the overwhelming feeling that all things will be all right and will work out the way we need them to.

In other news, I am sleeping better with the CPAP machine, and I see Dr. Weinstein (my neurologist) tomorrow.

I also just realized that I have passed the 200 blog-post mark. Some bloggers have been known to celebrate such milestones. For me, this is a time for reflection, introspection, and prayer. I will keep you all updated on our life events as they happen, though, as has  been my custom, Church-related posts will always trump personal updates.

Thanks to you all for your readership, interest, and prayers. I greatly appreciate each of you.

Conglomeration of Church News

This post will be a conglomeration of Church News. as reported on the Church News website.

For an article on how Church service missionaries shuttle people to Temple Square, please see this link.

To read how the Tabernacle Choir's tour went, please see  this article and this article.

For a report regarding the King's Singers joining the Choir for their annual Pioneer Day Concert, please see this article.

To read about the commencement of the Sapporo Japan Temple Open House, please see this article.

That does it for this post. Thanks for your readership.

General Auxiliary leaders participate in Scouting Leadership Conference

General auxiliary leaders of the Church recently participated in a Scouting Leadership Conference. For an overview of what transpired at that event, please see this article. Thanks.

Article about Sister Jean B. Bingham

The Church News this weekend ran an article about Sister Jean B. Bingham, who was called in April as the new First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. To read the wonderful introduction to her, please see this article. Thanks.

More on the Seminar for New Mission Presidents

Here is a bit more information on the Seminar for New Mission Presidents:

As Bishop Waddell spoke to new mission presidents, he related his experience in seeing the resiliency of the Ecuadoran Saints in response to the natural disaster they had experienced. He then went on to describe how a building with a strong foundation led him to reflect on the strong foundation for the soul that is built on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His message therefore was to encourage missionaries and church converts to build on that strong foundation. To read more about what he said, please see this article.

Additionally, ,the general presidents of the Church's female auxiliaries (Relief Society. Young Women and Primary) spoke on managing stress. To read what they said on the subject, please see this article.

The Church News also reported an address by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who addressed the topic of repentance and its' vital role in missionary work. For an overview of his address, please see this article.

General Authority Seventy Elder Brent H. Nielson, executive director of the Church Missionary Department, focused his remarks on how to adequately and appropriately measure success. He spoke of his two sons, who, though they both served faithfully in difficult areas of the world, nonetheless struggled with feelings of failure. Elder Nielson reported that when his sons were able to look at their missions through the eyes of the Lord's requirements, they were able to see their success. For a report of his remarks, please see this article.

That's just a brief overview of more on the seminar. I will keep my eyes open for further reports, which you can be sure to find here on this blog. Thanks for your readership.

Updated temple progress report

As a lot has gone on on the temple news front lately, I felt it appropriate to post another copy of my temple progress report. Please note that in the list below, the Kinshasa, Fortaleza, and Durban temples have been reordered based on information provided by Rick Satterfield, who maintains the most excellent LDS Church temples site. Here is the updated list:

Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 7/14/16)

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: Public open house tours underway; dedication scheduled on Sunday August 21, 2016.

152. Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple: Accepting free reservations for public open house; dedication scheduled on Sunday September 18, 2016.

153. Fort Collins Colorado Temple: Accepting free reservations for public open house; dedication scheduled on Sunday October 16, 2016.

154. Star Valley Wyoming Temple: Facing landscape structures with ledge rock; installing fence poles around temple; dedication scheduled on Sunday October 30, 2016.

155. Hartford Connecticut Temple: Granite being attached to front façade; building entrance plaza and temple president’s residence; dedication scheduled on Sunday November 20, 2016.

Under Construction:

156. Paris France Temple: Planting trees shrubs, and flowers; awaiting art glass installation; completion estimated sometime in early 2017.

157. Meridian Idaho Temple: Stained glass windows installed; pouring parking lot curbing; completion estimated sometime in late 2017.

158. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing parking lot lamp posts; pouring curbing; completion estimated sometime in late 2017.

159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Scaffolding removed from dome (Angel Moroni placed atop temple on July 7, 2016); completion estimated sometime in late 2017.

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work underway including some material replacement and rework; completion estimated sometime in 2018.

161. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior walls poured; completion estimated sometime during 2018.

162. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Site clearing and preparation phase; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.
163. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Site grading and clearing underway; building permit sign posted; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.
164. Durban South Africa Temple: Site fence erected; full-scale operations pending; completion estimated sometime in either 2018 or 2019.

165. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Building the substructure; completion estimated sometime in 2019.
166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Ground broken on Saturday December 5, 2015; completion estimated sometime in 2019.

Rededication scheduled:

33. Freiberg Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication scheduled on Sunday September 4, 2016.

Undergoing Renovation:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; installing marble trim; rededication estimated sometime in early 2017.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication estimated sometime in mid-2017.

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication estimated sometime in late 2017.

Announced:

167. Arequipa Peru Temple: General contractor selected; construction anticipated to begin in October 2016.

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction preparation phase; plans approved by local government; groundbreaking may be announced soon and scheduled 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.
Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress update.