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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Friday, November 3, 2017
Progress Made on Temples Undergoing Renovation
Hello, everyone! Just a few short moments ago, I was notified that progress has been reported on the renovation process for the Memphis and Oklahoma City temples. The new information I have indicates that these temples have started to be dismantled. It was wonderful to hear of that progress. As with everything else, I am doing my best to keep tabs on temple-related developments, and I will pass more information along as I become aware of it. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in all that you do.
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.
Thursday, November 2, 2017
Additional update reported on Kinshasa DR Congo Temple
Hello, everyone! I am posting again to note that, in addition to what I reported in terms of the progress on the newest Chilean temple, progress has also been noted recently on the Kinshasa DR Congo Temple. At that temple site, entrance walls are being plastered, the steeple is receiving a white paint coating, and roof eaves are being framed. Based on that update, it would appear that my estimate that this temple could be dedicated in mid-to-late September is warranted.
As always, I am keeping an eye out for any and all developments in this regard, and I will be sure to pass along any additional updates as I learn of them. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in all that you do.
As always, I am keeping an eye out for any and all developments in this regard, and I will be sure to pass along any additional updates as I learn of them. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in all that you do.
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.
Progress noted on the Concepcion Chile Temple
Hello again, everyone! As many of you are aware, I had announced a while ago my intention to focus a series of posts on temple site prospects for the future. While I will be getting back to that either later this week or early next week, there have been numerous developments relating to Church and temple news. Because of this, I am taking a temporary step back from that series.
My reason for this new post is that, while not much has changed in terms of reported progress on most new temples and those existing ones being renovated, reports have come in about new milestones for the Concepcion Chile Temple. It was wonderful to hear about those.
So, what has that progress entailed? The reports state that cladding has progressed along the east wall, that a water feature for the temple grounds is being installed, and that walkways are being poured. Additionally, it appears that the Church has put a temporary 2D model of the Angel Moroni Temple in their efforts to ensure that when the actual 3D version is placed, it is positioned correctly.
This progress, such as it is, would appear to lend support to the theory I shared late last night that this temple's dedication could occur in June of next year. After all, the Concepcion Chile Temple is one that has progressed very consistently. It is wonderful indeed to have heard of this progress.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon you all.
My reason for this new post is that, while not much has changed in terms of reported progress on most new temples and those existing ones being renovated, reports have come in about new milestones for the Concepcion Chile Temple. It was wonderful to hear about those.
So, what has that progress entailed? The reports state that cladding has progressed along the east wall, that a water feature for the temple grounds is being installed, and that walkways are being poured. Additionally, it appears that the Church has put a temporary 2D model of the Angel Moroni Temple in their efforts to ensure that when the actual 3D version is placed, it is positioned correctly.
This progress, such as it is, would appear to lend support to the theory I shared late last night that this temple's dedication could occur in June of next year. After all, the Concepcion Chile Temple is one that has progressed very consistently. It is wonderful indeed to have heard of this progress.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon you all.
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.
Further alterations made to estimates for future-temple related events
Hello again, everyone! I am posting in the early-morning hours of the second day in November to share my updated estimates for future temple-related events. Most of these changes have been motivated by further study on my part regarding the climates in the world areas in which these temples are being built or renovated. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these revisions. The list follows. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord's blessings will be upon you all.
Altered estimates for temple-related events that are anticipated
to take place during 2018-2020
2018:
January: Raleigh North Carolina Temple Renovation Closure
(already announced; confirmation of exact date pending)
February: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Renovation Closure
(already announced; confirmation of exact date pending)
February 19: Oakland California Temple Renovation Closure
(already confirmed)
March 4: Washington DC Temple Renovation Closure (already
confirmed)
May: Mesa Arizona Temple Renovation Closure (already
announced; confirmation of exact date pending)
May 20: Jordan River Utah Temple Rededication (already
announced)
June 3 or 10: Concepcion Chile Temple Dedication (160th
operating temple)
August 12 or 19: Frankfurt Germany Temple Rededication
September 23 or 30: Kinshasa DR Congo Temple Dedication
(161st operating temple)
November 11 or 18: Barranquilla Colombia Temple Dedication
(162nd operating temple)
2019:
March 3 or 10: Rome Italy Temple Dedication (163rd
operated temple)
March 17 or 24: Memphis Tennessee Temple Rededication
April 14 or 21: Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple
Rededication
April 28 or May 5: Durban South Africa Temple Dedication
(164th operating temple)
May 19 or 26: Asuncion Paraguay Temple Rededication
June 9 or 16: Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple Dedication (165th
operating temple)
August 4 or 11: Fortaleza Brazil Temple Dedication (166th
operating temple)
August 18 or 25: Raleigh North Carolina Temple
Rededication
September 8 or 15: Rio de Janeiro Temple Dedication (167th
operating temple)
September 22 or 29: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
Rededication
October 20 or 27: Lisbon Portugal Temple Dedication (168th
operating temple)
November 10 or 17: Arequipa Peru Temple Dedication (169th
operating temple)
December 8 or 15: Oakland California Rededication
2020:
February 23 or March 1: Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
Dedication (170th operating temple)
May 10 or 17: Tokyo Japan Temple Rededication
September 13 or 20: Mesa Arizona Temple Rededication
November 8 or 15: Washington DC Temple Rededication
NOTE: Hopefully during 2018 and 2019, several temple
groundbreakings will also occur, which will result in additional temple
dedications in the years following. I am keeping my eye out for any news and
will pass that along as I hear of 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.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Update: Asuncion Paraguay Temple Closure Confirmed/Changes may be made to estimates for temple-related events for 2019
Hello, everyone! After reaching out to the Church and to some of my contacts for temple-related developments, I have been able to confirm for certain that the Asuncion Paraguay Temple has closed for renovation, as previously stated.
Aside from that, I also wanted to note that I may be rethinking the potential sequence of temple-related events for 2019. I have been reminded that, because work has not yet begun in full for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, it is more likely than not that both the Rome Italy and Durban South Africa Temples will likely be dedicated prior to the dedication for Haiti's first temple.
As with everything else, I am keeping my eyes open for any and all temple related developments, and I will post any updates ASAP after receiving them. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon you all.
Aside from that, I also wanted to note that I may be rethinking the potential sequence of temple-related events for 2019. I have been reminded that, because work has not yet begun in full for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, it is more likely than not that both the Rome Italy and Durban South Africa Temples will likely be dedicated prior to the dedication for Haiti's first temple.
As with everything else, I am keeping my eyes open for any and all temple related developments, and I will post any updates ASAP after receiving them. That does it for this post. Any comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon you all.
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.
Slight Update to my thoughts on the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Construction Process
Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post some updated thoughts about the process of construction for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple. While many sources available to me have offered a general estimate that full-scale construction may begin at some point during the first half of 2018, I have done some further study about the climate in Winnipeg. That study has led me to conclude that full-scale construction will begin once the winter season ends. Since spring comes near the end of March, it is my new feeling that earnest work can begin on that temple somewhere around the beginning of April. If that happens, and if the redesign of that temple does not change the estimate we have been given of 20 months for that process, then the construction of that temple will be wrapped up as 2019 ends. That being the case, the dedication would likely follow in February or March 2020. If weather conditions cooperate enough to allow construction to begin a month or two earlier, then the dedication could take place before the end of 2019. It will be interesting to see what happens in that regard.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings will be upon each of you in all that you do.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings will be upon each of you in all that you do.
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.
Changing my original thoughts about the potential name for the second temple in Manila
Hello again, everyone, as we mark the beginning of the month of November. As some of you may remember, at one point a month or two ago, I had expressed my opinion that the second temple to be built in Manila Philippines might be named the Alabang Manila Temple. Since that time, I have not published any update on that, and when I published a full version of that report earlier this week, I had removed any unofficial name for that temple. It is anticipated that the Church may announce the official name at any point in the future, whether prior to the groundbreaking for that temple, or at very least during that ceremony, whenever that might happen.
So then the question arises, what might that temple be named. I have heard a few possibilities floating around, and any one of them could be possible. I list those here, in no particular order, with the exception of the last one, which seems to be the most likely possibility.
Manila Philippines Temple (the idea behind that one seems to be that, since the temple currently known by that name is actually located in the area known as Quezon City in Metro-Manila, that temple would be renamed the Quezon City Philippines Temple)
Manila Philippines Muntinlupa Temple
Manila Philippines Muntinlupa City Temple
Muntinlupa Philippines Temple
Muntinlupa City Philippines Temple
Manila Philippines Alabang Temple
That is the complete list of possibilities I have heard floating around. That said, I want to hear your thoughts on these possibilities. Have I overlooked anything? Which do you feel are most likely? That does it for this post. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings will be upon all of you.
So then the question arises, what might that temple be named. I have heard a few possibilities floating around, and any one of them could be possible. I list those here, in no particular order, with the exception of the last one, which seems to be the most likely possibility.
Manila Philippines Temple (the idea behind that one seems to be that, since the temple currently known by that name is actually located in the area known as Quezon City in Metro-Manila, that temple would be renamed the Quezon City Philippines Temple)
Manila Philippines Muntinlupa Temple
Manila Philippines Muntinlupa City Temple
Muntinlupa Philippines Temple
Muntinlupa City Philippines Temple
Manila Philippines Alabang Temple
That is the complete list of possibilities I have heard floating around. That said, I want to hear your thoughts on these possibilities. Have I overlooked anything? Which do you feel are most likely? That does it for this post. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings will be upon all of you.
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.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Update: Church unit changes since September 14 of this year
Hello again, everyone! Since I last posted some thoughts about Church unit developments almost seven weeks ago, there have been significant changes. With only 9 of the 53 Sundays left in this year, so much has happened. As previous noted, on New Year's Day of this year, the Church had 3,266 stakes, 556 districts, and 30,304 congregations.
Noting that the Church now has 3,319 stakes, there has been a net increase of 53 stakes. With the 44 Sundays that have come and gone this year, that averages out to 1.2 new stakes per week. If that continues for the remaining 9 Sundays of this year, a minimum increase of 11 stakes is possible. Matthew Martinich, who keeps us all informed about Church growth on his blog devoted to that subject, has noted that the Church may have as many as 66 new stakes by the end of this year. Given that 5 stakes have also been discontinued thus far this year, that would be a net increase of 61 new stakes for the year, which means a net increase of 8 stakes, which is slightly lower than the 11 I referenced above.
Additionally, there are currently 545 districts, which is a net decrease of 11 districts. That said, when I have posted previously about Church growth that has happened or may yet happen, some have inquired how many of those 11 might have been upgraded to a stake. While that is a great question, that is not something I am comfortable answering. Posts like this represent my own thoughts on the growth of the Church that has or may yet occur, and the answers to such questions are well documented by others whom I respect as experts in the field of Church growth developments. With that in mind, those kinds of questions I would defer to those experts to answer. That said, I am grateful to those who have asked about that in the past, because it demonstrates that you are paying attention to things I have said in these posts. It will be interesting to see what the year-end number of districts is.
Next, I wanted to note that the number of congregations Church-wide has risen to 30,385. That means that, during these 42 Sundays that have come and gone, there has been a net increase of 81 congregations, or roughly 1.93 new congregations established each week. If that rate continues in the remaining 9 Sundays of this year, we could see 18 additional congregations established, at minimum. If a larger increase in the number of stakes occurs than what I have suggested here, many more congregations could be created. The one thing that is not as certain is how many congregations, if any, might be created during the final two Sundays of this year, when the world observes Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Finally, I just wanted to note as well that, based on the Church''s announcement last week about how missionaries would be using technology more, and that missions would begin to be consolidated, we could see a change in the number of missions in the Church by the end of this year. There is also a possibility that the Church could wait to start that consolidation process until next year, when the assignment of new mission presidents will be announced.
Whatever might happen in regards to Church growth, you can depend on the LDS Church Growth blog (and, to a lesser extent, this one) to bring you the latest. That does it for this post. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord's blessings upon each of you in all you do.
Noting that the Church now has 3,319 stakes, there has been a net increase of 53 stakes. With the 44 Sundays that have come and gone this year, that averages out to 1.2 new stakes per week. If that continues for the remaining 9 Sundays of this year, a minimum increase of 11 stakes is possible. Matthew Martinich, who keeps us all informed about Church growth on his blog devoted to that subject, has noted that the Church may have as many as 66 new stakes by the end of this year. Given that 5 stakes have also been discontinued thus far this year, that would be a net increase of 61 new stakes for the year, which means a net increase of 8 stakes, which is slightly lower than the 11 I referenced above.
Additionally, there are currently 545 districts, which is a net decrease of 11 districts. That said, when I have posted previously about Church growth that has happened or may yet happen, some have inquired how many of those 11 might have been upgraded to a stake. While that is a great question, that is not something I am comfortable answering. Posts like this represent my own thoughts on the growth of the Church that has or may yet occur, and the answers to such questions are well documented by others whom I respect as experts in the field of Church growth developments. With that in mind, those kinds of questions I would defer to those experts to answer. That said, I am grateful to those who have asked about that in the past, because it demonstrates that you are paying attention to things I have said in these posts. It will be interesting to see what the year-end number of districts is.
Next, I wanted to note that the number of congregations Church-wide has risen to 30,385. That means that, during these 42 Sundays that have come and gone, there has been a net increase of 81 congregations, or roughly 1.93 new congregations established each week. If that rate continues in the remaining 9 Sundays of this year, we could see 18 additional congregations established, at minimum. If a larger increase in the number of stakes occurs than what I have suggested here, many more congregations could be created. The one thing that is not as certain is how many congregations, if any, might be created during the final two Sundays of this year, when the world observes Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Finally, I just wanted to note as well that, based on the Church''s announcement last week about how missionaries would be using technology more, and that missions would begin to be consolidated, we could see a change in the number of missions in the Church by the end of this year. There is also a possibility that the Church could wait to start that consolidation process until next year, when the assignment of new mission presidents will be announced.
Whatever might happen in regards to Church growth, you can depend on the LDS Church Growth blog (and, to a lesser extent, this one) to bring you the latest. That does it for this post. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord's blessings upon each of you in all you do.
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.
Apostles in the news
Hello, everyone! While I intend to continue my series of blog posts about potential future temple sites in each of the Church's geographical areas later this week, in addition to general temple developments, there have been a number of news stories in the last 7-10 days about the ministry of our apostles and prophets, which all deserve to be mentioned on this blog. Let's dive right in to those.
As some of you may recall, in an earlier Church news update on this blog, I mentioned that Gerry Avant, who has worked on the staff of the LDS Church News publication for several decades, retired from her role as editor of that publication several months ago. But she has graciously consented to continue her contributions to that paper as a senior contributing editor. In a new series of articles, she takes the opportunity to reminisce about her various travels with apostles and prophets. In this article, she shares experiences she had traveling with President Gordon B. Hinckley in Asia, and the story behind the photo she snapped that became an iconic cover of the Ensign several months later.
Now, before going on to talk about the other articles about the travels of our apostles, I wanted to note one thing: many of the links I will share in the rest of this post are related to the ministry of two particularly apostles: Elders D. Todd Christofferson and Ronald A. Rasband. I have very much enjoyed reading about the ministry of all apostles, but it has seemed significant to me that these two have received quite frequent coverage. So what has that coverage entailed? Let's move on to that.
First of all, in all of Elder Rasband's many travels lately, he frequently has referenced what President Monson advised him to say to the people he visited shortly after his call to the apostleship. Elder Rasband has been very consistent in acknowledging that the same message President Monson asked him to share has not changed. It is so refreshing to be reminded that, even in the wake of President Monson's advanced age and health-related difficulties, he is still very much concerned about the members of the Church, and wants to convey the love he has for us all through the apostles that are sent to represent him and the Savior worldwide.
That said, we have this account of how Elder Rasband, on assignment to a stake conference in the Eastern United States, was blessed to find out that his visit coincided with an important anniversary of the Church in an area that he ministered in both as a missionary, and later on as a mission president. He said that he didn't know at the time he got the assignment that it would enable him to be part of that celebration, but that the Lord knew, which was a tender mercy he will always remember.
Elder Rasband also was assigned recently, along with his wife, and Primary General President Joy D. Jones and her husband (who were residents of the area years ago) to minister to those in California affected by the wildfires. This was an especially touching assignment for all who were involved. Elder Rasband wept openly with members who had experienced such great losses. And this was very personal for the Joneses, whose son, a fireman in his late 30s, volunteered to come and help fight these fires, only to lose his life as a result of having done so.
Elder Rasband's ministry to the Californian Saints is recounted here, here, here, and here. That last one is the summary of his ministry in California from Mormon Newsroom.
Now, to switch gears as I finish this post, I also wanted to share this story, also from Mormon Newsroom, focusing on how Elder Christofferson delivered an address in Spanish to journalists from Latin America. He praised them for their journalistic integrity, and was in turn praised by one of the organizers of the event at which he spoke, primarily because he had focused on the relationship between freedom of the press and freedom of religion, both guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US constitution. It was great to read about that.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon each one of you in all that you do.
As some of you may recall, in an earlier Church news update on this blog, I mentioned that Gerry Avant, who has worked on the staff of the LDS Church News publication for several decades, retired from her role as editor of that publication several months ago. But she has graciously consented to continue her contributions to that paper as a senior contributing editor. In a new series of articles, she takes the opportunity to reminisce about her various travels with apostles and prophets. In this article, she shares experiences she had traveling with President Gordon B. Hinckley in Asia, and the story behind the photo she snapped that became an iconic cover of the Ensign several months later.
Now, before going on to talk about the other articles about the travels of our apostles, I wanted to note one thing: many of the links I will share in the rest of this post are related to the ministry of two particularly apostles: Elders D. Todd Christofferson and Ronald A. Rasband. I have very much enjoyed reading about the ministry of all apostles, but it has seemed significant to me that these two have received quite frequent coverage. So what has that coverage entailed? Let's move on to that.
First of all, in all of Elder Rasband's many travels lately, he frequently has referenced what President Monson advised him to say to the people he visited shortly after his call to the apostleship. Elder Rasband has been very consistent in acknowledging that the same message President Monson asked him to share has not changed. It is so refreshing to be reminded that, even in the wake of President Monson's advanced age and health-related difficulties, he is still very much concerned about the members of the Church, and wants to convey the love he has for us all through the apostles that are sent to represent him and the Savior worldwide.
That said, we have this account of how Elder Rasband, on assignment to a stake conference in the Eastern United States, was blessed to find out that his visit coincided with an important anniversary of the Church in an area that he ministered in both as a missionary, and later on as a mission president. He said that he didn't know at the time he got the assignment that it would enable him to be part of that celebration, but that the Lord knew, which was a tender mercy he will always remember.
Elder Rasband also was assigned recently, along with his wife, and Primary General President Joy D. Jones and her husband (who were residents of the area years ago) to minister to those in California affected by the wildfires. This was an especially touching assignment for all who were involved. Elder Rasband wept openly with members who had experienced such great losses. And this was very personal for the Joneses, whose son, a fireman in his late 30s, volunteered to come and help fight these fires, only to lose his life as a result of having done so.
Elder Rasband's ministry to the Californian Saints is recounted here, here, here, and here. That last one is the summary of his ministry in California from Mormon Newsroom.
Now, to switch gears as I finish this post, I also wanted to share this story, also from Mormon Newsroom, focusing on how Elder Christofferson delivered an address in Spanish to journalists from Latin America. He praised them for their journalistic integrity, and was in turn praised by one of the organizers of the event at which he spoke, primarily because he had focused on the relationship between freedom of the press and freedom of religion, both guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US constitution. It was great to read about that.
That does it for this post. Any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray the Lord's blessings upon each one of you in all that you do.
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.
Massive Updates Made to Temple Construction Progress Report
Hello, everyone! While I had promised 'earlier that I would only post updates in temple construction, and not the whole report, I need to make an exception to that today. Information I have received in the last 18 hours or so has changed my thinking on a lot of the information contained in the report, which in turn means a lot of red in it. I hope you will pardon my posting the full report, but it is necessary. Hope it may prove helpful to some of you. As always, any comments are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best.
Temple Construction Progress
(current as of 10/31/17)
NOTE
ABOUT FUTURE TEMPLE CONSTRUCTION: I have previously referenced the statement made by
Elder Larry Y. Wilson, who serves as the Temple Department Executive Director,
to the effect that 80 temple locations are under active consideration for an
announcement during the next 15 years. That statement, made in April 2017,
means that we could have around 260 temples in various stages by April 2032.
Whether or not all of those temples are announced by that time, it appears more
than likely that the Church could have 200 of those temples in operation 2
years prior to that, as the Church marks its 200th anniversary (on
Saturday April 6, 2030). The Church would just need to complete the 25 in
various stages and announce and complete 18 others in the 12.43 years between
now and then, which works out to 3 or 4 new temples dedicated per year. Given
the fact that the Church will be maintaining at least that average for the next
2 or 3 years, it seems very likely that there will be 200 temples by that time,
if not more.
CURRENT TEMPLE STATUS: The
Church has 182 temples in various
phases. There are 157 operating
temples, with 2 that are currently
conducting open house tours. There are additionally 9 others in various phases of construction; 1 more which had a groundbreaking
before the end of last year and for which construction is anticipated to begin
within the first or second quarter of next year; and 1 other had a groundbreaking on Saturday October 28, 2017, and full
scale construction is anticipated to start sometime next week, In terms of
temples undergoing renovations, 1 has
a rededication scheduled during the middle of next year; 1 had been closed for restoration due to weather-related damage,
and has since officially closed for renovation, with a private rededication
anticipated during the middle of next year; 1 other is anticipated to have its rededication before the end of
next year; 4
others have closed recently. There are also 5 other temples scheduled to close sometime next year, and closure
dates have been announced for all but 1 of
those. The remaining 12 are
announced (with either a site announcement or groundbreaking pending).
Preparing for dedication; open
house tours underway:
158. Meridian Idaho
Temple: Accepting open house reservations; public open house tours underway;
dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.
NOTE: With construction having been completed on this temple, the open
house is underway. Because Elder David A. Bednar broke ground for this temple,
I wouldn’t be surprised if he has some role in the dedication, either as the
one who presides, or by accompanying the apostle senior to him who will be
asked to preside. Two senior apostles who will likely
not be in attendance are Elders Oaks and Ballard, who are scheduled to speak at
a Face-to-Face event for Young Single Adults that same evening. It will
be interesting to see what happens there.
159. Cedar City Utah
Temple: Accepting open house reservations; public open house tours underway; dedication
scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.
NOTE: As I have previously noted, Elder M. Russell Ballard seems to have
some role in supervising the three areas of the Church in Utah, and Elder
Jeffrey R. Holland was born in St. George, which some consider a sister-city to
Cedar City (not by proximity, but rather because the two are the major cities in
Southern Utah). Either could be asked to preside, or to accompany the one who
does. Utah temple dedications always have quite a few participants from Church
leadership, and I anticipate that the dedication of this temple will be no
different.
Under Construction; completion anticipated during
2018:
160. Concepcion Chile Temple:
Angel Moroni on site awaiting installation; cladding progressing on east side
of temple; installing exterior lighting; completion anticipated sometime during
mid-to-late 2018.
NOTE: This temple has been moved up
gradually until it is now at the top of this list. As promised, I have
revisited my thoughts about the dedication estimate, which I now believe may
happen on Sunday August 12 or 19. As always, between now and whenever the
actual date is announced, I will keep an eye out for any reason to change this
estimate.
161. Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Plastering steeple and entrance walls;
completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
NOTE: In view of other changes that
have been necessary, and in light of where other temples are in the
construction process, I think it is safe to assume that this temple could be
dedicated on Sunday September 9 or 16. As the next 8 months come and go, any
changes that are necessary for this estimate will be made.
162. Barranquilla
Colombia Temple: Cladding tower; installing art glass and ornamental cornice;
completion anticipated sometime during late 2018-early 2019.
NOTE: On October 26, 2017, many sources available to me moved this
temple above the Rome Italy Temple. Because of this, it is my feeling that the
dedication of this temple may happen on November 11 or 18. But I could also see that dedication being pushed back to
December 9 or 16. I will keep an eye out for information in this regard, and
will be sure to pass that along as soon as I can.
Under construction, completion
anticipated during 2019:
Note about temple dedications anticipated during this year: The
Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, which had a groundbreaking on October 28, 2017, is
anticipated to be completed within 12-18 months. With that in mind, and because
of additional information I have received about the potential sequence of
events during this year, the temples in this section have been renumbered. I
will be sure to pass along any changes to this information as I learn of them.
163. Rome Italy Temple:
Installing art glass, irrigation lines, decorative fence posts; completion
anticipated sometime during late 2018-early 2019.
NOTE: As noted above, on October
26, 2017, the sources I have available for temple information moved
Barranquilla ahead of this temple. According to new
information I was able to find, it appears that this temple may be completed
more towards the beginning of 2019 than the end of 2018. While I hope Rome will
not have to wait another year before its dedication, I have no reason to doubt
the information.
165. Durban
South Africa Temple: Setting roof trusses for temple; completion anticipated
sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: With the Port-au-Prince
Haiti Temple anticipated to be dedicated during this same time-frame, along
with the rededication of each of the temples that closed prior to the end of
October 2017, I have felt to alter my estimate for this temple’s dedication to
sometime during early-to-mid June. If that changes, I will be sure to pass that
along.
166. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Stone cladding
underway; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: With changes in this
temple’s estimated completion having been made, and with those temples that are
anticipated to be rededicated during 2019, it has seemed wise to adjust the
estimate for this temple’s dedication to sometime during late August-early
September 2019. Once more is known about any additional alterations that may be
needed, I will be sure to pass that information along.
167. Rio
de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Pouring upper walls of
temple; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: Along with other adjustments
I have made, I have felt that we may only see this temple dedicated in
mid-to-late October 2019 (after General Conference). As with everything else, I
will keep my eyes open for any new information, and will pass all of that
along,
168. Lisbon
Portugal Temple: Pouring upper walls of temple; meetinghouse
cladding progressing; completion anticipated sometime during late 2019.
NOTE: With the adjustments that
have been made to the other temples above this one, it seems obvious that a
similar adjustment is needed here. Until more is known, I am thinking this
temple will be dedicated sometime in mid-November. I
will pass along any further adjustments I may make to this line of thought.
169. Arequipa
Peru Temple: Attaching vapor barrier; preparing to pour steeple base; completion
anticipated sometime during late 2019.
NOTE: In
light of the consistent progress this temple has made, and because of feedback
I received on October 31, I am now convinced that the dedication of this temple
will happen during 2019. As to a specific time-frame, I believe it could happen
in mid-December. As always, I will be sure to pass along any changes to this
estimate.
Construction pending:
170. Winnipeg
Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; plans being
slightly modified; full-scale operations anticipated to begin in the first or
second quarter of 2018; completion anticipated sometime between early-to-mid
2020.
NOTE: If full-scale
construction is able to begin for this temple by the end of the first half of
2018, and if the redesign of this temple does not change the estimate of 20
months that has been given for this temple’s construction time-frame, then this
temple could be dedicated sometime during mid-to-late March. As with everything
else, I will pass along any adjustments to this estimate as I make them.
164. Port-au-Prince
Haiti Temple: Groundbreaking held on Saturday October 28, 2017; full-scale
construction pending (anticipated to start later this
week, barring anything unexpected); completion anticipated sometime
during early-to-mid
2019.
NOTE: If
the news release from Haiti about the groundbreaking is correct, construction
on this temple will likely only last around 18 months, making it possible that
this temple could be dedicated sometime during early-to-mid May. That will
depend on how quickly construction starts and how fast it progresses after
that.
Scheduled for rededication:
20. Jordan River Utah
Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication scheduled for Sunday May
20, 2018.
Undergoing renovation (in view of damage incurred by a natural
disaster; anticipated to be reopened in a few months):
97. Houston Texas Temple: Closed for renovation
(following damage incurred by flooding); may take some time to fix
everything, will reopen in mid-2018, following a
private rededication ceremony.
NOTE: The First Presidency
announced on October 25 that this temple, previously closed for restoration,
would need work that necessitates a renovation process. It is not anticipated
to take too long to accomplish, and this temple is anticipated to reopen
following a private dedication sometime next
year (no open house, cultural celebration, or public dedication will be
needed).
Undergoing Renovation
(rededication anticipated within the next year or so):
41. Frankfurt Germany
Temple: Closed for renovation; roof slab poured for basement addition;
rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
NOTE: As promised, I reevaluated my
estimate for this temple’s rededication. Having done so, I am of the opinion
that we could see that happen after the first two new temples are dedicated in
2018, and before the final two new ones are dedicated. That puts my revised
estimate for that event on either Sunday October 21 or 28. I will be sure to
pass along any changes I make to that estimate within the next 9-12 months.
Undergoing Renovation
(rededication anticipated sometime during 2019):
80. Memphis Tennessee
Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid
2019.
NOTE: With the other adjustments I
have made, it seems wise to adjust this temple’s completion estimate to sometime
during mid-to-late March. But that will depend
on how things progress. If I see anything that gives me a reason to adjust my
thinking on this, I will pass that along.
95. Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Temple: Closed for renovation; angel Moroni removed from spire; rededication
anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: With
the confirmed alteration of this temple’s exterior look (which will match that
of the Memphis Temple), it seems entirely possible that a rededication could
take place sometime during mid-to-late April. As this renovation progresses, I
will pass along any alterations to this estimate.
112. Asuncion Paraguay
Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid
2019.
NOTE: Though
the Church had previously specified on their temple website that the renovation
closure for this temple was set for October 29, in the early morning hours of
October 31, 2017, I happened to check the Church’s official site for this
temple, and in doing so, I found out that a couple of endowment sessions were
scheduled for that day. With that being the case, it seems likely that this
temple has not officially closed for renovation, in which case, I have no idea
when that will happen. In the meantime, I have felt it safe to assume that this
temple, whenever it does close (perhaps later this week), could be rededicated
in mid-to-late May. I am gathering information on all of this and will pass
that along ASAP.
Undergoing Renovation (rededication anticipated sometime during 2020):
18. Tokyo Japan Temple:
Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid
2020.
NOTE: As has been noted previously
regarding this temple, it is undergoing renovation primarily to upgrade and
update electrical and mechanical systems. Since it is also a comparatively
smaller one from the Kimball-era of small temples, it is easy to assume and to
assert that a dedication could happen in mid-May 2020. As with everything else,
I will be sure to pass along any updates to this estimate as I make them.
Temples Scheduled for Renovation
(scheduled to close during 2018):
68. Raleigh North
Carolina Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in
January 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2019.
NOTE: I found out on October 31 that the January 10th date
which was previously identified for this temple’s closure may not be accurate.
Additionally, while I also know Church members in North Carolina who said that
this temple’s renovation will not involve an expansion, it is possible that
part of the renovation process will be changing its exterior to look like the
temples in Memphis and Oklahoma City. If that is the case, then the rededication
may be held sometime during mid-August 2019. I will pass along any new
information as I find out about it.
94. Baton Rouge
Louisiana Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on Thursday February
1, 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: As
with the Raleigh Temple, I found out on October 31 that there may be reason to
doubt the closure date that was once provided on this report. That said, if, as
I suspect, this temple’s renovation changes it to look like the temples in
Memphis and Oklahoma City, then its rededication could possibly take place
sometime during mid-to-late September 2019. I will pass along any updates to
this estimate as I make them.
13. Oakland California
Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on Monday February 19,
2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2019.
NOTE: As previously noted, the
stated purpose for this temple’s renovation is to upgrade and update electrical
and mechanical systems. Therefore, an expansion is likely not part of those
plans. Bearing in mind that this temple is anticipated to be rededicated prior
to the end of 2019, I have felt that a 17-month estimate for this process would
be appropriate. In running the resulting calculation, that would put this
temple’s rededication happening sometime between late
October-early November 2019. Obviously, as this renovation gets underway
and makes progress, we will know more about how reasonable that estimate might
be, and I will make any adjustments that may be needed.
16. Washington D. C.
Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on Sunday March 4,
2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2020.
NOTE: With what is currently known
about this temple’s renovation (having confirmed the exact date, and also
knowing that it is mainly to upgrade and update the mechanical and electrical
system), in taking the larger size of this temple into account (which will
extend the process), a 32-month estimate seems appropriate. That would put this
temple’s rededication sometime during mid-November 2020. As the next year
unfolds, more will be known, and any adjustments will be provided.
Temples which have had a
renovation announced but for which an exact closure date is not yet known:
7. Mesa Arizona Temple:
Scheduled to close for renovation in May 2018 (exact date has not yet been
announced); rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2020.
NOTE: As of October 8, 2017, no
date has been made known for the beginning of this renovation. But because it
has been renovated once before, and because the purpose of this renovation is
to bring electrical and mechanical systems up-to-date, this temple will likely
be rededicated prior to the rededication of the Washington DC temple, which is
comparatively bigger and is closing for its first renovation two months before
this closure. I am sticking with my initial estimate of 26 months for this
process, which would put its rededication at some point in early-to-mid
September 2020. Within the next year, this process will be well underway, and
more will be known about any adjustments that may need to be made. Until then,
it seems to be a sound adjustment to what I have previously stated.
NOTE ON
ANNOUNCED TEMPLES: While I once felt confident in projecting potential
groundbreaking estimates for these announced temples, on October 28, 2017, I
determined that it would be best to simplify this section by listing these
temples in their announced order, with the exception of those that are farther
along. I will keep an eye out for any developments and reorder this list again
as that becomes necessary.
Announced
temples:
171. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary
construction phase; awaiting official site announcement.
NOTE: As
previously noted, the contractor for this temple said that a year of
preliminary work would be needed prior to this temple’s groundbreaking. If, as
previously indicated, that year began in March 2017, this temple could easily
have its groundbreaking in the early-to-middle part of next year.
172. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; site
inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017.
NOTE: This
temple is this far up on the list because it has had a site identified and
inspected. How soon a groundbreaking might happen is unclear.
173. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval;
awaiting official name announcement.
NOTE: As
with the Brasilia temple, this temple is in this position on this list because
a site has been identified. An official name is anticipated to be announced for
this temple at some point in the near future. How soon a groundbreaking might
happen is anyone’s guess.
174. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Awaiting government approval
and official site announcement.
NOTE: This
temple, announced in October 2010, has been subjected to numerous delays. While
I hope to see a groundbreaking for it sooner rather than later, there could be
more delays in store for this temple.
175. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
176. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
NOTE: If,
as some members have speculated, an existing Church office building is
reconstructed into a multi-purpose building that will continue to serve as an
office building but will also be a meetinghouse and temple (in the style of the
Manhattan New York and Hong Kong China Temples), then this temple could easily
see a groundbreaking sooner rather than later.
177. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
178. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
179. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
180. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017.
181. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
NOTE: Two
potential sites have been identified for this temple, one of which was annexed
into Pocatello shortly after the temple was announced. Until there is an
official announcement, the site location is anyone’s guess.
182. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Planning and approval;
awaiting official site announcement.
ADDITIONAL GENERAL NOTE: As noted above, Elder Larry Y.
Wilson stated in an interview on the last day of April 2017 (as the Idaho Falls
Temple Open House was underway) that the Church has 80 potential sites that are
under consideration for an official announcement within the next 15 years. As
previously noted, all of the last 12 temples that have been announced from
January 2015 to now have seen that happen during April General Conference. So
that may continue. But it is also true that such announcements can come any
time the Church president or those authorized to do so in his behalf feel
impressed to make them. Since 80 temples in 15 years averages out to 5 new
announcements per year between now and sometime in 2032, we could be entering
an era where a few are announced in each conference and when some will be
announced in between each April and October. Future versions of this report
will feature any and all ongoing developments in this regard. Stay tuned for
that, and thank you for the privilege of your time.
Key:
Bolded numbers and text denote
temples whose numbers 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 numbers may change based on the order in
which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.
Underlined numbers and text denote
temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval,
and groundbreaking.
Red text
highlights changes from the last posted temple progress report.
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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