Hello again, everyone! Continuing now my coverage of President Monson's passing, the Church News released this story about how President Monson enjoyed the counsel he once heard to take an older person to lunch. and this story in which his counselors have released a statement. That is not, in my recollection, something we have seen with the passing of previous Church presidents, and it is great to hear from them. The First Presidency, as noted last night, is now dissolved. With funeral arrangements still pending, but with the Church generally having a precedent of not waiting too long to announce such arrangements, it will be interesting to see ongoing developments in this regard, and I will do my best to bring all of that to each of you. That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything you do.
Added at 12:40 PM Utah time: The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has released this statement, and it is great to hear from them. And it probably goes without saying, but the Church has also released this article outlining the procedure through which the Church presidency passes from a deceased prophet to his successor. It is always amazing to see that occur. I did want to note that, in recent transitions, President Hunter died on March 3, and President Hinckley became Church President 9 days later, on March 12. Then following the passing of President Hinckley on January 27, 2008, the First Presidency was reorganized on February 3, 2008. While it is up to President Monson's family how soon his funeral will be held, 9 days between the passing of one Church president and the ordination of another has been the longest such period in recent years. So we will have to see how soon it all take place. Stay tuned for more here on that as I learn it. Thanks again.
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.
Search This Blog
Top Leaderboard
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Continuing Coverage of President Thomas S. Monson's Death
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.
Additional resources on the passing of President Thomas S. Monson
Hello again, everyone! I had originally added a bit to my post about President Monson's passing, as I found a link to an article written about him. But as I found several others as well, I thought I would include them all here in another post. So here goes!
From the Church News; this article is the introduction to the others. This article spoke of his ministry as a bishop to the widows of his ward. this one discusses his love for the people of Germany, this one pays tribute to his time as a bishop, aside from his care for the widows in his ward, this one talks about his childhood, this one contains tributes from his family members, this one pays tribute to his service in the First Presidency, including his prophetic tenure, this one discusses his work on the Scripture Publication Committee, and this one is a Church news viewpoint containing even more tributes to him.
This is the summary article from the Church News & Events page on LDS.org, in addition to this one about his youth, this one (which may be a duplicate from the Church News about his service to the widows in his ward), and this one, likely a duplicate about his time on the scriptures committee. And this will contain Mormon Newsroom's coverage, which will no doubt be wide-spread in coming days, so you can catch the latest there.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything you do.
From the Church News; this article is the introduction to the others. This article spoke of his ministry as a bishop to the widows of his ward. this one discusses his love for the people of Germany, this one pays tribute to his time as a bishop, aside from his care for the widows in his ward, this one talks about his childhood, this one contains tributes from his family members, this one pays tribute to his service in the First Presidency, including his prophetic tenure, this one discusses his work on the Scripture Publication Committee, and this one is a Church news viewpoint containing even more tributes to him.
This is the summary article from the Church News & Events page on LDS.org, in addition to this one about his youth, this one (which may be a duplicate from the Church News about his service to the widows in his ward), and this one, likely a duplicate about his time on the scriptures committee. And this will contain Mormon Newsroom's coverage, which will no doubt be wide-spread in coming days, so you can catch the latest there.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything 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.
BREAKING NEWS: President Thomas S. Monson Passes Away
Hello again, everyone! I am here with some late-breaking news. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has confirmed a report that President Thomas S. Monson has passed away. With his passing, the First Presidency is now dissolved, and President Nelson and the remaining 12 apostles take over Church leadership, which will more than likely involve a reorganization of the First Presidency, probably within the next week.
Since this is a very late-breaking development, more information about the circumstances of President Monson's passing will be forthcoming. For now, I pass along this article, published by KSL. It appears his passing occurred at 10:01 PM, though the announcement came just barely over the airwaves, and I had just by chance pulled up KSL's website. I am sure more developments will be made known tomorrow, once the Church has a chance to process this news . And we will look for President Nelson to be sustained as the new Church President in General Conference next April. But he will have to act to fill two apostolic vacancies now.
With President Monson's passing, our most senior apostles are those three appointed during President Kimball's administration. How blessed it must be for this wonderful man to be free of his mortal mission to lead the Church, from which he stepped back less than one year ago today. He did not have to suffer long.
I could go on to share my feelings about our beloved prophet's passing, but I want to get this posted. So that does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, but I would ask that we all remain respectful of this man's wonderful life and those Brethren who will now have to carry on without him. May God bless the memory of our prophet dear, and prosper those left to carry on without him, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Since this is a very late-breaking development, more information about the circumstances of President Monson's passing will be forthcoming. For now, I pass along this article, published by KSL. It appears his passing occurred at 10:01 PM, though the announcement came just barely over the airwaves, and I had just by chance pulled up KSL's website. I am sure more developments will be made known tomorrow, once the Church has a chance to process this news . And we will look for President Nelson to be sustained as the new Church President in General Conference next April. But he will have to act to fill two apostolic vacancies now.
With President Monson's passing, our most senior apostles are those three appointed during President Kimball's administration. How blessed it must be for this wonderful man to be free of his mortal mission to lead the Church, from which he stepped back less than one year ago today. He did not have to suffer long.
I could go on to share my feelings about our beloved prophet's passing, but I want to get this posted. So that does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, but I would ask that we all remain respectful of this man's wonderful life and those Brethren who will now have to carry on without him. May God bless the memory of our prophet dear, and prosper those left to carry on without him, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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, January 2, 2018
Estimated 2017 Year-End Church Statistics
Hello again, everyone! On this second day of 2018, and at a time when Church and temple news has slowed somewhat in view of the Christmas and New Year holidays we have recently observed (though there are two meaningful articles from the Church News that were published earlier today, which I will cover in a post later on tonight), I am pleased to bring you my estimates for the 2017 year-end statistics of the Church.
There is some information among these estimates that will likely be spot on, since the figures were pulled from sources in the public domain. Others, by the same token, are more guesstimates which I have ventured based on both observed trends and averages from the statistical reports of previous years during President Monson's presidency.
As a quick sidenote, he and his counselors will be marking a full decade of service together in just 3.5 weeks (which is exactly 32 days from today), and they will thus become only the third First Presidency in the history of the Church to serve together for 10 years. While it will be 32 days until they reach that decade mark for their service together, they have already become the third longest continuously-serving First Presidency, having marked that milestone less than six months ago, on Monday July 31, 2017.
But in getting back to the statistics, I hope you enjoy reading what I have put together in terms of how the 2017 Statistical Report might look. You can find those statistics in the table below. I look forward to any feedback you might have, which is always welcome and appreciated.
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 that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
There is some information among these estimates that will likely be spot on, since the figures were pulled from sources in the public domain. Others, by the same token, are more guesstimates which I have ventured based on both observed trends and averages from the statistical reports of previous years during President Monson's presidency.
As a quick sidenote, he and his counselors will be marking a full decade of service together in just 3.5 weeks (which is exactly 32 days from today), and they will thus become only the third First Presidency in the history of the Church to serve together for 10 years. While it will be 32 days until they reach that decade mark for their service together, they have already become the third longest continuously-serving First Presidency, having marked that milestone less than six months ago, on Monday July 31, 2017.
But in getting back to the statistics, I hope you enjoy reading what I have put together in terms of how the 2017 Statistical Report might look. You can find those statistics in the table below. I look forward to any feedback you might have, which is always welcome and appreciated.
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 that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
2017 Statistical Report (some figures projected)
Stakes
|
3,341
|
Missions
|
421
|
Districts
|
540
|
Wards and
Branches
|
30,510
|
Total Church
Membership
|
16,149,214
|
Increase in
Children of Record
|
107,166
|
Converts
Baptized
|
225,859
|
Full-Time
Missionaries
|
56,745
|
Church Service
Missionaries
|
35,974
|
Temples
Dedicated during 2017 (Paris France, Tucson Arizona, Meridian Idaho, Cedar
City Utah)
|
4
|
Temples
Rededicated during 2017 (Idaho Falls Idaho)
|
1
|
Temples in
Operation by the end of 2016
|
159
|
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, January 1, 2018
Some Additional Thoughts Regarding the Location of the Southwest Salt Lake Valley Temple Referenced by President Hinckley
Hello again, everyone! As I have waited for other comments to come in this weekend on my coverage of potential temple locations, I wound up doing some additional research about a few locations I have referenced in passing. One of the most intriguing ones that required a fair amount of research was the location of the temple for which President Hinckley had stated in 2005 that land was being held in reserve to serve the Saints of the Salt Lake Valley.
As some of you may know from following the thread of comments on the post I did about the Salt Lake Valley particularly, one comment pointed to the idea that this land could be located in Bluffdale or Riverton. On the basis of that general location, I dug a little deeper and found this article, which stated that the location of the land was within the boundaries of Bluffdale city.
While the Church has yet to issue a statement on that identification, in digging a little more deeply into the history of the site referenced in that article, it appears that the land in question, which was part of Bluffdale, was the subject of an ownership dispute between Bluffdale and nearby Herriman (as the distance between the two is a mere 6.5 miles). Although the door remains open for Bluffdale to challenge that decision, the result has been that the land in question is now part of Herriman city.
So that means that, if my research is correct, the land referenced in 2005 is now part of Herriman. A temple there does make a lot of sense. Friends of my family relocated to Herriman when the land on which their home in Alpine sat was sold to make room for a housing development. And while I don't know whether or not this was the case in between the years when Herriman was incorporated and when these friends moved there, I do know that in the years since they made the move, Herriman has experienced a boom in its' growth.
With that said, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: In all the research I did to try and figure out the probable location for that temple site that was referenced by President Hinckley almost 13 years ago, even after I discovered the information pointing to Herriman as the likely location of that site, I never once found information from the Church that officially confirms that the site in question is in Herriman, or that such a site is the one President Hinckley referenced. In every article I have found on the subject, the Church has declined to comment on this issue.
So while the site may indeed be in Herriman, until the intent of the Brethren to build a temple in that city is officially announced, the confirmation of the site is only as good as can logically be concluded, and based on information on which the Church has declined to comment in the 11 or so years since the publication of the sources I have explored for this information. With all of that said, I will be watching the Herriman/Bluffdale/Riverton area with great interest, and I will try to pass along anything I discover further that may substantiate this.
In the meantime, this new information does raise some important questions: Is there enough to go on from sources not sanctioned or verified by the Church to put a potential temple for Herriman in the section I have for the Salt Lake Valley? And if the Church confirms at any point that the site in Herriman is the one referenced by President Hinckley 12 years ago and an announcement is made for a temple there, will that in turn impact the likelihood that Tooele will get a temple? It appears the two cities are roughly 38.7 miles apart, so I cannot rule out both getting a temple at some point. Of the two, which might be a more imminent possibility? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything you do.
As some of you may know from following the thread of comments on the post I did about the Salt Lake Valley particularly, one comment pointed to the idea that this land could be located in Bluffdale or Riverton. On the basis of that general location, I dug a little deeper and found this article, which stated that the location of the land was within the boundaries of Bluffdale city.
While the Church has yet to issue a statement on that identification, in digging a little more deeply into the history of the site referenced in that article, it appears that the land in question, which was part of Bluffdale, was the subject of an ownership dispute between Bluffdale and nearby Herriman (as the distance between the two is a mere 6.5 miles). Although the door remains open for Bluffdale to challenge that decision, the result has been that the land in question is now part of Herriman city.
So that means that, if my research is correct, the land referenced in 2005 is now part of Herriman. A temple there does make a lot of sense. Friends of my family relocated to Herriman when the land on which their home in Alpine sat was sold to make room for a housing development. And while I don't know whether or not this was the case in between the years when Herriman was incorporated and when these friends moved there, I do know that in the years since they made the move, Herriman has experienced a boom in its' growth.
With that said, I want to make one thing absolutely clear: In all the research I did to try and figure out the probable location for that temple site that was referenced by President Hinckley almost 13 years ago, even after I discovered the information pointing to Herriman as the likely location of that site, I never once found information from the Church that officially confirms that the site in question is in Herriman, or that such a site is the one President Hinckley referenced. In every article I have found on the subject, the Church has declined to comment on this issue.
So while the site may indeed be in Herriman, until the intent of the Brethren to build a temple in that city is officially announced, the confirmation of the site is only as good as can logically be concluded, and based on information on which the Church has declined to comment in the 11 or so years since the publication of the sources I have explored for this information. With all of that said, I will be watching the Herriman/Bluffdale/Riverton area with great interest, and I will try to pass along anything I discover further that may substantiate this.
In the meantime, this new information does raise some important questions: Is there enough to go on from sources not sanctioned or verified by the Church to put a potential temple for Herriman in the section I have for the Salt Lake Valley? And if the Church confirms at any point that the site in Herriman is the one referenced by President Hinckley 12 years ago and an announcement is made for a temple there, will that in turn impact the likelihood that Tooele will get a temple? It appears the two cities are roughly 38.7 miles apart, so I cannot rule out both getting a temple at some point. Of the two, which might be a more imminent possibility? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything 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.
Yet Another Update Reported on Construction of Arequipa Peru Temple
Hello again, everyone! While I last reported a status update for the Arequipa Peru Temple just last Friday, when I was double-checking for any additional progress on temples anywhere in the world, I found yet another update had been reported for that temple. So it would appear that things are moving along very well indeed for that temple's construction.
The update shows that temporary windows have been installed to enclose the structure, which will allow for interior work to make progress. Additionally, that temple's steeple framework is currently being assembled as well. With all of this progress that this temple has seen in such a short time, I feel more confident than ever that we will see a dedication for it take place before the end of 2019.
Since there are no other temple updates to report at this time, that does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything you do.
The update shows that temporary windows have been installed to enclose the structure, which will allow for interior work to make progress. Additionally, that temple's steeple framework is currently being assembled as well. With all of this progress that this temple has seen in such a short time, I feel more confident than ever that we will see a dedication for it take place before the end of 2019.
Since there are no other temple updates to report at this time, that does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything 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.
Happy New Year 2018
Hello again, everyone, and Happy New Year as we welcome the start of another year (though technically speaking, the time zone off of which my blog operates appears to be an hour behind Utah time). As a Latter-day Saint, one of the things I love about the gospel of Jesus Christ is the opportunity each of us has to repent of those things we have done which are wrong, and to make a resolution that we will do better in the future. All of us are given the regular opportunity to be made worthy again, and to declare anew our resolve to do and to become better to the best of our abilities. So we have as many opportunities as we might need to declare anew our commitment to the process of repenting an changing for the better.
For that reason, each of us who accept the validity of Christ's atonement can, in a very real sense, make goals and commitments which, by the world's definition of them, can be seen as "New Year's resolutions", or as we might more effectively term them, "Renewed Us Resolutions". And while it is up to each of us as individuals and in our families to determine what those changes we need to make should be, the gospel gives us a solid basis upon which each of us are able to effectively go through that process to become the best we can be.
In that regard, I hope that all of us will be able to determine what that process will involve for each of us and our families, and that whether on these New Year's Days or at any other time, we will always find ourselves willing to continue to do so.
That said, with 2017 having ended, I wanted to renew my commitment to all of you that one of my New Year's resolutions which I don't see myself failing to keep is that for my part, I will continue to do my level best to bring you the latest Church news and developments as they occur this year, just as I will be counting on all of you to keep your great comments coming with your responses to the information I share.
With 2017 having been my biggest year for blogging since I started to do so, and with no chance whatsoever that Church or temple news will be slowing down at all during this new year, I will do my level best to continue to stay on top of it all, and to bring you the latest ASAP after I hear about it.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything you do.
For that reason, each of us who accept the validity of Christ's atonement can, in a very real sense, make goals and commitments which, by the world's definition of them, can be seen as "New Year's resolutions", or as we might more effectively term them, "Renewed Us Resolutions". And while it is up to each of us as individuals and in our families to determine what those changes we need to make should be, the gospel gives us a solid basis upon which each of us are able to effectively go through that process to become the best we can be.
In that regard, I hope that all of us will be able to determine what that process will involve for each of us and our families, and that whether on these New Year's Days or at any other time, we will always find ourselves willing to continue to do so.
That said, with 2017 having ended, I wanted to renew my commitment to all of you that one of my New Year's resolutions which I don't see myself failing to keep is that for my part, I will continue to do my level best to bring you the latest Church news and developments as they occur this year, just as I will be counting on all of you to keep your great comments coming with your responses to the information I share.
With 2017 having been my biggest year for blogging since I started to do so, and with no chance whatsoever that Church or temple news will be slowing down at all during this new year, I will do my level best to continue to stay on top of it all, and to bring you the latest ASAP after I hear about it.
That does it for this post. Any and all 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 everything 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.
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Year-end Review of 2017 Temple Progress
Hello again, everyone! A little earlier than I thought I would be able to, I am posting what will likely (but may not turn out to be) my final post for 2017. In this post, we will be taking a look back at the differences between the first temple construction progress report I published on this blog this year, and the one that is updated with the latest information I could find as of this New Year's Eve. It is wonderful to see the massive progress that has taken place in terms of temple construction developments, and I hope you will all enjoy reading about them. Those reports follow below, with the older version appearing first. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time, and for your continued interest in all I have "sounded off" about on this blog. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best, pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do, and extend my most fervent wishes that each of you will have a happy, healthy, and safe new year ahead in 2018.
Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 1/3/17)
Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 1 scheduled for dedication; 11 under construction; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 10 announced; (NOTE: Up to 3 additional temples may soon have a groundbreaking announced).
Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 1 scheduled for dedication; 11 under construction; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 10 announced; (NOTE: Up to 3 additional temples may soon have a groundbreaking announced).
Dedication scheduled:
156. Paris France Temple: Exterior lighting system operating; interior work underway; scheduled to be dedicated on Sunday May 21, 2017.
Under Construction:
157. Meridian Idaho Temple: Light fixtures hung; interior trim underway; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.
158. Cedar City Utah Temple: Fencing progressing; entrance plaza created; landscaping areas defined; hanging drywall; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.
159. Tucson Arizona Temple: Pouring walkways; erecting fencing; installing art glass windows; hanging drywall; completion anticipated sometime in late 2017.
160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime in early-to-mid 2018.
161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Building the exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime in early-to-mid 2018.
162. Concepcion Chile Temple: Attaching building wrap to exterior walls; adding landscaping structures; completion anticipated sometime in mid-2018.
163. Durban South Africa Temple: Pouring temple foundation; setting rebar for missionary housing walls; palm trees planted along entrance road; completion anticipated sometime in mid-2018.
164. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Pouring walls for steeple base; completion anticipated sometime between late 2018 and early 2019.
165. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; completion anticipated sometime between late 2018 and early 2019.
166. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Second floor exterior walls poured; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.
167. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation underway for temple and utility building; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime in 2019.
Scheduled for rededication:
8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; finish work underway; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.
Undergoing Renovation:
20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between late 2017 and early 2018.
41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early and mid 2018.
Announced:
168. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; official site announcement anticipated in early 2017, with the groundbreaking anticipated to take place shortly following the site announcement.
169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Governmental approval phase; preliminary environmental license issued in November 2016; groundbreaking pending.
170. Arequipa Peru Temple: General contractor selected; groundbreaking pending.
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. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.
174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.
174. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.
175. Quito Ecuador 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 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 denotes changes from the last posted temple progress update.
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 late April 2017,
means that we could have around 260 temples in various stages by late 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 23 in
various stages and announce and complete 18 others in the 12.26 years between
now and then, which works out to roughly 3.34 new temples that will need to be dedicated
every 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 operating
temples by that 200th anniversary, if not more.
CURRENT
TEMPLE STATUS: The Church has 182 temples in various phases. There
are 159 in operation, with an
additional 10 that are in various phases
of construction. There is 1 other
which had a groundbreaking at the beginning of December 2016 and for which
construction is anticipated to begin at some point during the first half of
2018. In terms of temples undergoing renovations, 1 has a rededication scheduled during the middle of next year; 1, which sustained weather-related
damage, was first closed for restoration, which has now become a full
renovation process, with its’ completion and an private dedication anticipated
early next year; 1 other temple is anticipated
to have its rededication next year (likely during its’ final quarter); and 4 additional temples recently closed
for renovation as well. There are also 5
others that are set to close within the first half of next year, all of
which have had their closure dates confirmed. The remaining 12 are announced (with
either a site announcement or groundbreaking pending).
Under Construction; completion estimated during 2018:
160. Concepcion Chile Temple: Finalizing stone cladding; installing
millwork and hanging light fixtures; pouring curbing and parking; completion estimated
sometime during tithe latter half of
2018.,
NOTE: On December 30, 2017, I once again changed my thoughts about when
this temple’s dedication could be held. I now believe that may occur on either
Sunday September 16 or 23. As the next four or five months pass, we will know
how reasonable that estimate might be, and I will make any subsequent
adjustments that may be needed.
161. Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Erecting decorative
fence; installing lamp posts; adding plants and laying sod; completion estimated
sometime during late 2018.
NOTE: On December 1, 2017, this temple was moved ahead of the Kinshasa
DR Congo Temple. Then its’ construction status was updated on December 27 of
that same year. In view of these developments, I am even more convinced that
the dedication of this temple could (and likely will) occur on either Sunday
November 11 or 18. If the process of finishing this temple’s construction is
delayed for any reason whatsoever, that could push it back to mid-December, but
for now, I feel confident in that estimate, and not just because of what the
study about the DR Congo’s climate showed.
Temples that may be
completed sometime during either late 2018 or early 2019:
162. Rome Italy Temple: Scaffolding removed from towers;
interior work progressing; completion estimated sometime during late 2018-early 2019.
NOTE: In
view of my desire to speak and think optimistically on temple time-frames, I
have recently shared my opinion that, with the completion estimate delayed for
Kinshasa until early 2019, we could see this temple dedicated on either Sunday
December 9 or 16. But there is also a more than likely possibility that while
construction on this temple could be completed by the end of 2018, the
dedication might not follow until the early months of 2019. I am keeping my
eyes open for any information in this regard, and I will pass any updates along
ASAP.
Under
construction, completion estimated during 2019:
163. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Hardscaping
underway; plastering exterior walls; moisture barrier added to eaves;
completion estimated sometime during early
2019.
NOTE: Based
on the fact that this temple is not anticipated to be dedicated until early 2019,
I have felt that an altered estimate of mid-February would be appropriate for
that event. As 2018 progresses, we will know more about how reasonable that
might be, and any further adjustments can be made as they might be needed.
164. Durban South Africa Temple: Installing and waterproofing roof
decking; backfilling foundation; setting roof trusses on housing facility; completion
estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: According to new information
I found about the year-round climate, and because of the many temples estimated
to be rededicated during this same time period following their renovation, I
have changed my estimate for this temple’s dedication to either late May or
early June. I will post any further revisions to this estimate as I make them.
165. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Site grading and
excavating for foundation; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: With
full-scale construction now underway, and knowing that a 12-18 month time-frame
has been suggested for the completion of this temple, I have felt that the
dedication could follow in mid-June 2019. If this temple consistently
progresses in its’ construction, that would obviously necessitate an adjustment
to that estimate, but for now, it seems to be a safe initial projection.
166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Steeple base walls poured; meetinghouse
cladding progressing; completion estimated sometime during mid-2019.
NOTE: With
this temple having been moved up twice on this list in the last couple of weeks,
after reevaluating the potential time-frame for its’ dedication, I now offer
early-to-mid August as a revised estimate for that event. As 2018 progresses,
we will know how reasonable that might be, and I will make any adjustments that
might be needed.
167. Fortaleza Brazil
Temple: Cupola framework installed atop temple; planting palm trees around
temple parking; completion estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: Given the need to reevaluate
the potential time-frame within which this temple could be dedicated, I have
felt that could occur in early-to-mid September. Within the next year, more
will be known about how accurate that might be, and any adjustments can be made
as they are needed.
Temples estimated to
be completed sometime during late 2019-early 2020:
168. Arequipa Peru Temple: Interior work started; steeple
framework being assembled; completion estimated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.
NOTE: Given
the fact that this temple has been progressing fairly steadily, I feel
confident that its dedication could occur prior to the end of 2019, and if that
does happen, I have felt it could occur in mid-November. As the next 18 months
pass, more will be known about how reasonable that might be, and any
adjustments can be made as they are needed.
Temples estimated to
be completed sometime during 2020:
169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Pouring upper walls of temple;
completion estimated sometime during early 2020.
NOTE: When
this temple’s completion estimate was changed yet again on December 28, 2017,
that made it necessary for me to rethink what I have previously shared in terms
of a more specific time-frame. Based on that adjusted estimate and what I have
found in studying the Rio de Janeiro climate, I now believe we will see the
dedication in mid-March 2020. As the next 18-20 months pass, we will know more
about how reasonable that estimate might be, and any further adjustments can be
made as they are needed.
Construction
pending:
170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday
December 3, 2016; plans being slightly modified; full-scale operations estimated
to begin sometime during the first half of 2018; completion estimated sometime during
early-to-mid 2020.
NOTE: This
temple has not progressed since its’ groundbreaking over a year ago. It is
currently estimated that full-scale efforts could begin once winter 2018
clears, perhaps in April or May. And while it is unknown if the modification of
the plans for this temple will change the 20-month estimate the Church provided
for this temple, if all goes well, I could see the dedication of this temple
taking place during mid-May 2020. I will be keeping an eye out for developments
related to this temple and will post any adjustments I make to this estimate as
that becomes necessary.
Scheduled
for rededication:
20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; open
house tickets available beginning Monday February 12 @ 10:00 AM MST; rededication
scheduled for Sunday May 20, 2018.
Undergoing renovation (in view of damage
incurred by a natural disaster; estimated to be reopened in a few months):
97. Houston
Texas Temple: Closed for renovation (following damage incurred by flooding); estimated
to reopen in early 2018, following a
private rededication ceremony.
NOTE: Based
on the fact that this temple’s renovation is primarily for the completion of
restoration efforts following flooding, and because the First Presidency has
indicated the process will only take a few months to complete, it is my feeling
that the private rededication could take place on either Sunday April 15 or 22.
I will be posting any updates to this estimate as they are needed.
Undergoing
Renovation (rededication estimated within the next year or so):
41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation;
basement addition concrete waterproofed; rededication estimated sometime during
late 2018.
NOTE: In
view of the completion estimate for this temple being pushed back yet again on
December 30, 2017, it appears that the earliest we could see this dedication is
the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2018. With that in mind, I am revising
my estimate for that event, which I now believe could be held on either October
14 or 21. I will keep an eye on these developments and will pass along any
additional adjustments to this estimate as they are needed in the future.
Undergoing
Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2019):
80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Closed for renovation; structural
framing installed for steeple; rededication estimated 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 April. 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; marble
cladding removed; rededication estimated 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 late April-early May. As this renovation progresses,
I will pass along any alterations to this estimate.
112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication
estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
NOTE: With
the confirmation that this temple has closed and that its exterior look will
likely be altered in a similar way as in Memphis and Oklahoma City, I am
reasonably certain that the rededication could take place in mid-May. Ass with
anything else, I will be sure to pass along any adjustments I make to that
estimate.
Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated
sometime during 2020):
18. Tokyo Japan Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication estimated
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-to-late
April 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; closure dates
confirmed):
68. Raleigh North Carolina Temple: Scheduled to close for
renovation on Sunday January 7, 2018; rededication may take place sometime
during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: Through a comment on my blog on December 5, 2017, the exact
closure date for this temple was confirmed. 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
early-to-mid September 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 Sunday January 28, 2018; rededication may take place
sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
NOTE: On December 4, 2017, I was able to confirm the date above as the
official date for this closure. While much is unknown about what this process
will involve, if this temple’s exterior look is changed to what has already
been confirmed for the Memphis and Oklahoma City Temples, a subsequent
rededication could occur during mid-to-late September 2019. As the renovation
process gets started, we will know more about how reasonable that estimate
might be, and any subsequent adjustments that are needed will be made.
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: With
this renovation process for this temple set to begin in less than two months,
we know that the primary purpose of it is to upgrade electrical and mechanical
systems and bring them up to code. Until the renovation process is well
underway, we may not know for a while when to anticipate its completion. With
the Church’s statement that this temple will be dedicated before the end of
2019, I feel safe in estimating that the rededication could take place in
mid-November. If that process is delayed at all, I could also see the
rededication pushed back into early 2020. I will keep an eye out for
information in this regard and will pass along anything I find out.
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.
7. Mesa Arizona Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on
Sunday May 20, 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late
2020.
NOTE: On
December 5, I was able to confirm the official date for this temple’s
renovation closure. Because this temple has been previously renovated, I am
sticking with my initial estimate of 26 months for that 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. Then on November 10, 2017, I took another look at new information on
these temples and reordered them further. I will keep an eye out for any
developments and reorder this list again as often as that becomes necessary
going forward. Additionally, where I have felt it would be appropriate, I have
provided notes about some of the factors that may affect how soon future
groundbreakings will occur. Since we already know that 2018-2020 are going to
be busy years for temple-related developments, it would not surprise me at all
if, in view of Elder Wilson’s statement referenced above, we have at least ten
more announced during that same time, nor would it surprise me if many of the
temples in this section progress to a groundbreaking (and perhaps even a
dedication) during that time as well. I am keeping an eye on all of this and
will let you know once I find out more information.
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. But since a site
has been identified and inspected, it may be sooner rather than later.
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 estimated to be announced for
this temple at some point in the near future. How soon a groundbreaking might
happen is anyone’s guess. But with a site identified already, it may be sooner
rather than later/
174. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
NOTE: In
mid-November, I learned more about the process this temple is undergoing. While
the planning and zoning commission voted in favor of the proposed land and
subdivision development, the city council will also need to vote on that
decision. And until the Church announces something officially, the actual site
location is anyone’s guess, with three or four potential sites that could
easily accommodate the temple. I am keeping my eye on all of this and will post
an update as I become aware of more information.
175. 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 serve as not only an
office building, but a chapel and the temple as well, and if that is confirmed,
we could easily see a groundbreaking for this temple sooner rather than later.
176. 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. That said, the reports I have received
indicate that a site announcement and groundbreaking could occur in short order
next year. If that does happen, we could see a groundbreaking sooner rather
than later.
177. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
178. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
NOTE: While
the first Ecuadoran Temple had a 14-year waiting period between its announcement
and its subsequent groundbreaking, this temple is not estimated to take
anywhere near that long between its 2016 announcement and whenever its
groundbreaking occurs. As with everything else, I am keeping my eye out for
devel
179. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
NOTE:
Shortly after this temple was announced (in April 2016), Elder Kevin S.
Hamilton, who presides over the Church in the Africa Southeast Area, stated
that a site announcement and groundbreaking would occur in short order during
2017. Since that time, no progress has been made in that regard. Hopefully that
will change soon.
180. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement.
181. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting
official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017.
NOTE: While
the media event is a good initial step for providing information on this
temple, in his remarks at this event, Elder Sitati (our native Kenyan GA
Seventy, who also has a role as an Assistant Executive Director of the Temple
Department (both of which make it understandable that the Church would ask him
to represent them for the event), Elder Sitati indicated that it usually takes
the Church 2-3 years after an announcement to locate a suitable site (whether
owned by the Church or not) plan and conduct a groundbreaking, and start the
construction progress. With that in mind, it may be 2019 or 2020 before the
groundbreaking occurs for this temple. I hope we will not have to wait that
long to have all of that happen for this temple, but time will tell.
182. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Planning and approval;
awaiting official site announcement.
NOTE: Though Utah temples
(particularly those in Utah County) have been known to have a site
announcement, groundbreaking, and construction process much more quickly than
temples elsewhere, until a site is announced, it has felt wise to have this
temple at this spot on this list. As soon as anything changes in that regard, I
will pass such news along.
ADDITIONAL GENERAL NOTE: As I
have repeatedly emphasized, Elder Wilson stated in late April 2017 that the
Church had a list of 80 potential temple sites that are under active
consideration for a subsequent announcement during the 15 years following that
statement.
Unless the First Presidency
elects to do so between now and then, General Conference in April 2018 would be
the next opportunity for such announcements. And though not all of the 80
currently on the list will go on to be announced within that time, and while
others may be added to that list in the coming years, with 14 years remaining,
if anywhere close to 80 temples are announced, that works out to around 6 new
temples per year. I am keeping an eye on all of this, and will be sure to post
any additional news once I hear of it.
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.
Special note regarding this report: Because of the numerous
temple developments which have occurred this year, none of the elements included
in the first report still applied for this last one.
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.
Additional Progress Noted on the Lisbon Portugal Temple
Hello again, everyone! While my previous post had stated I would only be publishing one more post prior to the official end of 2017, new information about progress that has been noted on the Lisbon Portugal Temple has come to my attention, so I wanted to pass the updated information along.
Where I had recently reported that preparations were underway at that temple site for the steeple base and roof slab to be poured, the update notes that the walls of that steeple base have been officially poured, and that work is continuing on the cladding for the adjoining meetinghouse.
As I have noted before (and likely will keep noting as much as I feel a need to do so), it is wonderful to see the progress occurring day-to-day for so many temples under construction or those that are undergoing renovation. It has been a rare privilege indeed for the last couple of years in which I have been able to note and report such updates on this blog. And I very much appreciate the ongoing interest all of you who read these posts have shown for such updates.
That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I will be back in a few hours or so to take a look back at the different elements that were reported in my first temple progress post of this year versus where that report stands on this, the final day of 2017. Until that time, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
Where I had recently reported that preparations were underway at that temple site for the steeple base and roof slab to be poured, the update notes that the walls of that steeple base have been officially poured, and that work is continuing on the cladding for the adjoining meetinghouse.
As I have noted before (and likely will keep noting as much as I feel a need to do so), it is wonderful to see the progress occurring day-to-day for so many temples under construction or those that are undergoing renovation. It has been a rare privilege indeed for the last couple of years in which I have been able to note and report such updates on this blog. And I very much appreciate the ongoing interest all of you who read these posts have shown for such updates.
That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. I will be back in a few hours or so to take a look back at the different elements that were reported in my first temple progress post of this year versus where that report stands on this, the final day of 2017. Until that time, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything 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.
Second-to-last Temple Post for 2017
Hello again, everyone! On this New Year's Eve when 2017 is ticking closer to its' conclusion, I wanted to devote a new post mainly to discuss progress that has been reported yet again for the renovation of the Memphis Tennessee Temple and one other notable development relating to the Rome Italy Temple.
But before I get into all of that, I did want to note a couple of other things unrelated to those topics. First, a while ago in a post on this blog, I had announced my hopeful intention to have a minimum of 1,000 total posts published before the end of the year. While I came very close to that (primarily in view of the many posts I did about current temples of the Church and those that could be announced in the immediate future), with Church and temple news having substantially slowed since a couple of days before Christmas, I didn't quite make that goal before the end of 2017. But I am looking forward to putting that 1,000th post up on this blog at some point in early-to-mid January. And either way, I am grateful for the attention which has been given to the topics I have covered in the posts I have been able to publish.
Second, to copy a tradition I started last year, I will be (at minimum) doing one other post after this one but before midnight Utah time sees the ringing in of 2018. In that post, I will be passing along two copies of my temple construction progress report, one from the first time I posted that report this year, and, by comparison, what that report looks like by about 11:30 PM Utah time tonight. It has been amazing to see how the small and simple temple updates reported throughout this year have led to monumental changes to that report as it will appear as 2017 concludes. So stay tuned for that later today.
Those two points aside, I did want to move on to talk about the Rome Italy Temple. In my ongoing efforts to find the most accurate information on temple progress worldwide, I have learned that while the construction on the Rome Italy Temple may have wrapped up by the end of next year, its' dedication may be deferred until the early months of 2019. Until we know for sure, I will be maintaining my estimate of December 9 or 16 for the dedication. But I will keep my eyes open for information in this regard and will pass my findings along as I am able to do so.
In the meantime, I wanted to note that the renovation of the Memphis Tennessee Temple has progressed again, with structural framing being completed on the tower base and moving on to the temple's steeple. It is great to see that move along.
That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post (which will likely be that comparison of the temple construction progress reports from the beginning of the year to what it will look like as 2017 ends), I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
But before I get into all of that, I did want to note a couple of other things unrelated to those topics. First, a while ago in a post on this blog, I had announced my hopeful intention to have a minimum of 1,000 total posts published before the end of the year. While I came very close to that (primarily in view of the many posts I did about current temples of the Church and those that could be announced in the immediate future), with Church and temple news having substantially slowed since a couple of days before Christmas, I didn't quite make that goal before the end of 2017. But I am looking forward to putting that 1,000th post up on this blog at some point in early-to-mid January. And either way, I am grateful for the attention which has been given to the topics I have covered in the posts I have been able to publish.
Second, to copy a tradition I started last year, I will be (at minimum) doing one other post after this one but before midnight Utah time sees the ringing in of 2018. In that post, I will be passing along two copies of my temple construction progress report, one from the first time I posted that report this year, and, by comparison, what that report looks like by about 11:30 PM Utah time tonight. It has been amazing to see how the small and simple temple updates reported throughout this year have led to monumental changes to that report as it will appear as 2017 concludes. So stay tuned for that later today.
Those two points aside, I did want to move on to talk about the Rome Italy Temple. In my ongoing efforts to find the most accurate information on temple progress worldwide, I have learned that while the construction on the Rome Italy Temple may have wrapped up by the end of next year, its' dedication may be deferred until the early months of 2019. Until we know for sure, I will be maintaining my estimate of December 9 or 16 for the dedication. But I will keep my eyes open for information in this regard and will pass my findings along as I am able to do so.
In the meantime, I wanted to note that the renovation of the Memphis Tennessee Temple has progressed again, with structural framing being completed on the tower base and moving on to the temple's steeple. It is great to see that move along.
That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post (which will likely be that comparison of the temple construction progress reports from the beginning of the year to what it will look like as 2017 ends), I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything 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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)