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Tuesday, January 16, 2018

The First Presidency Has Been Reorganized

Hello again, everyone! In this late-night hour as (here in Utah), we are around 8.5 hours away from the scheduled time for President Nelson's address and the press conference that will follow, I wanted to note something: When all of that was announced by the Church on the 13th, in the posts I did covering that announcement, a comment queried how likely it is that President Nelson's address is to announce the interregnum will continue for a while.

While that is not entirely out of the question, Tad Walch, a writer for the Deseret News that has particularly covered the news of the Church for that paper at least as long as I have been visiting the Church News website, said in this article that while the opportunity President Nelson is taking to address the Church before the press conference is indeed a first, since a press conference has been scheduled afterwards, it is definitively certain that the First Presidency has been reorganized.

In addition to deferring to Walch's expertise on this (as I said, he has covered such topics for a long time), I did the math, and it has been rough 128.75 years since the Church was last in an extended period of interregnum (as April 6, 1889 was the last day 4th Church President Wilford Woodruff led the Church as President of the Quorum of the Twelve; as his death was approaching around 9 years and 4 or 5 months later, he gave instructions to Lorenzo Snow, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, regarding the need to not wait to reorganize the First Presidency following his passing, a procedure that has been followed since that time).

Additionally, I took the math even further, and since the death of David O. McKay on January 18, 1970, no new Church president has chosen counselors outside of the membership of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. So with a 128.75 year precedent of considerably shorter interregnums (with the current one, which, if as anticipated lasted from the death of President Monson on January 2 to the ordination of President Nelson, which likely occurred on Sunday January 14, being the longest such period since the practice of shorter interregnums was instituted), and with the fact that it has not been since mid-January 1970 that we have seen a counselor to a new Church president called from outside the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, I don't see President Nelson breaking with either precedent.

That said, whatever the course of events might be that we learn about within the next 9-12 hours, you can count on my bringing coverage of it all as it occurs. 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.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Altered Estimates for Known Temple-related Events Anticipated During 2018-2020

Hello again, everyone! As I promised earlier today, I have taken another look at the estimates I have put together for known temple-related events that are anticipated to occur anytime between now and the end of 2020, and I have made some alterations based on further research into the climate of world areas in which new temples or those undergoing renovation will be dedicated or rededicated during that time. Based on that research, I present the following adjustments:

Revised estimated time-frame for future temple-related events:

2018:
Sunday January 28: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Renovation Closure (date has been confirmed)
Monday February 19: Oakland California temple Renovation Closure (date has been confirmed)
Sunday March 4: Washington DC Temple Renovation Closure (date has been confirmed)
Sunday April 15 or 22: Houston Texas Temple Rededication (private)
April or May: Full-scale construction anticipated to begin on the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
Sunday May 20: Jordan River Utah Temple Rededication/Mesa Arizona Temple Renovation Closure (both have been confirmed)
Sunday September 16 or 23: Concepcion Chile Temple Dedication (160th operating temple)
Sunday October 14 or 21: Barranquilla Colombia Temple Dedication (161st operating temple)
Sunday November 11 or 18: Frankfurt Germany Temple Rededication
Sunday December 9 or 16: Rome Italy Temple Dedication (162nd operating temple)
NOTE: At the moment, it is currently uncertain whether this temple will be completed prior to the end of 2018. Because I prefer to be optimistic, I have felt confident enough in the above estimate to keep it. But if for any reason that process is delayed at all, that would necessitate another adjustment. I am keeping an eye on this and will post any changes as they are needed.

2019:
Mid-February: Kinshasa DR Congo Temple Dedication (163rd operating temple)
Mid-April: Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple Dedication (164th operating temple)
Early-to-mid May: Memphis Tennessee Temple Rededication
Mid-to-late May: Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Rededication
Early-to-mid June: Asuncion Paraguay Temple Rededication
Early-to-mid August: Durban South Africa Temple Dedication (165th operating temple)
Mid-to-late August: Lisbon Portugal Temple Dedication (166th operating temple)
Early-to-mid September: Fortaleza Brazil Temple Dedication (167th operating temple)
Mid-to-late September: Raleigh North Carolina Temple Rededication
Mid-to-late October: Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple Rededication
Mid-November: Arequipa Peru Temple Dedication (168th operating temple)
Mid-December: Oakland California Temple Rededication
NOTE: While the Church did indicate that this temple is anticipated to be rededicated during 2019, it is one of the older ones, and, as such, if the renovation process is delayed for any reason whatsoever, it could be pushed back into 2020.

2020:
Mid-March: Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple Dedication (169th operating temple)
Mid-to-late April: Tokyo Japan Temple Rededication
Mid-May: Winnipeg Manitoba Temple Dedication (170th operating temple)
Early-to-mid September: Mesa Arizona Temple Rededication
Mid-November: Washington DC Temple Rededication
NOTE: I heard that 2018 and 2019 could be big years for temple groundbreakings. If that proves correct, then many other temples could also be dedicated during 2020 and 2021. As the next two years unfold, I will have a better idea of when such events may occur, and they can then be added to the other estimates above.


So there you have 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.

Temple Updates

Hello again, everyone! I am pleased to post today to bring you updates I have found for a few temples now under construction or undergoing renovation. There is a lot to talk about, so let's get right into it all.

First, there has been a somewhat significant change to report. While I reported on December 1 of last year that full-scale construction had begun for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple, and while there has not been an update on its status between that day and now, there is apparently reason to believe that that temple will be dedicated prior to that occurring for the Durban South Africa Temple. So the two have switched positions on the list. I am still in the process of evaluating if and how might change my estimates for both.

In the meantime, I was not aware of this, but apparently South African construction workers take the summer months (which would be the winter months for those of us here on the northern hemisphere) off in view of how hot it gets working on such projects during that time. With summer 2017-2018 having concluded in South Africa, it has been reported that work on the roof of the Durban temple has resumed.

Additionally, the completion estimate for this temple, which as recently as yesterday was anticipated during early-to-mid 2019, has now been shifted to the latter part of that estimate, meaning that the Durban temple, similarly to the one in Lisbon Portugal, is now anticipated to be completed in mid-2019. So there will be a few things for me to reevaluate in regards to the estimates I have previously provided, which I hope to do at some point later today.

With that said, I also wanted to note that there has been a slight update to the status of the Frankfurt Germany Temple renovation process. While the estimated time-frame for its completion has not been shifted or altered, at one point, I had reported that the process of having the basement addition concrete waterproofed had been completed. New information  received today indicates that process is still in progress. That should not alter my estimate for its completion at this time, but I will evaluate that as well and let you know if I do change it.

It is possible that, among the topics President Nelson will address in his one-hour remarks prior to tomorrow's press conference that he will announce the dates of upcoming temple events that will occur later this year. I will be sure to return and report tomorrow (if not before then) on the address and my impressions of the press conference.

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.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Church News Report on Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults

Hello again, everyone! I am posting yet again today to pass along the Church News report on the Uchtdorf's addresses at the devotional. You can find that article here. In the meantime, the Mormon Newsroom has published this article which shared some of the same parts of that devotional, and also some others not shared in the Church News Report.

In the comment threads for my previous post, I mused about the fact that, prior to his address to young adults, he had been introduced as "Elder Uchtdorf" but that he used his trademark statement "You may ask, President Uchtdorf". Because the official announcement of the new First Presidency is still 36 hours away, (though it seems to be widely assumed what has occurred), the Church News has removed any questions on the subject by omitting any title from their report of that part of the address. And the Mormon Newsroom report refers to him as "Elder Uchtdorf" as well.

Just wanted to note these things, for what they may worth to any of you. But the article summary is well worth the read, so I had to pass it 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, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.


How Dieter F. Uchtdorf was introduced at the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults

Hello again, everyone! I am posting with the answer to the anomaly I noted in how different Church resources referred to Dieter F. Uchtdorf in preparation for tonight's Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, which is now in progress. In the introduction of the Uchtdorfs, the former Second Counselor to President Monson was introduced by the honorific title of "Elder", and it was mentioned that he was there as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

And while it might have been easy for him (had he been given leave to do so) to mention how and if the First Presidency has been reorganized, he neatly sidestepped any mention of that by saying that he brought with him the love and greetings of all the other members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He then offered another beautiful tribute to our beloved prophet, and went on to testify and reemphasize to all in attendance that the Lord controls who comes to the Church presidency and when that occurs. And that was just about all he said, which, in my opinion, was very nicely done. Clearly the Church has been very careful about revealing any specifics until Tuesday, and that is as it should be.

So that settles the question for now. While I anticipate blogging again on Tuesday with the specific report of President Nelson's address and my reaction to the press conference that will follow, if anything else comes up in terms of Church and temple news between now and then, I will be sure to pass that along as well.

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.


A Note on the Readership of This Blog

Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post today to send a special message of thanks to my international readers. I was surprised (and gratified) to discover yesterday that my thoughts published on this blog have, in addition to reaching so many in the United States, have included page views from Spain, Portugal, Venezuela, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Canada. As I have previously noted, my original intention in starting this blog was to keep family & friends informed about what was happening in the lives of my wife and myself (we just celebrated 7 years of marriage).

But then, I began to slowly shift the focus to the day-to-day news and developments relating to the LDS Church in general, and on the subject of temples particularly. And it has been that shift whereby I have found whatever degree of success I have achieved. Ongoing Church history has long been a passion of mine, and it means a lot to me to know that I can pass such things on to all of you who are kind enough to read (and respond to) those thoughts as they come to me.

I consider it a great obligation to keep current on such things, and am blessed beyond measure to have found that my thoughts, which are just as imperfect as I myself am, matter to so many of you. Even if several posts are put up with no comments, I know they are being widely read because each post has been showing double-digit views just hours after I put them up. And that is something I never could have imagined occurring.

Thank you all for bearing with the way my posts get sidetracked so easily, and for wading through the more massive posts, which is not a task for the faint of heart. Thank you for proving to me that what I post here has value, and is of interest to so many of you. And thanks especially to those who have posted questions or comments to clarify or correct things I have said here. As we continue this journey together, I hope the content of this blog and the discussions we have here continue to prove illuminating and inspiring.

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.

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Another Update Provided on Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Renovation Process

Hello again, everyone! While I have no desire to overshadow the news about the address from President Nelson and the press conference on Tuesday, I did want to pass along an update of which I have become aware relating to the progress on the renovation of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple. That update is that structural framing is being put up for the new tower. It is good to see these day-to-day milestones, and if President Nelson does only half as much for temples as President Monson has (we went from having 124 temples in operation at the beginning of 2008 to 182 in various constructional phases as of April 2017), it will be awesome to see the progress that occurs. 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.

President Nelson Announces Press Conference/Message to Church Members

Hello again, everyone! I am posting with some interesting news. In this article, President Nelson announced he will be giving a special message over the internet and all Church-owned radio and television stations at 9:00 AM MST this Tuesday, followed by a press conference at 10:00 AM. I may be wrong in saying this (please let me know if I am), but I cannot recall a time in Church history where a senior apostle gave a special one-hour message to the entire Church like this one hour prior to a press conference in which he will likely take questions from the media and introduce his new counselors in the First Presidency. This was amazing to hear about. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. 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.

Friday, January 12, 2018

A Note on President Nelson's Appearance at the Funeral for President Monson

Hello again, everyone! While I don't know how many of you may have been able to watch President Monson's funeral services today, I wanted to note something that I found understandably significant. When President Nelson spoke in General Conference last October, he looked vibrant and healthy. During the funeral for his predecessor today, he looked tired, worn, and much older. I would assume that this is simply because he had likely prayed very fervently that President Monson, who was just less than 3 years younger, would outlive him, and with the passing of President Monson and the fact that he was now the senior leader and has yet to go through the process of reorganizing the First Presidency following the death of his mentor. the process of being involved in the final part of President Monson's life and the prospect of the upcoming mantle may have him feeling worn out at the moment.

Since I was born, I have not personally witnessed a time when a younger prophet has died, leaving an older man to succeed him. But it is plain that, for the moment, President Nelson is worn down by the load he is getting ready to bear.  I would, however, anticipate that when he and his counselors meet the press (which will, barring anything unexpected, occur Monday morning), the settling of the prophetic mantle will compensate for any feelings he currently has of being worn down and overwhelmed. I would also anticipate that once that mantle settles, he will be serving as the Church President for at least the next 2-3 years.

As I have previously noted, we have seen varying lengths of prophetic tenures over the history of the Church, and perhaps even more so in recent years. The presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, the last prophet to pass away before I was born, spanned just 6 days more than 11 years and 10 months. Ezra Taft Benson, who died in the summer before my baptism, served just short of 8 years and 7 months.

Howard W. Hunter, who was the prophet at the time I was baptized, had the shortest presidency of all, serving several days short of just 9 months. President Hinckley became Church President a few years before my ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood, and when he died in January 2008, I had been a Melchizedek Priesthood holder for 3 years, and his tenure had lasted the longest of any Church President since my birth, with his death occurring a couple of weeks after he had marked 12 years and 10 months as Church President.

While President Monson was 17 years younger than his predecessor, his nearly 10 year tenure of service saw him taking on less responsibility for the final two years of his life, and him stepping away from active involvement in the day-to-day government of the Church about 5.5 months prior to his passing . As I previously noted, I was married during his time as Church president.

President Nelson becomes the first Church President to outlive his younger predecessor since President Kimball, who was exactly 4 years to the day older than his predecessor (both were born on March 28, with President Kimball's birth in 1895, and President Lee's in 1899).

I just wanted to share these observations to note that, even though the responsibility likely very much weighs on him for now, not just because he has outlived President Monson, I fully anticipate that when he and his counselors (whomever they may be) meet with the press on Monday, the prophetic mantle will have settled on him to sustain him for that task. That has been seen at other times when an older prophet succeeded a younger one (as has occurred previously with Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, and Spencer W. Kimball).

And while President Nelson may not have a particularly long tenure as Church President, he has been well prepared to take the mantle through almost 34 years of dedicated apostolic service, the last 2 or so of which have been as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

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.

A Note On President Monson's Funeral

Hello again, everyone! As most of you may be aware, I offered my thoughts earlier this week about the likely speakers at President Monson's funeral services, which were held today. I just now realized why I didn't anticipate President Nelson being the concluding speaker.

For the funerals of Presidents Hunter and Hinckley, their First Counselors were also the Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in view of their being the next most senior apostles, although in both cases, there was an Acting Quorum President (which was President Packer on both occasions) directing the assignments of the Quorum while the actual Quorum President was serving in the First Presidency.

It makes sense that, for President Monson's funeral service (as was true for President Benson), the Quorum President (which was President Hunter at the time of President Benson's death and President Nelson at the time of President Monson's death) was the final speaker, capping off the tributes to the deceased Church leaders. I will hopefully remember to take that into account in the future.

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.