Hello again, everyone! Earlier today, I became aware of some updates that had been reported on two of the three temples that have a dedication scheduled, and one of the operating temples currently undergoing renovation, but for a variety of reasons, I was not able to pass those along before now. Let's get right to all of that.
We start first with the Concepcion Chile Temple, which has a dedication set to occur just over six months from today (on Sunday October 28 of this year). The latest information of which I have become aware is that the construction crew is busy finishing the work on the temple's tower, while art glass installation is underway. It has additionally been noted that work on the grounds of the temple is nearing completion.
The other temple set for dedication for which I have an update is the Rome Italy Temple. The dedication of that temple is set for around 10.5 months or so from now, and dedicatory services will last an 8-day period, occurring between Sunday March 10 and Sunday March 17, 2019. The latest update I have for that temple is that the concrete slab for the monument sign (which will feature the name of both the Church and this temple) is now in place, and that the gardens which will surround the monument sign are being planted. In the meantime, many sources available to me continue to list the note that driveway asphalt has been laid.
We conclude with a note on the renovation process for the Memphis Tennessee Temple. As I previously mentioned, since the renovation that is underway on the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple has progressed slightly ahead of that process for the Memphis temple, we will likely see temples rededicated in early-to-mid 2019 in the following order: Frankfurt Germany, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, and Memphis Tennessee. How they will fit in around the dedications of the Rome Italy, Kinshasa DR Congo, and Fortaleza Brazil Temples is still unknown, although I have felt bold enough to offer some thoughts at least in that regard.
That said, the latest update on the renovation process for the Memphis Tennessee Temple of which I have become aware is that the steeple and exterior walls are currently being sheathed. This is a great indicator that this temple is making good progress.
Ongoing temple developments continue to be inspiring and amazing to me, and I was grateful to have been able to bring you this update. I will do my best to keep track of future developments and bring those to you all ASAP.
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.
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Additional Temple Updates Reported
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, April 24, 2018
Additional Church News Reported
Hello again, everyone! The Church News recently posted a few news items that I thought are worth sharing with you all. So let's get right into all of that. First, on January 26 of this year, I provided a link to a post which had been published one week prior to that on the Mormon Newsroom blog. That post had detailed the appointment of a fourth full-time Tabernacle organist, Dr. Brian Mathias. It has been somewhat of a tradition in recent years to only have three full-time appointees, so I found that surprising.
Then today, I learned more about all of this. It would appear that Brother Mathias's appointment was announced with a view to preparing for the day when another full-time organist, Brother Clay Christiansen, would retire. The Church News has published this article to announce that his retirement will soon be effective, which will then leave the standard three full-time male organists, and two female organists that both serve on a part-time basis. On a personal note, I remember being given a tour of the Tabernacle organ with my family, and if my memory is serving me correctly, Brother Christiansen was the one who led that tour for us. I was impressed with his warmth, love for his work, and vast knowledge of the history of that organ. So I certainly wish him well in his retirement.
The other two stories I wanted to pass along in this post relate to the ministry of our apostles. The Church News shared a text copy of the rededicatory prayer for the Houston Texas Temple offered by President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, last Sunday. It is very powerful, and it is fitting that now-President Ballard returned to rededicate this temple in an area that then-Elder Ballard had toured following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
And the final article I wanted to pass along serves as the Church News summary of President Nelson's global ministry tour, which concluded with his return to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City Utah at some point yesterday. That tour can, according to the article, be summed up in two words: "the temple."
My biggest takeaway from that article, which is well worth reading in its' entirety, was a first-hand dual witness from Sister Nelson. She stated first that she has, time and time again in the last three months, seen the mantle of Church president clearly on her husband, and that she could share her witness of that divinely-inspired call in any venue in the world.
Her second statement was that, while President Nelson had habitually been known to get up in the middle of the night as an apostle and later as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, primarily to jot down thoughts about some insights he wanted to share in his address for the next General Conference, those "rushes of revelation", as many people have described them, have come increasingly more frequently since President Nelson took the mantle of the Church presidency in mid-January.
She fervently shared her witness that President Nelson knows how to receive revelation, and that she has witness how diligent he has been at writing down the impressions he has received, a process that has only increased in its' frequency within the three months he has been Church President.
Now, while I don't know how much of what he writes down has been or might eventually be passed along to the Church, if the General Conference we experienced at the beginning of this month and all we have seen President Nelson do in the three months of his administration thus far is any indication, then not only is he going to be determined to be out among the people as long as he can, but I am equally as certain that he will regularly continue to encourage temple preparation, worthiness to enter there, and the importance of having a valid recommend, no matter how far away any of the Saints might be from their assigned temple.
But I am equally as certain that President Nelson will continue to do whatever he can to continue to bring temples to the people by announcing new locations where such temples will be built, and also by doing whatever he can on his end to hasten the process whereby announced temples are built. That is one of many reasons why the list of potential locations for future temples, which I posted on this blog yesterday, includes a number of long-shot possibilities, and perhaps even a few that seem like they have little to no chance of actually being announced anytime soon.
The list includes such locations primarily because, as the Lord reminded Isaiah in Old Testament times, His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts. I therefore fully believe that the Lord will continue to surprise us with temples in locations that we cannot now anticipate. So even if a location on my list has a likelihood of slim-to-none that it might go on to be announced, if I have found a compelling reason to include it, it appears on that list.
And in case I did not emphasize this sufficiently, I will be just as overjoyed for any temples announced for any location I have not considered as I will be if I find that those that are announced are in the general or exact locations I have specified.
The Lord knows where He needs His temples to be built, and when the time is right to have such locations identified. I had shared my thoughts prior to General Conference at the start of this month that temples in Russia or India were likely possible, but perhaps not as imminent as many people thought. And I was overjoyed to find both nations had a temple announced this go-round.
To the best of my ability, I am committed to continuing to bring you the latest Church and temple developments, including, where possible, updates on construction efforts, and updated lists of potential locations. 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.
Then today, I learned more about all of this. It would appear that Brother Mathias's appointment was announced with a view to preparing for the day when another full-time organist, Brother Clay Christiansen, would retire. The Church News has published this article to announce that his retirement will soon be effective, which will then leave the standard three full-time male organists, and two female organists that both serve on a part-time basis. On a personal note, I remember being given a tour of the Tabernacle organ with my family, and if my memory is serving me correctly, Brother Christiansen was the one who led that tour for us. I was impressed with his warmth, love for his work, and vast knowledge of the history of that organ. So I certainly wish him well in his retirement.
The other two stories I wanted to pass along in this post relate to the ministry of our apostles. The Church News shared a text copy of the rededicatory prayer for the Houston Texas Temple offered by President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, last Sunday. It is very powerful, and it is fitting that now-President Ballard returned to rededicate this temple in an area that then-Elder Ballard had toured following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
And the final article I wanted to pass along serves as the Church News summary of President Nelson's global ministry tour, which concluded with his return to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City Utah at some point yesterday. That tour can, according to the article, be summed up in two words: "the temple."
My biggest takeaway from that article, which is well worth reading in its' entirety, was a first-hand dual witness from Sister Nelson. She stated first that she has, time and time again in the last three months, seen the mantle of Church president clearly on her husband, and that she could share her witness of that divinely-inspired call in any venue in the world.
Her second statement was that, while President Nelson had habitually been known to get up in the middle of the night as an apostle and later as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, primarily to jot down thoughts about some insights he wanted to share in his address for the next General Conference, those "rushes of revelation", as many people have described them, have come increasingly more frequently since President Nelson took the mantle of the Church presidency in mid-January.
She fervently shared her witness that President Nelson knows how to receive revelation, and that she has witness how diligent he has been at writing down the impressions he has received, a process that has only increased in its' frequency within the three months he has been Church President.
Now, while I don't know how much of what he writes down has been or might eventually be passed along to the Church, if the General Conference we experienced at the beginning of this month and all we have seen President Nelson do in the three months of his administration thus far is any indication, then not only is he going to be determined to be out among the people as long as he can, but I am equally as certain that he will regularly continue to encourage temple preparation, worthiness to enter there, and the importance of having a valid recommend, no matter how far away any of the Saints might be from their assigned temple.
But I am equally as certain that President Nelson will continue to do whatever he can to continue to bring temples to the people by announcing new locations where such temples will be built, and also by doing whatever he can on his end to hasten the process whereby announced temples are built. That is one of many reasons why the list of potential locations for future temples, which I posted on this blog yesterday, includes a number of long-shot possibilities, and perhaps even a few that seem like they have little to no chance of actually being announced anytime soon.
The list includes such locations primarily because, as the Lord reminded Isaiah in Old Testament times, His ways and thoughts are higher than our ways and thoughts. I therefore fully believe that the Lord will continue to surprise us with temples in locations that we cannot now anticipate. So even if a location on my list has a likelihood of slim-to-none that it might go on to be announced, if I have found a compelling reason to include it, it appears on that list.
And in case I did not emphasize this sufficiently, I will be just as overjoyed for any temples announced for any location I have not considered as I will be if I find that those that are announced are in the general or exact locations I have specified.
The Lord knows where He needs His temples to be built, and when the time is right to have such locations identified. I had shared my thoughts prior to General Conference at the start of this month that temples in Russia or India were likely possible, but perhaps not as imminent as many people thought. And I was overjoyed to find both nations had a temple announced this go-round.
To the best of my ability, I am committed to continuing to bring you the latest Church and temple developments, including, where possible, updates on construction efforts, and updated lists of potential locations. 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.
Update Provided for the Barranquilla Colombia Temple
Hello again, everyone! While I continue to request and invite comments on any previous posts (especially the three which I published in the early hours of this morning that cover my initial predictions for the October 2018 General Conference), and while I have no desire to pull focus away from that, I became aware a short while ago of an update that has been provided for the Barranquilla Colombia Temple,
I looked back at the history of my posts on this blog, and from that, it would appear that, while I mentioned that the Barranquilla Colombia Temple had had an update to its' construction status a while ago, I got distracted and failed to note what that update was before the end of the post in question. I apologize for that.
The update I should have provided for that temple on that occasion was that the interior work was progressing, that landscaping on the temple grounds was nearing completion, and that the exterior of the housing facility had been finished. That update was noted earlier this month.
So today, the latest information of which I have become aware is that the Holiness to the Lord inscription plaque is being gilded, while the inner gardens have been planted on the temple grounds, and that the interior work continues to make progress.
It is wonderful to see the day-to-day changes that occur in relation to temple construction developments all around the world. I will continue to monitor all such developments and will do my level best to pass them along to you as I receive them.
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 looked back at the history of my posts on this blog, and from that, it would appear that, while I mentioned that the Barranquilla Colombia Temple had had an update to its' construction status a while ago, I got distracted and failed to note what that update was before the end of the post in question. I apologize for that.
The update I should have provided for that temple on that occasion was that the interior work was progressing, that landscaping on the temple grounds was nearing completion, and that the exterior of the housing facility had been finished. That update was noted earlier this month.
So today, the latest information of which I have become aware is that the Holiness to the Lord inscription plaque is being gilded, while the inner gardens have been planted on the temple grounds, and that the interior work continues to make progress.
It is wonderful to see the day-to-day changes that occur in relation to temple construction developments all around the world. I will continue to monitor all such developments and will do my level best to pass them along to you as I receive them.
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.
Initial Predictions for the October 2018 General Conference: Part Three--Most Likely Locations That May Have a Temple Announced
Hello again, everyone! I am back with the third and final post in the miniseries which I cranked out tonight that shares my initial predictions for the October 2018 General Conference. Having discussed the potential speaking order and changes in general Church leadership in the previous posts, we now turn our attention to the one subject on which I have not passed along my thoughts: potential future temple locations.
There were a few things that molded these thoughts. The first is the knowledge that, although temples have just been announced once a year in April between 2017 and now, with the 80 potential locations mentioned by Elder Wilson as being on a list that will be considered for a subsequent announcement between now and the end of April 2032 (which marks 15 years from the time that statement was made), I don't think that President Nelson would pass up any potential opportunities to make such announcements.
The second is the fact that President Nelson is healthier now at 93 years of age than President Monson likely was for the last 5-7 years of his life, so anything that may have hindered President Monson's ability to obtain and relay the will of the Lord regarding such locations during that time will not be a factor in President Nelson's case.
The third thing is the fact that President Nelson and his counselors first spoke to Church members from a temple, and highlighted the importance of "begin[ning] with the end in mind." President Nelson also made a point of mentioning in both his closing address and all through his tour his desire to have every member within a reasonable distance from a temple.
And my final reason for believing and asserting here that temples could (and likely will) be announced in October is the fact that, even though President Nelson needed to call two new apostles,, discern the will of the Lord about subsequent changes in Church policy and practice that have since been announced and are going into effect, and do whatever else was needed to prepare for his first General Conference as Church president, he not only had time to discern the Lord's will on and announce six temple locations, but he followed through on what can only be termed as a last-minute impression to add an unexpected location to that list.
President Nelson is clearly a man who is committed to doing the will of the Lord for as long as he is able, and for that reason, I think we will not only see many of the currently-announced temples go on to a groundbreaking and start construction within the next 2-3 years and beyond, but I feel very safe in assuming and asserting that, unless there is another serious backlog of announced temples, President Nelson will almost surely announce a few during each of the General Conferences over which he presides, and that we may also see times when, as impressed to do so, he could announce a few between each April, October, and subsequent April.
So here is my list of those locations which, in my opinion, have the most likely prospect for a temple announcement in the near future. So as not to disturb the flow of the information I am presenting, I will end here as I always do.
That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, especially those that clue me in on anything I have missed, overlooked, or failed to consider.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 Predictions: 3+ temples announced, with the most likely locations (in my opinion), on the list below.
Preliminary note: With seven temples having been announced last April (the second-highest number of temples ever announced at once), it may be that President Nelson will opt to wait until April 2019 to announce any others. But in view of President Nelson’s expressed intention to continue to bring temples to the people, there may be at least a few announced during this conference. The locations listed below represent my best efforts to anticipate such announcements, and I have requested feedback on this list on my blog. The Lord can and does continue to inspire temple announcements in the right locations at the right time, and if any new temples are announced, I will be just as happy if none of them are for the locations listed below as I will be if any or all of the temples that are announced are for locations on this list. Also, as I prepared to request initial feedback for the locations on this list, it made more sense to me to once again group the locations on this list by the geographical area under which they fall, then by potential likelihood within those areas.
Asia: Phnom Penh Cambodia[vii]
Brazil: Belo Horizonte/Salvador[viii]
Caribbean: San Juan Puerto Rico[ix]
Mexico: Puebla Mexico[xvi]
United States[xxi]
North America Southwest: Bentonville Arkansas[xxvi]; Elko[xxvii]/Ely[xxviii] Nevada; Fort Worth Texas[xxix]; Las Cruces New Mexico[xxx]; Flagstaff Arizona[xxxi]
Utah Salt Lake City: Herriman[xxxii];
[i]The African continent is experiencing substantial and significant growth. That has proven particularly true for the this area of the Church, in which 1 temple is currently operating, but 4 others have been announced (2 of which are under construction, and the other 2 of which are anticipated to start construction at some point within the next 3 years or less.
[ii]Since Madagascar is disconnected from the rest of the African continent, anywhere in Africa to which the Saints might journey will be somewhat of a challenge for those in Madagascar. For that reason, I have added Antananarivo to this list for the first time. Madagascar is currently the last of the top ten nations with the strongest Church presence that does not have a temple in any phase, which adds to the rationale for building a temple there. The only other African nation within this area that is in the top ten is Uganda at #6 on that list. But since a temple has been announced for the neighboring nation of Kenya, Uganda may not get a temple until the one in Kenya is either under construction or dedicated, as the Church will probably want to gauge how busy the temple in Kenya is before announcing one for Uganda. Thus, Madagascar is the only prospect on this list for this area.
[iii]The Church in the Africa West Area has also experienced massive and rapid growth. The LDS Church Growth Blog recently reported that, if current growth trends in the Africa West Area continue as they have been, the Church could go from the 2 operating and 1 announced temple to 13 in operation by sometime during 2030. With that in mind, several possibilities have a lot of merit to the rationale behind my belief that they could each get a temple in the near future, as I will explain in the subsequent references for the locations I have listed for this area.
[iv]Sierra Leone is now the fourth of the top ten nations that have the strongest Church presence but do not yet have a temple in any phase. With the recent expanded growth in Sierra Leone (particularly with so many districts that have been upgraded to a stake), a temple there may simply be a matter of time.
[v]Since the dedication of the Accra Ghana temple in January 2004, Ghana has seen sufficient enough growth (in my opinion) to potentially get a second temple. And Kumasi has emerged as the most likely city for such a temple.
[vi]Since the dedication of the Aba Nigeria temple in August 2005, Nigeria has seen extensive Church growth. While many have offered their opinions that Benin City might be a more likely prospect, the elements I have studied leads me to conclude that when Nigeria gets a second temple, it will likely be in Lagos.
[vii]Cambodia is now the seventh of the top ten nations having the strongest Church presence without a temple in any phase. So the idea of a temple in Phnom Penh makes sense. But with the Bangkok Thailand Temple planned to be on the larger side, and with another temple announced for Bengaluru India, the question will be whether a temple might be needed in Cambodia as well in the near future. For now, I am confident enough to include it here, but that could change.
[viii]Brazil has also seen extensive Church growth, and rapid expansion. With temples currently under construction in Fortaleza (which is anticipated to be dedicated in 2019) and in Rio de Janeiro (which is anticipated to be dedicated in 2020), and with two others announced (for Brasilia and Belem, both of which may be under construction within the next few years), it is not hard to believe that additional Brazilian temples may be needed. Salvador and Belo Horizonte seem to be the cities most mentioned as having the best prospects for a temple announcement in the near future. Of the two, a temple in Salvador seems to be more imminently likely, but we have seen unexpected things occur, so for now, both locations are on my list.
[ix]Puerto Rico now ranks as the second of the top ten nations with the strongest Church presence that does not have a temple in any phase. And now that the construction of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple is underway, and since that temple is on the smaller side, it makes sense that the Church might opt to announce a temple for San Juan in the near future. Time will tell how safe it is to so assume, but for now, it has made my list.
[x]With a temple having been announced in April for Managua Nicaragua, it may be some time before we hear of other temples being announced for the Central America Area of the Church. The case in favor of the locations on my list being announced is a strong one, so for that reason, they have made the list, but it would not surprise me in any way if the Church waits on these potential locations until the temple in Managua is further along.
[xi]The Church in Honduras has seen extensive growth in recent years, so a third temple in that nation seems likely. And while there may be many good potential locations where one could be built, the consensus appears to be that San Pedro Sula is the most likely prospect, and that a temple for that city could be announced sooner rather than later.
[xii]As noted above in relation to Honduras, Guatemala has also seen significant Church growth in recent years. And there are likewise many potential locations where a third temple could be built to serve the Guatemalan Saints. But the city of Senahu has emerged as the most likely prospect for that honor, and the consensus seems to be that a temple there may simply be a matter of time.
[xiii]Europe, particularly in the eastern countries of its’ continent, has seen some stagnation in terms of the growth of the Church. With temples currently under construction in Rome Italy and Lisbon Portugal, and another announced for a major yet-to-be determined city in Russia, the Church may opt to wait to construct other temples on the European continent until those 3 are either dedicated or at least further along in the process. That said, on the off-chance the Church does not so opt, the cities in this section, for the reasons I will explain in the subsequent notes that will follow this one, have the greatest chance of being announced in the near future.
[xiv]When I began sharing my thoughts on potential future temple locations, someone who has knowledge of the growth of the Church in Europe indicated that Budapest would likely be the next European city to get a temple. My study on the matter confirms that opinion, so it has been on my list for a while.
[xv]Cape Verde now ranks as the eighth of the top ten nations with the strongest Church presence that does not have a temple. Based on that fact, a temple in Praia is likely just a matter of time.
[xvi]The growth of the Church in Mexico has somewhat stagnated to the point where Church leaders began last year to do a mass consolidation of the Church units there. That said, many people (including one of the readers of my blog who lives in Mexico) concur that the next temple in Mexico will likely be in Puebla, and that such a temple will likely be announced sooner rather than later.
[xvii]Papua New Guinea now ranks as the nation with the strongest Church presence that does not yet have a temple. I also learned several years ago that land has been held in reserve in Port Moresby for a temple for a while now. With that in mind, it may simply be a matter of time before a temple is announced there.
[xviii]As with Papua New Guinea, I had heard years ago that land has been held in reserve in Auckland for a temple. How soon that might actually occur will depend on if the renovation of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple involves any kind of expansion for that temple. If it does, that might potentially eliminate the immediate need to use the land in Auckland. I have felt confident enough to keep it on my list for now, but will be watching for any developments that could change my mind.
[xix]The entire South American continent has seen extensive growth, as manifested by the fact that, of the 19 temples currently announced, 5 of them are in South American nations. And of the 11 temples currently under construction, Brazil has 2 (with two others announced), this area (South America Northwest) has 2 under construction (1 of which has a dedication announced), and 2 others announced, and the South America South area has 1 temple announced, 1 with a dedication scheduled, and 1 that is currently closed for renovation. Based on these numbers, the Church may opt to wait until all temples under construction or being renovated are finished, or Church leaders could (and in my opinion, likely will) opt to announce more temples as they are needed. In a previous note above, I shared my rationale behind two temple locations that may be used for future Brazilian Temples. While the Church could surprise us and announce other temples for the South America South Area (which would not be unheard of by any means), it is my feeling that the most likely prospect for South American temples in the near future is this area, for the reasons I will explain in the notes below.
[xx]Since the dedication of Bolivia’s first temple in Cochabamba, the Church in Bolivia has seen significant growth and expansion. That has been especially true of regions that would be served by temples in Santa Cruz or La Paz. Of the two, although I favor La Paz (since a good friend served a mission there), my research indicates a Santa Cruz temple may be more imminent. But I fully anticipate temples in both cities within the next 15 years or less, thus both are on this list.
[xxi]While it has been repeatedly observed that the growth of the Church has stagnated somewhat here in the United States, 4 of the 19 temples that have currently not had a groundbreaking were for the United States. This gives me hope, however slight that hope might be, that other locations within the US that have a compelling case in their favor for a temple (as outlined in the remaining notes). While there are literally hundreds of these potential locations with a strong likelihood, the locations on this list are those that, in my opinion and for the reasons outlined, have the highest likelihood.
[xxii]According to reports I received through the comments on my blog, Elder David A. Bednar publicly proposed a Missoula Montana Temple while on assignment to a stake conference in that city. My subsequent research indicates that land has been held in reserve for such a temple for several years now, and that an official announcement will occur once the right conditions are met. For that reason, Missoula has been on my list for a while now, and I could see an official announcement in the near future.
[xxiii]Although South Dakota only has 2 stakes and one district, and although the districts of the Bismarck North Dakota and Winter Quarters Nebraska, which cover South Dakota, may not be inordinately large, the Saints in Rapid City travel almost 300 miles to worship at the Bismarck temple, so it seems likely that the Church will opt to build a temple there sooner rather than later.
[xxiv]Mississippi is one of the few states in the US that does not have a temple in any phase. My recent study points to the idea that a temple in Jackson may just be a matter of time.
[xxv]The Saints in Shreveport currently travel just under 200 miles to their assigned temple in Dallas, but I have still felt confident enough that this city could get a temple sooner rather than later.
[xxvi]A good friend with connections to Arkansas told me a while ago that the Church has held land in reserve for a temple in Bentonville for a while now, and that an official announcement was likely once the right conditions were met. For that reason, I believe we will see this temple announced sooner rather than later. Some have opined that Rogers might be a more likely location for the first temple in Arkansas, but my study confirms that a temple is likely in Bentonville sooner rather than later.
[xxvii]The Saints in Elko currently travel just over 200 miles to their assigned temple (Salt Lake). It is enough of a commute that a temple there may just be a matter of time.
[xxviii]The note above applies to the Saints in Ely as well, as they commute just over 200 miles, but their assigned temple is in Cedar City. A temple in Ely would cut the commute substantially. And I fully believe that temples in both Elko and Ely are possible in the near future, since the distance between the two is just under 200 miles.
[xxix]In sharing my thoughts about potential future temple locations, I learned from someone living in Texas that Fort Worth would likely be the best prospective city for the next temple in Texas, and a temple there would be the best way to break up the current Dallas Texas district.
[xxx]The Saints in Las Cruces currently travel 224.6 miles to the temple in Albuquerque, so a temple there may just be a matter of time. A temple in that city could also likely serve the Saints in El Paso Texas, if they are unable to access their currently assigned temple (in Ciudad Juarez Mexico).
[xxxi]At the dedication of the Tucson Arizona Temple, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, who serves as the Executive Director of the Temple Department, stated that that dedication had Arizona pretty well covered for temples. But I have heard from many sources that Flagstaff will likely be the next Arizona city to get a temple, and that this could happen sooner rather than later. Thus, I am confident enough to put it on my list.
[xxxii]In 2005, President Gordon B. Hinckley noted that land was being held in reserve for a temple in the Southwestern Salt Lake Valley, which would have an official announcement when that became necessary. Subsequent study on my part in late 2017 and early 2018 pointed me to the conclusion that the land in question was in Bluffdale, but that it has since been annexed into the city of Herriman, although it has been the subject of more than a few border disputes. I am confident enough to list it here, and since President Monson announced temples publicly proposed during President Hinckley’s tenure, I feel that President Nelson may likely do the same. Thus, a temple there may just be a matter of time.
[xxxiii]A temple in Heber City (the prospect of which has been suggested a few times) would help provide a closer option for Saints in the Heber Valley, and it would likely split the district of the Provo Utah Temple, which, by all reports, is still one of the busiest in the Church.
[xxxiv]Tooele has also been mentioned repeatedly as a potential prospective city for a temple. While the Saints in Tooele do not have to drive an inordinate distance to reach their assigned temple in Salt Lake City, I feel a temple there may simply be a matter of time. And since a temple in Herriman would still create a drive (along a U-shape) for those Saints, it seems safe to assume that Tooele could (and likely will) get a temple soon.
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.
Initial Predictions for the October 2018 General Conference: Part Two--Predictions for Likely Changes in Church Leadership
Hello again, everyone! I am back again with the second of what will be a three-part post series discussing my predictions for the October 2018 General Conference. In this one, I will be passing along my thoughts about the likely changes in general Church leadership and the rationale behind those thoughts.
All of those details follow below. Since I do not in any way want to disturb their flow, I will be concluding now as I always do. 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.
All of those details follow below. Since I do not in any way want to disturb their flow, I will be concluding now as I always do. 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.
Predictions for Changes in General Church Leadership
Preliminary Note: I am proceeding on an assumption here that, since both Presidents Oaks and Eyring did part of what has traditionally been a combined Solemn Assembly and Sustaining of Church Officers, and since President Oaks' part was to lead a sustaining vote for other changes in Church leadership (which involved reading the long list of new area seventies with difficult name pronunciations, and which President Oaks did very well, in my opinion), President Nelson may request that he (President Oaks) continue to lead the April sustaining vote, which typically involves such changes, which would leave President Eyring to lead the October sustaining vote, which, by comparison, sees far fewer changes in area seventies.
General Authority Seventies: Elders Mervyn B. Arnold,
Craig A. Cardon, Larry J. Echo Hawk, C. Scott Grow, Allan F. Packer, Gregory
A. Schwitzer, and Claudio D. Zivic released and granted emeritus status.
Note: Each of these general authorities was born in
1948, and will have their 70th birthdays before General
Conference, or within the last two months of 2018, and the Church in recent
years has almost always released General Authorities in October that have
their 70th birthdays prior to the end of any given year. With that
in mind, it seems safe to surmise that each of these men will have that
happen during this General Conference.
Result:
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Area Seventies: Some area seventies released, others
called.
Note: It has been customary in recent years for the
Church to release and sustain several area seventies in April, with only a
few changes in October. If that pattern continues, then at least a few
changes could be made.
Additional note: While some area seventies have been
released as the result of a call to serve in other assignments (for example,
as General Authorities or temple presidents), for other assignments (such as a
call to preside over a mission), a release from that assignment might not
occur, but would continue while such individuals preside over missions. Since
that has occurred in recent years, Elder Tasara Makasi, who currently lives
in South Africa, but has been called to preside over a mission in Zimbabwe,
would not even have to switch the Quorum in which he is currently serving,
and could retain both assignments, which also applies to Miguel A. Reyes, who
is an area seventy residing in Mexico that has been called to preside over
one of Mexico’s missions. It would not surprise me if Elder Fred A. Parker,
who serves in the North America Southeast Area, but has been assigned to
preside over a mission in the Caribbean Area, which means he would switch
quorums. Elder Steven O. Laing, who is an area seventy in the Utah North
Area, has been called to serve as the new president of the Brigham City Utah
Temple, so he may be released.
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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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