Temple Updates Provided

Hello again, everyone! The LDS Church Temples Facebook site has provided some exciting updates within the last 12 hours or so. Picture updates have been posted for the Rome Italy, Concepcion Chile, Baton Rouge Louisiana, and Washington DC Temples, and a video has been posted showing progress on the Mesa Arizona Temple. Major progress has also been reported for the Durban South Africa Temple.

But perhaps the most significant development is the report that the angel Moroni statute has been officially installed atop the Fortaleza Brazil Temple. As we have previously seen occur for other temples worldwide, once that statue is officially installed, a dedication is announced not long after that.

With that said, I would anticipate that the Church would defer making an official announcement in that regard until after the annual July recess for the General Authorities. And it is very likely that the dedication itself may take place in the late spring or early summer months of 2019. But this development is very exciting indeed. I continue to monitor all temple developments and will bring word of those to you ASAP after I learn of them.

In the meantime, it may also interest some of you who have expressed concerns about the LDS Church Temples website being unavailable still to know that a projected window of late summer 2018 has been offered regarding how much longer that site restoration will take place. I am sure that any additional prayers we can offer in behalf of those working to solve those issues would continue to be appreciated.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are alo, 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.

Elder Cook Speaks At Devotional Held During the New Mission Leadership Seminar

Hello again, everyone! After a pretty busy day, I wanted to share this report covering remarks given by Elder Quentin L. Cook at a devotional that was held during the New Mission Leadership Seminar last Sunday.

Elder Cook spoke about the 4 most important relationships that should mold the service of missionaries around the world: with their companions, with the people among whom they labor, with the mission president and matron, and, most importantly with the Lord. He also talked about how those relationships should be established, cultivated, and strengthened.

To illustrate this point, he referenced experiences he had during his own missionary service, which included time he spent as a companion of his future fellow apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, and their service under two exceptional mission presidents. One of those two was Elder Marion D. Hanks.

If I may, I would like to offer a quick sidenote about Elder Hanks. As some of you may be aware, his service as a mission president was rendered while he simultaneously served in the now-defunct First Council of the Seventy. He would go on to serve in another now-defunct position of Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles prior to being called to the First Quorum of the Seventy, and had two distinct opportunities to serve in the Presidency of the Seventy.

Elder Hanks was well trusted by the First Presidency, and that trust is amply demonstrated by the fact that two missionaries that served under his leadership are now colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

At any rate, Elder Cook's advice to mission presidents about the 4 most important relationships a missionary should cultivate applies just as fully to us as members of the Church who desire to have a positive influence on all those with whom we come in contact.

For those of us who are married, our relationships with the Lord and with our companions should rightly be of the utmost importance to us, and all of us also need to love and sustain the general and local leaders of the Church in their labors and demonstrate love to those over whom we have stewardship, whether as a result of any formal or informal calling, or in our assignments to minister to our fellow Saints.

With that said, for what it's worth, this concludes my report and analysis of Elder Cook's remarks. There may be other articles worthy of our attention that have been published within the last 24 hours. I will perhaps take some time to focus on those later today (Wednesday June 27, 2018), and to pass those along within the next 12-18 hours or so.

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.

Additional Church News Updates

Hello again, everyone! I am posting again now to share some additional Church news updates of which I have become aware just recently. We start on somewhat of a somber note, as the Church News has reported the death of another emeritus General Authority, Elder W. Mack Lawrence, who served as a General Authority Seventy from December 1990 until his death (he was released from general Church service in October 1996), passed away at age 91.

Some of you may remember my mentioning that, although it has been tradition for members of the First Quorum of the Seventy to be granted emeritus status at age 70 and for members of the Second Quorum to be released after roughly 5 years of service, it was reported in October 2015 that several former members of the Second Quorum had been sent letters from the First Presidency designating them as emeritus General Authorities as well, which is why the Church News referred to him as such in the article about his death.

Although he only served for around 5 or 6 years, he filled many assignments for the Church. He also gave two excellent addresses in General Conference during that time. Since I was very young during his service period, I have no personal recollections of seeing him or hearing him speak, but it sounds like he was a very remarkable man.

The Church News also shared this report about how the Gateway Arch renovation, which took $380 million to accomplish, underscores the vital role of Church history. And as the Tabernacle Choir continues their tour, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom joined them for a special sacrament service yesterday in San Francisco. More on that is shared here.

Again, I continue to monitor all Church and temple news and will do my level best to pass along such developments as I learn of 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.

Elder Uchtdorf Identifies "Bullseye" For Which Every Missionary Should Aim

Hello again, everyone! While I was putting the previous two posts together, apparently another report came in about the 2018 New Mission Leadership Seminar. This article shares comments from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf. As many of you may recall, shortly after the First Presidency was reorganized, Elder Uchtdorf received several key assignments, one of which was to chair the Missionary Executive Council.

As one in charge of worldwide missionary matters, Elder Uchtdorf focused his remarks on the bullseye for which every missionary should aim. That bullseye is created by the two commandments which the Savior identified as being the most important ones: Loving God and serving our fellow man. Elder Uchtdorf went on to discuss how missionaries can and should be doing that. It was a remarkable address, the summary of which is well worth your attention.

Again, I continue to monitor all Church and temple developments and will bring word of those to you all 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.

President Nelson Gives Address Opening the New Mission Leadership Seminar

Hello again, everyone! As many of you may know, new mission presidents and their wives begin serving in their new assignment on or around July 1 of every year. So generally, the Church holds a seminar for the newly called couples during the last week of June. This year was no different, as the 2018 Seminar kicked off yesterday with a Sacrament Meeting that featured an opening address from Church President Russell M. Nelson.

There is one significant change this year to the seminar that may have been long overdue. Whereas this event has previously been known as the "Seminar for New Mission Presidents", the Church will now refer to it as the "New Mission Leadership Seminar". This is a very appropriate change, as it acknowledges that the role of the mission presidents' wives are just as important, if not more so, than the role of the mission presidents themselves.

President Nelson highlighted the importance of the Book of Mormon in the conversion process, and the blessings that can come to missionaries worldwide as they continue to study it. He also spoke of the role that priesthood blessings have in the mission field, and mentioned that focusing missionary efforts on highlighting the doctrine of Christ yields the greatest results. You can read more about his specific remarks in this article from the Church News.

I will continue to monitor coverage of this seminar over the next week or so and will bring those and all other Church and temple developments to you all ASAP after I receive word of 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.