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Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Update on Case Against Former MTC President and LDS Church

Hello again, everyone! As some of you may recall, there has been wide public discussion on the alleged abuse of a female missionary by her former MTC president, Joseph Bishop. Earlier today, KSL shared this report to provide an update on the latest relating to that matter. In the article, KSL reports that the judge in the case is considering a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by the missionary in question against Bishop and the Church.

This is a very thorny problem, and it is difficult to sort out my feelings on the matter. On the one hand, I know that the Church does not condone abuse on any scale by anyone in a position of authority, and should take action once they hear of such incidents. On the other hand, I recognize that if Bishop originally denied doing what he was accused of, and if it could not be verified that he was lying, there was only so much Church leaders, both general and local could do.

It does get even trickier, because I also recognize that, if the accusations are true, the perpetrator should face consequences for what he has done. Even if the statute of limitations has expired so he can not legally be held accountable for his conduct, there should be some measure of Church discipline in this case.

It is also true that the victim had to live harboring guilt over the situation, and has likely suffered a great mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish over this, which cannot be ignored. But whether or not the statute of limitations prevents legal process from taking place, I don't think the victim in this case is justified in claiming that the Church and its' general and local leaders, through their negligence in investigating this matter, should rightfully be sued and provide compensation.

The really hard thing about all of this is that, when any Church leader interviews someone about anything, all they can do is trust they are hearing the truth from each individual with whom they interact. At the end of the day, only the Lord knows whether or not the answers provided to such questions are true or false. And unfortunately, with all of the pertinent details of this case being brought to light in the United States, a person is innocent until proven guilty.

And as the article I cited above notes, the recollections of the people on both sides of this issue may or may not be accurate. The crux of the case hangs on an admission by this former mission president to the missionary he abused in which he clearly states he has done what he was accused of. And if any of his priesthood leaders had been aware of the sexual addictions which he said he had, that should have raised warning flags about his eligibility to serve.

But the crux of whether or not the lawsuit is legally justified may also be a tangled problem. Although the victim has suffered greatly because of the incident, I find it hard to side with her belief that the Church was willfully negligent in responding to her reports on this issue. While recollections may change, and while the Church has vowed to hold abusers responsible for their conduct, at the same time, if the Church had no reason to doubt what the perpetrator told them in relation to this incident, there was not a lot they could have done.

There may have been a reason to investigate this more fully, but the fact remains that if the statute of limitations has expired on both the crime and on the potential to sue for legal and financial redress, that is something for which the Church cannot and should not be held responsible. If the Church leaders that may have interviewed Bishop believed him to be sincere in claiming his innocence, it may not have been fair to assert that the Church should have done more to deal with this.

Striking the proper balance between seeing justice served, both legally and religiously, and ensuring that mercy comes into play when certain aspects of the case are in doubt, may be as tricky to accomplish as it has been for the victim in this case to recover from the ordeal she experienced.

Either way, it is heartbreaking to consider that it took so long to bring any credibility to these accusations. I am sure that she attempted to get this resolved years ago, but the fact that it could not be seems to be more the fault of the perpetrator than it is of the Church whose leaders believed the perpetrator when he claimed his innocence.

That said, I hope the judge considers all of this when he issues a ruling on this case. And I have no doubts that the Church has wasted no time whatsoever in doing further investigation on what happened, why it was not discovered sooner, and what, if any, disciplinary measures should be taken against the perpetrator.

Even if he somehow manages to escape legal, emotional, or mental responsibility, he either has been or will yet be subject to Church disciplinary measures, since the Church does not have a statute of limitations of any kind in relation to disciplinary measures for proven transgressions of Church policies, and since Church leaders have recently reiterated their zero-tolerance policy relating to accusations of such conduct. And the fact that Bishop held a position of authority in the Church will also play into the next steps that are taken regarding this matter.

In the meantime, I continue to monitor the developments relating to this matter, and I will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of any 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. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to do so, please feel free to subscribe to stay informed of new content, whether new posts or comments from others. 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.

First Presidency Issues Statement on Community Efforts Against Suicide, Bullying, and Homelessness

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency released this statement earlier today lauding community efforts in the fight against suicide, bullying, and homelessness. The statement speaks for itself and is very well put. The Church has long held a tradition of inviting all people everywhere to take advantage of all the blessings the gospel has to offer, and Church leaders have been unequivocal in their assertions that suicide, bullying, and homelessness are very real but solvable problems, and in inviting us to reach out and rescue those who struggle with such issues.

Their continued assertion that all concerned need to work together in their efforts to combat these issues is likewise on point. Many people in the world seem to see a disconnect between the doctrine of the Church on issues such as these and the practice of the Church in relation to helping those struggling with those issues. But for any of us that have observed the increasing rate whereby the Church has issued official statements and tweaked policies, procedures, and discourses about such issues, it is humbling to realize how much the Brethren really care about these issues, and how very much they want to do all they can to resolve them.

I continue to monitor any and all Church and temple news and developments on an ongoing basis, and will do my best to bring word of those 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. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to, please feel free to subscribe to stay informed of updated content. 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 Reported

Hello again, everyone! This will be just a very quick post to pass along some additional Church news which has come to my attention within the last hour or two. Let's jump right into all of that. First, in my late-night post last night, I had noted that the article published to introduce Young Women General President Sister Bonnie H. Cordon on Monday was followed yesterday by an article introducing her First Counselor, Sister Michelle D. Craig.

Then today, this article was published to introduce her Second Counselor, Sister Becky Craven. Thus, in the last few days, the entire new Young Women General Presidency has been featured in Church News articles. As I noted in my last post late last night, we have never before (to my knowledge) seen more than one article published per week to introduce new leaders, so the fact that the entire Young Women General Presidency has been featured in articles since Monday is rather unprecedented.

Additionally, the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) has featured a "Rainbows of Paradise" Canoe Show every year. This year, the celebration title was altered to "Huki: One 'ohana sharing aloha". As anyone who has watched Disney's movie "Lilo and Stitch" knows, 'ohana is the Hawaiian word for family. Given the increasing importance the Church has placed on the family in the 23 years since President Hinckley introduced "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", this name change is not surprising. You can read more on that celebration here.

I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments, and will do my level best to bring word of those to you as I become aware of such items. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to do so, you are more than welcome to subscribe to stay informed of new content from this blog. 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 Items Reported

Hello again, everyone! I am back in the late-night hours when the 17th is leading into the 18th, and I will be sharing some additional Church news stories of which I have become aware within the last 12 hours or so. There's quite a bit to get to, so let's jump right into it.

We begin with articles about two different devotional addresses which were given at Church-owned universities. BYU-Provo's Benjamin Bikman, who is a professor of physiology and development biology focused his remarks on advice about how to interpret the Word of Wisdom, and what should not be read into it. In the meantime, on the campus of BYU-Idaho, Nels Hansen, who chairs the Applied Plant Science Department, discussed a science experiment he had conducted with the help of his students on the effects of ministering. Both of these articles were interesting reads.

Next, as many of you may be aware, in the early days of the Church, the pioneers trekked here to Utah to flee persecution. They entered this valley on July 24, 1847. Two years later, the tradition of having a parade on Utah Pioneer Day was born, and one has been held on that day ever since (unless it has fallen on a Sunday, in which case that is held on either the previous Saturday, or the following Monday).

As Utah prepares to celebrate that day this year, the Church News has released three articles, one of which highlighted three misconceptions that are commonly advanced by those who discuss pioneer history. At a devotional held on July 16 at the historic "This Is The Place Park", new apostle Elder Gerrit W. Gong reflected on how both he and his wife have pioneers in their ancestry. And in the final article, 6 Church members who live in the Philippines, the United States, India, Indonesia, Uruguay, and the Ukraine are lauded as pioneers who never pushed a handcart. It was good to read these stories as well.

In a somewhat unprecedented move, the Church News featured an article introducing Sister Michelle D. Craig, the new First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, just one day after they published the article introducing Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon. As far back as I can remember following articles on Church news, I don't ever recall seeing two articles published about two new leaders in such a short period of time. That was an interesting development.

There are other stories that have been covered on the News page on the Church's official website, which may or may not have all been covered on this blog, and for any that have not, they are well worthy of your attention. In the meantime, Mormon Newsroom published the latest edition in their series of articles highlighting important articles published on various editions of Mormon Newsroom which are maintained to highlight developments in other nations where the Church is established.

And as a final development, the HTML version of the August 2018 Ensign has been published. Included in that Ensign will be the 2018 Area Leadership Assignments, and as far as I can tell, there have been no changes whatsoever in those area assignments. Additionally, there may or may not be changes in the editors and advisers of the Ensign, which we will be able to find out once the PDF version is made available. But perhaps the most significant development is what is not included. Unless an Ensign supplement is published, it appears that there will not be articles in tribute to Presidents Oaks and Eyring and Elders Gong and Soares published in that Ensign either.

So what we may be seeing is a change in what has previously been somewhat of a standard tradition, unless either a supplement is published this month or unless such articles are included in either of the other two Ensigns that will be published before the next General Conference.

I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will be sure to pass those along to you ASAP after 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. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of new content, please feel free to subscribe. 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.

Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Updates Provided for Several Temples

Hello again, everyone. As many of you may be aware, the date set for the Hamilton New Zealand Temple's renovation closure is now just six days away, though this page does raise some confusion about whether or not it is still open now. In the meantime, I have been made aware of several temple updates that have been provided for both those new temples which are under construction, and also for some that are currently closed for renovation.

Based on the volume of those updates, it seemed easier for me to post my entire report than it might be for me to summarize the new developments. For that reason, an updated copy of that report follows below, with the relevant new information featured in red text.

So as not to disturb the flow of that information, I will end here as I always do. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to, please feel free to subscribe for updates on new content. 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 Construction Progress (current as of 7/17/18)

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 temples were on a list of locations that would be considered for an official announcement within the 15 years following that statement. And although we may not know whether or not those 80 locations have been announced by late April 2032, it seems reasonable to believe that the Church could (and likely will) have 200 operating temples by or before Saturday April 6, 2030 (which will mark the Church’s bicentennial anniversary). In order to do so, the Church would just need to complete the 30 temples in various phases, and announce and complete 11 others in the 11.72 years between now and then, which could be done if 3.50 temples are dedicated each year. Although this year will see only 2 temple dedications, there are 5 or 6 anticipated in 2019, and at least 3 that we know of so far the following year. So I am confident the Church will have at least 200 in operation by that time, whether or not an official goal is made to do so.
                        
Current temple status: The Church has 189 temples in various phases. There are 159 in operation, with 3 others that have a dedication scheduled, and an additional 8 that are in various phases of construction. In terms of temples undergoing renovations, 10 temples recently closed for renovation, and 1 more will close later this year. The remaining 19 are announced (with either a site announcement or groundbreaking pending).

Dedication Scheduled:                                                                                         
160. Concepcion Chile Temple: Article about temple published in a Chilean newspaper was featured on Facebook on July 17, 2018; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday October 28, 2018.
161.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Video showing panoramic footage shared on June 10, 2018; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday December 9, 2018.
162. Rome Italy Temple: Governmental leader tours temple; new photograph posted on Facebook on July 17, 2018; installation of exterior lighting completed; dedication scheduled to occur from Sunday March 10-Sunday March 17, 2019.

Under construction, completion estimated during 2019:
163. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: More plants added to temple grounds; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note: The status of this temple is similar (if not identical) to that of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple in late April 2018. And since that temple had had a dedication announced two months prior to that, it is not a stretch to believe that this temple could have a dedication announced within the next couple of months, with the dedication perhaps set to occur within the first six months of 2019. What will be interesting to see is whether or not that might be scheduled to occur just before the already-scheduled dedication for the Rome Italy Temple, or between April and June. I will keep an eye out for information in this regard and will be sure to pass updates along once I receive them.
164. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Art glass installation underway; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note: Although I have not been able to find any updates on the status of this temple, the progress shown in the video mentioned above shows that progress continues at a very steady rate. It therefore seems likely that this temple could (and probably will) be dedicated sometime between April and June.
165. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Completion estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: While I have not been able to find an update on the status of this temple in the recent past, I am assuming that progress has continued at a steady rate, and that this temple could be dedicated in either June or early-to-mid August.
166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Photographic close-ups of meetinghouse and temple posted to Facebook on July 5, 2018 (including a look at the glazing window bars); completion estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: The video mentioned above shows significant progress made on this temple, although I do not know the specifics of to what extent that occurred. If all continues to go well with this temple’s construction progress, I could easily see a dedication occurring anywhere from September-November.
167. Durban South Africa Temple: Work progressing on temple tower; completion estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: Although the extent of the progress on this temple is not currently known, if all goes well, I could see a dedication occurring anywhere from October-December.
                                          
Temples estimated to be completed sometime during 2020:
168. Arequipa Peru Temple: Picture of exterior façade posted to Facebook on July 5, 2018; completion estimated sometime during early 2020.
Note: Despite the fact that not much is known about this temple’s current status, I feel safe in projecting that the dedication for this temple could occur anywhere from January-April.
169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Completion estimated sometime during early 2020.
Note: Although it has been a while since we last had an update on the status of this temple, it seems entirely likely that we might see its’ dedication between February-May.
170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Work begins on meetinghouse adjacent to the temple; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: When this temple’s groundbreaking was announced in late 2016, the news release from the Church noted that the construction process was anticipated to span a 20-month period. If the redesign process has not changed that estimate in any way, then construction could conclude in February or March, with an open house and dedication following sometime around April or May. Depending on the progress (or the lack thereof) between now and then, this estimate will be adjusted as that becomes necessary.

Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2019):
41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note: Although there has not been an update on this temple’s status for a while, it is entirely possible (if not highly likely) that it could be rededicated either in January or February of next year, or else in April, following the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple.
95. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple: Update provided on July 7, 2018; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: On the date mentioned above, the LDS Church Temples Facebook page shared an article about the renovation process, which featured comments from the director of Church public affairs in that area. She noted that the renovation was on track to be finished by April, which makes its’ rededication likely in either June or August. As more is known, I will update this estimate if that is necessary.
80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Closed for renovation; exterior cladding underway; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: While the extent of the progress on this temple is unclear, I see no reason to doubt that its’ rededication could occur in either September or October. Once more information is available, I may adjust my thinking in this regard.
68. Raleigh North Carolina Temple: Closed for renovation; applying vapor barrier to exterior; rededication estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: If this temple continues to make steady progress, it feels logical to assume that it could be rededicated in either October or November. If any updates are needed to that assumption, I will make them as more information is obtained.
94. Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple: Closed for renovation; framing progress shown by picture posted to Facebook on July 10, 2018; rededication estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: Although no new information has been provided for this temple in the recent past, it is not difficult to believe that it could be rededicated in either November or December.

Undergoing renovation (rededication estimated sometime during late 2019-early 2020)
13. Oakland California Temple: Closed for renovation; temple exterior being refreshed; rededication estimated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.
Note: Since this temple is older and has not been renovated previously, I am estimating that it could be rededicated sometime during December 2019-February 2020.

Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2020):
18. Tokyo Japan Temple: Closed for renovation; construction of new annex building and interior renovations are underway; rededication estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: If this temple continues to make consistent progress, then we could see a rededication occur sometime during April-June, though that may be pushed back to August if delays occur.
7. Mesa Arizona Temple: Closed for renovation; readying trees and plants to refresh temple grounds; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.
Note: On May 10, 2018, the Church released details of the renovation plans for this temple. Exactly three weeks later, the Church released additional details of plans to redevelop the area around the temple. Bearing in mind that this temple has been renovated before, and that it is a somewhat older temple, its’ rededication could occur sometime during either June, August, or September.
16. Washington D. C. Temple: Closed for renovation; picture update posted to Facebook on July 5, 2018; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.
Note: This temple is an older temple being renovated for the first time. With that in mind, it is not too difficult to believe that it could be rededicated at any point during October-December. If an update to that estimate is needed, I will reevaluate.

Renovation process stalled; full-scale work pending:
112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Closed for renovation; full-scale efforts pending; completion anticipated in mid-2020.
Note: Until full-scale renovation efforts are underway, it has felt wiser to be conservative in my estimate. With that in mind, this temple could be rededicated anytime during June-September. If new information indicates that this process has started, that would necessitate an adjustment to this estimate.

Renovation Scheduled (closure date confirmed):
11. Hamilton New Zealand Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation on Monday July 23, 2018; rededication may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2021.

Note on announced temples: Although I have previously indicated that I was no longer comfortable or confident enough to venture general or even more specific time-frames for the groundbreakings of these temples, recent developments have made it easier to surmise how soon such events might happen, so, on May 31, 2018, I again added those estimates. As part of that process, I have once again altered, where new information necessitated, the order in which these temples are listed. That said, the timing of such events has always been up to the Lord, who reveals His will in that regard to His prophets. Whether or not the groundbreakings occur within the windows indicated here, I will embrace those whenever they actually take place.

Announced temples:
171. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approvals; artist’s rendering released on March 19, 2018; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
Note: With the site identified and the release of the artist’s rendering, a groundbreaking for this temple may just be a matter of time. And since this November marks the 52nd anniversary of Thailand’s being dedicated for the preaching of the gospel, November may just be the month in which this groundbreaking occurs.
172. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Site clearing activities underway; artist’s rendering anticipated to be released in the near future; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2018.
Note: On July 6, 2018, the LDS Church Temples Facebook page reported the developments noted above, and with that in mind, an artist’s rendering may be released and a groundbreaking ceremony may be set at some point in the very near future. What is unclear for the moment is how soon that might occur. While I would anticipate that the Bangkok Thailand Temple, which is further along in the process for now, might have a groundbreaking first, I am certain a groundbreaking ceremony will be held for this temple by the end of this year. As more is known, I will be able to offer a more precise estimate.
173. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Planning and approval; designs underway; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note: Although a site confirmation is pending for this temple, because designs are currently underway, and because this is a Utah County temple (since temples in Utah always progress more swiftly than other temples elsewhere within the US), on May 31, 2018, I moved this temple up on this list. Then, on July 6, 2018, as a result of the developments relating to the Urdaneta Philippines temple, I moved this one down and adjusted my general estimate for its’ groundbreaking. I am not ruling out the prospect that the Church could hold a groundbreaking for this temple before the end of 2018, so if I feel a need to move this temple again in the near future, I will do so.
174. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note: In March 2017, the contractor for this temple indicated that a year of pre-planning would be needed for this temple site before a groundbreaking could be held. While it is unclear when that year began (or if that year has already passed), it seems safe to assume that the groundbreaking for this temple could occur within the next year, if not sooner.
175. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2019.
Note: Although the citizens of Pocatello have speculated about two or more potential locations for this temple, one of those locations has emerged as being the most likely prospect. If the Church confirms that at any point in the near future, since this temple is going to be built within the “Mormon corridor”, a groundbreaking could occur sooner rather than later.
176. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2019.
Note: Although an official site confirmation is pending, President Nelson visited a probable location during his world tour in April 2018. If that site location is officially confirmed in the near future, then a groundbreaking could easily follow within the next 15 months or less.
177. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2019.
Note: During President Nelson’s recent visit to Kenya, a national newspaper noted that the site for this temple had been selected, and that because this temple was anticipated to be a smaller one, its’ dedication might occur sometime during 2021. With that in mind, it is not hard to believe that an official site announcement and groundbreaking could occur within the next 15-18 months.
178. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: Although a site inspection occurred one year ago for this temple, the prospective groundbreaking timeframes offered for the temples above necessitates a change in my previously-offered thoughts about the imminence of that groundbreaking. While I would hope that the Brazilian Saints would not have to wait another 1.5 years for this temple’s groundbreaking, until more is known, it seems wiser to be conservative in this estimate.
179. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: Although this temple may also be further along in its’ progress towards a groundbreaking than other temples above it, in view of the factors noted on the others above this one, it has seemed wiser to be more conservative in my estimate for this temple’s future groundbreaking. Additionally, since getting the Urdaneta Philippines Temple underway may be more of a priority for the Church, this one may only have a groundbreaking within the next 16-19 months.
180. Layton Utah Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during late 2019-early 2020.
Note: While I would anticipate that, for this temple in Utah, its’ construction will likely get underway sooner than other temples on this list, and while that could happen sooner than indicated above if the Church confirms that the land that was bought in Layton two days before the temple was announced in that city, it has seemed wiser to be more conservative in my estimate for this temple’s potential groundbreaking. I will be delighted to move it up on this list if I see a good enough reason to do so.
181. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early 2020.
Note: This is the last of the three temples announced in April 2015 that may have a groundbreaking. The Church in the Ivory Coast has seen sufficient enough growth that a second (and perhaps even a third) temple may be announced to serve the Saints in this nation, but that may not occur until this temple makes further progress. We have seen recent developments on other temples in Africa, which gives me hope that this temple could have a groundbreaking ceremony around the estimated time noted above, but time will tell how accurate that might prove to be.
182. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: While the first Ecuadoran temple had a 14-year wait between its’ announcement and groundbreaking, with the progress the Church has made in South America within the last two decades, this temple (to be built in the Ecuadoran capital city) will likely not see a wait nearly that long. I personally hope that this groundbreaking will occur sooner than indicated above, but until more information is available, I have felt a need to be more conservative.
183. Richmond Virginia Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: Although an official site confirmation is pending for this temple, a Virginia newspaper noted in mid-April 2018 that the Church had procured several acres of land in Richmond sometime during 2015. If the Church confirms in the near future that one of those plots will be the official temple site, then a groundbreaking could easily occur within the next two years, but possibly less, since temples in the US generally have construction begin well in advance of their international counterparts.
184. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: Although this temple was announced one year before the Brasilia Brazil Temple, that temple is further along in the approval process and will likely therefore have its’ groundbreaking before that occurs for this temple. In preparing these updated thoughts, it occurred to me that the Church may opt to hold off on beginning construction of this temple until both the Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro Temples are dedicated. With that in mind, I have felt that the groundbreaking could occur at around this time, but I will alter this estimate as needed once more is known.
185. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2020.
Note: Since then-Elder Nelson had publicly proposed this temple in 2012, and President Nelson himself made the announcement, I would imagine the Lord will allow him to be very much involved in the process of this temple’s construction and eventual dedication. With that in mind, I could see a groundbreaking occur within the next 24-27 months, but hopefully sooner if all goes well.
186. Salta Argentina Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2020.
Note: While the time-frames offered for the temples above this one has resulted in this temple’s estimate being delayed as well, it would not surprise me if a groundbreaking for this temple happens sooner than estimated here.
187. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.
Note: While I would anticipate that this temple will likely not have a groundbreaking until significant progress has been made on both the Urdaneta and greater Manila area temples, it is not impossible to believe that a groundbreaking could occur for this newest Filipino temple within the next 2.5-2.75 years, but perhaps sooner if all goes well.
188. Bengaluru India Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2021.
Note: As previously noted, President Nelson had not originally intended to announce a temple for India during the April 2018 General Conference, but was inspired to do so the night before that conference began. Although India may have some political obstacles that would need to be cleared before this temple has a groundbreaking, I fully anticipate that the Lord could enable a groundbreaking to occur within the next three years, but possibly sooner.
189. Russia: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official location and site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2021.
Note: Although both a specific city and a site location for this temple have yet to be identified, President Nelson did have supervisory responsibility for Eastern Europe for the last several years he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. With that in mind, he may have connections that would enable an acceleration of the process to get this temple built, which is why I am being conservative in my offered estimate above, but will not in any way be surprised if the Lord clears all obstacles to allow that to occur sooner than indicated here.

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.
Changes since last report are highlighted in red.