Hello again, everyone! This will just be a very quick post to pass along some information of which I became aware around 10-15 minutes ago. It appears that severe storms have struck several nations in the Asia Area of the Church. In particular, my local news just mentioned that some of those upheavals of nature have occurred specifically in the nations of India and Indonesia.
While nothing solid has been mentioned in relation to Thailand, if past, current, or future storms have had any impact on the Saints there, then I can see why Church leaders may potentially be opting to hold off on any announcement about the groundbreaking for the Bangkok Thailand Temple until weather conditions clear. There may be a slight possibility that the Philippines could be affected by the Asian storms as well, but it seems unlikely, as my research shows that the Philippines is distant enough from the affected nations that that shouldn't have an impact.
But it could be that any Asian temples under consideration for an announcement could have that process delayed for the moment while the Church assesses if, how, and in what manner the current storm season may hinder the feasibility of such an announcement. In the meantime, it could also be true that. as I observed in an earlier post, President Nelson may be waiting on making the first temple groundbreaking announcement(s) of his presidency until 3 or more announced temples are ready for construction.
It would also not surprise me in any way to find out that such announcements are made 3-6 weeks before the groundbreakings are set to take place, or that they perhaps have a smaller window between the announcement of such groundbreakings and when they are scheduled to take place. Whatever might occur in that regard, I will do my level best to bring word of any developments to you all here 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. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added 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.
On this blog, I, James Stokes, share insights and analysis covering the latest news and developments reported about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My specific emphasis and focus is on the ministry of our current apostles, General Conference, and up-to-date temple information. This site is neither officially owned, operated, or endorsed by the Church, and I, as the autthor thereof, am solely responsible for this content.
Search This Blog
Leaderboard
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Some Additional Observations About Asian Temples
Labels:
Estimated Time-frames for Future Temple Events,
Potential Future Temples,
Temple Construction Update
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.
The Church News and President Nelson Provide More Context Regarding Statement About Church Name
Hello again, everyone! There have been several more Church news stories published since my last update, which I hope to be able to pass along to you all in the days ahead. That said, there have been a few that, to me, need to take precedence and be passed along right away. Those stories detail additional context President Nelson and the Church News have provided regarding the statement he issued last Thursday to reemphasize the importance of using the Church's official name.
To start, as I have previously noted, this is not so much a "new policy decision" as it is a correction and reiteration of policies that have been in place for a long time. President Nelson, who is currently visiting Saints in Canada, provided counsel to the Saints in the regions he visited which clarifies that distinction. (That article was published in the Deseret News).
There was also this article, which contained some similar elements to the previous one. And although in the comments of my post covering the statement's release, I had shared this article (which details 6 reasons we should call the Church and ourselves by the proper name, none of which are related to the statement itself), I thought it would be worthwhile to share it again here.
I just wanted to provide some additional commentary on this, if you all will indulge me. In their responses to this statement's release, there was a lot of public expressions to the effect that the "change" would be too hard, too confusing, or not important enough to implement. Some also took their responses to the extreme, suggesting that the name of the Book of Mormon should be changed.
I even heard some statements to the effect that, regardless of the way in which President Nelson's statement was worded, it was not necessarily incumbent upon any of us to comply with the request. That is something I wanted to address more fully here. Before I do so, I want to be clear on one thing:
I do not claim in any way that I have the right or authority to force anyone into compliance with anything the prophet says, nor would I want to exercise such powers even if I had them., It would be highly inappropriate for me to assume or try to exercise "control, dominion, or compulsion" upon anyone. and if I (or anyone else) were to attempt to do so, then any of us that did would be subject to the penalties the Lord outlines in D&C 121 starting in verse 33 to the end of the section.
That said, it is a fair point, to a certain extent, that our agency enables us to choose whether or not we do follow such directives when they are given. At the same time, what seems to be misunderstood is that freedom to act or not is not in any way equivalent to freedom to escape the consequences for failing to follow the Lord's will as expressed by His servants.
The Lord has said, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Our failure to follow the counsel of the Lord's prophet is therefore equivalent to failure to hearken to the voice of the Lord, which, if we continue to do, can lead to grave consequences for us. Round about the time the Church was restored, the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith the revelations we now have in the Doctrine and Covenants as Sections 20 & 21. In the latter revelation, the Lord shared the following counsel in verses 4-7:
"Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
"For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
"For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.
"For thus saith the Lord God: Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard."
In the above passage, the Lord explains that when we follow the prophet, we have the assurance that we will be prospered and preserved, both temporally and spiritually. But the reverse is also true: if we choose to reject the prophet's counsel and continue incorrect behaviors and practices, then the Lord will surely hold us accountable for our failure to follow the prophet's counsel.
There are other elements related to all of this. In the Teachings of the Living Prophet Student Manual, Chapter 2 is well worthy of review, as it covers how highly the words of the living prophet should be prized, cherished, accepted, and followed above and beyond the words of any previous prophet in this or any other dispensation of the world.
Additionally, however, there is also the fact that this is a relatively "small and simple" thing President Nelson is asking us to do, and if any of us have a hard time following the counsel (which, again, is a reiteration and added emphasis of previously-announced policies and procedures rather than a "newly-announced" way of doing things), then each may find it even more difficult to do things that may be seen as more significant or note-worthy that we are asked to do by the living prophet.
Again, while I do not pretend to any authority, power, or influence which would provide ways and means to force compliance with this latest revealed word from our prophet, the Lord and His servants throughout the ages have made clear exactly what the consequences can and will be if we fail to do as the prophet has requested, advised, counseled, and revealed. I for one would not want to chance such things, but the choice is clearly ours as individuals and as the collective Church membership whether or not that should be done.
I testify wholeheartedly that the statement President Nelson has released comes from the Lord. If I can say anything about it, I have gained that witness for myself. My hope and prayer is that each of us may come to gain our own witness on this subject. As we follow the prophet's counsel, he will not lead us astray, and we will be blessed for complying with that counsel. I so testify with a grateful heart in the name of Him whose Church this is, and through Whom this direction has come to His chosen prophet at this time, even the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
To start, as I have previously noted, this is not so much a "new policy decision" as it is a correction and reiteration of policies that have been in place for a long time. President Nelson, who is currently visiting Saints in Canada, provided counsel to the Saints in the regions he visited which clarifies that distinction. (That article was published in the Deseret News).
There was also this article, which contained some similar elements to the previous one. And although in the comments of my post covering the statement's release, I had shared this article (which details 6 reasons we should call the Church and ourselves by the proper name, none of which are related to the statement itself), I thought it would be worthwhile to share it again here.
I just wanted to provide some additional commentary on this, if you all will indulge me. In their responses to this statement's release, there was a lot of public expressions to the effect that the "change" would be too hard, too confusing, or not important enough to implement. Some also took their responses to the extreme, suggesting that the name of the Book of Mormon should be changed.
I even heard some statements to the effect that, regardless of the way in which President Nelson's statement was worded, it was not necessarily incumbent upon any of us to comply with the request. That is something I wanted to address more fully here. Before I do so, I want to be clear on one thing:
I do not claim in any way that I have the right or authority to force anyone into compliance with anything the prophet says, nor would I want to exercise such powers even if I had them., It would be highly inappropriate for me to assume or try to exercise "control, dominion, or compulsion" upon anyone. and if I (or anyone else) were to attempt to do so, then any of us that did would be subject to the penalties the Lord outlines in D&C 121 starting in verse 33 to the end of the section.
That said, it is a fair point, to a certain extent, that our agency enables us to choose whether or not we do follow such directives when they are given. At the same time, what seems to be misunderstood is that freedom to act or not is not in any way equivalent to freedom to escape the consequences for failing to follow the Lord's will as expressed by His servants.
The Lord has said, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." Our failure to follow the counsel of the Lord's prophet is therefore equivalent to failure to hearken to the voice of the Lord, which, if we continue to do, can lead to grave consequences for us. Round about the time the Church was restored, the Lord gave to the Prophet Joseph Smith the revelations we now have in the Doctrine and Covenants as Sections 20 & 21. In the latter revelation, the Lord shared the following counsel in verses 4-7:
"Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me;
"For his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith.
"For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory.
"For thus saith the Lord God: Him have I inspired to move the cause of Zion in mighty power for good, and his diligence I know, and his prayers I have heard."
In the above passage, the Lord explains that when we follow the prophet, we have the assurance that we will be prospered and preserved, both temporally and spiritually. But the reverse is also true: if we choose to reject the prophet's counsel and continue incorrect behaviors and practices, then the Lord will surely hold us accountable for our failure to follow the prophet's counsel.
There are other elements related to all of this. In the Teachings of the Living Prophet Student Manual, Chapter 2 is well worthy of review, as it covers how highly the words of the living prophet should be prized, cherished, accepted, and followed above and beyond the words of any previous prophet in this or any other dispensation of the world.
Additionally, however, there is also the fact that this is a relatively "small and simple" thing President Nelson is asking us to do, and if any of us have a hard time following the counsel (which, again, is a reiteration and added emphasis of previously-announced policies and procedures rather than a "newly-announced" way of doing things), then each may find it even more difficult to do things that may be seen as more significant or note-worthy that we are asked to do by the living prophet.
Again, while I do not pretend to any authority, power, or influence which would provide ways and means to force compliance with this latest revealed word from our prophet, the Lord and His servants throughout the ages have made clear exactly what the consequences can and will be if we fail to do as the prophet has requested, advised, counseled, and revealed. I for one would not want to chance such things, but the choice is clearly ours as individuals and as the collective Church membership whether or not that should be done.
I testify wholeheartedly that the statement President Nelson has released comes from the Lord. If I can say anything about it, I have gained that witness for myself. My hope and prayer is that each of us may come to gain our own witness on this subject. As we follow the prophet's counsel, he will not lead us astray, and we will be blessed for complying with that counsel. I so testify with a grateful heart in the name of Him whose Church this is, and through Whom this direction has come to His chosen prophet at this time, even the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Labels:
Church Policies and Major Announcements,
Church President,
Common Consent,
General Church News,
Sustaining the Brethren
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.
Temple Construction Updates
Hello again, everyone! I wanted to post briefly to share some temple-related developments. I have previously mentioned the progress the Church is making towards having 200 operating temples by or before the 200th anniversary of the reestablishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (which will occur on Saturday April 6, 2030).
As of today, there are now 11.63 years remaining until that day. With 159 operating temples currently, there are 30 others in various phases of construction. So the Church would just need to complete each of those and announce and complete 11 others within those 11.63 years, which could be easily done if 3.53 temples were completed per year.
As I also previously mentioned, with only 2 temples scheduled for dedication later this year, 2018 will be below that average. But the Church has already scheduled 1 temple dedication to take place next year, and there are 4 or 5 others that will, barring anything unexpected, be dedicated the following year. And there are 3 that we know of so far which are anticipated to be dedicated in 2020, likely within the first half of that year. And any temples that might have a groundbreaking within the next year or sooner could likewise be completed in 2020 and the following years.
As the next two years pass, and each of these temples goes on to dedication, the passage of time and the number and timing of those dedications will cause that average to shift. It is also worth noting that, although very little is known so far about the extent of President Nelson's temple-building plans (other than the fact that those plans will outpace and overshadow President Hinckley's previous legacy as the foremost temple-building Church president), the number of temple events in the future could potentially expand exponentially.
I should also mention that, although it is very rare indeed to get to mid-to-late August of any year without a temple groundbreaking being scheduled, let alone held, if work is going on behind-the-scenes and outside our notice to rapidly prepare a number of temple sites for the construction process, it may not be unreasonable to believe that the Church may announce a number of groundbreakings simultaneously, nor would it surprise me at all if some of those groundbreakings were only announced 2-6 weeks before they occur.
The last such announcement we had was in 2016, when the First Presidency announced that the groundbreaking for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple would take place just 15 days before it was held. We also know that there are currently 3 announced temples that seem closest to a groundbreaking ceremony, and that others may also be close, though the timing of all but the most imminent 3 may be harder to pin down.
And of course, with a number of temples undergoing renovation (all but one of which have reportedly made steady progress), the number of temple events that will be held over the next two years may be off-the-charts and unprecedented.
That said, there was one temple construction development which has been reported in recent days. On August 17, a new photograph posted to the LDS Church Temples Facebook page a couple of days ago showed that progress has been made on the white exterior of the meetinghouse which is being built adjacent to the Lisbon Portugal Temple.
I am keeping my eyes open for all such developments and will pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of it all. 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, please feel free to subscribe to stay informed of newly-added 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.
As of today, there are now 11.63 years remaining until that day. With 159 operating temples currently, there are 30 others in various phases of construction. So the Church would just need to complete each of those and announce and complete 11 others within those 11.63 years, which could be easily done if 3.53 temples were completed per year.
As I also previously mentioned, with only 2 temples scheduled for dedication later this year, 2018 will be below that average. But the Church has already scheduled 1 temple dedication to take place next year, and there are 4 or 5 others that will, barring anything unexpected, be dedicated the following year. And there are 3 that we know of so far which are anticipated to be dedicated in 2020, likely within the first half of that year. And any temples that might have a groundbreaking within the next year or sooner could likewise be completed in 2020 and the following years.
As the next two years pass, and each of these temples goes on to dedication, the passage of time and the number and timing of those dedications will cause that average to shift. It is also worth noting that, although very little is known so far about the extent of President Nelson's temple-building plans (other than the fact that those plans will outpace and overshadow President Hinckley's previous legacy as the foremost temple-building Church president), the number of temple events in the future could potentially expand exponentially.
I should also mention that, although it is very rare indeed to get to mid-to-late August of any year without a temple groundbreaking being scheduled, let alone held, if work is going on behind-the-scenes and outside our notice to rapidly prepare a number of temple sites for the construction process, it may not be unreasonable to believe that the Church may announce a number of groundbreakings simultaneously, nor would it surprise me at all if some of those groundbreakings were only announced 2-6 weeks before they occur.
The last such announcement we had was in 2016, when the First Presidency announced that the groundbreaking for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple would take place just 15 days before it was held. We also know that there are currently 3 announced temples that seem closest to a groundbreaking ceremony, and that others may also be close, though the timing of all but the most imminent 3 may be harder to pin down.
And of course, with a number of temples undergoing renovation (all but one of which have reportedly made steady progress), the number of temple events that will be held over the next two years may be off-the-charts and unprecedented.
That said, there was one temple construction development which has been reported in recent days. On August 17, a new photograph posted to the LDS Church Temples Facebook page a couple of days ago showed that progress has been made on the white exterior of the meetinghouse which is being built adjacent to the Lisbon Portugal Temple.
I am keeping my eyes open for all such developments and will pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of it all. 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, please feel free to subscribe to stay informed of newly-added 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.
Labels:
Estimated Time-frames for Future Temple Events,
Potential Future Temples,
Scheduled Temple Event,
Temple Construction Update,
Temples Undergoing Renovation
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.
Thursday, August 16, 2018
1400th Blog Post: BREAKING NEWS: Official Statement from President Nelson Underscores Correct Terminology for the Church and Its' Members
Hello again, everyone! In this, my 1,400th post on this blog, I am pleased to be able to pass along a breaking news developments just reported a short while ago. Mormon Newsroom has shared this official statement from President Nelson which reemphasizes the importance of using the proper terminology when referring to the Church and to ourselves as members thereof. While more details on this are forthcoming, the Mormon Newsroom style guide has been updated to reflect the changes President Nelson has felt impressed to reemphasize.
We have previously heard comments from Sister Nelson to the effect that the number of times President Nelson rises in the middle of the night to write down impressions about the Church and its' members has dramatically increased since he became Church President 7 months ago. This is yet another in the series of insights which I am sure he will continue to share with us as members.
The number of official changes and statements released within these last 7 months should put to rest any claim that modern revelation is not occurring in this Church. I welcome and heartily embrace and endorse this revelation from our beloved prophet, and I would encourage us all to do everything we can to implement this divine instruction into our daily interactions with each other and our friends of other faiths immediately.
I will continue to monitor this development in the days ahead, and will do my level best to pass along more information as I become aware of it. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added 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.
We have previously heard comments from Sister Nelson to the effect that the number of times President Nelson rises in the middle of the night to write down impressions about the Church and its' members has dramatically increased since he became Church President 7 months ago. This is yet another in the series of insights which I am sure he will continue to share with us as members.
The number of official changes and statements released within these last 7 months should put to rest any claim that modern revelation is not occurring in this Church. I welcome and heartily embrace and endorse this revelation from our beloved prophet, and I would encourage us all to do everything we can to implement this divine instruction into our daily interactions with each other and our friends of other faiths immediately.
I will continue to monitor this development in the days ahead, and will do my level best to pass along more information as I become aware of it. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added 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.
Labels:
Breaking News,
Church Policies and Major Announcements,
Church President,
General Church News,
Sustaining the Brethren
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.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Massive Church News Update
Hello again, everyone! This will be a somewhat significantly substantial post containing a plethora of Church news stories which have recently been reported in the Church News and via the Church website. This update is somewhat long overdue. If any of you want to skip over this post, that's not a problem, and I will not be offended at all by that. For those of you sticking with me, let's get right into it all.
Gerry Avant, the retired editor of the Church News, continued her series of articles that have been providing a retrospective review of significant moments during her career. She shared some insight into a rare, private moment she spent with President Monson. Next, as most of you are no doubt aware, the Church History Department has been working for the last several years on the "Joseph Smith Papers" project. This article details how the volumes in that series provide a "treasure trove" of information about the Prophet and his fellow early Saints.
As some of you may also be aware, Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, heads up the LDS Charities organization, and the Church News shared these details about that organization. The Church is also working on publishing a new 4-volume narrative history of the Church, entitled "Saints", which you can read more about here. BYU-Idaho recently held its' annual "Education Week". One of the featured speakers was Al Fox Carraway. More details on this event can be found in this report.
The Church News noted that the importance of the Book of Mormon has been highlighted, emphasized, and underscored by many Church presidents, and focused one article on 11 such testimonies. I previously mentioned that Elder Stevenson would be conducting two Face-to-Face events in Asia (the first such events ever held on that continent). The reports on those events can be found in the Church News here, here, and here.
Family Search has released a new video to make learning about ancestors more interesting and fun for its' users.Also, for those stumped in their search for ancestors to complete their family tree, new resources in the form of nearly 64 million indexed records may be helpful. Institute students in Manchester England recently participated in a 24-hour Book of Mormon reading challenge, and reported these results from their participation. Deseret Industries, which is celebrating its' 80th anniversary this year, shared this inspiring account of one of its' employees.
As many of you know, ALS is a disease that recently gained prominence when many people participated in a recent "Ice Bucket Challenge" as a way to raise awareness about the condition. This account shares one member's experience with not letting the disease prevent her from finding joy each day and serving her ancestors and others through temple work.
Next, throughout history, the Lord has called as His prophet men who are on the older side. While many are slowing down and retiring, these servants of God aren't slowing down despite their age. While such service is remarkable and should be regarded as no less so, there are an equal number of lay members of the Church who continue to render significant service as they reach their 80s and 90s and become centenarians.
Recently, the president of a stake here in Orem was inspired to call to the high council Brother Jim Pinegar, who is 90 years old. This article highlights the significance surrounding the circumstances of that call, how Brother Pinegar responded to it, and how much of an asset he is in filling that assignment.
On a personal note, I wanted to share that I had the great privilege of working with Brother Jim Pinegar in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. He has a heart of pure gold, and always demonstrated a willingness to fill the assignments he was given. Though I have lost touch with him since my service ended in 2012, I know that Brother Pinegar has been prepared by the Lord to come to his current assignment, and although he is not a member of my stake, I can sustain him in that capacity without reservation or hesitation.
More details have been provided regarding the renovation process for the Hamilton New Zealand Temple. You can find out more through these articles from the Church News and Mormon Newsroom. The final article I wanted to share from the Church News concludes the six-part series about the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and features comments from some of the members of that Quorum on what it means to sustain Church leaders.
I would be remiss if I did not alos share other important stories which were recently posted on Mormon Newsroom. In the last few days, Mormon Newsroom has shared this article detailing how Sisters Sharon Eubank (who, as mentioned above, is First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency), Lisa Harkness (First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency) and Becky Craven (Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency) traveled recently to four states in the mid-western United States to meet with members and community leaders. There was also this article from the Mormon Newsroom Blog about digital Ellis Island Immigration Records which have now been made available online.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will do my level best to bring word of those developments to you as they occur. 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 newly-added 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.
Gerry Avant, the retired editor of the Church News, continued her series of articles that have been providing a retrospective review of significant moments during her career. She shared some insight into a rare, private moment she spent with President Monson. Next, as most of you are no doubt aware, the Church History Department has been working for the last several years on the "Joseph Smith Papers" project. This article details how the volumes in that series provide a "treasure trove" of information about the Prophet and his fellow early Saints.
As some of you may also be aware, Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, heads up the LDS Charities organization, and the Church News shared these details about that organization. The Church is also working on publishing a new 4-volume narrative history of the Church, entitled "Saints", which you can read more about here. BYU-Idaho recently held its' annual "Education Week". One of the featured speakers was Al Fox Carraway. More details on this event can be found in this report.
The Church News noted that the importance of the Book of Mormon has been highlighted, emphasized, and underscored by many Church presidents, and focused one article on 11 such testimonies. I previously mentioned that Elder Stevenson would be conducting two Face-to-Face events in Asia (the first such events ever held on that continent). The reports on those events can be found in the Church News here, here, and here.
Family Search has released a new video to make learning about ancestors more interesting and fun for its' users.Also, for those stumped in their search for ancestors to complete their family tree, new resources in the form of nearly 64 million indexed records may be helpful. Institute students in Manchester England recently participated in a 24-hour Book of Mormon reading challenge, and reported these results from their participation. Deseret Industries, which is celebrating its' 80th anniversary this year, shared this inspiring account of one of its' employees.
As many of you know, ALS is a disease that recently gained prominence when many people participated in a recent "Ice Bucket Challenge" as a way to raise awareness about the condition. This account shares one member's experience with not letting the disease prevent her from finding joy each day and serving her ancestors and others through temple work.
Next, throughout history, the Lord has called as His prophet men who are on the older side. While many are slowing down and retiring, these servants of God aren't slowing down despite their age. While such service is remarkable and should be regarded as no less so, there are an equal number of lay members of the Church who continue to render significant service as they reach their 80s and 90s and become centenarians.
Recently, the president of a stake here in Orem was inspired to call to the high council Brother Jim Pinegar, who is 90 years old. This article highlights the significance surrounding the circumstances of that call, how Brother Pinegar responded to it, and how much of an asset he is in filling that assignment.
On a personal note, I wanted to share that I had the great privilege of working with Brother Jim Pinegar in the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. He has a heart of pure gold, and always demonstrated a willingness to fill the assignments he was given. Though I have lost touch with him since my service ended in 2012, I know that Brother Pinegar has been prepared by the Lord to come to his current assignment, and although he is not a member of my stake, I can sustain him in that capacity without reservation or hesitation.
More details have been provided regarding the renovation process for the Hamilton New Zealand Temple. You can find out more through these articles from the Church News and Mormon Newsroom. The final article I wanted to share from the Church News concludes the six-part series about the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and features comments from some of the members of that Quorum on what it means to sustain Church leaders.
I would be remiss if I did not alos share other important stories which were recently posted on Mormon Newsroom. In the last few days, Mormon Newsroom has shared this article detailing how Sisters Sharon Eubank (who, as mentioned above, is First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency), Lisa Harkness (First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency) and Becky Craven (Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency) traveled recently to four states in the mid-western United States to meet with members and community leaders. There was also this article from the Mormon Newsroom Blog about digital Ellis Island Immigration Records which have now been made available online.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will do my level best to bring word of those developments to you as they occur. 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 newly-added 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.
Labels:
Apostolic Ministry & Travels,
Church President,
General Church News,
Temples Undergoing Renovation
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.
Temple Updates Provided
Hello again, everyone! After a period of over a week in which not a lot of temple updates were provided, there have been a number of developments reported on temples worldwide within the last 8-12 hours. It was good to learn of these developments. I will be sharing an updated version of my temple construction progress report to detail those developments.
But first, I wanted to note a somewhat odd story shared by Fox 13, a local news station here in Utah. Apparently, when making Beauty and the Beast phone cases, a company didn't realize that the image in the background with Belle and the Beast was that of the Salt Lake Temple . Needless to say, the phone cases were quickly bought out when the error was discovered. You can read more on that story here.
That said, the updates I mentioned follow below. It was easier to pass along the full version of my temple construction progress report than it would have been to summarize the new developments that have been reported. Those newer updates are highlight in red text.
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 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 newly-added 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.
But first, I wanted to note a somewhat odd story shared by Fox 13, a local news station here in Utah. Apparently, when making Beauty and the Beast phone cases, a company didn't realize that the image in the background with Belle and the Beast was that of the Salt Lake Temple . Needless to say, the phone cases were quickly bought out when the error was discovered. You can read more on that story here.
That said, the updates I mentioned follow below. It was easier to pass along the full version of my temple construction progress report than it would have been to summarize the new developments that have been reported. Those newer updates are highlight in red text.
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 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 newly-added 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.
Temple
Construction Progress (current as of 8/15/18)
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 11.64
years between now and then, which could be done if 3.52 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 are
currently closed for renovation (5 or 6 of
which are anticipated to be rededicated next year), and 1 other, which closed for renovation in late 2017, is currently
stalled in its’ renovation process. The remaining 19 are announced, with at least 2 that are anticipated to have a groundbreaking by the end of 2018,
while several others are likely to have a groundbreaking in 2019 and the years
following that.
Dedication
Scheduled:
160. Concepcion Chile Temple: Temple
open house begins on September 15, 2018; dedication scheduled to occur on
Sunday October 28, 2018.
161. Barranquilla
Colombia Temple: Exterior work completed; dedication
scheduled to occur on Sunday December 9,
2018.
162. Rome Italy Temple: Sod laying completed, as
shown through a video posted on Facebook on July 24, 2018; 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:
Installation of walkways continues; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid
2019.
Note: Having recently been reminded that this
temple (for the moment, at least) will not include an angel Moroni statue, it
is my feeling that we could see a dedication held in mid-April, unless it is
scheduled to occur prior to the already-scheduled dedication of the Rome Italy
Temple.
164. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: New
aerial photographs posted on Facebook on August 15, 2018; completion
estimated sometime during early-to-mid
2019.
Note:
Given the recent massive number of updates which we have seen provided for this
temple, as long as it continues to steadily progress towards its’ completion, a
rededication could be set for mid-to-late May, following Mother’s Day.
165. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Completion
estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: Although I have not found any updates for
this temple in the recent past, if it has progressed at a steady rate, the
dedication could be held for it in early-to-mid June. If I see information that
leads me to conclude that will happen sooner, I will alter this estimate.
166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Addition
of stone cladding to temple exterior is making steady progress; completion
estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: Given the recent massive number of
developments reported for this temple on the LDS Church Temples page, if
construction continues at a steady rate, this temple could potentially be
dedicated in mid-to-late August. I will alter this estimate as needed once more
information is available.
167. Durban South Africa Temple: New
photographs and updates posted to Facebook on August 15, 2018; completion
estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: As previously mentioned, on July 19, 2019,
the Church News identified the first president for this temple. Since we have
not yet heard about the first presidents for the Fortaleza, Port-au-Prince, or
Lisbon temples, there may be a possibility that this temple could be dedicated
sooner than many (myself included) have anticipated. Until more is known in
that regard, I am adjusting my previously-offered estimate to mid-October.
Temples estimated to be completed
sometime during 2020:
168. Arequipa Peru Temple: Progress
on temple detailed in photographs posted to Facebook on August 15, 2018; completion
estimated sometime during early 2020.
Note: While this temple and the temples in Rio de
Janeiro and Winnipeg may, in some ways, be interchangeable in terms of their
future likely completion order, since this one seems to remain ahead for the
moment, it could be dedicated sometime between January and March, but perhaps earlier,
if progress continues at a steady rate.
169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Exterior cladding
underway; article from a local newspaper shared on Facebook on July 30, 2018; completion
estimated sometime during early 2020.
Note: While I have not found a recent update on
this temple, if progress has continued steadily, a dedication could potentially
occur between February and April, but certainly earlier depending on what is
reported between now and then.
170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Photographs
posted on Facebook on August 15, 2018 show effects of recent tornado; completion
estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.
Note: Since there has been no change to the
20-month estimate in which this temple is anticipated to be completed,
full-scale construction could conclude in February or March, in which case a
dedication could follow between April and June. I will be keeping my eyes open
for anything that would necessitate a change in that estimate.
Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated
sometime during 2019):
41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; updated photograph
posted to Facebook on July 24, 2018; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.
Note:
Given the update noted above, I stand by my estimate that this temple could
either be rededicated in February (prior to the already-scheduled dedication of
the Rome Italy Temple) or in mid-to-late April. As more is known, if I need to
adjust my thinking on this estimate, I will do so.
95. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple: Update provided on July
7, 2018; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note: If the article about this temple’s renovation
process, which was posted on the LDS Church Temples Facebook site on the date
noted above, is any indication, then renovation efforts will conclude in April
or May, which means that a rededication could potentially occur in either June
or early-to-mid August, following the annual July recess for the General Authorities.
80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Closed for renovation;
photograph posted on Facebook on July 24, 2018 shows progress on tower
cladding; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.
Note:
Although this temple has not progressed as consistently as the Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Temple, it has continued at a steady pace. With that in mind, this
temple could be rededicated in mid-September.
94. Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple: Closed for renovation; photograph
posted on Facebook on July 24, 2018 shows reshaped exterior of temple; rededication
estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note: Given the recent steady progress made on this
temple, and the comparatively less progress we have seen reported for the
Raleigh North Carolina Temple, I am making a bold new prediction that this
temple will be rededicated before that one, and that this could occur in
mid-to-late October.
68. Raleigh North Carolina Temple: Closed for renovation; stone cladding and installation of interior drywall underway;
rededication estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.
Note:
Given the lack of a report showing that this temple is making steady progress
in its’ renovation, and the relatively more substantial progress that has been
noted on the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple, as noted above, I moved this one
down on July 24, 2018. That said, this temple could be rededicated in either
mid-November or mid-December, assuming all goes well.
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: As I have previously noted, this temple is
older, and is having its’ first renovation. With that in mind, depending on how
consistently we hear updates on its’ progress, a rededication could occur
anytime during December 2019-March or April 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; majority of landscaping removed from 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 and larger temple,
its’ rededication could occur sometime between mid-August and late 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:
Since this is an older and larger temple undergoing its’ first renovation, a
rededication could take place sometime between early October and mid-December.
Once more is known about this temple’s progress (or the lack thereof), I will
provide any adjustments to this estimate that may be needed.
Undergoing Renovation (rededication
estimated sometime during 2021):
11. Hamilton New Zealand Temple: Closed for renovation; details of renovation process released on the Pacific Mormon
Newsroom on August 15, 2018; rededication may take place sometime during
early-to-mid 2021.
Note:
On July 24, 2018, the LDS Church Temples Facebook page confirmed that this
temple had closed for renovation. While the extent of the renovation plans
currently remain unknown (or at least uncertain), the temple may be subject to
a complete exterior and interior overhaul, which may involve an expansion.
Unless something occurs that delays this process, this temple could potentially
be dedicated in mid-to-late April 2021. As more is known, any adjustments that
are needed in terms of this estimate will be made.
Renovation process stalled; full-scale
work pending:
112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Closed for renovation; full-scale
renovation pending.
Note: Until formal renovation efforts are underway
for this temple, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to pinpoint both a
general and more specific completion estimate. Consequently, on July 24, 2018,
I removed any estimates from this temple. If I hear renovation efforts are
underway in the near future, I will then again add a general completion
estimate, and offer a more specific estimate as well. Either way, it does not
appear likely at this point that this temple will be rededicated in 2019, as
was originally announced.
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 late 2018-early 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 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 early-to-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 will serve as the site for that temple, 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, especially since President Nelson has also urged the members to
hurry and prepare so it can be built.
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.
Final note: If recent statements from Church leaders are any
indication, we may soon enter an era where the volume of temple-related
developments will be multiplied. If, as has been suggested, President Nelson's
legacy as a temple-building prophet outshines and outpaces what we previously
saw under President Hinckley's smaller temple plan, we may be in for a season
where temple events are held on a more consistent and much wider scale. It will
be interesting to see.
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.
Labels:
Estimated Time-frames for Future Temple Events,
Scheduled Temple Event,
Temple Construction Update,
Temples Undergoing Renovation
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
BREAKING NEWS: September 2018 Ensign Will Include Articles About Presidents Oaks and Eyring
Hello again, everyone! The HTML edition of the September 2018 Ensign is available, and I am pleased to be able to report that articles about Presidents Oaks and Eyring will be included in that Ensign. Elder David A. Bednar has written the article for President Oaks, and Elder Holland has written one for President Eyring, his apostolic seatmate.
Having noted that, it is reasonably certain that articles about Elders Gong and Soares will be featured in the October 2018 Ensign, as the November edition will contain the proceedings of the October 2018 General Conference. Stay tuned for more on all of this as more is known.
In other news, it appears that the Church website is in the preliminary stages of updating the list of general authorities to reflect the changes that became effective on the 1st of this month. I say that because when I looked at the page for the Presidency of the Seventy, the seven members that served together from April-August of this year were listed out of order. So perhaps the Church will have the membership of that Presidency updated by the end of this week or early next week.
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 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 newly-added 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.
Having noted that, it is reasonably certain that articles about Elders Gong and Soares will be featured in the October 2018 Ensign, as the November edition will contain the proceedings of the October 2018 General Conference. Stay tuned for more on all of this as more is known.
In other news, it appears that the Church website is in the preliminary stages of updating the list of general authorities to reflect the changes that became effective on the 1st of this month. I say that because when I looked at the page for the Presidency of the Seventy, the seven members that served together from April-August of this year were listed out of order. So perhaps the Church will have the membership of that Presidency updated by the end of this week or early next week.
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 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 newly-added 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.
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Latest Apostolic Statistics: Part Two--Updated Ages & Other Important Information
Hello again, everyone! Having set the stage in the first part of this apostolic age update (posted just a few moments ago), we now move on to talk specifics regarding the long-form and decimal ages of our current apostles, which will also include updated information on the average ages of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the 15 apostles as a group, current and future nonagenarians, and any other pertinent information. So let’s get right into all of that. Again, all data is current as of today.
We start with the First Presidency. As noted near the end of my previous post, President Nelson is now less than one month away from his 94th birthday, which puts his long form age at 93 years, 11 months, and 3 days, or 93.92 decimal years. President Oaks, who, as noted in a post published, is marking his 86th birthday today, is exactly 86 years old, and his decimal age is, of course, exactly 86.00 years. And President Eyring is now 85 years, 2 months, and 12 days old, with a decimal age of 85.20 years.
The three now have a combined 265.12 years of life experience, which puts their average age at 88.37 years as of today. President Oaks remains closest to that average, with his age now being 2.37 years below that average. Obviously, Presidents Nelson and Eyring are still respectively above and below the average.
We move on now to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. First, President Ballard, who, as some of you may be aware, will be celebrating his 90th birthday in less than two months, has a long-form age of 89 years, 10 months, and 4 days old, with a decimal age of 89.84 years. Elder Holland is now 77 years, 8 months, and 9 days old, which puts his decimal age at 77.69 years.
Elder Uchtdorf, at just under a month older than Elder Holland, is now 77 years, 9 months, and 6 days old, with a decimal age of 77.76 years. Elder Bednar’s long-form age is 66 years, 1 months, and 28 days, which makes his decimal age 66.16 years. Elder Cook, whose birthday is now less than one month away, is 77 years, 11 months, and 4 days old, which is 77.93 years. Elder Christofferson has a long-form age of 73 years, 6 months, and 19 days, with a decimal age of 73.55 years.
Elder Andersen, whose birthday was just 3 days ago, is now 67 years and 3 days old, which puts his decimal age at 67.01 years. Elder Rasband now has a long-form age of 67 years, 6 months, and 6 days, with a decimal age of 67.51 years. Elder Gary E. Stevenson, whose birthday was three days before that of Elder Andersen, is currently 63 years and 6 days old, or 63.02 in decimal years.
We now come to the final three apostles. Elder Renlund is now 65 years, 8 months, and 30 days old, with a decimal age of 65.75 years. Elder Gong is now 64 years, 7 months, and 20 days old, which puts him at 64.64 decimal years. Elder Soares, who will observe his birthday 6 days before President Ballard does, is now 59 years, 10 months, and 10 days old, making his decimal age 59.86 years.
The current members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have a combined 850.72 years, which averages out to 70.89 years. As I noted previously, the ages of Elders Christofferson and Rasband put them above and below that average respectively, with Elder Christofferson being 2.66 years older and Elder Rasband being 3.38 years younger.
Based on the information I provided earlier, this means that our 15 apostles have a combined 1115.84 years of life experience, which averages out to 74.39 years. Elders Holland and Christofferson stand closest to that average, with the former being 3.3 years older, and the latter being only 0.84 years younger.
We now move on to the nonagenarians. President Nelson remains the 7th oldest apostle in Church history, and now has just under 11 months before he will move up on that list. President Ballard will join that list in 1 month and 26 days. Elder Soares now has 30 years, 1 month, and 20 days until he will observe his 90th birthday, and the other 13 apostles will join that list at various points between the two, which I will detail more fully closer to the time.
I continue to track all of this information, and will do my level best to pass updates on to you regularly, with my hope being to post such updates every 6-8 weeks for the foreseeable future. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time.
If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added 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.
We start with the First Presidency. As noted near the end of my previous post, President Nelson is now less than one month away from his 94th birthday, which puts his long form age at 93 years, 11 months, and 3 days, or 93.92 decimal years. President Oaks, who, as noted in a post published, is marking his 86th birthday today, is exactly 86 years old, and his decimal age is, of course, exactly 86.00 years. And President Eyring is now 85 years, 2 months, and 12 days old, with a decimal age of 85.20 years.
The three now have a combined 265.12 years of life experience, which puts their average age at 88.37 years as of today. President Oaks remains closest to that average, with his age now being 2.37 years below that average. Obviously, Presidents Nelson and Eyring are still respectively above and below the average.
We move on now to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. First, President Ballard, who, as some of you may be aware, will be celebrating his 90th birthday in less than two months, has a long-form age of 89 years, 10 months, and 4 days old, with a decimal age of 89.84 years. Elder Holland is now 77 years, 8 months, and 9 days old, which puts his decimal age at 77.69 years.
Elder Uchtdorf, at just under a month older than Elder Holland, is now 77 years, 9 months, and 6 days old, with a decimal age of 77.76 years. Elder Bednar’s long-form age is 66 years, 1 months, and 28 days, which makes his decimal age 66.16 years. Elder Cook, whose birthday is now less than one month away, is 77 years, 11 months, and 4 days old, which is 77.93 years. Elder Christofferson has a long-form age of 73 years, 6 months, and 19 days, with a decimal age of 73.55 years.
Elder Andersen, whose birthday was just 3 days ago, is now 67 years and 3 days old, which puts his decimal age at 67.01 years. Elder Rasband now has a long-form age of 67 years, 6 months, and 6 days, with a decimal age of 67.51 years. Elder Gary E. Stevenson, whose birthday was three days before that of Elder Andersen, is currently 63 years and 6 days old, or 63.02 in decimal years.
We now come to the final three apostles. Elder Renlund is now 65 years, 8 months, and 30 days old, with a decimal age of 65.75 years. Elder Gong is now 64 years, 7 months, and 20 days old, which puts him at 64.64 decimal years. Elder Soares, who will observe his birthday 6 days before President Ballard does, is now 59 years, 10 months, and 10 days old, making his decimal age 59.86 years.
The current members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have a combined 850.72 years, which averages out to 70.89 years. As I noted previously, the ages of Elders Christofferson and Rasband put them above and below that average respectively, with Elder Christofferson being 2.66 years older and Elder Rasband being 3.38 years younger.
Based on the information I provided earlier, this means that our 15 apostles have a combined 1115.84 years of life experience, which averages out to 74.39 years. Elders Holland and Christofferson stand closest to that average, with the former being 3.3 years older, and the latter being only 0.84 years younger.
We now move on to the nonagenarians. President Nelson remains the 7th oldest apostle in Church history, and now has just under 11 months before he will move up on that list. President Ballard will join that list in 1 month and 26 days. Elder Soares now has 30 years, 1 month, and 20 days until he will observe his 90th birthday, and the other 13 apostles will join that list at various points between the two, which I will detail more fully closer to the time.
I continue to track all of this information, and will do my level best to pass updates on to you regularly, with my hope being to post such updates every 6-8 weeks for the foreseeable future. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time.
If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added 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.
Labels:
Apostolic Age & Tenure Milestones,
Church President,
First Presidency,
Sustaining the Brethren
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.
Latest Apostolic Statistics: Part One--Updated Data for President Oaks, President Nelson, and Longest-Serving Apostolic Groups
Hello again, everyone! While I have no desire to distract
or take away the focus from the discussion on future temple prospects, or from
the post I put up earlier today in honor of President Oaks’ 86th
birthday today, another 6 weeks have come and gone since I last posted updated
information on the latest apostolic statistics (on Sunday July 1, 2018). Since
this 1.5 months have seen an impressive number of changes in the data related
to that information, it seems appropriate to do so again.
As always, before we begin the discussion of that updated
data, I wanted to recognize that there may be many of you who are not
interested in the information I will be providing. So I will not in any way be offended
or bothered if any of you prefer to bypass this information (which will, as
always, be covered over the course of two posts).
As usual, all data is current as of today (Sunday July 1,
2018). This update will again feature the data in the same order as previous
updates. We will start with some data about the Presidents of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles, then turn our attention to the Presidents of the Church. After
discussing those things, the first post will end, and the second (to be
published shortly after the first) will then highlight the latest data about
all 15 of our apostles, including information on those who have had a birthday
recently and those whose birthdays are getting closer.
So let’s begin with some information on President Oaks’
current tenure length as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which
will include exploring how soon he will move up on this list. The length of his
service has currently spanned 6 months and 29 days. As noted in previous
updates, he will be marking 2 additional tenure milestones before the end of
this year, and will be marking 5 others in 2019.
Just over a month from now, on Sunday September 16, he
will become the 26th longest-serving Quorum President, as by that
time he will have served longer than President David O. McKay. After another
month, on October 22, he will become the 25th longest-serving Quorum
President, having served longer in that capacity than President Gordon B.
Hinckley. Then in 2019, he will mark 5 milestones, one in April, two others in July
(which will be observed two days apart), and the remaining two in November, and
December. I will mention the specifics of those milestones closer to that time.
Moving on now to President Nelson, since he was ordained
and set apart as Church president on the same day he set apart President Oaks as
Quorum President, his tenure has spanned 6 months and 29 days as well. He is
now 93 years, 11 months, and 3 days old.
He will observe the first tenure length milestone of his
presidency in just under two months from now, on Thursday October 11 (when he will
have served longer than President Howard W. Hunter). He will observe both
another tenure-related and his first age-related milestone two days apart in
July of 2019, with subsequent milestones more spread out in the years following
that. And again, I will be detailing those more specifically closer to the time
when they will be reached.
As I have also noted before, by all accounts, President
Nelson remains healthy, vigorous, and fully involved in the day-to-day work of
moving the Church forward. And as far as I know, neither of his counselors (who
are both 7-8 years younger than he is) are suffering from any major health
issues, which means that these Brethren will likely be serving together for at
least the next several years, and I could easily see them at least making the
list of the longest-serving First Presidencies in the Church, which will, as
previous noted, occur on Sunday April 1, 2024.
And by the end of that same year, not only will the
current First Presidency reach a couple of other milestones, but President
Nelson will by then have become the first centenarian apostle and Church
president. I know that, as recently as last year, I had offered my opinion
that, if President Nelson became president of the Church, he would likely not
serve for very long, but given the fact that he is considerably more healthy
now than President Monson may have been for the last 5-7 years of his life (if
not the entire decade of his presidency).
And as a former heart surgeon, it has been very rightly
pointed out that President Nelson would know how to take care of himself. With
that in mind, I would not be surprised if President Nelson is still around in
6-8 years, or even lives longer than that.
As for the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, except for
President Ballard (who will be 90 on October 8, which is 3 months and 1 week
from today, and who appears to be in fairly good health as well, though he may
not be as healthy as President Nelson), all other apostles are younger than 80.
With that in mind, the current members of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, who have served together since March 31 of this year, will
most likely easily make the list of the longest-serving apostles on that same
day in 2021. By the end of that same year, they will have moved up 3 spots on
the list. I will give more specific data in this regard closer to that time.
By the end of 2021, the current group of apostles in the
First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will have made and moved up
on the list of other apostolic groups to become the 12th longest-serving such
group in Church history, and other milestones will be reached in the years
following.
All of those milestones will depend on how long
Presidents Nelson and Ballard live and serve, and on how much they (or anyone
else) are affected by health issues. I continue to track the health and
ministry of these Brethren and will keep you posted.
With that said, I want to conclude this portion of the
update. 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 newly-added content, please
feel free to subscribe.
Until my next post (which should be the second one on
this subject and will be published here within the next few minutes), 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.
President Dallin H. Oaks Celebrates His 86th Birthday
Hello again, everyone! I am back in the early-morning hours of August 12 to pay tribute to the final apostle who has his birthday this month. President Dallin H. Oaks. He is marking his 86th birthday today. So let's dive right into this tribute post.
Dallin Harris Oaks was born in 1932, to Dr. Lloyd E. and Stella Harris Oaks. His mother traces her ancestry back to Martin Harris, who, as we know, was one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon. His first name was given in honor of the last name of an artist with whom his mother had worked (as the model) for a statue in Springville Utah.
His father, an opthalmologist, died when young Dallin was age 7 from complications of tuberculosis. Being the oldest child of his family, the death of his father gave him some unique opportunities to help his mother and to be an example to his younger siblings, which was one thing of which he has frequently spoken.
After his father died, his mother was able to earn a graduate degree at Columbia University and support her family by working to provide adult education opportunities for those who needed it. She also went on to become the first woman to be part of Provo's City Council, and to serve for a time as assistant mayor.
In the meantime, Elder Oaks attended Brigham Young High School, where he played football and became a certified radio engineer. Once he started attending BYU, he took many opportunities to be the radio announcer at high school games. At one of those games, he was introduced to June Dixon, whom he dated and would later marry.
He was unable to serve as a full-time missionary because he was a member of the National Guard, and there was a possibility he could have been called up to serve during the Korean War. Dallin and June were married in 1952, and he graduated from BYU two years later with a degree in accounting. He went on to study law at the University of Chicago, graduating with his degree 3 years later.
He spent the early part of his professional career clerking for Chief Justice Earl Warren of the US Supreme Court. After that, he practiced law at Kirkland and Ellis. He left that job in 1961 to become a professor at Chicago Law, While in that capacity, he served as interim dean.
During that time, the University of Chicago was desperate to get Dr. Russell M. Nelson, a renowned heart surgeon, on their staff, and Professor Oaks was asked to try and talk him into coming. Although those efforts proved unsuccessful, that encounter led to a lifelong friendships for the Nelsons and the Oaks. He also served on the foundational board of a a Mormon thought periodical. He was also chairman of the university's disciplinary committee,
He took a leave of absence from the University while serving as legal counsel to the Bill of Rights Committee of the Illinois Constitutional Convention. He left the law school for good in 1971 when he was appointed the new president of BYU (for which many candidates, including Brother Nelson, were considered), a position he held for nine years.
He then went on to serve for five years as chairman of the board of directors for PBS, and eight years as chairman of the board of directors of the Polynesian Cultural Center. In 1980, he was appointed a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, an office he held for the next four years. He was rumored to have been considered by two US Presidents (Gerald Ford and later Ronald Regan) for a nomination to the US Supreme Court.
However, a surprise change in direction for him came in 1984. President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor to the ailing Church President, Spencer W. Kimball, tracked him down via phone call to let him know that he had been selected to become an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling the second of two vacancies that had risen due to the deaths of Elders LeGrand Richards on January 11, 1983, and Mark E. Petersen exactly one year to the day later. (Due to the ill health of President Spencer W. Kimball, neither vacancy had been filled for over a year prior to April 1984.) Elder Oaks became the junior apostle to Elder Russell M. Nelson, though the two were sustained in the same General Conference.
Although both were called at the same time, Elder Oaks was unable to be present at the General Conference at which the two were sustained. President Hinckley, in leading that sustaining, offered the following explanation:
"With reference to Dallin Oaks, I should like to say that while we nominate and sustain him today, he will not be ordained to the apostleship, nor will he be set apart as a member of the Council of the Twelve, nor will he begin his apostolic service, until after he completes his present judicial commitments, which may require several weeks. He is absent from the city, and necessarily absent from the conference. We excuse him. "
Elder Oaks was ordained an apostle just short of four weeks after being sustained (having been sustained on April 7 and being subsequently ordained to the apostleship on May 3). He had his first opportunity to respond to his apostolic call six months later, speaking on the importance of witnesses, within the context of his new assignment to be a special witness of Jesus Christ.
He has now been an apostle for over 34 years, during which time he has filled a wide variety of assignments in his time as an apostle, and has had many opportunities to meet with and speak to Church members in various parts of the world. In 2002, he and Elder Holland were asked to be the first apostles in quite a while to live on-site in two of the Church's geographical areas, with then-Elder Oaks being based in the Philippines, and Elder Holland being assigned to preside in Chile.
In addition to the death of his father, then-Elder Oaks also experienced the death of his wife June, who passed away in 1998. Just over two years later, Elder Oaks married Kristen M. McMain, who has been by his side ever since. With the death of President Monson, Elder Oaks became the second most-senior apostle, and his apostolic seat-mate, President Nelson, felt impressed to call him to serve as First Counselor in the First Presidency, and he was set apart in both that capacity and as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on January 14 of this year.
During his apostolic ministry, Elder Oaks has had 71 opportunities to speak during General Conference (and he had one additional opportunity to do so prior to his apostolic call). You can review any of those talks on a wide variety of subjects here. And now that he has been called to the First Presidency, we will hear from him at least 2-3 times per General Conference.
I am grateful to have been able to take the opportunity to share more about Elder Oaks. I testify that his apostolic call, along with the calls of all other apostles, has indeed been divinely directed and inspired, as has how and when Elder Oaks has moved up in the ranks of apostolic seniority. Speaking personally, I hope Elder Oaks has had a wonderful birthday, and I hope to see him continue to live and inspire us for many years to come.
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 newly-added 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.
Dallin Harris Oaks was born in 1932, to Dr. Lloyd E. and Stella Harris Oaks. His mother traces her ancestry back to Martin Harris, who, as we know, was one of the three witnesses of the Book of Mormon. His first name was given in honor of the last name of an artist with whom his mother had worked (as the model) for a statue in Springville Utah.
His father, an opthalmologist, died when young Dallin was age 7 from complications of tuberculosis. Being the oldest child of his family, the death of his father gave him some unique opportunities to help his mother and to be an example to his younger siblings, which was one thing of which he has frequently spoken.
After his father died, his mother was able to earn a graduate degree at Columbia University and support her family by working to provide adult education opportunities for those who needed it. She also went on to become the first woman to be part of Provo's City Council, and to serve for a time as assistant mayor.
In the meantime, Elder Oaks attended Brigham Young High School, where he played football and became a certified radio engineer. Once he started attending BYU, he took many opportunities to be the radio announcer at high school games. At one of those games, he was introduced to June Dixon, whom he dated and would later marry.
He was unable to serve as a full-time missionary because he was a member of the National Guard, and there was a possibility he could have been called up to serve during the Korean War. Dallin and June were married in 1952, and he graduated from BYU two years later with a degree in accounting. He went on to study law at the University of Chicago, graduating with his degree 3 years later.
He spent the early part of his professional career clerking for Chief Justice Earl Warren of the US Supreme Court. After that, he practiced law at Kirkland and Ellis. He left that job in 1961 to become a professor at Chicago Law, While in that capacity, he served as interim dean.
During that time, the University of Chicago was desperate to get Dr. Russell M. Nelson, a renowned heart surgeon, on their staff, and Professor Oaks was asked to try and talk him into coming. Although those efforts proved unsuccessful, that encounter led to a lifelong friendships for the Nelsons and the Oaks. He also served on the foundational board of a a Mormon thought periodical. He was also chairman of the university's disciplinary committee,
He took a leave of absence from the University while serving as legal counsel to the Bill of Rights Committee of the Illinois Constitutional Convention. He left the law school for good in 1971 when he was appointed the new president of BYU (for which many candidates, including Brother Nelson, were considered), a position he held for nine years.
He then went on to serve for five years as chairman of the board of directors for PBS, and eight years as chairman of the board of directors of the Polynesian Cultural Center. In 1980, he was appointed a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, an office he held for the next four years. He was rumored to have been considered by two US Presidents (Gerald Ford and later Ronald Regan) for a nomination to the US Supreme Court.
However, a surprise change in direction for him came in 1984. President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor to the ailing Church President, Spencer W. Kimball, tracked him down via phone call to let him know that he had been selected to become an apostle and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling the second of two vacancies that had risen due to the deaths of Elders LeGrand Richards on January 11, 1983, and Mark E. Petersen exactly one year to the day later. (Due to the ill health of President Spencer W. Kimball, neither vacancy had been filled for over a year prior to April 1984.) Elder Oaks became the junior apostle to Elder Russell M. Nelson, though the two were sustained in the same General Conference.
Although both were called at the same time, Elder Oaks was unable to be present at the General Conference at which the two were sustained. President Hinckley, in leading that sustaining, offered the following explanation:
Elder Oaks was ordained an apostle just short of four weeks after being sustained (having been sustained on April 7 and being subsequently ordained to the apostleship on May 3). He had his first opportunity to respond to his apostolic call six months later, speaking on the importance of witnesses, within the context of his new assignment to be a special witness of Jesus Christ.
He has now been an apostle for over 34 years, during which time he has filled a wide variety of assignments in his time as an apostle, and has had many opportunities to meet with and speak to Church members in various parts of the world. In 2002, he and Elder Holland were asked to be the first apostles in quite a while to live on-site in two of the Church's geographical areas, with then-Elder Oaks being based in the Philippines, and Elder Holland being assigned to preside in Chile.
In addition to the death of his father, then-Elder Oaks also experienced the death of his wife June, who passed away in 1998. Just over two years later, Elder Oaks married Kristen M. McMain, who has been by his side ever since. With the death of President Monson, Elder Oaks became the second most-senior apostle, and his apostolic seat-mate, President Nelson, felt impressed to call him to serve as First Counselor in the First Presidency, and he was set apart in both that capacity and as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on January 14 of this year.
During his apostolic ministry, Elder Oaks has had 71 opportunities to speak during General Conference (and he had one additional opportunity to do so prior to his apostolic call). You can review any of those talks on a wide variety of subjects here. And now that he has been called to the First Presidency, we will hear from him at least 2-3 times per General Conference.
I am grateful to have been able to take the opportunity to share more about Elder Oaks. I testify that his apostolic call, along with the calls of all other apostles, has indeed been divinely directed and inspired, as has how and when Elder Oaks has moved up in the ranks of apostolic seniority. Speaking personally, I hope Elder Oaks has had a wonderful birthday, and I hope to see him continue to live and inspire us for many years to come.
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 newly-added 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.
Labels:
Apostolic Age & Tenure Milestones,
Apostolic Ministry & Travels,
First Presidency,
General Conference
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)