Additional Church News Reported

Hello again, everyone! Some additional Church news has been reported in recent days. Although this escaped my notice before now, it appears that yesterday, the Church updated its' statement on pageants, and the updates note officially which pageants will be discontinued and which will remain. So what has been decided in that regard? Let's talk about that.

The Nauvoo Pageant will continue with official support from Church headquarters. Following the completion of the renovation process for the Mesa Arizona Temple, the Mesa Pageant will continue under the direction of the North America Southwest Area Presidency. The British Pageant (which commemorates the arrival of the first missionaries to England in 1837) will now be held every 4 years (with the next one scheduled to be held in 2021)  under the direction of the Europe Area Presidency.

Meanwhile, the Castle Valley and Clarkston pageants are now discontinued, and, as previously announced, the Manti Pageant will end next year. while the Hill Cumorah Pageant will have its' final run in 2020. I hope this clarification and additional information is helpful to you all. There were a couple of additional Church news stories as well, so we will conclude by discussing those.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently returned from a visit to the Church's Caribbean Area, where he was able to reiterate to the Saints in that area some of the things President Nelson had said during his recent visit. Elder  Christofferson also talked about how the construction process for the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple and the October announcement of a temple for San Juan Puerto Rico are a manifestation of the resilience whereby Church members in that area continue to recover from the aftermath and impact of recent hurricanes.

And finally, on the campus of Brigham Young University-Provo, Elder David A. Bednar was the featured speaker at the weekly devotional, and he focused his remarks on how to find happiness amidst troubled times. This was a timely message. It was reported on the news yesterday that a student at BYU-Provo had plummeted from one of the campus buildings.

It has since been determined that the cause of death was suicide. BYU President and area seventy Elder Kevin J. Worthen made reference to this tragedy in brief remarks at the beginning of the devotional, and indicated that counseling and other resources are available for any student who needs that in light of this tragic occurrence.

In all scenarios, it is comforting to know that the general Church leadership are well aware of what's going on in the Church and throughout the world, and are taking steps to ameliorate such situations as best they can. I do continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will keep doing my level best to bring word of those to you all here as I receive it.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments conform to the established guidelines. 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.

A General Apology and Reminder

Hello again, everyone! Within the last month or so, there has been somewhat of a decrease in terms of comments on recent posts. So, whether or not any of you feel that I need to, I wanted to post a general apology, reminder, and clarification on the subject of comments on this blog. Previous posts have seen good back-and-forth dialogue, between the readers of this blog and myself. I worry at times that some of you who have recently started reading this blog might misunderstand my motivations behind comments I add to those discussions.

In general, I am happy to let such dialogue continue, especially when wonderful insights are shared here. But at times, I do wonder if replies I have shared here are making me come across as a know-it-all who is more interested in asserting his own views than embracing corrections, clarifications, or any other input. I have never believed myself to know more about the subjects I cover and about the gospel than any or all of you do.

That said, I often come away from such conversations very inspired regarding the topics covered, and I hope the same is true for all of you. I made a resolve when my blog began to be more widely-read and recognized that I would do my best to reply to every comment by way of thanks for it or to acknowledge, inquire, or add further insights into comments which have been shared.

I also have worried more frequently of late that some of you may see such replies from me as an attempt on my part to end the dialogue on the topics covered in posts or comments published here. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am very much a people person, and hope that my comments here add insight, depth, or further context into what is posted or commented on.

While I recognize my own fallibility and imperfection, often, in relation to questions asked here, if I have one thing in my favor, it is that I know how to find necessary resources to provide the insights in my comments. And it happens more often than not that something said here does correct, clarify, or expand on what I have noted when putting together new posts. I greatly appreciate the chance to dialogue with all of you, and hope that the content which I post proves as interesting and illuminating as do the comments from you all.

If any of you feel that I have been abrupt, rude, discourteous, or disagreeable in my replies to your comments, I sincerely apologize. I am doing my level best to share accurate information in the things I post here, and because I am so far from perfect (which I freely acknowledge without hesitation), there have definitely been recent times where many of you will post such corrections, clarifications, or questions that successfully demonstrate errors I have made, and I am grateful for that too.

I would feel awful if I ever found out that any of my readers stopped visiting or commenting because of anything I said in response to their feedback. I hope that any of you will continue to feel free to contribute to the ongoing dialogue of anything discussed here. My hope in centering the focus of this blog around recently-reported Church news and temple developments was, is, and will continue to be to provide a safe place where such topics, along with accompanying comments from myself and each of you, can serve to uplift, encourage, and inspire us all, and allow a welcome reprieve from the craziness of the world today.

As that craziness continues and gets worse (which is a sign of the times that the Second Coming of the Savior is drawing ever closer), each of us will need to be extra inspired in our efforts to prepare for that, and to deal with the ramifications of a world which is rapidly changing and where political and public discourse becomes increasingly more uncivil. I have always believed we can have disagreements without becoming disagreeable, and I hope that that attitude has been reflected in both my posts and the comments I add to discussions here. As long as that continues to be the case for me and for each of you, then my efforts to stay on top of the latest developments will have paid off in the most important ways possible.

In addition to continuing to monitor Church news and temple developments, I am still very much committed to the projects I mentioned in a previous post, all of which I hope to take care of before the end of this year. I hope that many of you are looking forward to that upcoming content. I appreciate all of you and your ongoing efforts to add inspirational insights into topics covered here.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments conform to the established guidelines on the comment form. 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.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Celebrates His 78th Birthday Today

Hello again, everyone! I am back in the early morning hours of December 3 as I promised to be, with a post written in honor of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, who is celebrating his 78th birthday today. I have previously referenced the fact that Elder Holland is one of my favorites among the current apostles. His General Conference talks always seem to especially be covering topics related to things I am going through personally during any given General Conference weekend.

As I have also mentioned, when he was a young man, Elder Holland, who was born and raised in St. George, was my dad's dad's home teaching companion. I have very vivid memories of my grandfather expressing his wonderment that a boy like that could grow up to be an apostle of the Lord. Many members of the Church may be prone to putting our apostles on pedestals, forgetting about the paths which have taken such men from the circumstances of their births to the point where the Lord sees fit to call them to be His special witnesses.

The difference is in the choices they made which enabled them to be ready, worthy, and able to accept such calls when they have come. But on another level, each of us can do likewise to ensure that we are where the Lord needs us to be and will be ready to do what He needs us to do in any circumstance in which we find ourselves.

I also have another indirect connection to Elder Holland. My mom is a freelance proofreader, and in the early days of her marriage to my dad, she worked on many projects for the Church Educational System. Since that occurred at the time when Elder Holland was the Commissioner of the CES, he was essentially my mom's "boss." And she speaks warmly of the experiences she had working with him. And my dad also reconnected with him a few different times when he (my dad) worked for the Church in Salt Lake.

Personal connections aside, I wanted to share a brief biographical sketch of Elder Holland. Jeffrey Roy Holland was born in St. George, Utah to Frank D. and Alice Bentley Holland on December 3, 1940. He served as a full-time missionary in the British Mission, during which time one of his two mission presidents was Marion D. Hanks, who at that time was serving as a member of the First Council of the Seventy. And one of Elder Holland's missionary companions, Quentin L. Cook, would later become a colleague in the apostleship.

Upon his return from his mission, he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Terry, in 1963. They are the parents of a daughter and two sons.  Elder Holland attended BYU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in religious education. He went on to earn a doctorate degree in American studies from Yale. He then became a professor at BYU, serving as Dean of the College of Religion.

He served as Commissioner of Church Education from 1976-1980. While serving in that assignment in 1980, he led a search for someone to succeed the current BYU-Provo President, Dallin H. Oaks (who would also become an apostolic colleague in the future). He was surprised when President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then serving as Second Counselor in the First Presidency, called him one day to note that he (Jeffrey R. Holland) would be the next president of BYU.

Elder Holland has served as a bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, and regional representative. Following the conclusion of his service as the president of BYU-Provo, he was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy on April 1, 1989. After the First Presidency was reorganized following the death of President Ezra Taft Benson, President Howard W. Hunter took immediate action to fill the apostolic vacancy.

In the space of a few short hours on June 23, President Hunter issued a call to the apostleship to Elder Holland, gave him his apostolic charge, set apart and ordained him to that calling,  had him join the other 14 apostles in their weekly meeting at the temple, and arranged a press conference to enable him to take questions from the media. That action was sustained by Church membership during the Solemn Assembly that was held less than three months later.

Elder Holland gave 3 talks prior to his apostolic call (one of which he gave in April 1983 as president of BYU during the Priesthood Session, with his son (a teacher at the time) also speaking during that session, and the other 2 while serving as a General Authority Seventy. And since his call to the apostleship, he has spoken 49 additional times, meaning he has given 52 addresses altogether in General Conference. To review any of these wonderful addresses, click here.

Some of my favorites among those 50 in recent years have been None Were With Him (from the Easter Sunday Morning Session of the April 2009 General Conference); Lord, I Believe (from the Sunday Afternoon Session of the April 2013 General Conference); and Songs Sung and Unsung (from the Saturday Afternoon Session of the April 2017 General Conference).

The last thing I want to mention about Elder Holland is that he is currently the second most-senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the fourth most senior of our 15 current apostles. He is also the fourth-oldest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and is the 7th oldest among all 15 apostles.

Although it is unlikely Elder Holland will ever read this personally, I am grateful for the chance I had to present this post in honor of his birthday today. I joyfully and whole-heartedly sustain each and every one of our 15 current apostles in their callings, and I look forward to seeing the way in which Elder Holland will continue his apostolic ministry in the future.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated,. on any post at any time, as long as such comments remain true to the established guidelines for this blog. 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.

Report on the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional/Overview of Definite Projects Which Will Be Posted on This Blog Before 2018 Ends

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency's Christmas Devotional concluded about 2 hours ago, and I am pleased to be able to bring you a report on what occurred during that event. As expected, music was provided by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

President Nelson asked President Oaks to conduct the devotional, which began with the Choir singing Joy to the World. An invocation was then offered by Brother Tad R. Callister, who serves as the Sunday School General President, after which the Choir sang "The First Noel". I should interject here that this year's devotional was more in line with previous traditions than the one held last year, with one speaker each from among the general officers of the Church, the Presidency of the Seventy, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and the First Presidency.

The first speaker at the devotional this year was Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, whose remarks are summarized here.

The next hymn the Choir performed was somewhat of a surprise to me. It has been a tradition for most of the last several years for the devotional to end with the Choir singing Silent Night (and with the congregation being asked to join in on the final verse), but that occurred following Sister Eubank's remarks. I should perhaps amend my previous statement. The surprising thing was not in the fact that this hymn should be part of the devotional (as that has been somewhat standard in recent years), but rather because it was performed in the midst of the devotional rather than at its' conclusion.

The second speaker was Elder Terence M. Vinson, whose call to the Presidency of the Seventy was announced in General Conference last April, and who formally began that assignment on August 1. As some of you may be aware, he was born in Australia and has lived in various surrounding nations. Prior to his call in the Presidency of the Seventy, he had been serving in the presidency of the Church's Africa West Area, to which service he referred during his remarks.

It appears that there were additional opportunities for the Choir to sing in this year's devotional than there have been in years past. Directly following Elder Vinson's address, the Choir sang "How Far is it to Bethlehem?" After that, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (who was one of the Quorum members I projected might speak to us during this devotional) addressed us.

As anticipated, President Nelson was the concluding speaker. He talked about 4 gifts from the Savior. The Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square then concluded the meeting with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. The benediction was offered by Sister Becky L. Craven, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.

There were a few common themes I noticed in each of the four addresses which were given. Those themes included: memories of past Christmas experience, the life and mission of the Savior, how many Saints rose above hardships to make Christmas more meaningful in their lives, and the vital role of Christ as the reason for the Christmas season. But more than that, I continued to marvel at how energetic and awe-inspiring our beloved prophet really is, and how much he adds a gentle, grandfatherly, and very personal and personable tone to everything he says.

I am personally very happy to have the current group of 15 men whom we sustain as prophets, seers, and revelators standing as special witnesses of Christ at this time. And although the passing of each apostle or prophet does cause some feelings of sadness and loss for so many of us, as was observed a few different times in last April's General Conference, the new apostles and prophets who are called in their stead  can and will become as equally beloved to each of us as were their predecessors.

It has been a great honor for me to pass along this summary of tonight's Christmas Devotional. One more observation, if I may, by way of reiterating something I have previously noted. For the last several years, this devotional has almost always been held on the first Sunday in December. Next year, that devotional has been set to be held on the second Sunday.

My theory as to why it will be held on the second Sunday of December 2019 is that the First Presidency may be potentially wanting to keep that first Sunday open next year for either a temple dedication or rededication, which would allow such an event to occur without distracting or detracting from the Church's emphasis on Christ as the reason for the season.

And in that regard, I should also mention that I have begun the preliminary process of updating my more specific estimates for those near-future temple events that will occur, which I hope to publish here within the next few days. Likewise in the works is, as previously noted, another post which will, if all goes well, be published within the next 12-15 hours (but hopefully less) in honor of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's 78th birthday, which he will be observing tomorrow.

As time and circumstances allow, I will also be hard at work on finalizing my April 2019 General Conference predictions, which I am hoping to get published on this blog at some point before December 16, the day on which I have promised to bring you an update on the latest apostolic statistics and upcoming milestones. One week later (two days before Christmas, I will be posting the final apostolic birthday tribute for 2018 in honor of Elder Gerrit W. Gong, who will be marking his 65th birthday on that day.

And as per my usual tradition, 8 days after that, which will coincide with New Year's Eve 2018, I will be providing a look back at how much progress has been made on temples during this year. Of course, I will also do my level best to keep bringing word of any major Church news stories or temple developments. As you can see, I have my work cut out for me on this blog for the remainder of this year. And I would not in any way be shocked to find out about a few more breaking news updates which I am also committed to passing along to you all here as I become aware of them.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are in accordance with the established guidelines. 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.

A Christmas Message for My Readers

Hello again, everyone! Although I do plan to provide coverage of the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional and to also post a birthday tribute to Elder Holland within the next 40 hours (but hopefully less, if all goes well), and will continue to do my best to provide ongoing coverage of all major Church news and significant temple developments as they occur, I feel I would be very remiss in my ongoing efforts to encourage, uplift, and inspire you, my readers, if I did not pause at the beginning of this month to share a Christmas message on this blog.

As we know, the mission of the Savior neither began with His birth as a baby in Bethlehem, nor concluded as He wrought the price of our atonement with His perfect blood in the Garden of Gethsemane and as He hung on Calvary's cross. In the great council in Heaven before any of us came to earth, our Father presented a plan whereby a Savior would be provided to atone for the sins and feel all the pain, illness and sorrow any of us would ever fill in this life.

Our brother, Lucifer, presented an alternate version of that plan, whereby he would eliminate our agency and force us to live good enough lives to return home to Heaven, for which efforts he wanted all the glory. Jesus Christ, as the oldest of all of our Father's offspring, said He would work out our salvation with a process of atonement, so that all who laid hold on that promise would be able to repent and learn from their mistakes, and would have the effects of that atonement come into play when (rather than if) we ever transgressed the laws or commandments of our Father.

There followed a war between two sides: those who accepted the Father's plan (including the recognition of a need for a Savior) and those who wanted Lucifer's plan to be utilized. The idea of agency and free will was so precious to our Father that He allowed Lucifer and his followers (which comprised roughly 1/3 of all of our Father's children) to be cast out.

For a period of roughly the next 4,000 years or so (as a result of the fall of Adam), prophets and those who heeded their words looked forward with great anticipation to the future birth of the Savior. The heavens then manifested the sign that the Savior had been born of a virgin, and shepherds (and later wise men) hastened to come and see for themselves that the prophecies of His coming had been fulfilled.

Even from a very early age, He knew exactly what He had been sent here to do. Aside from His experience at age 12 talking with the rabbis in the temple and answering their questions, pretty much everything we know about His life until His mortal ministry began is summed up in a single sentence: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature: in favor with God and man."

He began His mortal ministry when He was around the age of 30. The next three years or so were spent healing the sick, raising the dead, and bringing many miracles to pass. But as His ministry progressed, many people either did not see Him for who He was or took issue with the reports of what He had been doing. Although He was overwhelmed by the weight of our sins, sorrows, and suffering through His atonement, He was determined to see it through. He was then betrayed by one of His own disciples, after which He was subjected to inquiries by the governmental leaders of His day. Although they could "find now fault in this man", they gave in to the demands of an angry crowd, who were insistent as they said: "Crucify Him!"

After the excruciating pain of hanging on His cross (with thieves on either side of Him), He commended His spirit unto the care of His Father. While His body lay entombed for three days, His spirit preached the gospel of repentance unto those who had passed away before that time. He was then resurrected, breaking the bands of death with the eternal promise that all who came unto Him would be saved from the effects of sin and death.

Roughly 1800 years or so following His ascension back to His Father, the two presented themselves to Joseph Smith, ushering in the last and the greatest of all dispensations. Among one of many tidbits the Lord has revealed as this dispensation has continued to unfold, it was made known that the Savior's birth occurred in April. But since much of the secular and religious leaders of the world mark the milestone of His birth near the end of each year (on December 25), that day has long been accepted as Christmas. And without Christ and His mission, there would be neither a Chrstimas or an Easter.

As recorded in scripture, we have the additional promise that He will come again. But as time has worn on, the Christmas season has become more commercialized, while the true reason for the season has in many ways been completely forgotten. While Christmas each year gives us the opportunity to gather with family and friends and exchange gifts, the greatest gift any of us ever have or ever will receive is that of a Savior.

It would be beneficial for all of us, in the midst of our celebrations of the season, to remember the true meaning of Christmas. The tragic reality of our modern age is that, over time, so many of us are so wrapped up in other things which have taken our focus away from the actual reason for the season, The promise of Christmas is not merely the hope for better things or the idea that we can and will be saved from our sins as we lay hold on the gift of His salvation , but also the covenant that He can and will come again.

So as this Christmas season continues to be celebrated, I hope none of us will forget the gifts of His birth, His ministry, and His atonement. I also hope and pray that we will likewise retain in remembrance the promise that He will come again. It is up to each of us to prepare ourselves for that future event. Will we be ready when that day arrives? I certainly hope so.

I have previously shared on this blog a copy of a poem which appeared in the ward newsletter one December while I was a young Aaronic Priesthood holder. The poem conveys the high importance of our being prepared for the day when He will come again. Here once again is a copy of that poem:

‘Twas the Night Before the Savior Came        

‘Twas the night before Our Savior came and all through the house,

Not a person was praying, not one in the house.

Their scriptures were lain on the shelf without care,

Thinking Our Savior would not come there.

And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap

Was watching the late show, while I took a nap.

Where out of the East there arose such a clatter,

I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But angels proclaiming that our Savior was here!

With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray,

I knew in a moment it must be the day!

The beauty of His face made me cover my head,

It was Our Savior returning just like he said....

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,

I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand,

Was written the names of every saved man.

He spoke not a word, as He searched for my name.

Then He said, “It’s not here.” My head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love,

He gathered to take to His father above.

With those who were read, He rose without a sound,

While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late.

I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.

I stood and cried as they rose out of sight,

“Oh, if only I’d been ready tonight.”

In the words of this poem, the meaning is clear,

The coming of Our Savior is drawing near.

There is only one life and when comes the last call,

We will find that the scriptures were true, after all.

It is my hope and prayer that all of us may keep the spirit and the true meaning of Christmas with us not just through this season when we celebrate that, but also all year round, and that we and our families may be able to make room in our hearts for Him. I likewise hope that each of us will take time away from the hustle and bustle of this season to make resolutions regarding how we will retain Him and His incomparable sacrifice ever in our memories. As we make the effort to put Christ back into Christmas, may His blessings continue to attend us all. I offer my witness that He lived and died and lives again for all of us, that He will come again, and that we need Him in our lives now more than ever before. Each of us has the choice as to whether or not we will let Him in. May each of us do so is my humble prayer for this Christmas season and all year round, which I gratefully offer in the name of Him who is the reason for the season, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

Some Preliminary Thoughts on the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional

Hello again, everyone! With the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional now less than 24 hours away, I wanted to offer some thoughts leading up to it. From its' commencement up through 2012, when this devotional was held annually, the members of the First Presidency each spoke, interspersed with music from the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. Then in 2013, the First Presidency announced that other Church leaders would speak during that same devotional, which would still feature the members of the First Presidency, but on rotation.

So the 2013 devotional featured remarks from Church President Thomas S. Monson, then-Primary General President Rosemary M. Wixom, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, then a member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and then-Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The following year, the featured speakers were Elder Richard J. Maynes, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, who was then Young Women General President, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and President Henry B. Eyring, then-First Counselor in the First Presidency.

By 2015, as most of you are probably aware from previous content posted here, President Monson had begun to scale back his role in public Church events. The devotional that year consisted of talks from Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy, Sister Linda K. Burton, who was serving as Relief Society General President at the time, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who was serving as Second Counselor in the First Presidency.

In view of President Monson taking a reduced role the previous year, 2016's devotional featured remarks from then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Craig C. Christensen, then of the Presidency of the Seventy, Brother Douglas D. Holmes, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, and President Eyring again.

You can see that the devotionals between 2013 and 2016 followed a typical pattern of featuring one member each from the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Presidency of the Seventy, and from one of the general auxiliary presidencies of the Church. It seemed that pattern would continue to be the standard, until the devotional aired last year. The 2017 Devotional consisted of only 3 addresses: we heard from Sister Cristina B. Franco, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy, and then-President Uchtdorf again.

So what does that mean for this year's devotional? As I mentioned earlier, President Nelson has showed his willingness to approach standard patterns of the past with a willingness to vary them. That said, there have been a couple of groups among general Church leadership which have not been tapped as of yet to participate in the Christmas Devotional since the format changed: the Presiding Bishopric and the Sunday School General Presidency. So this year could see one or both groups asked to participate. We might also hear from a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, with my theory being that either President Ballard,  Elders Holland or Uchtdorf (the latter of whom has done so in previous years), Elders Cook, Andersen, Stevenson or Renlund.

I honestly do not know if the First Presidency would ask either Elders Gong or Soares to speak this year, but could potentially see that happening for one of them. And although all three current members of the First Presidency have spoken at this event in recent years, if we assume only one member will speak, my vote goes to our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. And if that turns out to be the case, he may ask either President Oaks or President Eyring to conduct (but likely the latter, since he has done so before).

Again, these are just some observations I wanted to pass along to you all as we prepare for the devotional tomorrow evening. Whether I am correct or absolutely dead-wrong about the likely speakers for this devotional, I will greatly enjoy the devotional either way, and I will be carrying a full report of that event here either tomorrow night or ASAP on Monday. The Lord has always inspired this event and the featured speakers thereof, and that will continue to be the case.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as they conform to the established guidelines which I have set up here. 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.

Additional Church News and Temple Developments Reported

Hello again, everyone! Within the 24 hours since my last post on this blog, a few more Church news updates and temple developments have been reported. Let's get right into all of those. First, the Church news updates. In light of the report late last night that former US President George H. W. Bush had passed away, the First Presidency issued an official statement earlier today expressing gratitude for his legacy of service to the United States, condolences and love to his family, and an invocation of God's peace to attend them at this time.

Also, two leaders of the Church (Sister Sharon Eubank, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, who also serves as chair of LDS Charities; and Elder Anthony D. Perkins of the Seventy, who is serving in a few different Church headquarters assignments), responded to an invitation from Baroness Emma Nicholson, who spearheaded the creation of AMAR, in speaking on the subject of religious intolerance at a conference in Baghdad.

That city, located in the Middle Eastern countries, happens to fall under Elder Perkins' responsibility, as he is the Senior Administrator for the Church in the Middle East/Africa North Area. You can read more about that in this article from the Newsroom.

In the meantime, we turn now to the additional temple updates of which I spoke earlier. Other developments have been noted on the construction process for the Durban South Africa Temple. While work continues on painting, millwork, plumbing, and electrical systems, tiling has begun to be installed inside that temple as well. Meanwhile, on the grounds of that temple, the exterior planter boxes are being plastered, and installation is underway on the water feature which will be part of the temple grounds.

It has also been reported that the angel Moroni statue was installed atop the Arequipa Peru Temple yesterday (November 30). Having said that, I need to offer a disclaimer here: While this milestone is significant, there is nothing currently which indicates that the dedication of that temple will occur any sooner than early 2020, and I don't see that changing in the future, unless the Lord knows something that I don't (which He does, by the way).

In the meantime, with the process of setting piles for the construction barrier on the  Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple nearing completion, work has now turned to setting up the poles within the construction barrier that will mark the areas where the footings of the temple foundation are to be poured.

It is most wonderful to see the day-to-day Church news updates and temple developments which are being reported on a consistent basis, and I was happy to bring you word of the latest here on this blog. I continue to monitor all such updates and will bring you word of the major ones as I receive them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, so long as such comments align with the established guidelines.

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 Updates/Further Adjustments to Specific Estimates Now Necessary

Hello again, everyone! During the time I was stuck at the hospital, a whole new set of temple developments were reported. I have taken time over the last 16 hours or so as my health has allowed to update my temple construction progress report with the latest updates and changes. Due to the extensive nature of the reported developments, I will need to post my entire report this time, for which I apologize profusely. And in view of the changes noted in red text, it looks like another revision will be needed for my more specific estimates for future temple events. Look for that within the next 7-10 days as time, circumstances, and my health allows that to be put together.

I do continue to monitor all major Church news and temple developments and will do my level best to bring word of those to you all here as I receive such information. In the meantime, the updated report follows below. So as to not disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, so long as those comments follow the established parameters and guidelines. 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 11/30/18)

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 at least 200 operating temples by or before Saturday April 6, 2030 (which will mark the Church’s bicentennial anniversary).

With the 12 temples announced during the October 2018 General Conference, the Church now has a total of 201 temples in any phase. With that and plans to accelerate the temple construction process in mind, it is more likely than not that there will be 200 operating temples by or before Saturday April 6, 2030 (which will mark the Church’s bicentennial anniversary), whether or not an official goal is made to do so. The Church would just need to complete 40 of the temples in various phases in the 11.35 years between now and then, which could be done if 3.52 temples are dedicated each year. Since 6 or 7 more temples will be dedicated within the next year, I can easily see the Church having 200 temples in operation by that date, and would anticipate there being more than that. Time will tell, but it seems to be a safe bet.

Current temple status: The Church has 201 temples in various phases. There are 160 in operation; 1 of which is preparing for its’ dedication; 3 more for which a dedication has been scheduled; 7 others which are currently in various phases of construction; and 2 additional temples for which a groundbreaking has been scheduled. Also, 11 temples are currently closed for renovation (6 or 7 of which are anticipated to be rededicated next year). The remaining 28 are announced, several of which are likely to have a groundbreaking in 2019 and the years following that.

During the October General Conference, President Nelson also announced that many more operating temples will be renovated in the near future, including several pioneer-era temples (most significantly the Salt Lake Temple), and that more information will be released in the coming months about which temples are closing, and what the renovations will involve and entail.

Preparing for dedication:

161.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Preparing for dedication, which is scheduled for Sunday December 9, 2018.

Dedication Scheduled:                                                                                       

162. Rome Italy Temple: Interior finish work underway; volunteers being sought for public open house; dedication scheduled for Sunday March 10-Tuesday March 12, 2019.

163. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Landscaping nearing completion; interior finish work underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday April 14, 2019.

164. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Stone cladding continues on exterior walls; open house and dedication dates announced on November 14, 2018; dedication scheduled for Sunday May 19, 2019.

Under construction, completion anticipated during 2019:

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Interior finish work underway; completion estimated sometime during mid-2019.

166. Durban South Africa Temple: Painting, millwork, plumbing, and electrical progressing; information technology equipment delivered; completion estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

167. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Angel Moroni installed; stone cladding nearing completion; installation of stained glass windows underway; meetinghouse gardens being planted; completion estimated sometime during late 2019.

Temples anticipated to be completed sometime during 2020:

168. Arequipa Peru Temple: Stone cladding the cupola; completion estimated sometime during early 2020.

169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Scaffolding placed around tower; stone cladding of exterior walls continues; installation of stained glass windows underway; completion estimated sometime during early 2020.

170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Pouring footings for temple foundation; new rendering released; completion estimated sometime during mid-2020.

Temples anticipated to be completed sometime during 2020 or 2021:

171. Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple: Setting piles for construction barrier; completion estimated sometime during late 2020-early 2021.

Groundbreaking scheduled:

172. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Official rendering released; preparing for groundbreaking, which is scheduled for Wednesday January 16, 2019; completion estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2021.

173. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Site cleared; scaffolding and debris netting placed around old Church office building; preparing for groundbreaking, which is scheduled for Saturday January 26, 2019; completion estimated sometime during mid-2022.

Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2019):

13. Oakland California Temple: Closed for renovation; Christmas lights on display as work progresses on interior; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.

95. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple: Closed for renovation; baptismal font oxen in place; laying tile; installing millwork; adding hard landscaping elements; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.

80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Closed for renovation; angel Moroni installed on November 29, 2018; rededication estimated sometime during mid-2019.

68. Raleigh North Carolina Temple: Closed for renovation; stone cladding front exterior walls and tower; rededication estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

94. Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple: Closed for renovation; process of stone cladding the exterior walls has begun; rededication estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; laying pavers for expanded parking lot; renovating exterior walls of villa; completion estimated sometime during 2019.

112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Closed for renovation; interior and exterior work underway; rededication estimated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2020):

18. Tokyo Japan Temple: Closed for renovation; exterior and interior renovations underway; rededication estimated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Closed for renovation; interior completely dismantled; exterior renovations progressing; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.

8. Mesa Arizona Temple: Closed for renovation; removing windows; grading the grounds; clearing visitors’ center site; rededication may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.

Undergoing Renovation (rededication estimated sometime during 2021):

11. Hamilton New Zealand Temple: Closed for renovation; dismantling interior; rededication may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2021.

Note on announced temples: On October 30, 2018, I reviewed the information I had available, and I accordingly reordered the temples in this section splitting them into two sub-categories. The first contains those for which there is sufficient information, based on which I have provided a rough groundbreaking estimate, which will, of course, be subject to alteration in the future as more information is available. The second section contains those temples which are ordered based on the information currently available, but for which more information will be needed before they can join the first list. And for that second list, I do not feel comfortable offering any groundbreaking estimate until more information is available.

Announced Temples (for which sufficient information has me confident enough to venture a general groundbreaking estimate):

174. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Government approval process; streets around temple site opened; groundbreaking anticipated in early 2019.

175. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Government approval phase; probable site identified; awaiting official confirmation and artist’s rendering; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

176. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited probable site on October 20, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

178. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited potential site on April 17, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

179. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

180. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

181. Layton Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.

182. Richmond Virginia Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

183. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early-to-mid 2020.

184. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

185. Bengaluru India Temple: Planning and approval phase; announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson toured potential locations on April 19, 2018; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2020.

186. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in ­mid-2020.

187. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2020.

Announced Temples (for which more information is needed before I provide an estimated groundbreaking time-frame):

188. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

189. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

190. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

191. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official location and site announcement.

192. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

193. Salvador Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

194. Yuba City, California Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

195. Praia Cape Verde Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

196. Yigo Guam Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

197. Puebla Mexico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

198. Lagos Nigeria Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

199. Davao Philippines Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

200. San Juan Puerto Rico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

201. Washington County Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city and site announcement.

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.

Personal Update/Upcoming Projects For This Blog & Church Events

Hello again, everyone! It has been 12 days since my last post, and I feel I owe all of you an explanation. In the late night hours when Saturday November 18 became Sunday November 19, I became violently ill. For a while, I resisted my wife's insistence that we take me to the emergency room, but after reevaluating my symptoms and motivations, I agreed with her assessment, and we headed out.

A few hours later, while at the ER, we discovered I had a couple of kidney stones. After some very rapid investigations and doctor consultations, we were able to get the worst of that problem dealt with, though I will have to go back in at some point to finalize that process. Over the following 8-9 days, I initially was in recuperation, but then became ill again. After some additional tests, we learned that my appendix had become enlarged, and were told that, while there was no imminent danger of additional problems from that condition, getting it removed would likely be beneficial.

And so my wife and I discussed what was to be done. At first, I remained a little stubborn and didn't want to go through with it. But after the two of us had a prayer together, my wife ran home to take care of some errands. Left alone with my thoughts, I received a very strong and direct rebuke from the Lord, which was so clear it could not be mistaken as anything else: I needed to have the procedure done. First thing  yesterday morning, I was wheeled into the OR where we got that taken care of. My progress was steady enough that the doctors arranged for my release to go home in the mid-to-latter part of the evening. I have been recuperating at home ever since.

With that explanation given, I wanted to apologize for a few things, whether or not anyone else feels I need to do so. First, with my condition being what it was, I did not have the health or physical capacity to track/report on Church news and temple developments within this period of time. Second, while I did see the latest comments added to this blog, I was unable to reply to them before now (though I did try repeatedly to do so while my in-hospital recuperation continued).

Third, since i couldn't get replies posted to the comments recently added to this blog, I was likewise unable to post this personal update within the last week or so. And finally, with my having spent the last 10 days in the hospital, I have lots of updates to make to some of the personal files I keep (most notably those related to apostolic milestones and temple construction. What that means for this blog over the next little while is that it may be a minimum week or two (but possibly longer) before I will be able to get back to the meticulous, minute reports on day-to-day Church news and temple developments which have been typically found on this blog throughout the last year.

That said, I will be sure to bring all major developments to you (including any and all breaking Church news and major temple developments, in addition to the latest apostolic milestones). Among those specific projects I have in mind for the immediate and near future will be the birthday tributes for Elders Jeffrey R. Holland (who is set to observe his 78th birthday on December 3) and Gerrit W. Gong (who will celebrate his 65th birthday on December 23).

The week before Elder Gong's birthday (December 16, which will coincide with my own birthday), it is my hope to bring you the final apostolic statistical update for this year. But my top priority after updating the files I referenced earlier will be fulfilling my promise to finalize and publish my April 2019 General Conference predictions. The main hold-up on those is the work that remains in annotating the important information supporting the candidates on my list of locations which could have a temple announced next April.

But hopefully ax I continue to heal from my most recent health adventure, those things will quickly be able to be put together and published here on my blog, and, as noted, if all goes well, I would anticipate being able to resume the more complete reports of Church news and temple developments sometime within the next month or two. In the meantime, for those who want to track the developments which I won't be able to report on during this time, you can find them via the Church News website, the Church of Jesus Christ Temples page, the News & Events page on the Church's official website, and, of course, the Church's official Newsroom.

Also upcoming this weekend will be the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional, which is anticipate to include 3-4 speakers, one each from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and one or two others from among the other general authorities and general officers of the Church. President Nelson has shown a willingness to deviate from typical patterns when the Lord prompts him to do so, so something similar may occur this Sunday. Then, a week after that, Church leaders are set to dedicate the Barranquilla Colombia Temple.

I mentioned earlier that Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Ruth L. Renlund would be the featured speakers for the first Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults next year (which will be held on Sunday January 13). But the Church has also since noted that Elder Ronald A. Rasband, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will be the featured speaker at the annual "Evening with a General Authority", which, as some of you may be aware, is the broadcast for seminary and institute instructors and their spouses. Less than one month later, on March 2, RootsTech, which is a Church-sponsored organization supporting family history, will hold their annual Discovery Day.

April General Conference will be held over the weekend of Saturday April 6-Sunday April 7. Then on May 2-3, BYU will hold its' annual Women's Conference, which will feature speakers from among the general leadership of the Church. The following Sunday, on May 5, Elder Carl B. Cook of the Presidency of the Seventy will be the featured speaker for the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults. The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will present their annual Pioneer Day Concert on July 20.

The final Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults in 2019 is set for September 8, with the speaker to be announced within the next few months. October General Conference will occur during the weekend of October 5-6. And the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional for 2019 will be held on Sunday December 8. This list of upcoming events does not include scheduled temple events, which will be detailed in full on the next version of my temple construction progress report which I also hope to post at some point within the next week (if not sooner).

Thank you all for bearing with me through my recent ordeal, and even moreso as I continue to recover therefrom. I do continue to monitor any and all major Church news and temple developments as I can, and will bring word of the most significant updates to you ASAP. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments align with the purposes and goals of this blog.

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.

Additional Temple Developments and Church News Stories Reported

Hello again, everyone! Although I am more than 24 hours later than I'd hoped or intended to be in starting this post, I wanted to pass along, as promised, some additional temple developments and Church news stories. There are quite a few significant developments to report, so let's get right into all of that. We will start with the temple updates, then turn in conclusion to the additional Church news.

Two significant temple developments have been reported. On Thursday, the new artist's rendering for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple was released. You can see the significant differences as follows: The Church's report on the groundbreaking for that temple (which occurred on December 3, 2016) shows the initial exterior look for that temple (which you can find in the second-to-last image accompanying that report.)

Then yesterday, the subpage for that temple on the Church of Jesus Christ Temples website provided a look at the new design for that temple. Although Tyndall stone was incorporated in both of those designs for that temple, most of the exterior of the temple in the newly-released design will utilize brick, rather than stone. I am not entirely sure as to why that redesign was necessary, but if the changes have enabled the Church to begin full-scale construction on this project, the process of changing the design will have been well worth it in the long run. I am not sure whether copyright law in relation to these two images would allow me to post them here, so to err on the side of caution, I hope it is sufficient enough for me to post the information on where those images can be viewed.

The second temple development on which I wanted to focus relates to one of the announced temples. I mentioned previously that the process of preparing the final building for its' demolishment on the grounds of the Bangkok Thailand Temple site was underway. Earlier today, it was reported that debris netting has now been placed around the building. I am not quite sure how long the actual demolition process is anticipated to take. But given the fact that it is now just past 6:40 AM on Sunday morning in Thailand, it will likely be another 24 hours before we hear anything more on that process.

I still think it would be awesome if the Church could break ground for this temple and if construction can get underway on it before the end of this year, but it may be a while before we know whether or not that can feasibly happen. Other than these developments, nothing else has changed in terms of temple developments. But I hope we will hear more news about the Bangkok Thailand Temple and the Urdaneta Philippines Temple in the coming weeks. I am similarly anticipating that we might hopefully hear soon that the dedication of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple and the rededications of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma and Memphis Tennessee Temples have been set.

In the meantime, let's turn our attention to Church news updates.  First, from the Church's official Newsroom website, we have a report shared from the Pacific edition of that site on how Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon and Primary General President Joy D. Jones are taking time to get to know and minister to many Latter-day Saints in the Pacific Area of the Church.

Other Church news stories describe how 8 couples have been called by the First Presidency to oversee and direct tours for Church members and friends of other faiths who are visiting prominent Church history sites, and also a wide-ranging conversation with former Relief Society General President and Young Women General Presidency member Julie B. Beck as she prepares to publish a new book.

The Church News has also shared this account of how 3 apostles (Elders Holland, Bednar and Cook), along with Elder Robert C. Gay of the Presidency of the Seventy, Relief Society General President Sister Jean B. Bingham, Elder Kim B. Clark, the Commissioner of Church Education, BYU-Pathway Worldwide President Clark S. Glibert and his wife Sister Christine Gilbert were all featured in a devotional broadcast held for students involved in the BYU-Pathway Worldwide program.  With the exception of President and Sister Gilbert and Elder Clark, all other participants in that broadcast serve as members of the Executive Committee of the Boards for the Church Educational System.

Finally, from the News & Events page on the Church's official website, Latter-day Saints living in southern Texas are anxiously anticipating the visit of Church President Russell M. & Sister Wendy W. Nelson, Elder David A. and Sister Susan K. Bednar, and Elder Adrian and Sister Nancy Ochoa, who are set to speak to Saints in a devotional scheduled tomorrow which will be held at the Alamodrome.

Also, Sister Vicki G. Jackman, who serves as a member of the Young Women General Board, shares some thoughts on her most influential teacher, someone whose life and example demonstrated a life woven with threads of testimony. And in the wake of the wildfire and campfires that decimated Paradise, California, local bishops continue to minister to members of their congregations whose homes were destroyed. What a wonderful time in which we live, where the latest Church news and temple developments are so consistently available to us on such a significant scale.

I continue to monitor all such reports and remain committed to bringing word of those to you all as I receive it. I also continue to work on my initial predictions for the April 2019 General Conference and hope to bring those to you for discussion here at some point next week, if all goes well. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time.

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.