Hello again, everyone! Some additional Church news has been noted, along with one more temple development. Earlier today, the sources I have available for temple updates noted that the process of demolishing the old Church office building is well underway at the site for the Bangkok Thailand Temple. With 1.5 months remaining between now and the date when the groundbreaking ceremony will be held, it was good to hear of this development.
Now for the Church news. We first have a couple of inspiring stories about how the father of an autistic boy was blessed by listening to the counsel of a 13-year-old Deacon's Quorum President, and the other is about how a father of 6 has been able to move forward after his wife was killed by a drunk driver. The Church News website also summarized the highlights from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's 2018 Christmas Concert, which is, as previously noted, featuring Kristen Chenoweth.
I continue to monitor all such developments and will do my level best to continue to pass word of those to you all as I receive it, either through new posts or comments on previously-published posts. I also continue to work as quickly as I can to ensure that I will be able to keep my promise to publish the apostolic milestone updates in two posts this weekend, in addition to hopefully being able to post my April 2019 General Conference predictions by no later than Monday December 17, but certainly before then if all goes well. Stay tuned for all of that, as I look forward to your feedback.
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 feedback is given 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.
Friday, December 14, 2018
Further Church News and Temple Development Noted
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: Changes Announced for Age Progression/Ordination in Young Men Quorums and Young Women Groups
Hello again, everyone! I recently addressed on this blog President Nelson's statement about how all of us should eat our vitamin pills and get our rest, because there will be more revelation from the Lord for His Church in the days ahead. In another totally unexpected announcement that again instantly made sense and for which I received confirmation that it was right, the First Presidency announced a change in the way young men in Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and young women in their groups will progress from one Quorum or class to another.
As further explained in the official letter and FAQs, beginning in January, all boys and girls in the Church will complete Primary in January of the year in which they will be turning 12. At that point, all young men who will be 12 during that year will receive the Aaronic Priesthood and will be ordained deacons, and all young women who will be 12 that year will join the Beehive class. Similarly, all young men who will be 14 each year will be ordained teachers in January, while the young women will advance to the Mia Maid class, and the same will be true at the beginning of the year when all turning 16 will be ordained priests (for the young men) or will advance to the Laurel class (for the young women).
As has been the case in the past, all Aaronic Priesthood ordinations will continue to be presented for sustaining vote, but that will occur in January. The advancement of young women will not be recognized over the pulpit. This also means that all ordained teachers and priests and all Mia Maids and Laurels will continue to be part of the ministering program, and that all young men and young women who will be 14 and older any given year will participate in youth conferences and be invited to the youth dances. And of course, all ordained priests and young women in the Laurel class will be able to assist in the temple as previously announced.
These changes are being made in the Church's ongoing efforts to reduce and simplify the work of leaders and members worldwide, and also in an effort to add strength and numbers each year to Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and young women groups. These changes will take effect this January. The bishops of each ward will continue to meet with youth on a yearly basis, with the counselors in the bishopric interviewing young men and young women at other times during the year as needed.
I was pleased to hear of this development, and grateful for the chance to bring word of it to you all here. I am similarly grateful that the Brethren have recognized the need for consistency and have determined the best way to strengthen Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and young women classes. Now the transition to Sunday School classes and youth groups will match perfectly.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will 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 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.
As further explained in the official letter and FAQs, beginning in January, all boys and girls in the Church will complete Primary in January of the year in which they will be turning 12. At that point, all young men who will be 12 during that year will receive the Aaronic Priesthood and will be ordained deacons, and all young women who will be 12 that year will join the Beehive class. Similarly, all young men who will be 14 each year will be ordained teachers in January, while the young women will advance to the Mia Maid class, and the same will be true at the beginning of the year when all turning 16 will be ordained priests (for the young men) or will advance to the Laurel class (for the young women).
As has been the case in the past, all Aaronic Priesthood ordinations will continue to be presented for sustaining vote, but that will occur in January. The advancement of young women will not be recognized over the pulpit. This also means that all ordained teachers and priests and all Mia Maids and Laurels will continue to be part of the ministering program, and that all young men and young women who will be 14 and older any given year will participate in youth conferences and be invited to the youth dances. And of course, all ordained priests and young women in the Laurel class will be able to assist in the temple as previously announced.
These changes are being made in the Church's ongoing efforts to reduce and simplify the work of leaders and members worldwide, and also in an effort to add strength and numbers each year to Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and young women groups. These changes will take effect this January. The bishops of each ward will continue to meet with youth on a yearly basis, with the counselors in the bishopric interviewing young men and young women at other times during the year as needed.
I was pleased to hear of this development, and grateful for the chance to bring word of it to you all here. I am similarly grateful that the Brethren have recognized the need for consistency and have determined the best way to strengthen Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and young women classes. Now the transition to Sunday School classes and youth groups will match perfectly.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will 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 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.
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, December 12, 2018
Further Temple Development and Major Church News Reported
Hello again, everyone! I received word earlier today about one more temple development, and some major Church news. We will start with the latter subject, then conclude with the update for that temple. First of all, as some of you may recall, earlier this year, the Church announced that two of its' international Missionary Training Centers would be closing, with the facilities thereof to be re-purposed in the future as such determinations are made. Earlier today, the Church announced that, in an ongoing effort to reduce and simplify the work of the Church and the missionary training program, the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic MTC will also close in January 2019, and that plans for future use of that space are yet-to-be determined.
Some may not see the sense behind closing and re-purposing these MTCs, which have well served the purpose of training the missionary forces which have come from them, but for myself, I know that such decisions are inspired and motivated by the Lord, and that He and His servants, the prophets and apostles, know what we do not know, foresee what we cannot foresee, and therefore are acting in the best interests of moving the work forward in the most effective way possible. It will certainly be most interesting to learn in the future about how, in what manner, and within what time-frame these buildings will be re-purposed, and I will be sure to pass anything I find out about in that regard along to you all here ASAP.
In the meantime, Ron Jarrett (who serves as the president of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square) and Mack Wilberg (the director of that Choir) joined guest artist Kristen Chenoweth at the Relief Society Building earlier today to talk to journalists and to provide some thoughts about the upcoming Christmas concert. Chenoweth has had a busy year already.
Among other acting roles, she was the special guest star of NBC's crime mockumentary, "Trial and Error", and, alongside Idina Menzel, she headlined an NBC tribute program held in honor of the 15th anniversary of "Wicked", the play that serves as a prequel to the events of "The Wizard of Oz", and tells the story of the initially friendly relationship between Glinda and Elphaba, who later became the Wicked Witch of the West.
Chenoweth noted that, growing up in Oklahoma, the Choir's annual Christmas Concert was something to which she always looked forward. She spoke of how honored and humbled she felt to be asked to perform with them this year. Brothers Jarrett and Wilberg in turn noted that the Choir had been hoping for years to get her booked as a guest at some point, and that they were glad to have been able to do so this year.
The Church News provided additional coverage of these developments, with articles about the MTC closure and the Christmas concert. And Elder LeGrand R. Curtis, who serves as both an Assistant Executive Director of the Church History Department and as First Counselor in the Presidencies of the Church's 3 Utah Areas, spoke at the BYU Management Society Devotional on the subject of how three objects taught him about business ethics.
Having discussed these latest Church news items, we conclude now with the temple development I mentioned. The process of cladding the exterior walls of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple has been ongoing for a while now. Earlier today, many of the sources I have available noted that that process was now focused on the front exterior walls and tower. As many of you will recall, the open house and dedication information for that temple was announced less than a month ago for that temple (the exact date was November 14).
Since that temple is a smaller one, the process of finalizing construction will come together a lot more swiftly than it has for larger temples, such as the one in Fortaleza Brazil, for which we are currently awaiting the official announcement of the open house and dedication information. So it makes sense that the Brethren would have set a dedication for the Haitian temple although the stone cladding process is still ongoing. If all that remains is to finish that cladding, add the angel Moroni, and turn it back over to the Church for furnishing, then it is little wonder that the temple's dedication has been set for May 19 of next year.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and remain committed to bringing word of those to you all 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 are made 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.
Some may not see the sense behind closing and re-purposing these MTCs, which have well served the purpose of training the missionary forces which have come from them, but for myself, I know that such decisions are inspired and motivated by the Lord, and that He and His servants, the prophets and apostles, know what we do not know, foresee what we cannot foresee, and therefore are acting in the best interests of moving the work forward in the most effective way possible. It will certainly be most interesting to learn in the future about how, in what manner, and within what time-frame these buildings will be re-purposed, and I will be sure to pass anything I find out about in that regard along to you all here ASAP.
In the meantime, Ron Jarrett (who serves as the president of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square) and Mack Wilberg (the director of that Choir) joined guest artist Kristen Chenoweth at the Relief Society Building earlier today to talk to journalists and to provide some thoughts about the upcoming Christmas concert. Chenoweth has had a busy year already.
Among other acting roles, she was the special guest star of NBC's crime mockumentary, "Trial and Error", and, alongside Idina Menzel, she headlined an NBC tribute program held in honor of the 15th anniversary of "Wicked", the play that serves as a prequel to the events of "The Wizard of Oz", and tells the story of the initially friendly relationship between Glinda and Elphaba, who later became the Wicked Witch of the West.
Chenoweth noted that, growing up in Oklahoma, the Choir's annual Christmas Concert was something to which she always looked forward. She spoke of how honored and humbled she felt to be asked to perform with them this year. Brothers Jarrett and Wilberg in turn noted that the Choir had been hoping for years to get her booked as a guest at some point, and that they were glad to have been able to do so this year.
The Church News provided additional coverage of these developments, with articles about the MTC closure and the Christmas concert. And Elder LeGrand R. Curtis, who serves as both an Assistant Executive Director of the Church History Department and as First Counselor in the Presidencies of the Church's 3 Utah Areas, spoke at the BYU Management Society Devotional on the subject of how three objects taught him about business ethics.
Having discussed these latest Church news items, we conclude now with the temple development I mentioned. The process of cladding the exterior walls of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple has been ongoing for a while now. Earlier today, many of the sources I have available noted that that process was now focused on the front exterior walls and tower. As many of you will recall, the open house and dedication information for that temple was announced less than a month ago for that temple (the exact date was November 14).
Since that temple is a smaller one, the process of finalizing construction will come together a lot more swiftly than it has for larger temples, such as the one in Fortaleza Brazil, for which we are currently awaiting the official announcement of the open house and dedication information. So it makes sense that the Brethren would have set a dedication for the Haitian temple although the stone cladding process is still ongoing. If all that remains is to finish that cladding, add the angel Moroni, and turn it back over to the Church for furnishing, then it is little wonder that the temple's dedication has been set for May 19 of next year.
I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and remain committed to bringing word of those to you all 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 are made 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.
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.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Additional Temple Developments and Church News Reported
Hello again, everyone! Some additional temple developments and Church news items have been reported. The nature of these updates is such that it is more practical for me to put them in a new post, rather than trying to share them in comments. So let's get right into all of that. We will start with the temple updates, then conclude with the Church news.
Progress has been reported on two temples undergoing renovation. On November 30 of this year, I had noted a minor update on the status of the renovation process for the Frankfurt Germany Temple. And today, just 10 days later, we have another update noted. Landscaping irrigation is being installed while trees and shrubs are being planted on the temple grounds.
I am hoping that, given the timing and nature of this update, there may be a chance (however slim it might be) that this temple might have its' general estimate moved up, which in turn would allow me to move my more specific estimate up. In the meantime, as I have mentioned a few different times in the past, I am anticipating that, whenever the First Presidency sets that rededication to occur, that they will ask Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our native German, who is a senior member of the Twelve, and who has previously presided at many temple dedications and rededications during his decade in the First Presidency, to preside at this rededication.
We now turn to the other temple update. The last time progress was noted on the Washington D. C. Temple was on Monday November 12, at which time I noted that the interior had been completely dismantled and that exterior renovations were progressing. The new information I have today indicates that Christmas lights are now on display (as per the usual tradition for that temple) as renovation work continues.
With that noted, I wanted to mention something here to which I have previously referred. As many of you might recall, both the Washington D. C. and Mesa Arizona Temples closed earlier this year (the former on March 4, and the latter on May 20). Both are anticipated to have their renovations completed at some point in 2020. Based on the fact that both temples are also on the larger side (with the former being the larger of the two), I set a general estimate of mid-to-late 2020.
But in view of the fact that this is the second time the Mesa temple has been renovated, I have also offered my opinion that the rededication of that temple could occur before that of the Washington D. C. Temple. Since I have no verification of that through any other source I have available, it may be another 6-12 months before we know for sure whether or not that is a reasonable assumption. I will be monitoring all future temple developments and will be sure to make any adjustments to previously-offered general or specific estimates as more information comes to light.
We now turn to the Church news updates. First, a Church News contributor recently sat down for an interview with Val Chadwick Bagley. If that name sounds familiar to any of you, there is a good reason for that. He has contributed gospel-themed cartoons for the Church magazines for the last 40 years, in addition to authoring and providing illustrations for several Church-themed books. He has enjoyed drawing such cartoons throughout his entire life.
But because he had trouble originally getting anyone to take his talent seriously, the path leading to his current opportunity to create such cartoons for the Church magazines involved a couple of detours with jobs not related to cartoons, including adding labels to different cheese products. In the due course of time, he was able to transition to cartooning full-time, and, as already noted, he has had a prestigious 40-year career (thus far) drawing such cartoons for the Church magazines.
Moving on to the official Church website, from the News & Events page, we have a report on some additional resources which are now available relating to the ministering program of the Church. Also, I may or may not have mentioned this previously, but the Church has announced that Jake Shimabukuro, a viral ukulele musician, will keynote RootsTech on March 2, 2019.
And finally, from the official English Newsroom, today marks the 4th anniversary of the release of the fourth article in a five-part series on why faith matters to and makes a difference in society today. Since the five-part series on that subject is more relevant today than it ever has been, the links to the other four parts of that series can be found under the "Additional Resources" section at the bottom of that page.
I recognize that this post was a long one, and I apologize for that. But I hope the information herein is interesting to most if not all of you who read it. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and remain committed to bringing word of those to you all as soon as I can after I become aware of such things. It appears that I have bounced back enough from my most recent health ordeal that such updates will be as thorough as they have previously been in the past.
I have also not forgotten or neglected the projects which I have mentioned will be published on this blog by the end of this year (the latest apostolic milestone update, which will be published this next Sunday; the birthday tribute to Elder Gerrit W. Gong one week later; my April 2019 General Conference predictions, for which I am finalizing the necessary annotation; and a New Year's Eve look at temple progress which has occurred during 2018).
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 harmony 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.
Progress has been reported on two temples undergoing renovation. On November 30 of this year, I had noted a minor update on the status of the renovation process for the Frankfurt Germany Temple. And today, just 10 days later, we have another update noted. Landscaping irrigation is being installed while trees and shrubs are being planted on the temple grounds.
I am hoping that, given the timing and nature of this update, there may be a chance (however slim it might be) that this temple might have its' general estimate moved up, which in turn would allow me to move my more specific estimate up. In the meantime, as I have mentioned a few different times in the past, I am anticipating that, whenever the First Presidency sets that rededication to occur, that they will ask Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our native German, who is a senior member of the Twelve, and who has previously presided at many temple dedications and rededications during his decade in the First Presidency, to preside at this rededication.
We now turn to the other temple update. The last time progress was noted on the Washington D. C. Temple was on Monday November 12, at which time I noted that the interior had been completely dismantled and that exterior renovations were progressing. The new information I have today indicates that Christmas lights are now on display (as per the usual tradition for that temple) as renovation work continues.
With that noted, I wanted to mention something here to which I have previously referred. As many of you might recall, both the Washington D. C. and Mesa Arizona Temples closed earlier this year (the former on March 4, and the latter on May 20). Both are anticipated to have their renovations completed at some point in 2020. Based on the fact that both temples are also on the larger side (with the former being the larger of the two), I set a general estimate of mid-to-late 2020.
But in view of the fact that this is the second time the Mesa temple has been renovated, I have also offered my opinion that the rededication of that temple could occur before that of the Washington D. C. Temple. Since I have no verification of that through any other source I have available, it may be another 6-12 months before we know for sure whether or not that is a reasonable assumption. I will be monitoring all future temple developments and will be sure to make any adjustments to previously-offered general or specific estimates as more information comes to light.
We now turn to the Church news updates. First, a Church News contributor recently sat down for an interview with Val Chadwick Bagley. If that name sounds familiar to any of you, there is a good reason for that. He has contributed gospel-themed cartoons for the Church magazines for the last 40 years, in addition to authoring and providing illustrations for several Church-themed books. He has enjoyed drawing such cartoons throughout his entire life.
But because he had trouble originally getting anyone to take his talent seriously, the path leading to his current opportunity to create such cartoons for the Church magazines involved a couple of detours with jobs not related to cartoons, including adding labels to different cheese products. In the due course of time, he was able to transition to cartooning full-time, and, as already noted, he has had a prestigious 40-year career (thus far) drawing such cartoons for the Church magazines.
Moving on to the official Church website, from the News & Events page, we have a report on some additional resources which are now available relating to the ministering program of the Church. Also, I may or may not have mentioned this previously, but the Church has announced that Jake Shimabukuro, a viral ukulele musician, will keynote RootsTech on March 2, 2019.
And finally, from the official English Newsroom, today marks the 4th anniversary of the release of the fourth article in a five-part series on why faith matters to and makes a difference in society today. Since the five-part series on that subject is more relevant today than it ever has been, the links to the other four parts of that series can be found under the "Additional Resources" section at the bottom of that page.
I recognize that this post was a long one, and I apologize for that. But I hope the information herein is interesting to most if not all of you who read it. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and remain committed to bringing word of those to you all as soon as I can after I become aware of such things. It appears that I have bounced back enough from my most recent health ordeal that such updates will be as thorough as they have previously been in the past.
I have also not forgotten or neglected the projects which I have mentioned will be published on this blog by the end of this year (the latest apostolic milestone update, which will be published this next Sunday; the birthday tribute to Elder Gerrit W. Gong one week later; my April 2019 General Conference predictions, for which I am finalizing the necessary annotation; and a New Year's Eve look at temple progress which has occurred during 2018).
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 harmony 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.
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, December 9, 2018
Barranquilla Colombia Temple Is Dedicated; Other Church News Reported
Hello again, everyone! I have some more Church news to report. First and foremost, official reports on the dedication of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple are now available. We have a report on the youth devotional, another from the Church News covering the dedication, and a report from the Newsroom covering both events. It is interesting to note that only 2 new temples were dedicated this year, but 6 others will be dedicated next year. As we know, 3 have already had a dedication scheduled, and we are almost certain to see the open house and dedication announced for the Fortaleza Brazil Temple within the next couple of weeks or less.
That said, let's discuss the other Church news. A Deseret News staff writer, who also covers news of the Church, shared his memory of how he and Elder Holland both saw their fathers pass away during the Christmas season, how Elder Holland comforted him after his father passed away, and how he (the Church News staffer) only learned about Elder Holland's experience as a result of the address he (Elder Holland) gave while Elder Holland gave a Christmas message at an Anglican chapel in Oxford, England.
And finally, Gerry Avant, the retired Church News editor, continued her retrospective look back at the highlights of her career by sharing her experience covering the then-Mormon Tabernacle Choir (now known as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square) in their tour of Israel in 1993. During that time, the Choir was approached by Franciscan monks who expressed appreciation for the opportunity to hear sacred songs celebrating the Savior's birth in the land in which He walked, ministered, and taught.
It is wonderful to see the inspiring Church news reported on a day-to-day basis. I continue to monitor those stories, and all temple developments, and will be sure to bring word of those to you all here as I receive it. I continue to work as hard and quickly as I can on getting my General Conference predictions finalized so I can share those with you all here.
I am also still planning on posting the final apostolic age & tenure update for 2018 one week from today, and a birthday tribute to Elder Gong the following week. On the last day of 2018, I will be providing a look back at the progress made on temples. So I hope there will be a lot to which all of you are looking forward.
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 harmony 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.
That said, let's discuss the other Church news. A Deseret News staff writer, who also covers news of the Church, shared his memory of how he and Elder Holland both saw their fathers pass away during the Christmas season, how Elder Holland comforted him after his father passed away, and how he (the Church News staffer) only learned about Elder Holland's experience as a result of the address he (Elder Holland) gave while Elder Holland gave a Christmas message at an Anglican chapel in Oxford, England.
And finally, Gerry Avant, the retired Church News editor, continued her retrospective look back at the highlights of her career by sharing her experience covering the then-Mormon Tabernacle Choir (now known as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square) in their tour of Israel in 1993. During that time, the Choir was approached by Franciscan monks who expressed appreciation for the opportunity to hear sacred songs celebrating the Savior's birth in the land in which He walked, ministered, and taught.
It is wonderful to see the inspiring Church news reported on a day-to-day basis. I continue to monitor those stories, and all temple developments, and will be sure to bring word of those to you all here as I receive it. I continue to work as hard and quickly as I can on getting my General Conference predictions finalized so I can share those with you all here.
I am also still planning on posting the final apostolic age & tenure update for 2018 one week from today, and a birthday tribute to Elder Gong the following week. On the last day of 2018, I will be providing a look back at the progress made on temples. So I hope there will be a lot to which all of you are looking forward.
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 harmony 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.
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.
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Temple Construction Updates Noted
Hello again, everyone! There have been a few developments reported within the last 12 hours or less in relation to temple construction. So let's dive right in to our discussion of those updates. First of all, information found earlier today indicates that President Nelson has asked his First Counselor, President Oaks, to dedicate the Barranquilla Colombia Temple this weekend. Later today, reports will come in about the youth devotional, and that will give us some idea of who is accompanying President Oaks from general Church leadership.
This was wonderful to find out about. I had wondered earlier this year how long it would be before President Nelson began sharing responsibilities for attendance at temple dedications with his counselors and the senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve. As we saw earlier this year, the two temples which were rededicated (Houston Texas and Jordan River Utah) were presided over by Presidents Ballard and Eyring respectively, who serve as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve and Second Counselor to President Nelson respectively.
I am not sure what that means for future temple dedications, but I imagine there will be some over which President Nelson presides as those dedications will be part of his ongoing Global Ministry Tour, while there will be others for which he taps his counselors or the senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Either way, President Nelson has, right out of the gate, shown a willingness to do things differently than they have previously been done, so we are almost certain to see that continue.
That said, let's move on to other temple updates. It has been noted earlier today that construction has officially been completed for both the Rome Italy and Kinshasa DR Congo Temples, where the placement of interior furnishings is underway, while both temples are being prepared for their open houses. The temple in Rome will have its' open house begin in roughly 7.5 weeks, with the open house for the Kinshasa Temple beginning on the last day of the Rome Temple's set dedication.
For the Fortaleza Brazil Temple, new information received earlier today notes that landscaping and construction efforts are in their final stages. It has additionally been noted that, if all goes well, the construction team assigned to that temple will be turning it back over to the Temple Department for the final touches within the next few weeks, at which point the open house and dedication information can and will likely be set.
Some of the sources I have available have moved the general estimate for this temple's completion back up to early-to-mid 2019, which I can understand. At the same time, however, given the dedication information set for the Rome, Kinshasa, and Port-au-Prince Temples (for March 10-12, April 14, and May 19 respectively), until more is known about the Fortaleza temple, or until the Church officially announces that information, I feel more confident standing by my recently-updated specific estimate of early-to-mid June.
A disclaimer here: I am not saying that the dedication of the Fortaleza temple couldn't happen somewhere in-between those already set. We have seen that occur a time or two. Instead, it is just my personal preference to be more cautious in the estimates I offer based on the information I have available. Either way, it was wonderful to hear that this temple is getting close to the point where its' open house and dedication could be announced.
In the meantime, there are a couple of other temple updates I wanted to mention here as well. At the Arequipa Peru Temple, lamp-posts and bollards are being installed, and sod is being laid on the temple grounds. And there has been a major update also reported on the renovation process for the Mesa Arizona Temple. New information indicates that water retention and irrigation systems are being installed, while excavation is underway for the underground parking area which will serve the Family Discovery Center.
I am grateful to have learned of these updates, and for the chance to pass them all along to you here. I will be sure to do the same with other major Church news and temple developments as I receive word 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 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.
This was wonderful to find out about. I had wondered earlier this year how long it would be before President Nelson began sharing responsibilities for attendance at temple dedications with his counselors and the senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve. As we saw earlier this year, the two temples which were rededicated (Houston Texas and Jordan River Utah) were presided over by Presidents Ballard and Eyring respectively, who serve as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve and Second Counselor to President Nelson respectively.
I am not sure what that means for future temple dedications, but I imagine there will be some over which President Nelson presides as those dedications will be part of his ongoing Global Ministry Tour, while there will be others for which he taps his counselors or the senior members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Either way, President Nelson has, right out of the gate, shown a willingness to do things differently than they have previously been done, so we are almost certain to see that continue.
That said, let's move on to other temple updates. It has been noted earlier today that construction has officially been completed for both the Rome Italy and Kinshasa DR Congo Temples, where the placement of interior furnishings is underway, while both temples are being prepared for their open houses. The temple in Rome will have its' open house begin in roughly 7.5 weeks, with the open house for the Kinshasa Temple beginning on the last day of the Rome Temple's set dedication.
For the Fortaleza Brazil Temple, new information received earlier today notes that landscaping and construction efforts are in their final stages. It has additionally been noted that, if all goes well, the construction team assigned to that temple will be turning it back over to the Temple Department for the final touches within the next few weeks, at which point the open house and dedication information can and will likely be set.
Some of the sources I have available have moved the general estimate for this temple's completion back up to early-to-mid 2019, which I can understand. At the same time, however, given the dedication information set for the Rome, Kinshasa, and Port-au-Prince Temples (for March 10-12, April 14, and May 19 respectively), until more is known about the Fortaleza temple, or until the Church officially announces that information, I feel more confident standing by my recently-updated specific estimate of early-to-mid June.
A disclaimer here: I am not saying that the dedication of the Fortaleza temple couldn't happen somewhere in-between those already set. We have seen that occur a time or two. Instead, it is just my personal preference to be more cautious in the estimates I offer based on the information I have available. Either way, it was wonderful to hear that this temple is getting close to the point where its' open house and dedication could be announced.
In the meantime, there are a couple of other temple updates I wanted to mention here as well. At the Arequipa Peru Temple, lamp-posts and bollards are being installed, and sod is being laid on the temple grounds. And there has been a major update also reported on the renovation process for the Mesa Arizona Temple. New information indicates that water retention and irrigation systems are being installed, while excavation is underway for the underground parking area which will serve the Family Discovery Center.
I am grateful to have learned of these updates, and for the chance to pass them all along to you here. I will be sure to do the same with other major Church news and temple developments as I receive word 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 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.
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.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Revised Specific Estimates for Known Temple Events in the Near Future
Hello again, everyone! As promised, I am posting again now to share my revised specific estimates for known temple events in the near future. It should be noted, at the outset, that these estimates are subject to official confirmation through a Church announcement. That said, I have done my best to gauge the recent progress (or the lack thereof) on both new temples and those which are undergoing renovation, and, based on what is known through the sources I have available, I feel reasonably confident in offering these estimates. As time passes and more is known about whether each of these temples is on track, I will, of course, be altering those estimates as needed in the future.
The estimates follow below. If any of you have any questions on the reasoning behind the timing of these estimates, please let me know. So as not to disturb the flow of this 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, as long as such feedback falls within the parameters of 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.
Specific Estimates for Known Temple Events in the Near Future
The estimates follow below. If any of you have any questions on the reasoning behind the timing of these estimates, please let me know. So as not to disturb the flow of this 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, as long as such feedback falls within the parameters of 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.
Specific Estimates for Known Temple Events in the Near Future
2018:
Sunday December 9:
Dedication of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple (161st operating
temple; confirmed)
Note: President Nelson could (and probably will)
preside at this temple’s dedication, but he may also opt to delegate that to
one of his counselors or one of the six senior members of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles. I had also wondered if he (President Nelson) would be doing
another leg of his Global Ministry Tour in conjunction with this event, but
given that nothing official has been announced in that regard, it seems more
likely than not that the presiding officials will just do the temple
dedication, since anything else would detract from the focus on Christmas and
on Christ as the reason for this season.
Final note on
2018: I had heard that this year would be a potentially big one for temple
groundbreakings. Although the Abidjan
Côte d'Ivoire Temple unexpectedly had its’ groundbreaking in November 2018,
unless there is something of which I am not aware, it does not appear as though
any other temples will have a groundbreaking prior to the end of this year.
2019:
Wednesday January
16: Groundbreaking for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple (confirmed)
Note: On November 19, 2018, the First Presidency
announced the groundbreaking date for this temple, and that Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles would preside at this event. Until
more information is available regarding the anticipated duration of construction,
I have set a preliminary general completion estimate of early-to-mid 2021. If I
find any new information indicating that this temple will be completed sooner
than that, I will be sure to adjust this estimate.
Saturday January
26: Groundbreaking for the Bangkok Thailand Temple (confirmed)
Note: On November 27, 2018, just 8 days following
the afore-mentioned announcement of the groundbreaking information for the
Urdaneta Philippines Temple, the First Presidency also announced that the
groundbreaking for this temple would be held 10 days after that one. Since a
general completion estimate of 3-4 years has been given for the construction of
this temple, I have felt a more specific but still general estimate of mid-2022
would be appropriate.
Sunday March 10-Tuesday
March 12: Dedication of the Rome Italy Temple (162nd operating
temple; confirmed)
Note: The First Presidency announced the amended
dedication dates for this temple on November 8, 2018. Given that this
dedication will now be held over three days rather than the
previously-announced 8-day period, there may be only 2-3 of our 15 apostles
participating in this event. That said, it would not surprise me in any way if
this dedication was either the start or conclusion of another leg of President
Nelson’s ongoing Global Ministry Tour.
Saturday &
Sunday April 6 & 7: 189th General Conference
Note: Because 19 temples were announced in 2018,
and because President Nelson has expressed his commitment to continuing to
bring temples closer to the Saints around the world, I am sure we will see
several new temples announced during this General Conference.
Sunday April 14:
Dedication of the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple (163rd
operating temple; confirmed)
Note: In view of the facts that the dedication of
this temple will occur after the April General Conference, and that following
the April 2018 General Conference, President Nelson began his Global Ministry
Tour, I could see President Nelson doing another leg of his tour in conjunction
with this temple’s dedication, whether that tour starts or ends with this
dedication, or whether a dedication is held sometime in the mid-point of that
tour.
Sunday May 19:
Dedication of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple (164th operating
temple; confirmed)
Note: On November 14, 2018, the First Presidency
announced the open house and dedication for this temple. This means that the
more specific timing for all other temple events next year needed to be
similarly adjusted. President Nelson could dedicate this temple himself, or
begin delegating that responsibility to his counselors. If President Nelson
presides at this event, it would not shock me to find out that this dedication
might be part of another leg of his ongoing Global Ministry Tour.
Early-to-mid June:
Dedication of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple (165th operating temple)
Early-to-mid
August: Rededication of the Oakland California Temple
Mid-to-late
August: Rededication of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple
Early-to-mid
September: Dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple (166th
operating temple)
Mid-to-late
September: Rededication of the Memphis Tennessee Temple
Saturday &
Sunday October 5 & 6: 189th Semiannual General Conference:
Note: Depending on what is done by this time to
clear the existing backlog of announced temples, it seems more likely than not
that several new temples will be announced during this weekend.
Mid-October:
Rededication of the Raleigh North Carolina Temple
Late October-early
November: Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple (167th operating
temple)
Mid-to-late
November: Rededication of the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
December: Rededication
of the Frankfurt Germany Temple
Final note on
2019: Given what I have heard about 2019, it seems more likely than not
that several temples will have a groundbreaking at some point during that year.
As noted above, the groundbreakings have been scheduled for the Urdaneta
Philippines and Bangkok Thailand Temples. I am also anticipating that a
groundbreaking for the Pocatello Idaho Temple will be held in mid-2019.
Additionally, based on what I know at the present time, I am keeping my eyes
open for information on the Saratoga Springs Utah, Nairobi Kenya, Lima Peru Los
Olivos, Harare Zimbabwe, Brasilia Brazil, and Greater Manila Philippines Temples,
most (if not all) of which could have a groundbreaking by the end of 2019.
2020:
Mid-February:
Dedication of the Arequipa Peru Temple (168th operating temple)
Mid-March:
Rededication of the Asuncion Paraguay Temple
Saturday &
Sunday April 4 & 5: 190th Annual General Conference
Note: Barring anything unexpected, I would
anticipate several new temples being announced during this weekend.
Mid-to-late April:
Dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple (169th operating
temple)
Mid-to-late May:
Rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple
Mid-August:
Dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple (170th operating temple)
Saturday &
Sunday October 3 & 4: 190th Semiannual General Conference
Note: Temple announcements are always possible, so
it is not hard to believe that a few could be announced during this General
Conference.
Mid-October:
Rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple
Mid-November:
Dedication of the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple (171st operating
temple)
Note: At the groundbreaking for this temple (which
occurred on November 8, 2018), Elder Neil L. Andersen, who presided at this
event and gave his remarks in French, noted that construction of the temple was
anticipated to take around two years. For that reason, I am moving my previous
estimate for this temple’s dedication up to this point.
Mid-December:
Rededication of the Washington DC Temple
Final note on
2020: Some of the announced temples that will have a groundbreaking between
now (early November 2018) and the end of 2019 could potentially be dedicated
during this year. And several other announced temples (I currently have 7 on my
radar) could have a groundbreaking during 2020 as well.
2021:
Saturday &
Sunday April 3 & 4: 191st Annual General Conference
Note: Depending on what happens between now (early
December 2018) and the dates for this General Conference, I could easily see
several new temples announced.
Mid-to-late April:
Rededication of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
Early-to-mid June:
Dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple (172nd operating
temple)
Note: Until we have a more general estimate for
this temple’s completion, a more specific one is being approximated here. It is
also likely that some temples which are yet-to-have a groundbreaking will be
dedicated before this one is, so the numbering is also approximated.
Saturday &
Sunday October 2 & 3: 191st Semiannual General Conference
Note: I am hoping that by the time this particular
General Conference weekend rolls around, the temple construction program of the
Church will have progressed to the point where some temples will continue to be
announced every six months.
Final note on
2021: If, as anticipated, several more temples are announced in 2019 and
2020, and any which have not yet had a groundbreaking have that occur within that
same time period, that in turn will multiply the number of known temple events
which will likely occur in 2021 and the years beyond. As more is learned about
future temple renovations, that will also have an impact on the number of
future events.
2022:
Saturday &
Sunday April 2 & 3: 192nd Annual General Conference
Note: Since the face of the Church’s temple
construction program will likely look entirely different by this time, I would
anticipate the announcement of several new temples.
Mid-August: Dedication
of the Bangkok Thailand Temple (173rd operating temple)
Note: Because this temple is significantly larger
than temples which have been built in recent years, delays in that construction
process are more likely than not. It is also worth noting that the official
number for this temple is almost certain to change as other temples have a
groundbreaking and construction and are potentially completed before this one
is.
Saturday &
Sunday October 1 & 2: 192nd Semiannual General Conference
Note: As
noted above (for the 2022 April General Conference), by this time, it is more
likely than not that the face of the Church’s temple construction program will
be looking entirely different. With that in mind, it seems more likely than not
that other temples could be announced during this General Conference.
Final note: As
noted a few different times here, within the four years or so between now and
the end of 2022, the face of the Church’s temple construction program will
likely look very different. We currently have a Church President who has
clearly prioritized bringing the temples to the people, and the fact that he
announced 19 new temples within his first year as such verifies that beyond
doubt. I also am equally certain he will do all he can to clear the existing
backlog of announced temples. With that in mind, there will likely be many more
temple events to add to this list in the future. I am committed to bringing
updates in that regard to you all as I receive them.
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, December 5, 2018
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.
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.
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
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.
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.
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.
Monday, December 3, 2018
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 inSt. George , Utah
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. ElderHolland 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.
ElderHolland 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.
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
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
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
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.
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
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