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Monday, May 6, 2019

April 2019 General Conference Predictions Results: Part Three—Temple Predictions Results/Overall Results

Hello again, everyone! I am back to share the final part of the results of my April 2019 General Conference predictions. All that remains is to pass along another copy of the list of locations I put together, those that were announced, how that compared to those that were actuallly announced, and the overal score and percentage of accuracy on the predictions overall. Let's get right into all of that. In order 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, 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.


Temple predictions: At least 12 new temples announced for any of the following locations[1]:

Africa Southeast[2]: Antananarivo Madagascar; Second DR Congo Temple (in Mbuji-Mayi or Lubumbashi); Maputo Mozambique; Kampala Uganda; Cape Town South Africa
Africa West[3]: Freetown Sierra Leone; Kumasi Ghana; Monrovia Liberia; Yamoussoukro Ivory Coast; Benin City Nigeria
Asia[4]: Ulaanbaatar Mongolia; Jakarta Indonesia; Singapore; Taichung Taiwan; Hanoi Vietnam
Asia North[5]: Osaka Japan
Brazil[6]: Belo Horizonte, Florianopolis, João Pessoa, or Ribeirão Preto Brazil
Caribbean: Kingston Jamaica[7]
Central America[8]: Coban Guatemala; San Pedro Sula Honduras
Europe[9]: Budapest Hungary; Edinburgh Scotland; Vienna Austria; Oslo Norway
Europe East[10]: Vilnius Lithuania
Mexico: Torreon or Queretaro Mexico[11]
Middle East/Africa North: Dubai or Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates[12]
Pacific[13]: Port Moresby Papua New Guinea; Tarawa Kiribati; Pago Pago American Samoa; Neiafu Vava'u Tonga; Savaii Samoa; Christchurch New Zealand
Philippines[14]: Tacloban, Bacolod, or Angeles Philippines
South America Northwest[15]: Santa Cruz or La Paz Bolivia; Iquitos or Cusco Peru; Cali or Medellin Colombia
South America South[16]: Antofagasta or Valparaiso Chile; Santa Fe, Rosario, or Neuquen Argentina; Ciudad del Este Paraguay

North America (including the United States and Canada) [17]:
Canada[18]: Victoria British Columbia; Lethbridge Alberta
North America Central[19]: Missoula Montana; Pueblo or Colorado Springs Colorado; Wichita Kansas; Green Bay Wisconsin; Des Moines Iowa; Rapid City South Dakota
North America Northeast[20]: Cleveland Ohio; Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; East Brunswick New Jersey; Augusta Maine; Montpelier Vermont
North America Northwest: Fairbanks Alaska[21]
North America Southeast[22]: Jackson Mississippi; Shreveport Louisiana; Jacksonville Florida; Knoxville Tennessee; Savannah Georgia; Charlotte North Carolina
North America Southwest[23]: Bentonville Arkansas; Fort Worth Texas; Las Cruces New Mexico; Flagstaff or Queen Creek Arizona; Elko or Ely Nevada
North America West: Bakersfield California[24]
Utah[25]: Herriman Utah; Evanston Wyoming or Preston Idaho; Tooele Utah; Heber City Utah; Washington County Utah (Third Temple)

Result: Temples were announced for the following locations: Pago Pago American Samoa; Okinawa City Okinawa (may be called the Okinawa Japan Temple); Neiafu Tonga; Tooele Valley Utah; Moses Lake Washington; San Pedro Sula Honduras; Antofagasta Chile; Budapest Hungary

Predictions Results:136 /198=68.69%




[1]Some have offered their opinion that, with 19 new temples announced last year alone (which has resulted in a current backlog of 27 temples, though 3 others have a groundbreaking scheduled to occur roughly one month after this conference), no new temples may be announced this go-round. While I understand (and appreciate) the rationale behind such comments, from what others and I myself have directly or indirectly heard, President Nelson may unveil his temple expansion plans during this conference. Whether he does or not, the locations below (grouped by area, then by likelihood within that area) represent the most likely locations in which I feel such temples may be announced during this conference.
[2]The Africa Southeast Area has experienced significant Church growth. With 1 dedicated temple in the area currently, there are 2 under construction (1 of which will be dedicated the week after conference, with the other anticipated to follow in 4-6 months), and 2 others announced (both of which have had sites procured, and could therefore have a groundbreaking either later this year or early next year), I have found 5 other potential locations which may get a temple in the near future. Most of these candidates are based on the mileage to the current temple(s), travel rigor, or oversized temple districts. Additionally, Uganda, Madagascar, and Mozambique are fifth, seventh, and ninth respectively on the list of top ten nations with the strongest Church presence that do not have a temple in any phase. Madagascar is my top pick for this area. And in reference to a second DR Congo Temple, I have personally favored Lubumbashi, but a recent report on the Church growth blog pointed to the idea that a temple in Mbuji-Mayi might be more imminently needed, so I have prioritized that pick.
[3]The same factors I referenced above in previously (about significant Church growth, the mileage and rigors involved, and temple district sizes) also applies to the Africa West Area, as reflected by the five candidate cities listed here. With only 2 temples currently operating, one more other construction, and one announced, the Church growth blog noted recently that West Africa could have at least 13 operating temples by 2030. There are a couple of big differences, though. Only two of the five candidates do not have a temple in any phase. The two are Sierra Leone and Liberia, which rank as the second and sixth respectively on the aforementioned top ten list.  Sierra Leone is my top pick for this area. And while it may be difficult to know how soon a second Ivory Coast temple and a third Nigerian temple may be announced, I have felt confident enough in my picks to justify their selection.
[4]The Asian Saints, whose ability to practice their faith has been somewhat limited at times by governmental regulations, are nonetheless very faithful, as evidenced by recent temple announcements for that continent. With the Hong Kong and Taipei temples serving the Saints currently, the one in Bangkok is under construction, and two others have been announced for Bengaluru and Phnom Penh. The factors first mentioned in previously above also apply to the Asia Area, which is the largest geographically in the Church. Of the locations listed, Mongolia is my favored pick, since that nation is eighth on the aforementioned top ten list. Also, President Hinckley publicly proposed a temple in Singapore, and Vietnam is a dark-horse pick that I included based on reports of Church growth in the area.
[5]The Asia North Area of the Church has seen some stagnated growth, to the point where some have suggested that that area could be merged with the Asia Area. While I understand the thinking behind that, and while I would not be surprised if such a merge occurs in the near future, I have evaluated the area and seen at least one prospective location where a temple could be built, with the main reasoning being the factors previously mentioned in previously.
[6]Brazil has been a Church stronghold for a while now. With six temples currently in operation, both the Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temples will be dedicated within the next year, during which time the Brasilia Brazil Temple is likely to have a groundbreaking occur. With two other temples (Belem and Salvador) awaiting a site announcement and groundbreaking, some may feel that more Brazilian temples may be delayed. But my research indicates that, due to the factors mentioned in previously, these cities are the next most likely locations to have a temple announced. I personally favor Belo Horizonte, but would be happy if any or all of these cities have a temple announced this go-round.
[7]This city is another dark-horse pick, but is on the list due to the factors mentioned in previously, but also due to someone suggesting it elsewhere. And given what President Nelson has done in terms of the 19 temples he announced last year, Kingston could be another location for a smaller temple. 
[8]A Church member living and working in the Central America Area kindly informed me that a second temple to serve the current Guatemala City temple district is the most imminent prospect for the future in this area. As I studied that opinion, I concurred with him that Coban would likely be the next Central American city in which a temple will be announced. But I also feel (based on general consensus and according to my research) that a San Pedro Sula temple may be on the horizon sooner rather than later, so both cities are listed.
[9]The situation of Saints living on the European continent is somewhat interesting. Where there are centers of strength, significant growth has occurred. But in many European nations, the Church has experienced some stagnated growth, which has necessitated discontinuing some congregations in order to strengthen others within the last year or two. But due to the factors I mentioned previously, it appears likely that most (if not all) of the candidate cities that follow in this section could get a temple, even if only a smaller one.  
[10]This area of the Church has also experienced stagnated growth to the point that some have suggested that the Church could consolidate it into the Europe Area. Additionally, although President Nelson boldly announced a temple in April of last year for a major yet-to-be-determined city in Russia, the political and religious oppression existing in that nation makes it hard to know how soon that temple will be built. With that in mind, a temple in Vilnius makes a lot of sense. And that is especially true given the public proposal for such a temple which was made by then-Elder M. Russell Ballard in May 1993. Although Elder Ballard noted that prospect might not occur for 50 years or so, based on what has been said about President Nelson’s temple expansion plans, the prospect seems imminent enough to include it on my list for now.
[11]The relevant factors in notes 13 and 20 also apply in a way to Mexico (where centers of strength have seen excellent growth in some respects, but in others, massive congregational consolidates have also occurred within the last couple of years. Based on these facts, it may be difficult to know how soon another temple may be announced for Mexico, especially since one was announced for Puebla last October. But the cities of Queretaro and Torreon have been identified by a Church member living in Mexico as likely to get a temple in the near future, so both are on this list.  
[12]As recently as a year ago, if someone had suggested a temple for the Middle East/Africa North Area, I would have dismissed it as an impossibility. But within the last year, we have seen President Nelson announce temples for areas which I felt would not get a temple for 15-20 years, and with that in mind, a temple in this area seems feasible, if only a smaller one. Although the bulk of Church membership in this area is comprised of military personnel, the United Arab Emirates represent a stronghold of the Church in this area. And with that in mind, a smaller temple in either of the two most populous cities in the UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively), feels like it may be more practical than I would have believed this time last year.
[13]The Pacific area is another stronghold of Church growth. With 10 temples currently operating there (and one other announced), it seems logical to assume that other temples will be needed to serve the area. Most (if not all) of the factors I mentioned previously apply equally to this area. Additionally, New Guinea, Kiribati, and American Samoa are ranked first, third, and fourth respectively on the aforementioned top ten list of nations. So I have no doubt the Pacific Area will see temples announced in each of these cities within the next decade, if not sooner.
[14]The Church has two operating temples in the Philippines (Manila and Cebu City). The temple announced in October 2010 for Urdaneta had a groundbreaking ceremony in January. And with the last 3 sets of temple announcements, the Philippines has seen temples announced for the greater Manila area (which will be located in Muntinlupa City), Cagayan de Oro, and Davao. If that is any indication of what might happen in the future, then other temples may be needed for the Philippines, and the cities mentioned here seem to have the best likelihood.
[15]The entire South American continent has experienced massive Church growth. Having previously discussed Brazil, in reference to the South America Northwest Area, I wanted to observe that there are 7 operating temples there. 1 more is currently under construction in Arequipa Peru (for which a dedication is anticipated before the end of this year) Two others have been announced: the Lima Peru Los Olivos and Quito Ecuador Temples, both of which could have a groundbreaking within the next 2-3 years, though hopefully sooner if all goes well. And while I have personally-favored candidates here, a second temple in Bolivia may be the most imminent prospect. For Bolivia and Colombia, I have listed two potential locations each due to my inability to narrow those down to one.  
[16]The South America South Area has likewise seen very significant and rapidly expanding growth. So again, with President Nelson’s extensive temple-building plans in mind, I have considered the most imminent prospects for future temples in this area, and the factors mentioned in previous notes hold true here as well. Currently, this area of the Church is served by 6 operating temples (1 of which is closed for renovation), and there were 2 more announced for this area last year. With that in mind, the 5 locations listed in this section seem to have the strongest case in their favor of a temple announced in the near future. And for Argentina and Chile, I list two cities each because the sets for each nation are about even in terms of their likelihood.  
[17]Although the North American continent (primarily in the United States) has seen somewhat of a stagnating growth situation, in light of the recent increased mentions of President Nelson’s ambitious temple-building plans, the likelihood is extremely high that the US and Canada will be included in whatever the plans are to expand the number of temples worldwide. The locations listed below represent what I believe are the most imminent prospects for each of the now-8 North American areas of the Church.
[18]For purposes of simplification, I have chosen to list my temple candidates for Canada in a separate section from those elsewhere in the United States. So the North American areas listed below will not include these Canadian candidate cities. Of the two, Lethbridge may be more of a long shot. But Victoria has been mentioned to me as a prospect due to the cost and arduous nature of the journey to worship at the Vancouver British Columbia Temple.  
[19]As mentioned in previous notes, on the one hand, it may be difficult (if not impossible) to gauge the imminent likelihood of any locations. But as also mentioned, in view of some of the relevant factors, I can see the merits of each location listed here. Particularly, I heard a report of a public proposal of a temple for Missoula Montana. Pueblo made the list due to a report I received of high attendance numbers at the Denver Colorado Temple. For Kansas, Iowa, and South Dakota, mileage is the main factor driving my choices, and a temple (if only a smaller one) seems likely for all three states in the near future. A temple in Iowa could be named for Mount Pisgah, a significant landmark in the pioneer history of the Church.
[20]Given the steady growth of the Church in Ohio and Pennsylvania, second temples for each seem to be likely sooner rather than later. And New Jersey, Maine, and Vermont may each be eligible for a temple of their own given the distance factor, and the rigors of travel involved in getting to their currently assigned temples.
[21]The Saints in both Fairbanks and Juneau have an arduously lengthy journey to get to their assigned temple in Anchorage. While both may have equal merits in terms of their eligibility for a temple of their own, my research shows Fairbanks may be first in line for such a prospect. But I would anticipate temples in both cities within the next 5-15 years, if not sooner.
[22]Since the Saints in Jackson currently have an arduous journey to get to their assigned temple, it is my opinion that a temple will be announced in that city sooner rather than later. And an arduous journey also factors in to my reasoning for temples in Shreveport, Jacksonville, Knoxville, and Savannah. If, as I anticipate, President Nelson plans to prioritize the mileage factor and also filling in the gaps that exist in temple district coverage, then any or all of these may simply be a matter of time.
[23]Things are a little tricky for this area of the Church. Given that the Saints assigned to the districts of temples over the Mexican border might possibly have a harder time accessing those temples in the future, some have offered very specific opinions about the merits of some of the candidate cities which are listed here. But I am basing my theories on the potential location of an Arkansas temple on information from a friend indicating that land has been held in reserve in that city for a temple for several years now. And I am basing my picks for temples in Texas and New Mexico on the opinion of someone living within the current Dallas Texas Temple district. This individual noted that Fort Worth would almost certainly be the next Texas city to get a temple. So if border issues arise, those could be ameliorated by a temple in Las Cruces, which would likely also cover El Paso for the time being. Arizona and Nevada both fall under the “Mormon corridor”, and I have heard that Flagstaff may well be the most likely Arizona city to get a temple. Both Elko and Ely have arduous journeys to their assigned temples in Utah, so It seems to be just a matter of time before one (or both) of them get a temple of their own, and I feel the next Nevada temple location is too close to call.
[24]With a temple announced last October for Yuba City, a temple in Bakersfield might potentially be delayed, but however long it might take, I am reasonably confident that that city will be the next one in California to get a temple of its’ own, as I have been anticipating such a prospect for almost as long as I have been offering my thoughts on future temple locations.  
[25]A temple site was publicly mentioned as being held in reserve in April 2005 for a temple in the Southwest Salt Lake Valley. Though no official confirmation has occurred, if my research is correct, the land in question has been the subject of a border dispute between Herriman and Bluffdale cities, but is currently owned by the city of Herriman. For Heber City, Tooele, Preston, and Evanston, they all seem to have an equal likelihood of having a temple announced in the near future. And Elder Steven E. Snow, who was born in Washington County, recently told the Saints there at a stake conference that someone from the Temple Department had indicated to him that a third Washington County temple would be needed in the not-too-distant future. For these reasons, I couldn’t narrow any of these selections down, at least not for the moment.

April 2019 General Conference Predictions Results: Part Two—Changes in General Church Leadership and Statistical Report Results

Hello again, everyone! I am back with the second part of my April 2019 General Conference predictions results. In this part, I will share the results of my predictions for changes in Church leadership, and for the relevant numbers on the 2018 Statistical Report. Those follow below. In order 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, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of yout 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.


Predictions for Changes in Church Leadership
Presidency of the Seventy: Any changes effective August 1 sustained in advance.[i]
Result: No changes announced.
General Authority Seventies: New General Authorities sustained from among the Area Seventies or the Church at large (including any current mission or temple president)[ii]; Elder Steven E. Snow released as Church Historian and Recorder, with a new Church Historian and Recorder called from among the current or newly-called General Authority Seventies[iii].
Result: Elders Rubén V. Alliaud, Jorge M. Alvarado, Hans T. Boom, L. Todd Budge, Ricardo P. Gimenez, Peter M. Johnson, John A. McCune, James R. Rasband, Benjamin M. Z. Tai and Alan R. Walker were sustained as new General Authority Seventies, with no change announced (yet) to the Church Historian and Recorder.
Area Seventies: Some area seventies released, others called[iv].
The following area seventies may be released for the following reasons:
Called as mission presidents: Aley K. Auna, Walter Chatora, J. Kevin Ence, Jose L. Isaguierre,  Bryan R. Larsen, W. Jean-Pierre Lono, Khumbulani Mdletshe, Hoi Seng Leonard Woo
Called as temple presidents: Victorino A. Babida, Milan F. Kunz,
Longest-tenured: Kevin J Worthen (sustained in April 2010; is currently serving as BYU-Provo President; if he is released, he may be sustained as General Authority Seventy); Frederick O. Akinbo (sustained in April 2013)
Result: 55 new area seventies called; 7 others released namely: Elders Budge, Johnson. McCune, Rasband and Tai, (in view of their calls as General Authority Seventies); Elder Mark L. Pace (in view of his call as Sunday School General President); and Victorino A. Babida (in view of his call as the incoming president of the Manila Philippines Temple)
Sunday School General Presidency: Tad R. Callister, Devin G. Durrant, and Brian K. Ashton released, new Sunday School General Presidency called[v].
Result: These Brethren were released. The new Sunday School General Presidency members are: Mark L. Pace, Milton Camargo, and Jan E. Newman.
Additional note: Reid L. Neilson, who has been serving as Church historian and recorder and is not a General Authority, will likely be released from that assignment, since he has been called as a mission president as well. As far as I know, he was never sustained in that position, so his release may or may not be presented.



2018 Statistical Report (corrected figures in parentheses)[vi]
Stakes
3,383
Missions
407
Districts
550 (547)
Wards & Branches
30,710 (30,536)
Total Church Membership
16,385,309 (16,313,735)
Increase in Children of Record
104,150 (102.102)
Converts Baptized
228,987 (234,332)
Full-Time Missionaries
64,543 (65,137)
Church Service Missionaries
30,339 (37.963)
Temples Dedicated during 2018 (Concepcion Chile, Barranquilla Colombia)
2
Temples Rededicated during 2018 (Houston Texas, Jordan River Utah)
2
Temples in Operation by the end of 2018
161





[i]In April 2018, 5 changes to the Presidency of the Seventy were sustained, 2 of which were effective immediately (as a result of Elders Gong and Soares being called to the Quorum of the Twelve), with 3 other changes sustained in advance of going into effect on August 1. With 5 of the 7 current members of the Presidency of the Seventy having only served in this Presidency for a year or less (and 1 other member who has only been serving since August of 2017), the only change for which I can see a more immediate need in the near future is the possible release of Elder L. Whitney Clayton, who will be 70 in February of next year and thus is likely to be granted emeritus status during the October 2020 General Conference, but the Church could potentially hold off on making that change until August 2020.
[ii]It is traditional for new General Authority Seventies to be sustained each April, so I would anticipate that occurring for this General Conference, and that those sustained will be selected from among the current area seventies, any current members of the Sunday School or Young Men General Presidencies, anyone currently serving in a mission or temple presidency, or from the Church at large.
[iii]Elder Steven E. Snow, who has served as Church Historian and Recorder since 2012, will be 70 in November 2019, so the Church will likely release him from that assignment and sustain a current or new General Authority in to succeed him in that capacity.
[iv]Although there have been exceptions in recent years, April General Conference has generally seen a large number of area seventies called, and a few released, especially if any of the new General Authorities are currently serving as area seventies. I am anticipating that will remain true for this General Conference as well.
[v]Brothers Callister and Durrant have served together in the Sunday School General Presidency since April 2014, and Brother Ashton joined them in that presidency in June 2015. Within the last decade or two, in almost all cases, auxiliary presidency has been released once most of its’ members have served together for 5 years or so. Therefore, I anticipate that Brothers Callister, Durrant, and Ashton will be released. The new members of this presidency could be comprised of any current General Authorities (as Brother Callister was serving as a General Authority Seventy (and in the Presidency thereof) prior to his call), either or both of the current Sunday School counselors, members of its’ General Board, members of the Young Men General Presidency or General Board, any current area seventy, mission presidency or temple presidency member, or members of the Church at large.
[vi]As per the tradition established in the April 2018 General Conference, the Statistical Report will not be read over the pulpit during the Saturday Afternoon Session, but will instead be published on the Church website directly after that session.

April 2019 General Conference Predictions Results: Part One—Speaking Order Results

Hello again, everyone! Although it has been more than a month since General Conference, I wanted to share the results of my April 2019 General Conference predictions. I am going to do so in 3 parts. This first part will share how my projection for the speaking order compared with the actual thing. The second part will cover the results of my projections for the changes in general Church leadership and the statistical report numbers, and the final part will share the results of my temple predictions and the overall percentage. With that overview out of the way, Part One follows below.  

In order 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, 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 newly0-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.



April 2019 General Conference Predictions[i] (Text in brackets denote differences)
Sess.
Conducting
Speaker
SAM
President Dallin H. Oaks
President Russell M. Nelson [Did not speak]


Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf [Elder Ulisses Soares]


Bishop W. Christopher Waddell [Becky Craven]

               
Elder Terence M. Vinson [Elder Brook P. Hales]


Lisa L. Harkness [Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf] 


Elder Gerrit W. Gong [Bishop W. Christopher Waddell]


President Henry B. Eyring
SAA
President Henry B. Eyring
President Dallin H. Oaks (Sustaining of Church Officers)[ii]

Church Auditing Department Report[iii]
Kevin R. Jergensen


President M. Russell Ballard


Elder Scott D. Whiting [Elder Mathias Held]


Elder Neil L. Andersen


Elder Quentin L. Cook [Elder Takashi Wada]


Elder Mathias Held [Elder David P. Homer]


Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
SPH
President Dallin H. Oaks
Elder Gary E. Stevenson

[Elder Carl B. Cook]
Stephen W. Owen

[Elder Kim B. Clark]
Elder David P. Homer


President Henry B. Eyring


President Dallin H. Oaks


President Russell M. Nelson[iv]
SUM
President Russell M. Nelson
[President Dallin H. Oaks]
Elder D. Todd Christofferson [Elder Dale G. Renlund]


Sharon [L.] Eubank

[Elder Quentin L. Cook]
Elder Carlos A. Godoy

[Elder D. Todd Christofferson]
Elder Ulisses Soares

[Tad R. Callister]
Elder Marcus B. Nash

[No one]
Elder Dale G. Renlund


President Russell M. Nelson
SUA
President Henry B. Eyring
President Dallin H. Oaks[v]

[Elder Juan Pablo Villar]
Tad R. Callister

[Elder Gerrit W. Gong]
Elder Anthony D. Perkins


Elder David A. Bednar


Elder Kyle S. McKay

[No one]
Elder David S. Baxter


Elder Ronald A. Rasband


President Russell M. Nelson



[i]General Conferences within the last two decades or so have almost always conformed to general patterns. There have, however, been a handful of exceptions in recent years, and both the April and October General Conferences held last year were examples of that. With that in mind, I have used more of a traditional pattern, but made some alterations to the speaking order offered here which seem practical based on what is not currently known. And I will continue to allow myself a very small margin of error for the next 2-3 General Conferences until I can get a better feel for how the typical patterns have changed.
[ii]Because President Eyring led the Sustaining of Church Officers last October, and because President Oaks did such a great job with the long list of new Area Seventies in April of 2018, I feel confident that President Oaks will continue to lead that process each April, and that President Eyring will do so each October.
[iii]This report has traditionally been read during each April General Conference for the preceding year. The purpose of the report is to certify the financial stability of the Church, based on practices prescribed by revelation. The report is usually presented by the managing director of the Church Auditing Department (with Kevin R. Jergensen serving in that position as of last year). But according to an article published in “The Daily Herald”, in late May 2018, this report may no longer be read over the pulpit either. If it is not, then the Church could adjust the amount of time allotted for the other speakers, or call on one other leader to speak during this session.
[iv]If there are any changes to priesthood quorums, curriculum, or practices, those will likely be detailed at some point by President Nelson during this session, whether he does so in his customary time-slot at the conclusion of this session, or by a separate brief address to present the changes earlier in that session, followed at the session’s end by his usual address.
[v]While this session has typically seen the last 3 members of the Quorum of the Twelve speak, last April, the final 5 members of that Quorum spoke during this session. As mentioned in note 8 above, President Eyring opened this session last October, and the remaining 2 members of the Quorum also spoke. Since 7 of the 12 apostles have spoken during this session within the last year, it is my theory that President Oaks may open this session, with the final two members of the Quorum also giving their addresses here. In subsequent conferences, the traditional patterns may resume as has been usual for General Conferences.