Temple Construction Progress During the Second Quarter of 2019: Part Two—Temples Under Construction or Which Have Full-Scale Construction Pending

Hello again, everyone! I am back with the second post in this mini-series. In this post, I will focus on temples under construction or those for which full-scale construction is pending. Again, I will first list the information as it was at the beginning of this quarter (April 1), followed by those same sections in terms of where they are today. That information follows belwo. In order to not disturb the flow thereof, I will end here as I always do:

That does it for now. 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.

April 1, 2019.

Under construction; completion anticipated during 2019:

167. Arequipa Peru Temple: Installing lamp-posts; planting trees and shrubs; preparing to lay sod; completion estimated sometime during late 2019.

168. Durban South Africa Temple: Poles for security cameras installed; sandstone cladding of entrance walls and fountain continues; millwork, tiling, painting, plumbing, data, electrical, and fire suppression installation continues; completion estimated sometime during late 2019.

Under construction; completion anticipated during 2019-2020:

169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Scaffolding removed from tower; majority of exterior cladding completed; interior work progressing; completion estimated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Under construction; completion anticipated during 2020:

170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Pouring main floor slab for temple; framing continues for meetinghouse; completion estimated sometime during mid-2020.

Under construction; completion anticipated during 2020-2021:

171. Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple: Foundation nearing completion; completion estimated sometime during late 2020-early 2021.

Under construction; completion anticipated during 2021-2022:

172. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Excavation for foundation underway; rough grading continues; construction trailers on site; completion estimated sometime during late 2021-early 2022.

173. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Installing electrical substation and underground lines to temple site; completion estimated sometime during late 2021-early 2022.

Full-scale construction pending:

174. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Groundbreaking held on January 26, 2019; full-scale construction pending; completion estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2022.

June 30, 2019.

Under construction; completion anticipated within the next year or two:

169. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction barrier replaced by decorative fencing; landscaping underway; scaffolding being removed from temple tower; completion estimated sometime during early 2020.

170. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Temple exterior walls being installed; steeple added to meetinghouse; trees delivered for later planting; completion estimated sometime during mid-2020.

171. Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple: Foundation completed; pouring main floor exterior walls; completion estimated sometime during late 2020-early 2021.

Under construction; completion estimated within the next 2-4 years:

172. Quito Ecuador Temple: Construction equipment on site; temple outline marked; excavations underway; completion estimated sometime during late 2021.

173. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Pouring footings and foundation walls; completion estimated sometime during late 2021-early 2022.

174. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Footing and foundation work underway; completion estimated sometime during late 2021-early 2022.

175. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Heavy equipment arriving on site; completion estimated sometime during mid-to-late 2022.

Full-scale construction pending:

176. Yigo Guam Temple: Groundbreaking held on Saturday May 4, 2019; full-scale construction pending.

177. Praia Cabo Verde Temple: Groundbreaking held on Saturday May 4, 2019; full-scale construction pending.

178. San Juan Puerto Rico Temple: Groundbreaking held on Saturday May 4, 2019; Groundbreaking held on Saturday May 4, 2019; full-scale construction pending.

179. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Groundbreaking held on Saturday June 8, 2019; full-scale construction pending.

Temple Construction Progress During the Second Quarter of 2019: Part One—Overview, Preliminary Notes & Scheduled Dedications

Hello again, everyone! I am back with another mini-series of posts for this blog. Over the course of this post and the 4 subsequent posts which will comprise this latest series, I will be providing a look at the temple construction progress which has been made in the second quarter of 2019 (which ran from April 1-June 30). In this post, I will provide a copy of my preliminary notes, along with a list of those temples for which a dedication was or has been scheduled. In order to ensure the proper flow of that comparative information, I will first share the sections of my report from the beginning of the quarter, and follow that with the same sections in the same order from my report at the end of this second quarter.

There will be a lot of information herein, so in order to keep from disturbing the flow thereof, I will end here as I always do: That does it for now. 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 Construction Progress Report (current as of 4/1/19)

Note about future temple construction: In late April 2017, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, who serves as the Executive Director of the Church’s Temple Department noted in an interview that the Church had a list of 80 potential temple locations which were being considered for an official announcement within the next 15 years (by late April 2032). In 2018 alone, President Nelson announced 19 new temples. And Elder Quentin L. Cook has been quoted recently as saying in effect that a ten-fold increase in the total number of temples would be part of that process.

With that in mind (as confirmed by the Church News recently), the Church is on track to have a minimum of 200 operating temples by or before Saturday April 6, 2030, which will mark the Church’s bicentennial anniversary. The Church would just need to complete 38 of the temples in various phases in the 11.01 years between now and then, which could be done if 3.45 temples are dedicated each year. And within the next year alone, the Church is anticipated to have 7 new temples dedicated, so there will be at least that many temples by that date, if not several more than that.

Current temple status: The Church has 201 temples in various phases, which include: 162 currently operating, 1 being prepared for its’ dedication; 1 being prepared for its’ public open house; and 2 more for which a dedication has been scheduled. There are additionally 7 others in various phases of construction, as well as 1 which has construction pending following its’ groundbreaking.

The Church has scheduled the groundbreaking for 5 other temples (which are all set to occur before the end of June), and there is enough information on 9 additional temples to consider them as being in a “Groundbreaking anticipated” status.

11 previously-dedicated temples are currently closed for renovation (4 of which have a rededication scheduled). The Church has also announced that 2 other temples will close for renovation later this year. During the October 2018 General Conference, President Nelson also announced that several temples (especially those from the “pioneer-era” will be closing for renovation as well.       

The final 13 temples are announced, most, if not all, of which could see construction begin within the next few years, but certainly sooner if all goes well.

                               

Preparing for dedication:

163. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Preparing for dedication, which is scheduled to occur on Sunday April 14, 2019.

Preparing for public open house:

164. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Preparing for public open house; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday June 2, 2019.

Dedication scheduled:

165. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Temple exterior completed; decorative fencing installed; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday September 1, 2019.

166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Scaffolding removed; soft landscaping largely completed around meetinghouse and parking area; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday September 15, 2019.

Temple Construction Progress Report (current as of 6/30/19)

Note about future temple construction: President Nelson has announced 27 new temples during his prophetic administration thus far. Recent statements from apostles (including and especially President Nelson himself) have implied that the goal is a ten-fold increase in the total number of temples. With no signs of slowing down, the Church is well on track to have a minimum of 200 operating temples by or before the Church’s bicentennial anniversary (which will be observed on Saturday April 6, 2030). Between today and that day, there are 10.77 years remaining within which to dedicate the remaining 36 temples, which could be done if an average of 3.34 temples were dedicated each year. And within the next year alone, 5 or 6 new temples are anticipated to be dedicated.

Current temple status: The Church has 209 temples in various phases, among which 164 are currently operating; while 4 more have had a dedication scheduled. There are additionally another 7 which are in various phases of construction, as well as 4 for which construction is pending following their groundbreaking ceremonies. 1 more temple has had a groundbreaking scheduled, and there is enough information on 9 additional temples to consider them as being in a “Groundbreaking anticipated” status.

8 previously-dedicated temples are currently closed for renovation, including 4 for which a rededication has been scheduled. The Church has also announced the renovation closures for 3 other temples (including the Salt Lake Temple).

The final 20 temples are announced, most, if not all, of which could see construction begin within the next few years, but certainly sooner if all goes well.

Dedication scheduled:

165. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Receiving furniture shipments; decorative bars installed over windows; landscaping continues; meetinghouse extension nearing completion; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday September 1, 2019.

166. Lisbon Portugal Temple: Construction phase wrapping up; temple being furnished; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday September 15, 2019.

167. Arequipa Peru Temple: Landscaping nearing completion; art glass windows installed; interior finish work progressing; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday December 15, 2019.

168. Durban South Africa Temple: Tower cladding completed; monument sign slab poured; stonework, millwork, tiling, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression, and data systems installation continues; more landscaping added; dedication scheduled to occur on Sunday February 16, 2020.

An Overview of Upcoming Apostolic Milestones (and One Temple Development) Which Will Occur in July

Hello again, everyone! Although I am still planning on posting later this evening or tonight a series of comparative posts to share the temple construction progress which has been made between the beginning of this second quarter of 2019 (April 1) and its' end, which will occur today, I wanted to now share an overview of upcoming developments which will occur in the Church over the next week or two. First of all, with today being the last day in June, and with it being a Sunday, I am reasonably certain that the Brethren will begin their annual July recess starting tomorrow or within the next week.

But while that recess is in effect, there will be many significant developments which will take effect. On Wednesday of this week, Church President Russell M. Nelson will be observing his first (and only) 2019 prophetic tenure milestone. On that day, he will have served as Church President for as long as Harold B. Lee, the 11th President of the Church. As a result, on that date, President Nelson will replace President Lee as the 15th longest-serving Church President. Just two days later, President Nelson will observe his first (and only) 2019 prophetic age milestone. On that date, his lifespan will match that of 13th Church President Ezra Taft Benson, and he (President Nelson) will thus become the 4th oldest prophet in Church history.

Then, on the first Sunday in July, President Dallin H. Oaks, who is simultaneously serving as both the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and as First Counselor to President Nelson, will be observing his second 2019 Quorum Presidential tenure milestone, at which point his tenure as such will match that of President Spencer W. Kimball. As a side note on President Kimball, prior to his service as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he had served during the prophetic administration of 10th Church President Joseph Fiielding Smith as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, due to President Harold B. Lee then serving in the same dual roles which President Oaks now fills.

Getting back on topic, when President Oaks' tenure as Quorum President exceeds that of President Kimball, he (President Oaks) will then be the 23rd longest-serving Quorum President in Church history. Although he will be observing his next Quorum Presidential tenure milestone two days later, I wanted to interject a reminder here that the Hong Kong China Temple is scheduled to close for its' 3-year renovation process on Monday July 8. I am assuming that the rededication of that temple may occur in mid-2022, though that estimate could possibly be pushed back to mid-to-late 2022, depending on what the renovation involves. But I am hoping that everything related to that process will go smoothly, and might even proceed ahead of schedule, which would be wonderful.

Having noted that, as I mentioned above, the day following the renovation closure for the Hong Kong China Temple, President Oaks will be observing his third Quorum Presidential milestone. On that date, his tenure as such will match that of the second (and shortest) tenure of the current 22nd longest-serving Quorum President, Brigham Young Jr. In another post on this blog or a previous thread thereof, I had mentioned the unique circumstances relating to why Brigham Young Jr. had served two nonconsecutive terms as Quorum President, but let me provide that context again.

In the early days of the Church, the matter of how to determine apostolic seniority was not as clearly established as it is today. For the first 75 years of Church history (spanning roughly from 1830 to 1905), the understanding of apostolic seniority evolved as Church Presidents sought guidance on that subject. At the time the Quorum of the Twelve was first constituted, seniority was determined by age rather than ordination date, and excommunications or disfellowshipments were factored into seniority after the fact. Beginning in 1875, Brigham Young determined that the date when an apostle first joined the Quorum of the Twelve and continuous service were the more important factors. As a result, the seniority of Brigham Young Jr., who was ordained an apostle before Joseph F. Smith, but joined the Quorum of the Twelve after Joseph F., were reversed.

Additionally, if one or more senior apostles were serving in the First Presidency, the most senior apostle not serving in the First Presidency was set apart as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, rather than as Acting President. When Lorenzo Snow became the 5th President of the Church in September 1898, Franklin D. Richards, as the next most senior apostle, was designated Quorum President, and the next two in apostolic seniority (George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith) were serving as First and Second Counselors respectively to President Snow. After serving as Quorum President for almost 15 months, President Richards passed away, and, as a result, Presidents Cannon and Smith became the second and third in apostolic seniority.

But since both were still serving in the First Presidency, and the designation of Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve had not yet been established, that left Brigham Young Jr. as the most senior apostle not serving in the First Presidency, and he thus was designated as the Quorum President. President Cannon then passed away in April of 1901, and Joseph F. Smith thus became the second in apostolic seniority, with Brigham Young Jr. still serving as Quorum President. President Snow then passed away himself in October of 1901. As a result of his death, his First and Second Counselors (Joseph F. Smith and Rudger Clawson, who had been appointed as such 4 days prior to the death of President Snow, and who were thus never formally set apart in those capacities) returned to their places in the Quorum of the Twelve.

With President Smith's return to the Quorum, since he was the more senior apostle to Brigham Young Jr., he (President Smith) assumed the assignment of Quorum President for the week between the death of President Snow and his (President Smith's) ordination as Church President. Once that ordination took place, Brigham Young Jr. then reassumed the assignment as Quorum President. Interestingly enough, it was President Joseph F. Smith's prophetic successor, President Heber J. Grant, who would establish the formal position of Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and, coincidentally, the first person to ever formally serve in that assignment was Rudger Clawson, the only man who served in the First Presidency for less than a week.

I apologize for that long-winded explanation, which was more lengthy than I meant it to be. But I hope it serves as sufficient explanation regarding why Brigham Young Jr. was the only apostle of the Church to serve two nonconsecutive terms as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. With that lengthy tangent taken care of (and again, my apologies for it),  I wanted to mention that, since I am providing this overview today, rather than doing a post following the observance of these 4 apostolic milestones and the renovation closure for the Hong Kong China Temple, I will likely opt to just note these milestones in comments on existing threads of this blog as they occur.

The one other July apostolic milestone will be marked on the last day of that month, at which time, President M. Russell Ballard will be observing his fourth (and final) 2019 apostolic nonagenarian milestone. As of that date, President Ballard's lifespan will match that of President Boyd K. Packer, and he (President Ballard) will thus become the 14th oldest apostle in Church history. The following Sunday will, of course, be August 4, on which date I will have my next apostolic milestone update published on this blog, which will be the fifth such update I have done during 2019. As part of that update, I will be providing an overview of the 3 apostolic birthdays which will be observed in August.

As you can see, just in terms of the milestones I mentioned here, a lot is happening during the 2019 recess for the General Authorities, which I imagine may include the other general authorities conducting the transfer of assignments that will go into effect on August 1. I also have little or no doubt that there will surely be other Church news and temple updates to report on as well. That coverage will likely include articles about Utah's Pioneer Day observations (which will be marked on July 24). It has been somewhat traditional for a member of the First Presidency to serve as grand marshal of the annual KSL "Days of '47 Parade", but there has been a time or two within the last decade when then-Elder/now-President Ballard has been asked to do so, in view of his familial ties to early Latter-day Saint pioneers.

For my part, I will do my level best to stay on top of all of these developments and to pass them along to you all in either new posts or the comment threads of existing posts. That does it for now. 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.

BREAKING NEWS: First Presidency Announces Initial 2020 Area Division

Hello again, everyone! I have breaking news to report right now. The Newsroom has shared an announcement from the First Presidency. Effective in August of 2020, the Africa Southeast Area of the Church will be divided into two separate areas: the Africa South Area, and the Africa Central Area. The announcement notes that this is being done because of the Church's significant growth that is occurring in the nations currently comprising the Africa Southeast Area. More specific details on this area split will be released closer to the time, but the one thing that is certain is that two 3-man area presidencies will be assigned for the two separate areas.\

My personal opinion on those assignments is that the First Presidency may ask 1 or 2 members of the Africa Southeast Area Presidency as it will be constituted in August of this year to continue in the newly-divided Africa South Area Presidency, while the remaining 1 or 2 members of that presidency would be called as the first leaders of the Africa Central Area, since that would allow Brethren with familiarity of all nations in the current Africa Southeast Area to bless the two split areas with their knowledge thereof.

If that were the only news I had to report, it would be reason enough to celebrate. But I also wanted to note a couple of other developments as well. For the last several weeks, lds.org has redirected to churchofjesuschrist.org. It appears that now, however, the only way to get to the Church's official website is to enter the new URL. Additionally, details have been announced about the final 2019 Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults, which will also serve as a Face-to-Face Event. As I noted previously, that event had originally be set for Sunday September 8, but has been pushed back a week to Sunday September 15, which will coincide with the dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple.

The featured guests for this Devotional/Face-to-Face event will be Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Seventy. Unless their assignments have changed or will change, Elder Soares is a member of the Missionary Executive Council and the Human Resource Committee, while Elder Christensen is President of the Utah Area (which will be a single area effective August 1 of this year) and as an Assistant Executive Director of the Missionary Department.  Based on the fact that they both have a role in missionary work within the Church, it would not shock me in any way if the focus on this devotional is how young adults can continue to be missionaries even after concluding their full-time service in the mission field.

And while I am on the subject of missionary work, that brings me to the other two articles I wanted to share. As many of you know, Elder John H. Groberg, now an Emeritus General Authority, served a full-time mission in Tonga, and would return a decade or two after that to serve as a mission president in the same area as well. A book has been published about his experiences, which has been the subject of the movie "The Other Side of Heaven". As preparations are underway for a sequal to be released (which will focus on his experiences as a mission president), Elder Groberg sat down with the Church News, professional golfer Tony Finau, and Elder Vai Sikahema, a newly-called area seventy, to discuss the powerful church growth in Tonga, and the impact that missionary work has had on each of them individually.

In the meantime, one other article continues coverage of the 2019 Seminar for New Mission Presidents, the latest of which features remarks shared by Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, who is both the Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric and a member of the Missionary Executive Council, and his wife, Carol, who covered 5 key points that both mission presidents and senior missionaries should remember when considering how senior couples can best be utilized during their missionary service. And for any who have missed any coverage provided on that Seminar, the full range of articles on that can be found in this special section of the Church News

I was grateful to bring these reports to you today. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates, and will do my level best to keep bringing word of those to you all here as I become aware of such things. 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.

Preliminary Reports Provided on the 2019 Mission Leadership Seminar; Other Church News Reported

Hello again, everyone! I am posting again now to share some major Church news stories which have crossed my radar within the last week. I will be covering new content from the Church News, then the News & Events page on the Church's website, then the official Newsroom. If there is any overlap in that coverage, I will try to note that as I go. With that said, let's dive right in to all of that.

First, the Church has provided preliminary reports on the 2019 Mission Leadership Seminar, which kicked off today with the traditional Sacrament Meeting. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, who chairs the Missionary Executive Council, and Church President Russell M. Nelson offered remarks today. More will be reported on that seminar in the week ahead, which I will be sure to pass along as I receive word of them.

Several other recent reports on the ministry of our Church leaders can be found in the special section devoted to Leaders & Ministry. Among them are the newest edition of "This Week on Social", which featured social media posts from the following leaders: Church President Russell M. Nelson and his First and Second Counselors, Presidents Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring, respectively; Elders David A. Bednar, D. Todd Christofferson, and Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Sisters Reyna I. Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, and Michelle D. Craig, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency.

I will let you all catch up on other highlights in that section that may interest any of you on your own time. In the meantime, there has been additional coverage provided of temple highlights, which can be found here. Similarly, there may be other stories of interest to some of you which I have not mentioned here, and those can be found here. Turning now to the stories on the News & Events page on the Church's website, it appears that most of those have been covered elsewhere, but if I missed anything, you can read about additional news here and also catch up on additional details that have been announced about scheduled events.

And finally, I cannot quite recall how much coverage I have recently provided on the latest news releases from the official Newsroom, but share the link to a list of those for anyone that wants to catch up on anything I might have missed. I should also probably note that, insofar as I have been able to ascertain, there has still not been an artist's rendering released or a construction time-frame offered for the Belem Brazil Temple, which, as previously noted, has been scheduled to occur on Saturday August 17 of this year. If and when such information becomes available, I will be sure to pass that along to you all 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 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.

Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part Three—All Remaining Estimates

Hello again, everyone! I am back again to share the third and final part of my updated estimates for known temple events. This part covers all remaining known or anticipated events which have not yet been shared. They 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 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 yuo do.

2022:

Saturday & Sunday April 2 & 3: 192^nd Annual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Mid-to-late April: Dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple (178^th operating temple)

Mid-June: Rededication of the Hong Kong China Temple

Note: This is just a projected estimate, based on what is currently known. As more information is revealed, this estimate could be pushed forward or back as needed.

Mid-September: Dedication of the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple (179^th operating temple)

Saturday & Sunday October 1 & 2: 192^nd Semiannual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Mid-November: Dedication of the Bangkok Thailand Temple (179^th 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.

Final note on 2022: 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.

2023:

February: Rededication of the St. George Utah Temple

Saturday & Sunday April 1 & 2: 193^rd Annual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Saturday September 30 & Sunday October 1: 193^rd Semiannual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Final note on 2023: Any temple events which may occur during 2023 will be determined by whatever temple announcements are made within the next couple of years. I will be sure to add such events as I learn about their likelihood.

2024:

Saturday & Sunday April 6 & 7: 194^th Annual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

May or June: Rededication of the Salt Lake Temple

Saturday & Sunday October 5 & 6: 194^th Semiannual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Final note: Any other temple events which may occur during 2024 will be determined by whatever temple announcements are made within the next couple of years. I will be sure to add such events as I learn about their likelihood.

Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part Two—2020-2021 Estimates

Hello again, everyone! I am back, with the second part of my updated estimates for future temple events, which, as previously noted, will cover those events scheduled (in one case) or anticipated to occur in 2020 and 2021. Those estimates 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 alll 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.

2020:

Sunday February 16: Dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple (168^th operating temple; confirmed)

Note: On June 18, 2019, the First Presidency officially announced the open house and dedication information for this temple. The only question is who may preside at this temple’s dedication. It could be any of our ordained apostles, but given past precedent, it seems likely that Elder Dale G. Renlund will be assigned to do so.

Saturday & Sunday April 4 & 5: 190^th Annual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Mid-to-late April: Dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple (169^th operating temple)

Note: Barring anything unexpected, this temple will only be dedicated after the already-scheduled dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple. Accordingly, I have moved my estimate for this temple’s dedication to this point.

June: Rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple

Mid-August: Dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple (170^th operating temple)

Saturday & Sunday October 3 & 4: 190^th 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-to-late October: Rededication of the Washington DC Temple

December: Dedication of the Abidjan Côte d'Ivoire Temple (171^st 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 to this point.

Final note on 2020: Based on what I have heard, 2020 seems as though it will be another big year for temple groundbreakings. I am specifically keeping my eyes open for information on the following temples: Puebla Mexico (in view of a tip from a member of the Church in Mexico, who noted the groundbreaking for that temple is anticipated in early 2020), Salta and Mendoza Argentina, Managua Nicaragua, Phnom Penh Cambodia, Feather River California, and Layton Utah Temples. But it would not at all surprise me in any way if other temples have a groundbreaking during 2020 as well.

2021:

Mid-February: Rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple

Saturday & Sunday April 3 & 4: 191^st Annual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Mid-to-late April: Rededication of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple

Late May-early June: Dedication of the Yigo Guam Temple (172^nd operating temple

Early-to-mid August: Dedication of the Praia Cabo Verde Temple (173^rd operating temple)

Mid-to-late August: Dedication of the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple (174^th operating temple)

Mid-September: Dedication of the Quito Ecuador Temple (175^th operating temple)

Saturday & Sunday October 2 & 3: 191^st Semiannual General Conference

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Mid-to-late October: Dedication of the Belem Brazil Temple (176^th operating temple)

Mid-November: Dedication of the Pocatello Idaho Temple (177^th operating temple)

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.

Updated Estimates for Future Temple Events: Part One—Overview and Scheduled/Anticipated Events in 2019

Hello again, everyone! After around a month has passed with significant temple developments, I figured it was time once again to post an updated version of my list of estimates for future temple events. As usual, this will be done in three parts. This first one will discvuss those events scheduled to occur this year. The second part will deal with events scheduled/anticipated to occur in 2020 & 2021, and the final part will share those events anticipated between 2022 and 2024. This year's scheduled events 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 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.

2019:

Monday July 8: Hong Kong China Temple Renovation Closure

Note: On January 30, 2019, the First Presidency announced the renovation closure for this temple, with the plans to be detailed more fully at a later time. I am anticipating that that process will take around 3 years, so I have set a preliminary estimate of mid-to-late 2022.

Saturday August 17: Groundbreaking Ceremony for Belem Brazil Temple (confirmed)

Note: On June 17, 2019, new information noted that the groundbreaking ceremony for this temple had been confirmed through a letter from the Brazil Area Presidency to priesthood leaders. Although confirmation through the Church’s official Newsroom is still pending, barring anything unexpected, such confirmation is just a matter of time. Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, President of the Brazil Area, will preside over this temple’s groundbreaking. I am estimating that this will be a smaller temple, and that construction on it could wrap up in mid-to-late 2021.

Saturday August 24-Monday September 2: President Nelson’s Latin American Ministry Tour (confirmed)

Note: During the third week in May, comments on my blog shared releases from a few country Newsroom websites of the Church noting President Nelson would visit those locations in late August and early September. Then on May 29, the Church released official details of the trip and its’ itinerary. Accompanied by his wife, Wendy W. Nelson, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Mary G. Cook, President Nelson will visit 5 nations in 9 days. With stops in Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, it appears more likely than not that part of that tour will involve scouting for future temple locations.

Sunday September 1: Dedication of the Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple (165^th operating temple; confirmed)

Note: On November 14, 2018, the First Presidency announced the open house and dedication information for this temple (with the latter originally set for mid-May). Then, on January 18, 2019, the dedication was pushed back to this date in view of delays in the construction process. Because President Nelson will be wrapping up his aforementioned Latin American Ministry Tour this same weekend, and given the precedent set with the prior two temple dedications (in Kinshasa DR Congo and Fortaleza Brazil), it seems likely any of the three apostles fluent in French (President Eyring or Elders Andersen or Renlund) may oversee this dedication. Given that Elder Andersen is the only one of those three who has not presided over a temple event, since he broke ground for this temple, he may be asked to return to dedicate it.

Friday September 6: President Nelson’s 95^th Birthday Celebration

Note: On March 14, 2019, the Church announced this milestone celebration for President Nelson, which will occur 3 days before his actual 95^th birthday. In view of the fact that President Nelson has announced 27 temples since his prophetic administration began, it seems appropriate to mention this milestone birthday among other events on this timeline.

Sunday September 15: Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple (166^th operating temple; confirmed)

Note: On March 4, 2019, the First Presidency announced the open house and dedication information for this temple. Given the recent past precedent I noted previously, any of the 15 current apostles, particularly those who have not personally presided over a temple event this year and/or who have any kind of connection to Lisbon may be asked to oversee this dedication. Who exactly that might be is anyone’s guess.

Saturday & Sunday October 5 & 6: 189^th Semiannual General Conference:

Note: Given that there have been 27 new temples announced during the first 3 General Conferences of President Nelson’s prophetic administration, I believe he will continue to announce temples every six months in General Conference, with the focus between each General Conference centered on doing all that can be done to clear the backlog of announced temples, at least for the time being.

Sunday October 13: Private rededication for the Raleigh North Carolina Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency announced that a one-session private rededication for this temple would take place on this date (following a one-week public open house), with President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presiding.

Sunday October 20: Rededication of the Frankfurt Germany Temple (confirmed)

Note: On March 5, 2019, the First Presidency announced that this temple would be rededicated on this date. I am anticipating that Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our native German apostle will be asked to rededicate this temple.

Sunday November 3: Private rededication of the Asuncion Paraguay Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 21, 2019, the First Presidency announced the one-week open house and one-session private rededication for this temple. It is my opinion that any of the senior apostles (up to and including Elder Christofferson) who have not presided at a temple event could preside over this rededication. But what is far less clear right now is which of those 9 most senior apostles is most likely to do so.

Monday November 4: St. George Utah Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)

Note: This temple’s renovation was announced on January 25, 2019. Given the fact that seismic and systemic updates are anticipated to occur, I have set a preliminary general completion estimate of mid-to-late 2022.

Sunday November 17: Private rededication of the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple (confirmed)

Note: On May 3, 2019, the First Presidency also announced the one-week public open house for this temple, which will be privately rededicated on this date by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

December 15: Dedication of the Arequipa Peru Temple (167^th operating temple)

Note: On May 21, 2019, the First Presidency also announced the dedication of this temple.  Given the aforementioned past precedent, any apostle could preside over this temple dedication, with the only question being which of the 15 is most likely to actually do so. Insofar as I am aware, I know of no current apostle who has direct ties to Peru. So at this point, the prospect is too difficult to call.

Sunday December 29: Salt Lake Temple Renovation Closure (confirmed)

Note: On April 19, 2019, President Nelson announced renovation plans for the Salt Lake Temple, identifying this date for its’ closure. I will offer an estimate for its’ completion (which is anticipated in early-to-mid 2024) later in this document.

Final note on 2019: Groundbreakings have been held so far this year for the Urdaneta Philippines, Bangkok Thailand, Pocatello Idaho, Yigo Guam, Praia Cabo Verde, San Juan Puerto Rico, Quito Ecuador, and Lima Peru Los Olivos Temples. Additionally, as noted above, a groundbreaking for the Belem Brazil Temple will occur in mid-August. Given what I have heard about 2019, it seems more likely than not that several other temples will have a groundbreaking at some point during that year. In particular, I am watching for information on the Brasilia Brazil, Greater Manila Philippines, Richmond Virginia, Nairobi Kenya, Harare Zimbabwe, Saratoga Springs Utah, Bengaluru India, Auckland New Zealand and Puebla Mexico Temples. Even if not all of them have a groundbreaking occur in 2019, many of them will likely have a groundbreaking scheduled before the end of this year.

Temple Construction Updates Noted

Hello again, everyone! Several temple construction updates have been noted, so I wanted to pass them along to you all here and now. First, at the Lisbon Portugal Temple, exterior lighting tests are underway. Next, as reported around 12 hours ago, the Durban South Africa Temple will be dedicated in mid-February of next year, when it will become the 168th operating temple of the Church. Next, an update shared for the Rio de Janeiro Temple notes that the construction barrier has been replaced by decorative fencing, that landscaping is now underway, and that scaffolding is being removed from the temple tower. Additionally, I have made the personal decision to shift my general estimate for that temple's completion to mid-2020, though most soureces available to me still list that general estimate as early 2020.

Sources available to me have shifted the estimated completion for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple to mid-to-late 2020, which fits in better with my more specific estimate (more on that later).  Next, after the Abidjan Temple, the Yigo Guam, Praia Cabo Verde, and San Juan Puerto Rico Temples are anticipated to be completed, although full-scale construction is still pending on all of them. After that, the Quito Ecuador Temple is anticipated to be completed, followed by the Belem Brazil (for which a groundbreaking is set to occur in mid-August), Pocatello Idaho, Urdaneta Philippines, Lima Peru Los Olivos (for which full-scale construction efforts are also pending), and Bangkok Thailand Temples.

At least, that is the likely order of completion for those temples, though I anticipate others will be completed in-between the Belem and Pocatello Temples, and also likely between the Urdaneta and Los Olivos Temples and also between that of the Los Olivos and Bangkok Temples. Aside from that, the one other current temple about which I have an update is the Mesa Arizona Temple, where a retaining wall is being poured around the temple, where forms are being set for the west reflecting pool slab, and where a slab has been poured for the north reflecting pool.

But before I end this post, I wanted to pass along two updated sections from my temple construction progress report: those for the "Groundbreaking anticipated" and "Announced" sections thereof. So those follow below:

Groundbreaking anticipated:

181. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval phase; property fence installed around temple site; groundbreaking could occur in mid-2019.

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

183. Richmond Virginia Temple: Preliminary plans submitted to local government on March 22, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

184. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site confirmation; groundbreaking could occur in mid-to-late 2019.

185. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; President Nelson visited potential site on April 17, 2018; groundbreaking anticipated in late 2019.

186. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Preliminary plans submitted to local government on May 7, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

187. Bengaluru India Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

188. Auckland New Zealand Temple: Planning and approval phase; site location confirmed on May 21, 2019; groundbreaking could occur in late 2019-early 2020.

189. Puebla Mexico Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking could occur in early 2020.

Announced Temples (for which more information is needed before I provide a groundbreaking estimate):

190. Salta Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; site location confirmed.

191. Mendoza Argentina Temple: Planning and approval phase; site has been confirmed.

192. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site acquired; awaiting official confirmation.

193. Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site acquired; awaiting official confirmation.

194. Feather River California Temple: Planning and approval phase; potential site identified; awaiting official confirmation.

Note: A potential site has been identified (though not yet confirmed) for this temple.

195. Layton Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement; some prospective site locations identified.

Note: A potential site has been identified (though not yet confirmed) for this temple.

196. Antofagasta Chile Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: A potential site has been identified (though not yet confirmed) for this temple.

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

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

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

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

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

202. Pago Pago American Samoa Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

203. Okinawa City Okinawa (Japan) Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

204. Neiafu Tonga Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

205. Tooele Valley Utah Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement

206. Moses Lake Washington Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

207. San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

208. Budapest Hungary Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

209. Russia Temple: Planning and approval phase; awaiting official city (and site) announcement.

I should note that, depending on what happens over the next several months between now and the weekend of the October 2019 General Conference, the two sections I shared above will likely look markedly different (hopefully because at least 2 other temples will have a groundbreaking, and because several other temples may have been announced, or will get to the point of being in a "Groundbreaking anticipated" status.

I do continue to monitor all such Church news and temple developments and will be sure to pass along word of the highlights as I become aware of them. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are 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. 

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Open House and Dedication Announced for Durban South Africa Temple

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication information for the Durban South Africa Temple. The open house will take place from Wednesday January 22-Saturday February 1, 2020, except for Sunday January 26. A youth devotional will be held with senior leaders the night of Saturday February 15, with the dedication of the temple following the next day in 3 sessions, which will only be broadcast to the units in the temple district. The fact that for two days in a row, we have had breaking temple news gives me hope that more such developments are on the horizon.

I should also probably mention that the last two days' developments mean I will likely be revisiting my estimates for known temple events in the future, given the new information I have received. It is also worth mentioning that there has not been confirmation on the Newsroom as of yet on the groundbreaking information for the Belem Brazil Temple.

But I antiicipate that occurring soon, and given that there are still almost-2 full weeks left in June that the Church could confirm that groundbreaking and perhaps announce 1 or 2 others which would then occur either in August as well, or perhaps in September.  I do continue to monitor any and all Church news and temple developments and will be doing my level best to bring word of those to you all here as I become aware of them, either through brand-new posts being published for breaking news developments, or through the comments on the threads of previously-published blog posts.

That does it for now. 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.