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Thursday, March 19, 2020

Third Edition: April 2020 General Conference Predictions

Hello again, everyone! Far later than I had anticipated, I wanted to publish here the latest fully-annotated edition of my predictions for the April 2020 General Conference. The content and notes largely speak for themselves, and anyone with the link should be able to view them. The open commenting period, which began with the first posted version of these predictions, remains in effect for the next three weeks.,at which point I will take the 36 hours between that time and Saturday morning of General Conference to do any fine-tuning or make any adjustments. As usual for an April General Conference, the predicsions are split into four sub-categories, the speaking order predictions, the possible changes in general Church leadership, the statistical report (for which the numbers are estimated), and potential locations in which a new temple may be announced. And it is in that latter section that I'll really need good feedback. There are several nations or states where I could not narrow the likely prospects down to the top one for each. So if any of you have any insight that helps me thin out the proverbial herd, I'd appreciate it.

Other than these notes, the rest speaks for itself. That does it for now. I look forward to your feedback, any or all of which is always welcome and appreciated, as long as it is offered 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: Additional Ajdustments Announced for the April 2020 General Conference

Hello again, everyone! In light of additional recommendations which have been made due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the First Presidency has just announced by letter that there will be another format change to the April 2020 General Conference. Rather than broadcasting from the Conference Center, each session will originate from a small auditorium on Temple Square. The First Presidency will preside at and conduct each session, but aside from the First Presidency, only those invited to speak or pray during in each session will physically attend. All conference music has been prerecorded. I believe this is a common-sense adjustment based on the changing recommendations. And given that the conference will be carried by technology, any Church leaders who would have ordinarly attended all sessions can catch the sessions in the same way the rest of us will. I had a feeling that an adjustment like this would be coming down the pike, and I believe it is a wise strateegy. No word on where the sessions are specifically going to originate from, but perhaps that will be in the Conference Center theater. And this is another precaution that can ensure the conference will go ahead as scheduled. When I had mentioned this prospect previously, I had thought only those speaking or praying would attend, but it makes sense that the First Presidency will be the only leaders attending all sessions. That's a doctrinally-mandated provision. And as a former physician and surgeon, I am sure President Nelson has been very sure that he and his counselors observe best practices to keep themselves healthy enough for this conference.

The format and location may be different, and it will be a slightly unusual scenario, but these are slightly unsusual times. I continue to monitor all Church news and temple developments and will pas word of those along to you all as I become aware of them. In the meantime, 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.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Custom Search Engine Added

Hello again, everyone! I just wanted to post briefly again today to announce that I have added a new custom search engine for this blog, which I hope will allow any of you who are interested to find more information yourselves on the developments which I continue to cover in various ways here on this blog. Hopefully it will be a good addition to this blog. Please be sure to let me know if you have any feedback for me on this development, or any other I have covered or will yet cover on this blog. 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 stalbished guideline. Thank you for the privilebe of your time. If you would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe for updates. 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: Church Postpones Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple Open House and Dedication

Hello again, everyone! Out of an abundance of caution while COVID-19 still has widespread impact,, the Church today postponed the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple open house and dedication indefinitely, until whenever the crisis passes, or, more particularly, whenever the Brazilian government determines that larger gatherings, as would be present for an open house and dedication, can be safely held. Time will tell what effect COVID-19 might have on the previously-arranged groundbreakings for temples in various locations, or if the opening dates for the Washington DC Temple may also be changed as a result of this crisis. There will be more to come from the Church in the days ahead, of that I am certain. 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.

Thursday, March 12, 2020

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Official Rendering Released and Groundbreaking Announced for the Auckland New Zealand Temple

Hello again, everyone! While I was posting the COVID-19 updates from the Church on the threads of the previous post, breaking temple news was also reported by the Newsroom. The official rendering has been released and the groundbreaking has been set for the Auckland New Zealand Temple. The groundbreaking for New Zealand's next temple will occur on Saturday June 13, 2020. Elder Ian S. Ardern, the president of the Church's Pacific Area (who happens to be a native of New Zealand)the, will preside thereat. This brings the total number of groundbreakings scheduled between General Conference and the end of June to 4 so far.
The AUckland New Zealand Temple now becomes the fourth of those originally announced in October 2018 to have a groundbreaking within the last 18 months or less, and he timing for this event was sooner than I anticipated, since I had offered a general window of mid-to-late 2020 for that. But this news gives me hope that other temple groundbreakings (including perhaps the Orem and Taylorsville Utah Temples and at least 2 of the 3 most-recently-announced temples in Central America) could potentially have their groundbreakings prior to the annual July recess for the General Authorities of the Church. In the meantime, given the exterior rendering that has been released and what President Nelson said when he announced that temple's site less than a year ago (in mid-May 2019), I am anticipating the temple will take around 2-3 years to construct, which would mean its' construction could wrap up during late 2022-early 2023. But that estimate is subject to confirmation or denial by the Church based on the consistency and speed at which construction progresses.

This has been an exciting few days, and there will likely be much more to come. To the best of my ability, I wil attempt to stay on top of it all. 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.