UPDATED: Current Apostolic Statistics

Hello again, everyone! I last posted an apostolic statistical update the Sunday evening following the final session of the April 2020 General Conference. So it's time to do so again now. As per my new tradition, I have assembled the updated data in shareable documents. The updated data is in two parts, the first and the second. The information largely speaks for itself. I will, of course, pass along any additional Church news or temple developments, as I become aware of such things. 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 TEMPLE NEWS: Small-Scale Private Groundbreaking Held Today For the Layton Utah Temple

Hello again, everyone! As some of you may be aware, the Church had previously announced that the groundbreaking for the Layton Utah Temple was set to be held on Saturday May 30, one week from today. I was absolutely blown away, therefore, when I just heard a report from KSL, which was soon verified by the Church's official Newsroom that, due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the First Presidency instead instructed the Utah Area to conduct a small-scale private event earlier today. The official word from the Newsroom is that images and video from those proceedings will be published on the Newsroom in the coming week. I am hopeful that means that similar surprise announcements are in store about scheduled and unscheduled groundbreakings taking place on a small-scale might be possible. This means that the next scheduled groundbreaking is now two weeks away, assuming the groundbreaking for the Alabang Philippines Temple is able to take place on its' newly-scheduled date. For my part, I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates and will bring word of those to you all as I become aware of them.

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.

UPDATED: Two Different Speaking Order Scenarios for the October 2020 General Conference

Hello again, everyone!  Yesterday, the First Presidency made their announcement about the phased return to worship services and other meetings. Subsequently, I provided some insight in the threads of another post into what that process will look like in my neck of the woods, as a result of guidance given by the Utah Area Presidency. In the day or so since that time, I have been led to revisit some of my previously-offered thoughts regarding if, how, and in what manner COVID-19 may impact business as usual for the October 2020 General Conference. The initial draft of those predictions was assembled with the assumption that that General Conference would be similar or identical to what we saw with the April 2020 General Confernce. I subsequently began to reason through how I might arrange those predictions if the October 2020 General Conference were able to be more towards a normal status quo situation. After doing additional research, I set up an alternate projection for the potential speaker layout based on what I believe conference might look like should we be able to have a more normalized one. If anything more official is noted about that conference, that information will need to be factored in to any predictions I provide here. But for now, with what is and is not known, I wanted to provide a look at both projections and see if input from any of you can provide some perspective on which of those two scenarios may be more likely.

I'd just note here that for either predicted scenario, I will be using the exact same set of predictions for the changes in general Church leadership and the potential future locations for which I feel a temple could be announced this go-round, so I did not duplicate that information in both. Whichever speaking order is used will be attached to the other assembled predictions as detailed in the first document. And again, an open commenting period on these predictions remains effective anytime from now through 10:00 PM MDT on Thursday October 1. I look forward to your input.

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 Changes to Area Seventies Quorums; Creation of Four New Quorums

Hello again, everyone! I almost missed another breaking development. The First Presidency today also announced the creation of four additional Area Seventies Quorums to provide an ease of meeting as a Quorum, and as a result of the expanding presence of the Church in many areas. The distribution and assignment of Area Seventies Quorums will also be changing. The changes will go into effect on June 1, in less than 2 weeks time.As of June 1, the Quorums will break down as follows: The Third Quorum will consist of those area seventies living in the Africa Central, Africa South, and Africa West Areas. The Fourth Quorum will be comprised of those Area Seventies serving in the Asia and Asia North Areas. The Fifth Quorum will consist of those area seventies living in the Brazil Area. The Sixth Quorum will include those area seventies serving in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico Areas. Those in the Seventh Quorum will include all who serve in the Europe, Europe East, and Middle East/Africa North Areas.

Those serving in the Pacific and Philippines Areas will be assigned to the Eighth Quorum.The area seventies living within the South America Northwest and South America South Areas will constitute the Ninth Quorum. The final three Quorums will include those serving in the six North American Areas. Those serving in the North America Central, North America Northeast, and North America Southeast Areas will constitute the Tenth Quorum. Those area seventies in the North America Southwest and North America West Areas will constitute the Eleventh Quorum. And those serving in the boundaries of the Utah Area will now fall under the Twelfth Quorum.

When I originally suggested that new Quorums could be created to break up some of the larger Quorums, I never envisioned anything like this. But taking the approach of dividing the area seventies by goegraphical area will enable the Church to subsequently call as many area seventies as may be needed for each Quorum, which may involve a higher number thereof in each Quorum at some point in the very near future. As a result of this announcement, I have many updates to make to my list of Area Seventies over the next little while. With two major announcements in one day (even coming within 2-3 hours of each other), I hope that means that other major announcements will be coming down the pike in the days ahead, especially relating to temple construction efforts. I will monitor all such news and bring you all word of those developments as I become aware of them.

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 Phased Return to Church Services

Hello again, everyone! At some point yesterrday, I had commented on the Church Growth Blog that I didn't see the Church returning to any degree of normalcy in some areas before the third or fourth quarter of this year. But in a clear signal that the Lord's thoughts and ways are higher than mine (not that I needed one, but I got it nonetheless), the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles today announced a cautiously-coordinated and phased return to some regular Church functions. Note the wording I used above: cautiously coordinated and phased. Here's the way that approach will work. In consultation with their ecclesiastical contacts in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Presidency of the Seventy (whose assignments still do not appear to be known in their entirety), area presidencies can authorize the Church in their areas to ressume Church services Under Phase 1, shortened meetings with appropriate precautions to protect health and safety of Church members, shortened meetings (primarily Sacrament Meeting) may be held with tappropriate social distancing between each family. Other meetings, if needed, may be held by technology. And bishops may, depending on needs, continue to authrize home worship, including the administration of the Sacrament, in homes where one or more members are among the vunerable population. Any other meetings (interviews, Quorum or group meetings (Young Women and Relief Society) will continue remotely for the time being. The phase 2 approach would involve a return to a more normal degree of weekly worship, as long as local regulations are adhered to and Church seervices to a more normal degree can be resumed safely. The letter notes that in some areas where normalcy is returning may jump directly to phase 2, if that is approved through the proper channels.

Again, this will not be an instant change from home worship back to normalcy. This will be a carefully-coordinated effort that will cautiously progress as approvals are granted per area through the Area Presidency in consultation with their contacts in the Presidency of the Seventy and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. And the determinations will look different in each area, based on whatever regulations or restrictions are in place. I am not able to determine by this announcement how, if at all, the October 2020 General Conference may or may not be impacted from a normal scenario, but I will be researching that question in the days ahead. If the conference resumes as has been normal, theere may be a need to adjust my predictions for that. But I will be watching for information in that respect and will adjust those accordingly. In the meantime, I'm grateful that Church leaders are taking a smart approach in relation to this particular matter. I continue to monitor all such developments and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware thereof.

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 UPDATES: 18 Additional Temples to Open Under Phase 1; Angel Moroni to Be Removed from the Salt Lake Temple As Renovations Continue

Hello again, everyone! The First Presidency continues the careful and methodical phased reopening of temples. In addition to the 18 that opened under phase 1 2 weeks ago, and 18 more that have opened/will open for live sealings by appointment only today, 18 more templeswill reopen under phase 1 one week from today. On the latest list are the 1 temple in Alaska, the 2 in Colorado, the Orlando temple in Florida (the Fort Lauderdale temple may reopen in a week or two), and the single temples in Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklklahoma, the Dallas and Houston Texas Temples, Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, 4 more in Canada (Candston and Edmonton Alberta, Regina Saskatchewan, and Vancouver Britisth Columbia), and the Helsiniki Finland Temple. In the meantime, renovation efforts continue at the Salt Lake Temple, where crews are removing the angel Moroni statute and its' capstone. The Church News provided additional coverage on that development as well. And from Church News reporter Scott Taylor comes some thoughts about "preconceived missions", and how missionaries are, can, and should be responding to the unusual circumstances of their reassignments as a result of COVID-19.

In previous reports, the Church News has shared examples of the proper approach to that process based on accounts shared by missionaries whose service has been disrupted. It appears that the Church in some cases has  also reassigned mission presidents to their homelands as well in the wake of COVID-19. But it is awesome that the Church continues to take a measured approach in dealing with unusual cirucmstances due to the ongoing pandemic. The way in which the latest developments have transpired is a clear indicator that the Lord is very much aware of His work, and is blessing those involved in helping to move it forward in the midst of these highly unusual circumstances. For my part, I continue to monitor all Church news and temple updates, and will do my level best to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of such things.

This upcoming Sunday, I have scheduled the next apostolic age and tenure milestone update. The following Saturday will mark the groundbreaking for the Layton Utah Temple, unless COVID-19 conditions change that. That will kick off the first of 3 weeks straight during which the Church will break ground on temples each Saturday. And the final day of May, I'll be bringing you all a post in tribute to President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Preidency, who will mark his 87th birthday on that day. All of those developments and more will be covered on this blog in one form or another in the days ahead. I also continue to work on updating my estimates for known temple events in the near future.

And of course, the open commernting period remains in effect for my predictions for the October 2020 General Conference. So stay tuned for all such reports. 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.

Initial Predictions for the October 2020 General Conference

Hello again, everyone! I finally have the first draft of my predictions for next October's General Conference put together. An oope commenting period is now in effect until either I need to update them and post the revisions later on, or until the week before the October 2020 General Conference (with the deadline for the latter being 10:00 PM MDT on Thursday October 1, which will give me 36 hours to finalize those before General Conference formally begins). I look forward to your feedback. 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.

UPDATES: First Presidency Announces 17 Additional Temples Which Will Open Under Phase 1; Reemphasizes Guidelines for Art in Meetinghouse Entryways

Hello again, eveeryone! 4 days ago, the First Presidency first annnounced the strategy the Church will take towards reopening temples., which included 17 temples that would reopen under phase 1 today (enabling previously-endowed  couples to have their marriages solemnized in the temple). After further evaluating world conditions and governmental restrictions, the First Presidency today announced 17 more teeples which will open under phase 1 one week from today (Monday May 18). The neewest 17 include templess scattered through the United States in the following 9 states:Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming. Also included on the latest list are temples in Denmark, Korea, and Taiwan. It is wonderful to see Church leaders moving forward in faith and expanding the phased reopening of temples. If that was the only development I had to  report today, it would be reason enough to rejoice. But above and beyond that development, the First Presidency is also looking ahead to the time when regular worship will resume in meetinghouses worldwide.  As assessments are underway on that front, the First Presidency has provided a directive pertaining to art in meetinghouse foyers. Acknwledging the efforts of Church members everywhere to use the correct name of the Church, leaders have felt to reemphasize the centrality of the Savior in Sunday worship services in chapels around the world by directive that artwork featuring the Savior, either on his own, or ministering to others, should be prominently displayed in the entryways of each chapel. Local physical facilities directors are being instructed to prayerfully work with congregational leaders both at the stake/disstrict and ward/branch level to ensure that the artwork that is selected for each such meetinghouse meets the desired parameters as spelled out in today's news release. A First Presidency letter provides more specific recommendations on that.I  am grateful to have learned of these developments and to have been able to pass them along to you all here. I will continue to do so with all future developments, whether in new posts or on comments for existing posts.

Just by way of reminder, I do have my next apstolic statistical update set to be published here on Sunday May 24. I will also carry coverage of the upcoming temple groundbreakings for the Layton Utah, Alabang Philippines, and Auckland New Zealand Temples as that is made available. And of course, I also have plans to bring you apostolic birthday tribute posts for President Henry B. Eyring (on May 31) and Elder David A. Bednar (on June 15). So stay tuned for those reports, among others. 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 TEMPLE NEWS: Groundbreaking for Alabang Philippines Temple Postponed

Hello again, everyone! As many of you might be aware, I have been looking for (and having difficulty finding) confirmation that the Alabang Philippines Temple groundbreaking occurred today as scheduled. In my latest perusal of the available information, I happened to look on the Church Temples site. On the page for the Alabang Philippines Temple, an update at the top of that parge drew my attention. The status was as follows: "Preparing for groundbreaking ceremony; site cleared; groundbreaking scheduled for 6 June 2020." Although that update has not officially been confirmed through the Philippines Newsroom or the main Newsroom, the Church temples site has been known to have official information that has been or will soon be verified through the proper official channels. Therefore, I am pleased to pass along to you all the news that the groundbreaking for that temple will take place one week after that of the Layton Utah temple, and one week before the previously-scheduled groundbreaking for the Auckland New Zealand Temple. That update supercedes any previous information I have provided on this matter here.

Insofar as I am aware, the last time there were 3 consecutive temple groundbreakings on 3 consecutive weekends was during the Hinckley-era buiilding boom of the late 1990s-early 2000s. So it looks as though the end of May through the beginning of June will be chock-full of temple events to cover on this blog. I continue to monitor all such updates and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware of such things.

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: Open House and Dedication Dates Annnounced for Winnipeg Manitoba Temple/Other Major Developments Reported in Response to COVID-19

Hello again, everyone! Much to my surprise, one of two big announcements from the Church today was regarding the opening dates for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple. The Open house will be held from Thursday October 22-Saturday October 31, with the exception of Sundayh October 25. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside over the 3 dedicatory sessions,on on Sunday November 8, which will be held at 9:00 AM, noon, and 3:00 PM Winnipeg time, which is equivalent to 8:00 Am, 11:00 AM, and 2:00 PM here in Utah. A youth devotional for those in Aaronic Priesthood Quorums and Young Women classes, along with their leaders and parents, will be held the night before. This announcement suggests to me that the Church anticipates tthat COVID-19 conditions will have cleared sufficiently to allow the open house and dedication of this temple as scheduled. That in turn means that perhaps the Church will not have to change the planned arrangements for the open house and rededication of the Washington D.C. Temple. But one thing this announcement does not change is that the revised open house and dedication dates for the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple are still pending. Hopefully the Church can soon announce those revisions, but for now, the arrangements for that temple are yet-to-be-determined. The other major announcement from the Church today was that the First Presidency has determined to cancel all treks and pageants that would have otherwise been held this year. That is a result of the Brethren's ongoing concern about COVID-19. But the Church has also donated cash and commodities  and Church spokesman Daniel Woodruff has provided a statement on how the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are handling missionary reassignments in the wake of COVID-19.General details on some of these developments can also be found for missionary work, Church pageants, and youth camps, conferences, and treks. And late yesterday, the Newsroom shared an article about how Latter-day Saints in Wales are partnering with local organizations to provide relief due to COVID-19 conditions in that nation.

It is plain to see that, even in the midst of COVID-19 conditions, the work continues to make outstanding progress on a wide variety of fronts. I continue to monitor all such developments and will pass word o all Church news updates and temple construction milestones and will be sure to pass word of htose along to you all ASAP after I learn of them. 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.