Posted by:
rocomop
(
)
Date: March 15, 2019 08:48PM
Excellent point!
On April 16, 2018, a Mormon news source published an article in which three new temples were confirmed, including "...a temple somewhere in Russia..."
https://www.lds.org/church/news/temple-announcement-changes-lives-of-members-in-russia-india-nicaragua?lang=engThen in a MormonNewsRoom article on May 03, 2018, Non-American prophet Uchtdorf said, while visiting in Russia, “We’re very grateful for Russia to be a country where religious freedom is established. We may practice our faith here.”
While perhaps a viable sentiment from the perspective of the Russian Orthodox Church, it obviously doesn't really count for Mormonism, since Mormonism is a church which believes it shall and must proselytize. On that basis, his cited statement is utter hogwash. Russian law since 2016 prohibits Mormon missionaries from proselyting.
https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/elder-uchtdorf-discusses-future-russia-templeAn article in the SLTribune, dated January 04, 2019, says regarding the Russian temple, "Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf visited Moscow soon after the spring General Conference and tamped down expectations that a House of the Lord would be rising anytime soon in Russia."
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/01/04/this-week-mormon-land/Funny how this isn't evident in the above Mormonnewsroom(dot)org article regarding that visit!
Finally, here's the link to a puff piece regarding Rusty Nelson and his devotion to the Mormon-Russian cause written by a TBM. This simple, factual article provides insight regarding the interest fueling Rusty's hopes and loyalty (it would be fealty if Russia loved him back) regarding/to Russia.
https://thirdhour.org/blog/faith/lds-temples/russian-temple-meaningful-president-nelson/I think it would be a safe bet that Rusty will not be attending the Russian temple dedication. And while it's a slightly more risky bet, I'd put a small amount of money on there never being a Mormon temple in Russia. Which means that Uchtdorf's prediction that the process of getting it built will be slow is a remarkable understatement.
We're almost a year down the road from the announcement of the Russian temple and no location has been named. And missionaries can't proselyte and more and more members of record are becoming inactive. The church is NOT growing in Russia. The church is shrinking in Russia and the missionaries are being watched to make sure that they do not stem, much less reverse that tide.
We are now living in a good time for those of us who are convinced that the church lied to us when it said, via its lying, often abusive SLC leadership, that Mormonism was on a Mission from God.
It's good that I am living in a time when calling bullshit on the church has a solid place at the communal table.