What is your perception of the man Adam?

[Indy Coug]

Granted, I don't go very often, but when I do, the sessions are 75%-100% full. That's in Provo, Denver, Washington DC, Chicago, SLC; the only ones I've been in over the last several years.

[MikeWaters]

When I went to Dallas recently we had about 16 total. And half of them were there for their temple marriage that day. Saturday in the middle of the day.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Adam

I think this is completely wrong--we are not packing the temples.

In St. Paul where my father in law is a sealer/worker, the Temple is closed for most of July for "maintenance"--only there is no maintenance really being done. They have two sessions on Tuesday - Thursday evening, one in the morning on Wed, Friday evening has 4 sessions and a full day to 5pm on Saturday. According to my mother-in-law who I just got off the phone with the sessions during the week are only 6-10 people total with Fri evening and Sat doing better. She said that this summer they did a special morning session for the pesticide sales group that is in town--wow.

When I lived in NC it was even worse at the Apex temple. NYC is similarly not very busy.

I'd say we are only running at about 15-20 percent of total temple capacity. Of course it is much higher at Provo, Timp and So. Jordan. But when the Draper and Daybreak temples are done those numbers will drop a lot. We probably still need a temple soon in Mapleton/Spanish Fork.

But I have a different perception about how much temple work the average member does then you do. I'm interested to hear other's thoughts.

I'm impressed, Adam. You throw out unsubstantiated statistics faster than anyone I've ever met.

Nice to know you have your finger on the world-wide temple attendance figures.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Adam

You can disagree without being disagreeable.

I'd say we are at about 15-20 percent of capacity. I'd say members aren't doing very much temple work--average active member probably does 4-6 sessions a year.

Sure those are my guesses--wouldn't it be nice if the church opened up the books for a real study? As long as they deem it necessary to keep such things secret we are only left with our guesses.

You point out that my guesses are unsubstantiated. Is that a criticism of the church for not releasing some data? Or is it a condemnation for having an observation and extrapolating a guess as to temple attendance? Is making such a guess somehow unrighteous in your opinion? Am I out of line for even broaching the subject?

I neither agree nor disagree, though you can spare me the advice on being disagreeable.

I have no way to know what actual church-wide temple attendance is. I imagine it fluctuates from temple to temple, but I would say it's near impossible to know for sure. You might as well try and extrapolate McDonald's quarterly earnings based on how busy it is when you visit a handful of stores.

I think your posts are evidence for why the church releases as little information as it does. No need to give the critics more ammunization to be critical with.

[All-American]

Those are areas of less dense Mormon population, where temples are being built not to accommodate crowds, but to reduce travel time. In Utah, temples are being built not to reduce a 15 minute drive, but strictly because they are too crowded. That's why the Bountiful/Mt. Timpanogus temples were built, and why the daybreak and draper temples are being built.

[scottie]

Originally Posted by Adam

You can disagree without being disagreeable.

I'd say we are at about 15-20 percent of capacity. I'd say members aren't doing very much temple work--average active member probably does 4-6 sessions a year.

Sure those are my guesses--wouldn't it be nice if the church opened up the books for a real study? As long as they deem it necessary to keep such things secret we are only left with our guesses.

You point out that my guesses are unsubstantiated. Is that a criticism of the church for not releasing some data? Or is it a condemnation for having an observation and extrapolating a guess as to temple attendance? Is making such a guess somehow unrighteous in your opinion? Am I out of line for even broaching the subject?

The church will obviously know the exact numbers once the conversion to bar-coded recommends is complete. Should help in analyzing temple needs.

[All-American]

Originally Posted by scottie

The church will obviously know the exact numbers once the conversion to bar-coded recommends is complete. Should help in analyzing temple needs.

Ooh, never thought about that. I wonder what kind of information they will be keeping with the bar codes.

[scottie]

Originally Posted by Adam

But only if they scan the recommend as you turn in your name slip at the veil. I enjoy the Temple pudding so much that I often stop in for lunch. I have to show my recommend at the front desk of course. I wouldn't want my culinary secret skewing the data for temple attendance.

True, and people could walk in and right back out to skew things if they're so inclined. However, some data is better than zero data.

[Venkman]

Originally Posted by Adam

But only if they scan the recommend as you turn in your name slip at the veil. I enjoy the Temple pudding so much that I often stop in for lunch. I have to show my recommend at the front desk of course. I wouldn't want my culinary secret skewing the data for temple attendance.

Oh man, I hear ya. Temple Tapioca is the bomb.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Adam

Why do you assume the data would be bad and give critics ammunition?

To say data can be twisted is to only say data are meaningless because it can be twisted by both sides.

I think it would be instructive to know what the average number of endowment sessions done per member was.

But you are probably right--the church is so paranoid of critics that they would never release the data.

I didn't say the data would be twisted. I just said there's no reason to give critics more material to be critical about. You whine enough as it is. Some people will find a reason to be dour no matter what the circumstances.

Originally Posted by scottie

True, and people could walk in and right back out to skew things if they're so inclined. However, some data is better than zero data.

I have this mental image of Adam going in and out a dozen times to try and screw up the numbers.