-- Sep 30, 1978
President N. Eldon Tanner reads Official Declaration2 to the General Conference, and it is unanimously adopted as the word and will of the Lord on the same day. This is the declaration released publicly earlier in 1978, allowing blacks to receive the priesthood. (1)
-- Oct 1, 1978
James E. Faust is ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. (1)
-- Oct 16, 1978
[U.S. Religious History] John Paul II was elected pope. (2)
-- Oct 19, 1978
[John Singer] Singer faced new legal problems after 19 October 1978 when a district court awarded Dean Black a decree of divorce from Shirley Black and temporary custody of the couple's children. When authorities went to the Singer farm to pick up the children, Singer refused to surrender them. (3)
-- Oct 26, 1978
The Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, previously the Language Training Mission constructed in 1976, began training all missionaries. (4)
-- Oct 30, 1978
São Paulo Temple dedicated. (5)
[Spencer W. Kimball] Dedicates the São Paulo Brazil Temple. (6)
Sao Paulo Brazil Temple; Location: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Announcement: 1 March 1975; Dedication: 30 October 1978 by Spencer W. Kimball; Rededication: 22 February 2004 by Gordon B. Hinckley; Style: Spanish influenced modern, single-spire design (7)
-- Nov 9, 1978
Elder and Sister Rendell N. Mabey and Elder and Sister Edwin Q. Cannon arrived in Nigeria as special representatives of the Church to open missionary work in West Africa. (4)
-- 1978
Church Membership at end of year: 4,166,854
New Converts : 197,634
Percent Change from previous year: 4.98% (8)
-- During 1978-1981
[Fundamentalist] Gerald Peterson, Sr, Leader, Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the murder of Rulon C. Allred in 1977 Gerald Peterson, Sr proclaimed that Allred had passed on the priesthood to him. Peterson went on to found the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the following year. (9)
-- During 1978
Church membership reached 4 million. (10)
Name extraction program introduced. (5)
Footnotes:
1 - Wikipedia, 20th Century (Mormonism), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century_(Mormonism)
2 - Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline, http://am-rel-hist.gu.ma
3 - Utah History Encyclopedia: John Singer, http://www.media.utah.edu/UHE/s/SINGER%2CJOHN.html
4 - Church News: Historical Chronology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58765/Historical-chronology-of-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints.html
5 - Hemidakaota, "Church Chronology from 1800-2000," http://www.lds.net/forums/scripture-study-forum/12108-church-chronology-1800-2000-part-1-a.html#post214550
6 - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, Salt Lake City, Utah
7 - Wikipedia, List of Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_temples_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#List_of_temples
8 - Wikipedia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Membership History, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_membership_history
9 - Wikipedia, Mormon Fundamentalist Leaders, Wikipedia, Mormon Fundamentalist Leaders, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_Fundamentalist_Leaders
10 - Ludlow, Daniel H. editor, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Macmillan Publishing, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, Vol. 4, Appendix 2: A Chronology of Church History
Mormon History Timeline /Chronology
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
