A By-the-Numbers Look at the 168 Temples Announced by President Nelson

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By Scott Taylor, Church News

With the 15 new temple locations he identified at the conclusion of the April 2024 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson has announced 168 temples in his six years as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That means that of the Church’s 350 houses of the Lord that are dedicated, under construction or announced and in planning, President Nelson has announced 48% of that total.

And to put that 168-temples-in-six-years ratio in perspective, the Durban South Africa Temple — the Church’s 168th operating temple — was dedicated in February 2020, just four years ago and nearly 190 years after the Church’s organization on April 6, 1830, by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

That’s just one way to take a by-the-numbers look at the 168 temples President Nelson has announced. Temple totals and announcements by date, year and location are just some of the categories included below. All information is current as of April 14, and the continental designations are for North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

For example, with more than eight months remaining this year and the October 2024 general conference still to come, President Nelson could announce more new temple locations in 2024. He made temple announcements in each of the 13 general conferences over the seven years since being set apart as President of the Church in January 2018, with all but one of the 168 he has identified having come in a conference session.

The 15 he announced on Sunday, April 7, marked the sixth time he has announced 15 more temples in one setting — all six since April 2021.

The most temples President Nelson has announced in a calendar year — 35 — has happened twice, in both 2022 and 2023. He could equal that total again in 2024 by announcing 20 temples between now and the end of the year.

Announcing 20 temples is something President Nelson has done before — in fact, twice. He identified 20 new temples locations at both the April 2021 and October 2023 general conferences, with those two instances serving as the Church’s benchmark for the most new temple locations identified at one time.

So, add up the 35 temples announced both in 2022 and 2023, the 34 from the year before in 2021 and the 15 so far in 2024, and that totals 119 temples President Nelson has announced in three years time, from April 2021 to April 2024.

Of note: In April 1998 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to construct as many as 32 new temples, although he did not list specific locations. Throughout that year, the First Presidency announced the locations of 27 of those temples.

By Current Status

Of the 168 new temple locations President Nelson has announced, the breakdown in current status as of Sunday, April 14, (including the 15 announced locations) is:

• 9 temples dedicated.
• 2 temples scheduled for dedication.
• 44 temples under construction.
• 1 temple scheduled for groundbreaking.
• 36 temples with site locations identified.
• 76 announced temples in planning and design.

Every effort is made to construct temples in an expeditious manner. At times, various reasons may delay a temple’s completion and dedication.

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By Date of Announcement

President Nelson has announced temples on 14 different occasions — all but one coming in a general conference setting. The sole exception came when he announced a temple for Ephraim, Utah, on May 1, 2021, at the same time announcing plans to preserve through renovation the “pioneer craftsmanship, artwork and character” of the Manti Utah Temple.

Also, of the 13 times President Nelson has announced new temple locations in general conference, 12 have been at the conclusion of the Sunday afternoon session in the 13 conferences he has presided over since becoming President of the Church. Again, the exception? He announced eight new temples during the Saturday evening women’s session of the October 2019 general conference.

Here are the dates he has announced new temple locations ordered by the number of temples announced at once:

• 20 — April 4, 2021
• 20 — October 1, 2023
• 18 — October 2, 2022
• 17 — April 3, 2022
• 15 — April 2, 2023
• 15 — April 7, 2024
• 13 — October 2, 2021
• 12 — October 7, 2018
• 8 — April 7, 2019
• 8 — October 5, 2019
• 8 — April 5, 2020
• 7 — April 1, 2018
• 6 — October 4, 2020
• 1 — May 1, 2021

By Year

The breakdown by year of new temple locations President Nelson has announced over the past six years:

• 35 — in 2022
• 35 — in 2023
• 34 — in 2021
• 19 — in 2018
• 16 — in 2019
• 15 — in 2024 (as of April 7)
• 14 — in 2020

By Geographic Location

The breakdown by geographic location — the United States and remaining continental areas — of new temple locations President Nelson has announced:

• 60 — United States
• 30 — South America
• 21 — Asia
• 21 — North America (besides U.S.)
• 17 — Africa
• 10 — Oceania/Pacific
• 9 — Europe

By Nation

A list of the nations where President Nelson has announced at least four new temple locations:

• 60 — United States
• 13 — Brazil
• 12 — Mexico
• 9 — Philippines
• 5 — Argentina
• 5 — Peru
• 4 — Guatemala
• 4 — Nigeria

Countries, Territories and States with a First Temple

Of the new temple locations announced by President Nelson, 25 are the first in 26 different countries or territories and another 4 the first in U.S. states:

• American Samoa
• Angola
• Austria
• Belgium
• Cambodia
• Cape Verde
• Guam
• Hungary
• India
• Indonesia
• Liberia
• Madagascar
• Mongolia
• Mozambique
• Nicaragua
• Norway
• Papua New Guinea
• People’s Republic of China
• Puerto Rico
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• Scotland
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• United Arab Emirates
• Vanuatu

States with a First Temple

• Arkansas
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Virginia

A Closer Look by States, Countries and Territories

Following is an area-by-area breakdown of new temple locations announced by President Nelson, with a look at the status and numbers of the temples in that specific area.

In the listings of temples by state, country and territory, the following key is used for each temple location:

• * — First temple in state, country or territory
• /D — Dedicated
• /SD — Scheduled for dedication
• /C — Under construction
• /SG — Scheduled for groundbreaking
• /L — Site location identified
• /P — Announced and in planning

United States — 60 New Temples

Current Status

• 8 — Dedicated
• 3 — Scheduled for dedication
• 18 — Under construction
• 1 — Scheduled for groundbreaking
• 15 — With site location
• 15 — Announced and in planning

States with New Temples

• 26 — Total
• 4 — With a first temple
• 12 — With multiple temples

States with Most New Temples

• 12 — Utah
• 5 — California
• 5 — Texas
• 3 — Florida
• 3 — Idaho
• 3 — Virginia
• 3 — Washington
• 2 — 8 states

By State

• Alaska — Fairbanks/P
• Arizona — Yuma/P
• Arkansas — Bentonville*/D
• California — Feather River/D, Yorba Linda/C, Modesto/C, San Jose/L, Bakersfield/L
• Colorado — Grand Junction/C, Colorado Springs/P
• Florida — Tallahassee/C, Tampa/L, Jacksonville/L
• Hawaii — Kahului, Maui/P, Honolulu/P
• Idaho — Burley/C, Teton River/SG, Montpelier/C
• Iowa — Des Moines*/P
• Kansas — Wichita*/L
• Michigan — Grand Rapids/L
• Missouri — Springfield/P
• Montana — Helena/D, Missoula/P
• Nevada — Elko/C, Lone Mountain/L
• New Mexico — Farmington/C
• North Carolina — Charlotte/L
• Ohio — Cleveland/L, Cincinnati/P
• Oklahoma — Tulsa/P
• Oregon — Willamette Valley/C
• Pennsylvania — Pittsburgh/C, Harrisburg/L
• Tennessee — Knoxville/C
• Texas —McAllen/D, Fort Worth/C, Austin/L, McKinney/L, Houston (south area)/P
• Utah — Layton/SD, Red Cliffs/D, Deseret Peak/C, Orem/D, Taylorsville/SD, Syracuse/C, Lindon/C, Smithfield/C, Ephraim/C, Heber Valley/C, West Jordan/P, Lehi/P
• Virginia — Richmond*/D, Winchester/L, Roanoke/P
• Washington — Moses Lake/D, Tacoma/P, Vancouver/L
• Wyoming — Casper/SD, Cody/L

North America (Other than the U.S.) — 21 New Temples

Temple Status

• 1 — Dedicated
• 2 — Scheduled for dedication
• 6 — Under construction
• 5 — With site location
• 7 — Announced and in planning

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Countries/Territories with Temples

• 6 — Total
• 2 — With a first temple
• 3 — With multiple temples

Countries with Most New Temples

• 12 – Mexico
• 4 – Guatemala

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By Country/Territory

• Canada — Lethbridge, Alberta/L, Victoria, British Columbia/P
• Guatemala — Cobán/SD, Miraflores Guatemala City/C, Huehuetenango/L, Retalhuleu/P
• Honduras — San Pedro Sula/C
• Mexico — Puebla/SD, Torreón/C, Querétaro/C, Culiacán/P, San Luis Potosí/C, Mexico City Benemérito/L, Cuernavaca/L, Pachuca/P, Toluca/L, Tula/P, Cancún/P, Chihuahua/P
• Nicaragua — Managua*/C
• Puerto Rico — San Juan*/D

South America — 30 New Temples

Temple Status

• 1 — Scheduled for dedication
• 5 — Under construction
• 15 — With site location
• 9 — Announced and in planning

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Countries with Temples

• 7 — Total
• 5 — With multiple temples

Countries with Most New Temples

• 13 – Brazil
• 5 – Argentina
• 5 – Peru
• 3 – Chile

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By Country

• Argentina — Salta/SD, Mendoza/C, Bahía Blanca/C, Buenos Aires City Center/P, Rosario/P
• Bolivia — Santa Cruz/L, La Paz/L
• Brazil — Salvador/C, São Paulo East/L, Belo Horizonte/C, Vitória/L, Maceió/L, Santos/L, Londrina/L, Ribeirão Preto/L, Teresina/L, Natal/L, Goiânia/P, João Pessoa/L, Florianópolis/P
• Chile — Antofagasta/C, Santiago West/L, Viña del Mar/P
• Colombia — Cali/L
• Peru — Cusco/L, Chiclayo/P, Iquitos/L, Piura/P, Huancayo/P
• Venezuela — Maraicaibo/P

Europe — 9 New Temples

Temple Status

• 5 — With site location
• 4 — Announced and in planning

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Countries with Temples

• 9 — Total
• 6 — With a first temple

By Country

• Austria — Vienna*/L
• Belgium — Brussels*/P
• England — Birmingham/L
• Germany — Hamburg/P
• Hungary — Budapest*/L
• Norway — Oslo*/L
• Russia — City to be determined*/P
• Scotland — Edinburgh*/P
• Spain — Barcelona/L

Africa — 17 New Temples

Temple Status

• 1 — Dedicated
• 2 — Under construction
• 5 — With site location
• 9 — Announced and in planning

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Countries with Temples

• 11 — Total
• 7 — With a first temple
• 3 — With multiple temples

Countries with Most New Temples

• 4 – Nigeria
• 3 – Democratic Republic of the Congo
• 2 – Ghana

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By Country

• Angola — Luanda*/P
• Cape Verde — Praia*/D
• Democratic Republic of the Congo — Lubumbashi/C, Kanaga/P, Mbuji-Mayi/P
• Ghana — Kumasi/L, Cape Coast/P
• Liberia — Monrovia*/P
• Madagascar — Antananarivo*/L
• Mozambique — Beira*/P
• Nigeria — Lagos/L, Benin City/L, Eket/P, Calabar/P
• Republic of the Congo — Brazzaville*/P
• Sierra Leone — Freetown*/C
• South Africa — Cape Town/L

Asia — 21 New Temples

Temple Status

• 2 — Dedicated
• 5 — Under construction
• 5 — With site location
• 9 — Announced and in planning

Countries/Territories with Temples

• 12 — Total
• 8 — With a first temple
• 2 — With multiple temples

Countries with Most New Temples

• 9 – Philippines
• 2 – Japan

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By Country/Territory

• Cambodia — Phnom Penh*/C
• Guam — Yigo*/D
• India — Bengaluru*/C
• Indonesia — Jakarta*/L
• Japan — Okinawa/D, Osaka/L
• Korea — Busan/P
• Mongolia — Ulaanbaatar*/P
• People’s Republic of China — Shanghai*/P
• Philippines — Cagayan de Oro/L, Davao/C, Bacolod/C, Tacloban City/L, Naga/P, Santiago/P, Tuguegarao City/P, Iloilo/P, Laoag/P
• Singapore — Singapore*/L
• Taiwan — Kaohsiung/C
• United Arab Emirates — Dubai*/P

Oceania/Pacific — 10 New Temples

Temple Status

• 5 — Under construction
• 3 — With site location
• 2 — Announced and in planning

Countries/Territories with Temples

• 9 — Total
• 4 — With a first temple
• 1 — With multiple temples

Country with Most New Temples

• 2 — New Zealand

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By Country/Territory

• American Samoa — Pago Pago*/C
• Australia — Brisbane (south area)/P
• French Polynesia — Uturoa/P
• Kiribati — Tarawa*/L
• New Zealand — Auckland/C, Wellington/L
• Papua New Guinea — Port Moresby*/C
• Samoa — Savai’i/L
• Tonga — Neiafu/C
• Vanuatu — Port Vila*/C

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