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By Scott Taylor, Church News
When the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple is dedicated on October 31, it will be 623 days since the last temple dedication, which is the longest time between temple dedications for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in more than a quarter-century.
The sustained COVID-19 pandemic has resulted not only in the absence of temple dedications, rededications and accompanying open houses, but also the closure of all operating temples worldwide last year and the gradual and cautious phased temple reopening since.
But that’s not to say that temple growth ground to a stop during that time.
Far from it.
While the public’s involvement in temple events and temple worship has been affected by the pandemic, consider the Church’s temple growth. By the end of October 2021 the Church will have:
- Announced at least three dozen new temple locations — and counting.
- Broken ground for nearly as many new temples.
- Started renovations on two existing temples.
- Scheduled open houses and dedications or rededications for four temples, with two having finished their open houses and a third underway.
Many more temple dedications and rededications are likely to come in the near future given the number of temples under construction or renovation.
The growth of temples is not limited to work on the sacred edifices themselves but should also include the ordinance work for the living and the dead that takes place inside them. President Russell M. Nelson underscored temple covenants, temple worthiness and temple participation in his messages during October 2021 general conference.
When the major four-year renovation to the Salt Lake Temple is complete, there will be no safer place during an earthquake in the Salt Lake Valley than inside that temple, President Nelson said during the Sunday morning session.
“Likewise, whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your temple covenants,” the prophet emphasized.
“Please believe me when I say that when your spiritual foundation is built solidly upon Jesus Christ, you have no need to fear. As you are true to your covenants made in the temple, you will be strengthened by His power. Then, when spiritual earthquakes occur, you will be able to stand strong because your spiritual foundation is solid and immovable.”
Now is the time to implement extraordinary measures — perhaps measures never before taken — to strengthen personal spiritual foundations, President Nelson said.
“My dear brothers and sisters, these are the latter days. If you and I are to withstand the forthcoming perils and pressures, it is imperative that we each have a firm spiritual foundation built upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
“So, I ask each of you: ‘How firm is your foundation? And what reinforcement to your testimony and understanding of the gospel is needed?’”
‘An Opportunity to Learn Remarkable Lessons’
Church leaders have long taught that the ordinances and worship that take place inside a temple are far more important that exterior appearances and interior furnishings and finishes.
The same is true about temples during the pandemic — the greatest concern has been the limitations on work in temples, rather than on the temples.
Mindful that normal temple worship and work have been interrupted — or at least limited — for most Latter-day Saints, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the pandemic provided “an opportunity to learn remarkable lessons.”
In a February 2021 interview, he added: “I think we have been compelled to reflect on, remember and cherish temple covenants and ordinances in ways we may not have otherwise appreciated.”
Elder Bednar acknowledged that Latter-day Saints have tried to remember their temple covenants and prepare for future temple worship during the pandemic by increasing family history work and preparing names for temple ordinances.
“Obviously there were some construction disruptions because of the pandemic, but relatively few of the temples are behind schedule. I find that to be miraculous. All over the world the construction of temples has moved forward in a remarkable way.
“So, yes, there have been some real challenges,” concluded Elder Bednar, “but ‘no unhallowed hand can stop this work from progressing.’”
Temple Totals Today
As of October 10, the Church has 265 temples in total — dedicated, operating, under construction, under renovation or announced.
Those 265 temples are comprised of the following:
- Dedicated temples: 168, including nine undergoing major renovations (the Manti Utah Temple closes October 1 for renovation)
- Temples under construction: 44 temples, including several that have been completed and are either scheduled for dedication or awaiting an announced date
- Announced temples: 53, including two temples that are scheduled for groundbreaking and 15 with specific sites announced
Regarding the phased reopening of temples following the closures due to COVID-19 conditions and precautions, as of October 10 the Church has the following temples in various states of operation:
- In Phase 3, 146 temples are operating, offering all living and proxy ordinances
- Four temples operating in Phase 2-B, offering all living ordinances and proxy baptisms
- Three temples operating in Phase 2, offering all living ordinances
- Three temples operating in Phase 1, offering living sealings of husband and wife
- Three temples pausing operations because of local coronavirus-related restrictions — two in Phase 3 and one in Phase 2
- Seven districts of the eight temples that are closed for renovations are designated as Phase 3, allowing members in those districts to participate in ordinances at nearby temples
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Durban South Africa Temple dedication in Umhlanga, South Africa, on Sunday, February 16, 2020. From left: Elder Kevin R. Duncan, Sister Gladys Sitati, Elder Joseph W. Sitati, Elder S. Mark Palmer, Sister Jacqueline Palmer, Sister Melanie Rasband, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Elder Carl B. Cook, Sister Lynette Cook, Elder Joni L. Koch and Sister Michelle Koch. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, courtesy of Church News. Copyright 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company.
Since the Last Temple Dedication
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Durban South Africa Temple on February 16, 2020; it became the Church’s 168th operating temple. Within weeks, COVID-19 conditions and restrictions resulted in the First Presidency closing temples, missionary training centers, local church meetings and activities.
On October 31, 2021, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve is scheduled to dedicate the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, which will be the Church’s 169th operating temple. That’s a span of one year, eight months and 15 days between the two dates, making up the longest absence of temple dedications for the Church in nearly three decades.
On April 25, 1993, the St. Louis Missouri Temple — the Church’s 45th operating temple at the time — was dedicated. That came 974 days – or two years and eight months — after the dedication of the Toronto Ontario Temple on August 25, 1990, the Church’s 44th temple.
The lists below underscore temple growth in the 623 days between the Durban South Africa Temple dedication and the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple dedication.
Pandemic-Related Temple Closures
Key dates in the pandemic-related closures of temples and the phrased reopening:
- February 21–22, 2020 — Four temples in the Church’s Asia and Asia North areas close because of the developing pandemic. By the end of that month, 24 temples have closed.
- March 25, 2020 — The First Presidency directs the closure of all operating temples worldwide, a day after the number of closures reached 111.
- May 7, 2020 — The First Presidency announces “a carefully coordinated, cautious and phased reopening of temples.” Less than a week later, on May 11, a group of 17 temples become the first to open in Phase 1, offering living sealings of a husband and wife.
- July 20, 2020 — The First Presidency announces both changes to the temple endowment ceremony and reopened temples starting to move to Phase 2. Seven days later, the first 12 temples being upgraded to Phase 2 resume all living temple ordinances.
- December 7, 2020 — The First Presidency identifies four temples as the first to prepare to advance to Phase 3. On December 21, the Taipei Taiwan Temple was the first to have proxy ordinances in addition to living ordinances performed on a limited basis.
- March 15, 2021 — The First Presidency announces the first 13 temples to move to Phase 2-B later that month, with a new phase designation expanding the Phase 2 allowance for all living ordinances with proxy baptisms. Temple baptistries are now open for small groups, particularly for members with limited-use recommends.
- July 5, 2021 — All of the Church’s operating temples have reopened, although attendance remains limited because of pandemic precautions. The Kyiv Ukraine Temple is the final temple to reopen, starting in Phase 1.
Announcements of New Temples
In the 623 days between dedications for the Durban South Africa and Winnipeg Manitoba Temples, President Nelson announced 48 new temple locations.
In the four pandemic-period general conferences so far, President Nelson identified locations for 47 temples. He also announced an additional temple location outside of conference — for Ephraim, Utah — in that city in May 2021.
The eight temple locations announced during the April 2020 general conference (also noting current status) are the following:
- Bahía Blanca, Argentina
- Tallahassee Florida Temple — site location and rendering released; under construction
- Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple — site location and rendering released; under construction
- Benin City, Nigeria
- Syracuse Utah Temple — site location and rendering released; under construction
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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An exterior rendering of the Tarawa Kiribati Temple, released May 19, 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
The six locations announced during the October 2020 general conference are:
- Tarawa Kiribati Temple — site location and rendering released
- Port Vila Vanuatu Temple — site location and rendering released
- Lindon Utah Temple — site location and rendering released
- Greater Guatemala City Guatemala Temple — site location and rendering released
- São Paulo East, Brazil
- Santa Cruz, Bolivia
The 20 temple locations announced — the most ever at one time — during the April 2021 general conference are:
- Oslo, Norway
- Brussels, Belgium
- Vienna, Austria
- Kumasi, Ghana
- Beira, Mozambique
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple — site location and rendering released
- Cali Colombia Temple — site location and rendering released
- Querétaro, México
- Torreón Mexico Temple — site location and rendering released
- Helena Montana Temple — site location and rendering released; under construction
- Casper Wyoming Temple — site location and rendering released; groundbreaking took place October 9
- Grand Junction Colorado Temple — site location and rendering released
- Farmington New Mexico Temple — site location and rendering released
- Burley Idaho Temple — site location and rendering released
- Willamette Valley Oregon Temple — new name for the temple in Eugene, Oregon; site location and rendering released
- Elko Nevada Temple — site location and rendering released
- Yorba Linda California Temple — site location and rendering released
- Smithfield Utah Temple — site released
The 13 temple locations announced in the October 2021 general conference are:
- Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Tacloban City, Philippines
- Monrovia, Liberia
- Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Culiacán, México
- Vitória, Brazil
- La Paz, Bolivia
- Santiago West, Chile
- Fort Worth, Texas
- Cody, Wyoming
- Rexburg North, Idaho
- Heber Valley, Utah
How Groundbreakings Have Fared
With construction labeled as a “critical trade” and “essential work,” temple building has continued throughout the pandemic — in terms of ongoing construction, renovations and new builds.
That includes 32 temple groundbreakings in 10 states and 14 countries in between the Durban and Winnipeg dedications. Twenty-one of those occurred in the 2020 calendar year.
Traditionally large-scale events, groundbreaking ceremonies have adapted to the pandemic restrictions to become invitation-only events that are broadcast within the temple districts, growing from just a couple of dozen invitees to 150–200 as allowed by local guidelines.
On four occasions, ground was broken for two different temples on the same day — sometimes half a world away, from the Philippines to Guatemala, from Tonga to Kenya.
Given the various travel restrictions during the pandemic, groundbreakings have been presided over not only by general authorities of the Church but also by locally based Area Seventies and mission presidents. In the case of the Bentonville Arkansas Temple groundbreaking, Elder Bednar presided remotely via livestream.
The 32 temple groundbreakings from April 2020 through the end of October 2021 in chronological order are:
- Richmond Virginia Temple, April 11, 2020
- Layton Utah Temple, May 23, 2020
- Alabang Philippines Temple, June 4, 2020
- Auckland New Zealand Temple, June 13, 2020
- Feather River California Temple, July 18, 2020
- Orem Utah Temple, September 5, 2020
- San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple, September 5, 2020
- Brasília Brazil Temple, September 26, 2020
- Moses Lake Washington Temple, October 10, 2020
- Taylorsville Utah Temple, October 31, 2020
- Salta Argentina Temple, November 4, 2020
- Bentonville Arkansas Temple, November 7, 2020
- Red Cliffs Utah Temple, November 7, 2020
- Davao Philippines Temple, November 14, 2020
- Cobán Guatemala Temple, November 14, 2020
- McAllen Texas Temple, November 21, 2020
- Antofagasta Chile Temple, November 27, 2020
- Bengaluru India Temple, December 2, 2020
- Okinawa Japan Temple, December 5, 2020
- Harare Zimbabwe Temple, December 12, 2020
- Mendoza Argentina Temple, December 17, 2020
- Deseret Peak Utah Temple, May 14, 2021
- Tallahassee Florida Temple, June 5, 2021
- Syracuse Utah Temple, June 12, 2021
- Helena Montana Temple, June 26, 2021
- Salvador Brazil Temple, August 7, 2021
- Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple, August 21, 2021
- Neiafu Tonga Temple, September 11, 2021
- Nairobi Kenya Temple, September 11, 2021
- Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple, September 18, 2021
- Casper Wyoming Temple, October 9, 2021
- Pago Pago American Samoa Temple, October 31, 2021
Other Temples Under Construction
In addition to the Winnipeg Manitoba and Pocatello Idaho Temples and the 32 aforementioned temples with groundbreakings that have either occurred or are scheduled to by the end of October, 11 new temples are considered “under construction.”
These 11 temples include the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple, which had its 2020 open house and May 17 dedication postponed because of the pandemic. The completed temple awaits rescheduled dates once large public gatherings are deemed safe.
The other temples under construction, with starts prior to March 2020, are:
- Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple
- Urdaneta Philippines Temple
- Bangkok Thailand Temple
- Yigo Guam Temple
- San Juan Puerto Rico Temple
- Quito Ecuador Temple
- Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple
- Belém Brazil Temple
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple
- Puebla Mexico Temple
Renovations, Dedications and Rededications
Well into the second year of the pandemic, the Church has four temples with open houses and either dedications or rededications scheduled — the Winnipeg Manitoba and Pocatello Idaho Temples as new sacred edifices to dedicate, and the Mesa Arizona and Washington D.C. Temples to rededicate after lengthy closures for renovations.
By early 2020, seven temples had already closed for renovation — the Mesa Arizona and Washington D.C. Temples, along with the Salt Lake, St. George Utah, Hamilton New Zealand, Tokyo Japan and Hong Kong China Temples.
An eighth temple — the Columbus Ohio Temple — joined that group on August 15, 2020. Still an operating temple when all temples were closed in March 2020, it reopened with limited operations before it closed for renovations.
The Manti Utah Temple is closing October 1, the third pioneer-era temple to receive substantial updates and the ninth to be “under renovation” next month.
When identifying the 13 new temple locations during October 2021 general conference, President Nelson also announced the closing and reconstruction of the Provo Utah Temple after the Orem Utah Temple is dedicated. Construction on the Orem temple started September 2020, and no completion or dedication dates have been set for that temple.
The Church originally scheduled open houses and dedications or rededications in 2020 for three completed temples — the Winnipeg Manitoba, Washington D.C. and Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temples — that needed to be postponed because of the pandemic.
The Winnipeg Manitoba Temple’s Sunday, October 31, 2021, dedication date is just a week shy of one year from its originally scheduled Sunday, November 8, 2020, dedication date. It is one of two temples that will conclude open houses prior to the Church’s next temple dedication.
The other is the Pocatello Idaho Temple, which was completed earlier this year and is already in its open house period. The open house will conclude on October 23 — the same day as the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple. However, the Pocatello Idaho Temple will be dedicated one week later, on November 7, by President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Once scheduled for 2020, the Washington D.C. Temple has its open house and rededication rescheduled for 2022 — the open house from late April through early June and a June 19 dedication.
The Mesa Arizona Temple renovations are complete and the temple will be rededicated by President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency on December 12, 2021. Its open house will begin Saturday, October 16, and run through mid-November.
Copyright 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company