Prophet’s Temple Announcement Triggers Global Joy, Anticipation

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By Jason Swensen, Church News

For the past several years, general conference has concluded with the announcements of future temples.

During his four-year tenure as Church president, President Russell M. Nelson has announced 100 temples himself — including 17 that were announced on Sunday, April 3.

Newsroom The Prophet Announces 17 New Temples

Announcing new temples in locales across the globe have become a common occurrence in general conference — but the announcements are never commonplace. Each represents a life-changing moment for Latter-day Saints (and their neighbors) living near that future temple.

Each new temple signals a realization of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s envisioning God’s work  penetrating every continent, visiting every clime, sweeping every country and sounding in every ear.

Below is information on each new temple location, as reported at churchofjesuschrist.org — along with a few reactions from members living in some of the communities that will one day be home to a dedicated temple.
 

Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo

Brazzaville is the capital and largest city in the Republic of the Congo. The Republic of the Congo, not to be confused with the Democratic Republic of Congo, has over 8,000 members in 29 congregations, and the Church has been present in the country since 1990. This will be the nation’s first temple. The temple there will make access to the house of the Lord so much easier for the faithful members of this central African nation.

The Church is growing rapidly in the entire region. There are three temples in the neighboring country of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the first temple dedicated in Kinshasa just three years ago in April 2019, with two additional temples in the DRC announced since then. The Lubumbashi temple was announced in April 2020, and the Kananga temple was announced in October 2021.

Elder Jonathan Rodriguez, a full-time missionary from Atlanta, Georgia, serving a mission in the Republic of the Congo, wrote that the members in the country where he labors will be “eternally blessed” by the future Brazzaville temple.

″[The members’] access to saving ordinances necessary for salvation are now so much closer. I couldn’t be prouder and happier to be a missionary here in Congo,” said Elder Rodriguez.
 

Wellington, New Zealand
 

This will be New Zealand’s third temple.

Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, is located on the southwestern tip of the North Island. The Auckland New Zealand Temple is under construction, and the Hamilton New Zealand Temple is completing renovation. The first New Zealand converts to the Church of Jesus Christ were baptized in 1853. Shortly afterward, missionary work began — including among the native Māori people. Around 115,000 Latter-day Saints live in New Zealand.

On New Zealand’s south island, Parklands Ward members in the Christchurch New Zealand Stake reacted in a ward Facebook post to the announcement.

“I’m excited because it will mean much easier access to a temple than we have had for the last four years,” wrote Nathan McCluskey. “Even when Auckland and Hamilton are up and running, Wellington will still be a cheaper and closer option.”

Carl Hill-Willis wrote, “That is great news for everyone especially in Wellington. … God knows best where and when He will put His temple.”

 
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

There are more than 190,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ in the United Kingdom. A temple in Birmingham will be Great Britain’s third. The London England Temple was the first (dedicated in 1958), followed by the Preston England Temple (dedicated in 1998). Missionaries arrived in England in 1837, only seven years after the Church was established. England is home to the oldest continuous congregation of the Church. Today, the Church has 325 congregations in the United Kingdom.

Bishop Antony Jones of the Cannock Ward, Lichfield England Stake, said the future Birmingham England Temple is a blessing and gift to the faithful Latter-day Saints who call south central England home.

“We have been hoping for a temple for many years,” Bishop Jones wrote. “Today, we have seen such spiritual blessings poured out that there shall not be room enough to receive them.”

Barcelona, Spain

There are more than 61,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ in Spain. This will be Spain’s second temple. The Madrid Spain Temple was dedicated in 1999. The first Spanish Latter-day Saint joined the Church around 1870. The Church was recognized by Spain’s government in 1968 when missionary work officially began in the country. Today, the Church has about 135 congregations in Spain.

Cusco, Peru

The Cusco Peru Temple will be the fifth temple in Peru. The country is home to approximately 625,000 Latter-day Saints spread throughout more than 775 congregations. Cusco is in the southeastern part of the country and was the capital of the Inca Empire. The first missionaries arrived in the country in 1956. More than 32 million people live in Peru. Other temples in operation or under construction include the Arequipa Peru Temple, Lima Peru Temple, Trujillo Peru Temple and Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple.

Church News 100 temples announced by President Nelson — and the counsel he's given

Maceió, Brazil

Maceió is the capital and the largest city of the coastal state of Alagoas, Brazil. Many tourists visit this port city to see its natural attractions and enjoy its cultural diversity. There are 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in Brazil in more than 2,100 congregations. The temple in Maceió will be the 15th announced temple for Brazil, with dedicated temples located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife and São Paulo. The Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple is in its open house right now and preparing to be dedicated by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on May 8, 2022. Three other temples are under construction in Belém, Brasília and Salvador. Additional temples have been announced in Belo Horizonte, East São Paulo and Vitória.

Santos, Brazil

Santos is a southeastern port city in the state of São Paulo. There are 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in Brazil in more than 2,100 congregations. The temple in Santos will be the 16th announced temple for Brazil. See the list above under Maceió for a listing of all temples in Brazil.

San Luis Potosí, México

San Luis Potosí is the capital and the most populous city of the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí in central Mexico. It is one of the area’s main industrial centers. More than 1 million people reside in the area, making it one of the largest metropolitan centers in Mexico. This will be the 18th temple in the country. The other 17 temples in Mexico are the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, Culiacán Mexico Temple, Guadalajara Mexico Temple, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple, Mérida Mexico Temple, Mexico City Mexico Temple, Monterrey Mexico Temple, Oaxaca Mexico Temple, Puebla Mexico Temple, Querétaro Mexico Temple, Tampico Mexico Temple, Tijuana Mexico Temple, Torreón Mexico Temple, Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple, Veracruz Mexico Temple and Villahermosa Mexico Temple.

Mary Martinez had to physically contain her excitement in the Conference Center when she heard a temple announced for her hometown in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. She and her husband, Angel Martinez, met there 33 years ago at school. The Martinezes, who have lived in California for 31 years, were in San Luis Potosí on March 20 with their three children, their spouses and their grandchildren.

 
“It’s very special now to hear that there’s going to be a temple there after we went there,” said Angel Martinez, who is from a neighboring Mexico state. Looking toward retirement, they were considering buying a home in Mexico, and the temple announcement has influenced their decision of where.

“It’s going to be such a blessing,” said Mary Martinez, who still has family there, after the Sunday afternoon session. “It will be such a blessing for the community.”

They were looking forward to when the Queretaro Mexico Temple will be built, which has a location and site rendering, to bring their friends and family to the open house.

“So now, San Luis is even closer for us,” Angel Martinez said.

 
Mexico City Benemérito, México
 

This will be the 19th temple in Mexico and second in Mexico City. The Benemérito grounds have a rich history for Mexican Latter-day Saints. Founded in 1964 by The Church of Jesus Christ, El Centro Escolar Benemérito de las Américas was a high school until 2013 when it was converted to serve as a Missionary Training Center for Spanish-language missionaries. The campus is located about 10 miles from the Mexico City Temple. Nearly 9 million people reside in Mexico City alone making it one of the largest in Latin America. The country is home to 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in more than 1,800 congregations. Missionary work began in Mexico in 1875.

See the listing of all Mexico temples above under the San Luís Potosi heading.

As Clara Campuzano, of Monterrey, and Edgar Olivarez, of Mexico City, and their friends were going to the Sunday afternoon session of general conference, they were hoping for another temple to be announced in Mexico. And there were two — one near where they were from.

Olivarez, who is studying English at Utah Valley University, said in Spanish he was happy and excited.

They expect the temple to be close to the MTC, where Olivarez went while preparing to serve in Guadalajara.

Campuzano, who is also studying English at Utah Valley University, said she was excited and grateful for a temple there.

Tampa, Florida

Located in Central Florida, the Tampa Florida Temple will be the state’s fourth. There are more than 160,000 Latter-day Saints and some 260 congregations in the state. Other temples in operation or under construction are the Orlando Florida Temple, Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple and Tallahassee Florida Temple.

Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville is situated on the Tennessee River in the eastern part of the state. The Knoxville Temple will be the third for the Southeastern state. The first, the Memphis Tennessee Temple, and the second, the Nashville Tennessee Temple, were dedicated in 2000. Missionary work first began in 1834. Today, there are around 53,000 Latter-day Saints in over 100 congregations in Tennessee.

“A temple in Knoxville will bring a new light to our community,” said Bishop Brent Dial, who presides over the Bearden Ward, Knoxville Tennessee Stake.

Bishop Dial was a child when the Columbia South Carolina Temple was dedicated in his home state in 1999. He still remembers the enthusiasm and goodwill the new temple brought to the greater Columbia community. He expects to see the same in Knoxville.

“This will be a great opportunity for our neighbors and friends who have no clue about what a temple is to learn about temples in an up-close and personal way. That will be a huge blessing,” he said.

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is located along the southern shore of Lake Erie and is located about 20 miles from the Church’s first temple in Kirtland. The temple in Kirkland was dedicated in 1836, and the property is owned by the Community of Christ. This will be the state’s second temple. The Columbus Ohio Temple was dedicated in September 1999. There are more than 62,000 Latter-day Saints in approximately 125 congregations in Ohio.

Walt Flory, a 70-year-old member from Canton, Ohio, fights emotion when sharing his feelings about a future temple in nearby Cleveland. President Nelson’s announcement was an answer to many prayers.

Following the news, Flory asked his 97-year-old mother if she ever thought the day would come when a temple would be built in Cleveland. “She said no. It was something that did not seem possible. We are excited beyond words.”

The Cleveland-area youth, he added, will be strengthened by having a temple so close to their homes.

Wichita, Kansas

This will be the state’s first temple. There are more than 38,000 Latter-day Saints in about 75 congregations in Kansas, a state located near the center of the United States. Wichita is the most populous city in the state. Missionaries first taught the native Shawnee and Delaware people in the Kansas area in 1831. The first branch (a small congregation) was organized in 1882 in the central part of the state, east of Salina.

Andrew Allen of the Leavenworth 2nd Ward, Platte City Kansas Stake, was shocked hearing a temple would be built for the first time in the Sunflower State.

“I feel so happy that there [will be] a temple close to people who have had to travel far distances. It really shows that God’s church is moving along the right path,” he said.

Allen’s fellow Kansan, Debra Acevedo of the Hutchinson Ward, Wichita Kansas Stake, said the news of a future temple in Kansas jolted her out of her seat.

“As the first member in my family to become a member of the Church, I’ve been doing genealogy for years even before becoming a member,” she said. “That’s what brought me into the Church, the genealogy. I love to go to the temple and do the work for my ancestors.

“I think [the temple] will be a great blessing.”

Austin, Texas

The Austin Texas Temple will be the seventh temple for the Lone Star State. There are more than 362,000 Latter-day Saints in Texas. Austin is the Texas state capital. Other temples in Texas are the Dallas Texas Temple, Fort Worth Texas Temple, Houston Texas Temple, Lubbock Texas Temple, San Antonio Texas Temple and McAllen Texas Temple. Missionary work began in Texas in 1843. In 1898, land was purchased that eventually became the East Texas colony of Kelsey, composed of 300 Church members.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have a temple coming to Austin,” commented Spencer Clayton of the Parkside Ward, Round Rock Texas Stake. “Not only is it a tremendous blessing for our family, but for all those in and around Austin.

“The people here are amazing and deserve to have access to the blessings of eternity for them and their ancestors.”

Missoula, Montana

Montana, located in the Western United States and bordering Canada, is home to more than 50,000 Latter-day Saints and more than 125 congregations. The Missoula Montana Temple will be the third temple for the state. The first, the Billings Montana Temple, was dedicated in November 1999. The Helena Montana Temple was announced in April 2021 and currently is under construction.

Montpelier, Idaho

Montpelier, Idaho, is a community of around 2,500 people located just north of Bear Lake along the southeastern Idaho border. Early Church pioneers settled in Idaho in 1855. Several Church presidents are natives of Idaho, including Presidents Harold B. Lee, Ezra Taft Benson and Howard W. Hunter. Other temples in the state are the Twin Falls Idaho Temple, Boise Idaho Temple, Burley Idaho Temple, Idaho Falls Temple, Meridian Idaho Temple, Pocatello Idaho Temple, Rexburg Idaho Temple and Rexburg North Idaho Temple.

Modesto, California

Modesto (Spanish for modest) is known for its rich agricultural history. This will be the 10th temple in California. This city in the Central Valley is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County. California has more than 755,000 Latter-day Saints in over 1,200 congregations. Other temples in the state are the Feather River, Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oakland, Redlands, Sacramento, San Diego and Yorba Linda temples.

— Mary Richards, Christine Rappleye and Ellen Paul contributed to this report.

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