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    23 April 2021 - Salt Lake City
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    See the Status of the 69 Temples President Nelson Has Announced in 3 Years

       
    Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 / 2
         
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      This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

      By Scott Taylor, Church News

      With the 20 new temples he announced during the recent April 2021 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson has identified locations for 69 new temples in a little more than three years.

      Sustained and set apart as the 17th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, January 14, 2018, the 96-year-old President Nelson has presided over seven general conferences and has announced new temple locations in each.

      “Temples are a vital part of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness,” he said April 4 when announcing the latest temples. “Ordinances of the temple fill our lives with power and strength — available in no other way. We thank God for those blessings.”

      Also, he has announced major renovations to the Church’s pioneer-era temples, beginning with the Salt Lake and St. George Utah temples. And of the groundbreakings for 33 temples in the past three years, two-thirds of those are for temples he himself announced.

      The Church now has 251 temples in various stages of operation, construction and planning. Its 168 dedicated temples include eight closed for renovations; 35 more are under construction and 48 others are still in planning and design.

      In his three years, President Nelson has directed the dedication of nine temples and the rededication of nine more; two dedications and one rededication that had been planned for 2020 are on hold due to pandemic precautions.

      Most New Temple Announcements

      On two separate occasions, President Nelson has announced the most new temple locations in one setting. The first came at October 2018 general conference, when he identified 12 new temples. His announcement of 20 locations at April 2021 general conference was a 67% increase over the previous single-day total.

      The most temple locations identified in a single year — 27 — occurred in 1998, under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley. As President of the Church, he announced 78 new temple locations in his 12-year tenure.

      In the priesthood session of October 1997 general conference, he unveiled a plan to build smaller temples in more remote locations and singled out Monticello, Utah; Anchorage, Alaska; and the Latter-day Saint colonies in northern Mexico as the first three sites for the smaller temples.

      Temples-2.jpeg
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      Elder Russell M. Nelson and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, right, take their turns putting mortar around the cornerstone. Elder William R. Walker is at left. About 200 take part in the cornerstone ceremony at the Brigham City Utah Temple prior to the dedication Sunday, September 23, 2012. Photo by Scott G. Winterton, courtesy of Church News.Copyright 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company.

      In the April 1998 general conference, President Hinckley said: “I take this opportunity to announce to the entire Church a program to construct some 30 small temples immediately. They will be in Europe, in Asia, in Australia and Fiji, in Mexico and Central and South America and Africa, as well as in the United States and Canada.”

      Adding the 30 number to the 51 operating temples at the time and the 17 already under construction, he noted a total of 98 temples. “I think we had better add two more to make it an even 100 by the end of this century,” he added.

      In that regard, President Hinckley did announce 32 new temples in a single time — but none of the 32 new temple locations was identified in that conference or subsequent ones. Rather, the locations were announced at various times, with 27 of them coming during the 1998 calendar year.

      With seven months and another general conference still remaining in 2021, the year’s total temple locations announced could come close to, match or exceed the 27 of 1998.

      Below are the 69 temple locations President Nelson has announced since April 2018 — listed first in chronological order, with a status update for each, followed by a geographical listing. Temples with names different than the announced city are included.

      Chronological Listing, With Status Updates

      Temples-8.jpeg
      Temples-8.jpeg
      The Layton Utah Temple groundbreaking ceremony, conducted Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Layton, Utah, was a small-scale event video-recorded to be shown to local Church members on May 30, 2020. Photo by Scott Taylor, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.

      April 2018

      Seven new temple locations were announced on April 1, 2018. Four of the seven temples are now under construction.

      • Salta, Argentina — Under construction, following the November 4, 2020, groundbreaking. The Salta Argentina Temple site and exterior rendering were made public on June 23, 2020.
      • Bengaluru, India — Under construction, following the December 2, 2020, groundbreaking. Both the exterior rendering and the Bengaluru location were released on January 15, 2020.
      • Managua, Nicaragua — Still in planning.
      • Cagayan de Oro, Philippines — Still in planning.
      • Layton, Utah — Under construction, following the May 23, 2020, groundbreaking. The Layton Utah Temple site was announced on July 14, 2019, and the exterior rendering released on October 8, 2019.
      • Richmond, Virginia — Under construction, following the April 11, 2020, groundbreaking. Exterior and interior renderings for the Richmond Virginia Temple were released on August 28, 2019, while the site location was made public earlier that spring.
      • A major city yet to be determined in Russia — Still in planning, with a city not yet identified.
      Temples-11.jpeg
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      Members of the Mexico Area Presidency are, from left to right, Elder John C. Pingree Jr., second counselor, and his wife, Anne; Elder Rafael E. Pino, first counselor, and his wife, Patricia; and Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, Mexico Area president, and his wife, Silvia. They are standing by the rendering of the Puebla Mexico Temple on Saturday, November 30, 2019.2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

      October 2018

      Of the 12 temples announced on October 7, 2018, nine are under construction — two having nearly a year’s worth of building already.

      Temples-8.jpeg
      Temples-8.jpeg
      The Layton Utah Temple groundbreaking ceremony, conducted Saturday, May 23, 2020, in Layton, Utah, was a small-scale event video-recorded to be shown to local Church members on May 30, 2020. Photo by Scott Taylor, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.

      April 2019

      Four of the eight temples announced on April 7, 2019, are already under construction, with a date set for a fifth and two more awaiting a scheduled date.

      Temples-13.jpg
      Temples-13.jpg
      A shovel used during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Taylorsville Utah Temple is pictured on Saturday, October 31, 2020. Photo by Jeffrey D. Allred, courtesy of Church News.Copyright 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company.

      October 2019

      For the eight locations announced on October 5, 2019, groundbreakings have been held for five temples — four in the U.S. and one in Cobán, Guatemala.

      April 2020

        Temples-3.jpeg
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        President Russell M. Nelson2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

        On April 5, 2020, eight locations were identified. Of the eight temples, exterior renderings and site locations for the three locations in the U.S. have been announced, as well as a groundbreaking for the Syracuse Utah Temple. The five international temples are in planning and design stages.

        • Bahía Blanca, Argentina — Still in planning.
        • Tallahassee, Florida — A June 2021 groundbreaking has been scheduled. An exterior rendering and site location for the Tallahassee Florida Temple were released on January 13, 2021.
        • Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Still in planning.
        • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Awaiting a groundbreaking date. On January 19, 2021, the Church released an exterior rendering and site location.
        • Benin City, Nigeria — Still in planning.
        • Syracuse, Utah — Groundbreaking is scheduled for June 2021. The temple site was announced on August 28, 2020, with its exterior rendering made public on February 16, 2021.
        • Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Still in planning.
        • Shanghai, People’s Republic of China — Still in planning.
        October 2020

        Of the six locations announced on October 4, 2020, all temples are in the planning and design stages. The location for the Lindon Utah Temple has been made public.

        • Tarawa, Kiribati
        • Port Vila, Vanuatu
        • Lindon, Utah — Awaiting a groundbreaking date and release of an exterior rendering. The Lindon Utah Temple’s location was announced on December 21, 2020.
        • Greater Guatemala City, Guatemala
        • São Paulo East, Brazil
        • Santa Cruz, Bolivia

        April 2021

        Announced just recently on April 4, 2021, all 20 temples are in planning and design stages.

        • Oslo, Norway
        • Brussels, Belgium
        • Vienna, Austria
        • Kumasi, Ghana
        • Beira, Mozambique
        • Cape Town, South Africa
        • Singapore, Republic of Singapore
        • Belo Horizonte, Brazil
        • Cali, Colombia
        • Querétaro, México
        • Torreón, México
        • Helena, Montana
        • Casper, Wyoming
        • Grand Junction, Colorado
        • Farmington, New Mexico
        • Burley, Idaho
        • Eugene, Oregon
        • Elko, Nevada
        • Yorba Linda, California
        • Smithfield, Utah

        Geographical listing

        Of all 69 locations that President Nelson has announced, temples are to be located in 15 different states in the United States, in three U.S. territories and in 33 other countries.

        Following is a breakdown by state and by the Church’s international areas.

        U.S.nited States — by State

        • Arkansas — Bentonville.
        • California — Yuba City (Feather River California Temple), Yorba Linda.
        • Colorado — Grand Junction.
        • Florida — Tallahassee.
        • Idaho — Burley.
        • Montana — Helena.
        • Nevada — Elko.
        • New Mexico – Farmington.
        • Oregon — Eugene.
        • Pennsylvania — Pittsburgh.
        • Utah — Layton, Washington County (Red Cliffs Utah Temple), Tooele Valley (Deseret Peak Temple), Orem, Taylorsville, Syracuse, Lindon, Smithfield.
        • Texas — McAllen.
        • Virginia — Richmond.
        • Washington — Moses Lake.
        • Wyoming — Casper.

        International — by Church Areas

        • Africa Central Area — Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
        • Africa South Area — Beira, Mozambique; Cape Town, South Africa.
        • Africa West Area — Kumasi, Ghana; Benin City, Nigeria; Lagos, Nigeria; Freetown, Sierra Leone.
        • Asia Area — Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; Bengaluru, India; Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
        • Asia North Area — Yigo, Guam; Okinawa City, Okinawa (Okinawa Japan Temple).
        • Brazil Area: Salvador, Brazil; São Paulo East, Brazil; Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
        • Caribbean Area — San Juan, Puerto Rico.
        • Central America Area — Cobán, Guatemala; Greater Guatemala City, Guatemala; San Pedro Sula, Honduras; Managua, Nicaragua.
        • Europe Area — Vienna, Austria; Brussels, Belgium; Praia, Cape Verde; Budapest, Hungary; Oslo, Norway; and a major city yet to be determined in Russia.
        • Mexico Area — Puebla, Mexico; Querétaro, Mexico; Torreón, Mexico.
        • Middle East/Africa North Area — Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
        • Pacific Area — Pago Pago, American Samoa; Tarawa, Kiribati; Auckland, New Zealand; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Neiafu, Tonga; Port Vila, Vanuatu.
        • Philippines Area — Bacolod, Philippines; Cagayan de Oro, Philippines; Davao, Philippines.
        • South America Northwest Area — Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Cali, Colombia.
        • South America South Area — Salta, Argentina; Mendoza, Argentina; Bahía Blanca, Argentina; Antofagasta, Chile.

        Copyright 2021 Deseret News Publishing Company

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