Temple Groundbreakings Announced in Asia and Africa 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced groundbreaking services for three temples in two continents, the Bengaluru India Temple, Davao Philippines Temple and Harare Zimbabwe Temple. 

Church leaders will break ground for the Bengaluru India Temple in December 2020. Elder Robert K. William, an Area Seventy , will preside at the event. 

The new temple, which was announced by President Russell M. Nelson in April 2018, will be the first temple in India, a country with more than 1.3 billion people, and will serve nearly 15,000 Latter-day Saints. 

Less than three weeks after the announcement, President Nelson traveled to India during his global ministry and spoke to hundreds of Latter-day Saints in Bengaluru. 

“The influence of the temple will be felt not only by the people here in this particular part of India, but it will bless the people of the entire nation and neighboring nations,” said President Nelson. 

The Bengaluru India Temple will be constructed in the Whitefield neighborhood of Bengaluru. 

Plans call for a temple of approximately 40,000 square feet on a 1.62-acre site. A two-level meetinghouse, administrative offices, a distribution center and a patron housing facility will also be built on the site. 

The Davao Philippines Temple groundbreaking will take place in November 2020. Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, Philippines Area President, will preside. 

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Manila in January 2020, and said, “We want you to have the blessing of going to the temple. And if you do that you are preparing yourself to be gathered together with a loving father in heaven, and our Savior Jesus Christ.” 

The temple will be built on a 2.7-acre site at Ma-a Road and Anahaw Road, Bgy. Ma-a, Davao City 8000, in the Philippines. 

The two-story structure will be approximately 18,450 square feet. The site will also include patron and temple presidency housing and a meetinghouse. 

The temple was announced in October 2018 by President Russell M. Nelson. The Philippines has seven temples announced, under construction, under renovation or in operation including the Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Urdaneta, Cebu City and Manila temples.

The country has more than 800,000 Latter-day Saints in over 1200 congregations.  

Local Church leaders in Harare, Zimbabwe, will gather to break ground for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple in December 2020. The Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be the first temple in the country. 

Elder Edward Dube, of the Africa South Area Presidency will preside at the event. 

The new temple will be constructed on a 6.7-acre site on 65 Enterprise Road Highlands in Harare, Zimbabwe. The temple will be approximately 17,250 square feet. 

Church president Thomas S. Monson announced plans to build the temple in April 2016. Zimbabwe is home to approximately 14.2 million people and more than 34,000 members of the Church. 

As a part of a 2018 world ministry, President Nelson completed his Africa tour in Harare, Zimbabwe. More than 4000 Latter-day Saints in the country gathered to hear the Prophet of the Church speak. 

“You deserve a temple here in Harare because that’s where we get the highest of all the blessings that God can give to His faithful children. I want to be here to see that happen,” said President Nelson.  

Attendance at the groundbreaking ceremonies is by invitation only. Photos and video of the event will be available to the media and public on Newsroom after the groundbreaking services. 

Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the “house of the Lord” and the most sacred places of worship on the earth. Temples are not the same as the Church’s meetinghouses. All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities in a meetinghouse. In temples, Latter-day Saints participate in sacred ceremonies, such as marriage, that unite families beyond death.