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President Nelson Announces 12 New Temples, Church Now Has Over 200 Temples

President Nelson Announces 12 New Temples, Church Now Has Over 200 Temples

President Nelson has done it again. The “rush of revelation” made its return as the prophet had another huge announcement to make.

In another incredible announcement to go along with the 2-hour church block, President Russell M. Nelson announced 12 new temples during the final session of the 188th Semiannual General Conference.

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple

Before Conference, members on social media were reporting that they heard the tease, “If you love temple-building, you won’t want to miss Conference.”

Now we know why, and surely those that love temple announcements were not disappointed.

If you love temple-building, you won’t want to miss General Conference.

President Nelson announced temples in the following locations:

Mendoza, Argentina Salvador, Brazil Yuba City, California Phnom Penh, Cambodia Praia, Cape Verde Yigo, Guam Puebla, Mexico Auckland, New Zealand Lagos, Nigeria Davao, Philippines San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington County, Utah.

“There are 159 operating temples (which includes 10 previously dedicated but closed for renovation), 11 under construction, and 19 announced (not yet under construction).”¹ A full list of these temples can be found on the church’s website.

The new First Presidency wanted “to begin with the end in mind,” as they spoke from the Salt Lake Temple on January 16, 2018, while addressing the membership of the church.

“The end for which each of us strives is to be endowed with a power in a house of the Lord, sealed as families—faithful to the covenants made in a temple that qualify us for the greatest gift of God, that of eternal life.”

meridian idaho temple open house

“We will build that temple as fast as we can,” President Nelson told more than 3,000 members gathered in Thailand earlier this year. “But it is up to you to build yourselves to the point where you can go to the temple.”

We are excited for the most recent temple announcement by President Nelson. May we be as eager to make the temple a part of our personal worship as we are to hear the prophet makes these exciting announcements in General Conference.

Mormon Newsroom gave additional details into the locations that will be receiving temples.

These 12 announced temples bring the total number of operating temples (159) and temples announced or under construction (42) to 201 worldwide. The Concepción Chile Temple (October 28) and the Barranquilla Colombia Temple (December 9) are scheduled for dedication later this year. Eleven temples are being renovated, including the Asunción Paraguay TempleBaton Rouge Louisiana TempleFrankfurt Germany Temple, Hamilton New Zealand Temple, Memphis Tennessee Temple, Mesa Arizona Temple, Oakland California TempleOklahoma City Oklahoma TempleRaleigh North Carolina TempleTokyo Japan Temple and Washington D.C. Temple. (Temples under renovation are considered operating temples.) The previous largest number of temples announced on a single day was April 1, 1981, when nine temples were announced. With seven temples announced during the April 2018 general conference, a total of 19 temples have been announced this year.

“Building and maintaining temples may not change your life, but spending your time in the temple surely will,” President Nelson said. “To those who have long been absent from the temple, I encourage you to prepare and return as soon as possible. Then I invite you to worship in the temple and pray to feel deeply the Savior’s infinite love for you, that each of you may gain your own testimony that He continues to direct this sacred and ageless work.”

Mendoza, Argentina

When the Mendoza Argentina Temple is built and dedicated, Argentina will have four temples. The Buenos Aires Argentina Temple was dedicated in 1986, while the Córdoba Argentina Templewas dedicated in 2015. The Salta Argentina Temple was announced by President Nelson in April 2018. Argentina, a country of nearly 45 million residents, is home to nearly 459,000 Latter-day Saints.

Salvador, Brazil

After the United States (6.7 million Latter-day Saints) and Mexico (1.45 million), Brazil is home to more members (1.39 million) of the Church than any other country. There are six operating temples in Brazil, located in CampinasCuritibaManausPorto AlegreRecife and São Paulo. Two temples are under construction (Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro), and two others have been announced — in Belém and now Salvador.

Yuba City, California

The Yuba City California Temple will be California’s eighth temple. The state’s other seven temples are in FresnoLos AngelesNewport BeachOakland (under renovation), RedlandsSacramentoand San Diego. California is home to more than 760,000 Latter-day Saints and nearly 1,300 congregations.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

This will be Cambodia’s first Latter-day Saint temple and the ninth temple in Asia. More than 14,600 Latter-day Saints live in the Southeast Asian nation of more than 16 million people.

In addition to the announcement of 12 new temples, President Nelson said pioneer generation temples would be renovated. “With the passage of time, temples are inevitably in need of refreshing and renewal. To that end, plans are now being made to renovate and update the Salt Lake Temple and other pioneer generation temples,” he said. “Details on these projects will be shared as they are developed.”

Praia, Cape Verde

This will be the first temple in Cape Verde, a set of islands located about 350 miles off the northwest coast of Africa. Some 14,700 Latter-day Saints live in this island nation of 539,000 people.

Yigo, Guam

This small island territory in the Western Pacific is less than half the size of the Salt Lake Valley and has a population of 166,000 people. Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ first arrived in 1957, and today there are more than 2,500 Latter-day Saints in Guam. This will be the territory’s first Latter-day Saint temple.

Puebla, Mexico

This will be Mexico’s 14th temple. The country’s other 13 temples are in Ciudad JuárezColonia JuárezZapopanHermosilloMéridaMexico CityMonterreyOaxacaCiudad MaderoTijuana, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Boca del Rio and Villahermosa. The country is home to nearly 1.5 million Latter-day Saints spread throughout almost 2,000 congregations.

Auckland, New Zealand

The Auckland New Zealand Temple will be the country’s second Latter-day Saint temple. The first temple, built in 1958 in Hamilton, closed in August 2018 for renovations. The Church has had a presence in New Zealand since the 1850s. Today, more than 114,000 Latter-day Saints live in the country.

Lagos, Nigeria

The Lagos Nigeria Temple will be the second temple in Nigeria and the ninth in Africa. There are temples currently operating in Aba, NigeriaJohannesburg, South Africa; and Accra, GhanaThe Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple is scheduled to be dedicated April 14, 2019. The Durban South Africa Temple is under construction. Plans have been announced to build temples in Harare, ZimbabweNairobi, Kenya; and Abidjan Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire). Church membership in Africa has grown from a handful of members in the late 1970s to more than 611,000 Latter-day Saints today (including nearly 174,000 in Nigeria) in more than 2,000 congregations.

Davao, Philippines

With this announcement, the Philippines has six temples announced or dedicated, including Cebu CityManila (2)Urdaneta and Cagayan de Oro. There are more than 780,000 Latter-day Saints in this country of more than 107 million people.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

This will be the first temple in Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island of more than 3 million residents and over 23,000 Latter-day Saints. The nearest temple to Puerto Rico is the Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple.

Washington County, Utah

This will be Washington County’s second temple; the other is in St. George, Utah. As the Church’s world headquarters, Utah has 2.1 million members of the Church in a state of 3.2 million people. There are 17 operating temples in the state, including BountifulBrigham CityCedar CityDraper,LoganJordan RiverMantiMonticelloMount TimpanogosOgdenOquirrh MountainPayson,Provo City CenterProvoSt. GeorgeSalt Lake and Vernal. The Saratoga Springs Temple was announced at the April 2017 general conference, and the Layton Utah Temple was announced in April 2018. The new temple in Washington County will be Utah’s 20th Latter-day Saint temple.

In addition to the announcement of 12 new temples, President Nelson said pioneer generation temples would be renovated. “With the passage of time, temples are inevitably in need of refreshing and renewal. To that end, plans are now being made to renovate and update the Salt Lake Temple and other pioneer generation temples,” he said. “Details on these projects will be shared as they are developed.”

1 – Wikipedia – Temple (Latter-day Saints)

BONUS

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Merced

Tuesday 23rd of October 2018

I feel that Heavenly Father will someday He will build a Temple in the Rio Grande Valley, but it will be build in His own time. This will be done when He knows that we are ready to receive the Blessing of the Temple.

Ben Arkell

Wednesday 31st of October 2018

Were you able to see the 10-minute mini-film?

Friday 12th of October 2018

Please build one in south Dakota like Rapid city