Yuma Arizona Temple
The Yuma Arizona Temple will be the Church's seventh temple in Arizona following the Mesa Arizona Temple (dedicated in 1927), the Snowflake Arizona Temple (dedicated in 2002), The Gila Valley Arizona Temple (dedicated in 2010), the Gilbert Arizona Temple (dedicated in 2014), the Phoenix Arizona Temple (dedicated in 2014), and the Tuscon Arizona Temple (dedicated in 2017). Thus, the Yuma Arizona Temple is the Church's first temple to be announced in Arizona since President Nelson became president of the Church and since the Church began its period of temple construction expansion. Currently, there is only one stake in Yuma which has seven wards and five branches. However, at one time the Yuma Arizona Stake appeared likely to divide, albeit two wards were discontinued in 2016 followed by another ward more recently. Moreover, the Church used to operate a stake in nearby El Centro, California, although this stake was discontinued in 2023 and the congregations in the former stake were reassigned to the El Cajon California Stake. The new temple will likely service members in the Yuma Arizona Stake (organized in 1958), eastern El Cajon California Stake, the Lake Havasu City Arizona Stake (organized in 1976), the two stakes in Mexicali (organized in 1977 and 1987), and one stake in San Luis Río Colorado (organized in 2009). Thus, although added to my list of less likely locations to have a temple organized in 2022, Yuma was a surprising location for the next new temple to be announced in Arizona, as there are several other locations with more stakes that appeared likely to have a temple announced (e.g., Queen Creek, Goodyear, Flagstaff). The Church reported 442,879 Latter-day Saints in Arizona as of year-end 2023. Yuma is currently assigned to the San Diego California Temple. Arizona ranked as the state with the 38th most rapid membership growth in 2023 at 0.79%.
Houston Texas South Temple
The Houston Texas South Temple is the Church's ninth temple in Texas and its second temple in the Houston metropolitan area. Other temples in Texas include the Dallas Texas
Temple (dedicated in 1984), the Houston Texas Temple (dedicated in
2000), the Lubbock Texas Temple (dedicated in 2002), the San Antonio
Texas Temple (dedicated in 2005), the McAllen Texas Temple (dedicated in 2023), the Fort Worth Texas Temple (announced in 2021), the Austin
Texas Temple (announced in April 2022), and the McKinney Texas Temple (announced in October 2022). The new temple will likely service 8-10 stakes in southern Houston and surrounding areas. The current Houston Texas Temple district has 22 stakes. The southern Houston area has generally experienced slow, but steady, growth within the past couple decades, whereas the Church has reported generally rapid growth in northern areas of the Houston metropolitan area. The Church reported 385,600 Latter-day Saints in Texas as of year-end 2023. South Houston was added to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in February 2023. Texas was ranked as the state with the 15th most rapid membership growth in 2023 at 1.93%.
Des Moines Iowa Temple
The Des Moines Iowa Temple is the Church's first temple to be announced for Iowa. Prior to the announcement, Iowa was the state with the second most Latter-day Saints without a temple, as there were 29,285 members as of year-end 2023. Church membership grew by 2.05% in 2023 - the highest seen since 2015. Iowa ranked as the state with the 13th most rapid membership growth in 2023. Overall, the Church in Iowa has reported slow to moderate growth rates for the past 2-3 decades. The most recently organized stake was the Des Moines Iowa Mount Pisgah Stake which was organized in 2016. There are three stakes in the greater Des Moines metropolitan area (one of which is in Ames and organized in 1995). The first stake in Des Moines was created in 1970. The new temple will likely have five stakes assigned to the temple district (two of which are in eastern Iowa in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City). Stakes in the Des Moines area are assigned to the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple, whereas stakes in eastern Iowa are assigned to the Nauvoo Illinois Temple.
Cincinnati Ohio Temple
The Cincinnati Ohio Temple is the Church's third temple in Ohio following the Columbus Ohio Temple (dedicated in 1999) and the Cleveland Ohio Temple (announced in April 2022). The first temple dedicated in the Church in this dispensation was in Kirtland, Ohio, which was recently reacquired by the Community of Christ, although this temple was never a fully functioning temple like other temples in the Church today. The temple in Cincinnati will likely have at six stakes assigned from Cincinnati (3) and Dayton (3). The first stake in Cincinnati was organized in 1958 (followed by two more stakes in 1985 and 2004), whereas the first stake in Dayton was organized in 1970 (followed by two more stakes in 1979 and 2021). The Church has experienced slow, but steady, growth in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. The Church recently acquired property in the northern Cincinnati metropolitan area that appears to be a likely site for the new temple. Stakes in the Cincinnati area are assigned to the Columbus Ohio Temple (which currently has 18 stakes assigned) and the Louisville Kentucky Temple (which currently has nine stakes assigned). Ohio ranked as 29th for membership growth in 2023 (1.22%). Cincinnati was added to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2022.
Honolulu Hawaii Temple
The Honolulu Hawaii Temple is the Church's fourth temple in Hawaii following the Laie Hawaii Temple (dedicated in 1919), the Kona Hawaii Temple (dedicated in 2000), and the Kahului Hawaii Temple (announced in October 2023). Except for the North Island of New Zealand, Oahu is the first island in Polynesia to have a second temple announced. Honolulu is the only location I added in March 2024 to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced that had a temple announced this past conference. The reason why I added Honolulu to the list was due to greater accessibility to the temple where half of the island's Latter-day Saints reside. Also, a temple in Honolulu would permit the temple in Laie to just serve the stakes in Laie and BYU-Hawaii. The new temple will likely service six stakes in southern Oahu, which would leave five stakes assigned to the Laie Hawaii temple (all of which are located in Laie). The first stake in Honolulu was organized in 1955, whereas the first stake in Laie was organized in 1935. Slow to stagnant growth has occurred on Oahu within the past couple decades. Hawaii ranked as the state with the 37th most rapid membership growth rate in 2023 (0.91%), and this percentage growth rate for 2023 was the highest seen in Hawaii in nearly a decade. The most recently organized stake on Oahu was at BYU-Hawaii in 2004.
West Jordan Utah Temple
The West Jordan Utah Temple will be the Church's 29th temple in Utah following the St.
George Utah Temple (announced in 1871, dedicated in 1877), the Logan
Utah Temple (announced in 1876, dedicated in 1884), the Manti Utah
Temple (announced in 1875, dedicated in 1888), the Salt Lake Temple
(announced in 1847, dedicated in 1893), the Ogden Utah Temple (announced
in 1967, dedicated in 1972), the Provo Utah Temple (announced in 1967,
dedicated in 1972), the Jordan River Utah Temple (announced in 1978,
dedicated in 1981), the Bountiful Utah Temple (announced in 1990,
dedicated in 1995), the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple (announced in 1992,
dedicated in 1996), the Vernal Utah Temple (announced in 1994,
dedicated in 1997), the Monticello Utah Temple (announced in 1997,
dedicated in 1998), the Draper Utah Temple (announced in 2004, dedicated
in 2009), the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (announced in 2005,
dedicated in 2009), the Brigham City Utah Temple (announced in 2009,
dedicated in 2012), the Payson Utah Temple (announced in 2010, dedicated
in 2015), the Provo City Center Temple (announced in 2011, dedicated in
2016), Cedar City Utah Temple (announced in 2013, dedicated in 2017),
the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (announced in 2017, dedicated in 2023), the Layton Utah
Temple (announced in 2018, scheduled for dedication in 2024), the Red Cliffs Utah Temple (announced in 2018, dedicated in 2024), the Deseret Peak Utah Temple (announced in 2019), the Orem Utah Temple (announced in 2019, scheduled for dedication in 2024),
the Taylorsville Utah Temple (announced in 2019, scheduled for dedication in 2024), the Syracuse Utah
Temple (announced in 2020), the Lindon Utah Temple (announced in 2020),
the Smithfield Utah Temple (announced in 2021), the Ephraim Utah
Temple (announced in 2021), and the Heber City Utah Temple (announced in 2021). West Jordan was the only temple that was not officially on my list of likely temples to be announced, although it is very close to where I predicted a temple that was not announced (the Cottonwood Heights/Holladay/Sandy area). I was also surprised that this temple was announced instead of the long anticipated temple in the Herriman area where the Church acquired land approximately 15-20 years ago. The new temple will likely be within five miles of each of the three nearest temples in the area, including the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (43 stakes in temple district), the Jordan River Utah Temple (62 stakes in temple district - many of which will be reassigned to the new Taylorsville Utah Temple), and the Taylorsville Utah Temple (anticipated to have 37 stakes in temple district). The decision to announce the new temple has followed the pattern of having large Utah temples to have 20-25 stakes per temple district at a minimum. The new temple will likely have 20-30 stakes assigned depending on how the temple district boundaries are drawn. The first stake organized in West Jordan was created in 1927.
Lehi Utah Temple
The Lehi Utah Temple will be the Church's 30th temple in Utah. The Church has reported rapid growth in the Lehi area within the past two decades, as scores of new stakes have been organized in Lehi and surrounding cities in north Utah County. Lehi has been a location listed on my temple predictions map as a more likely location to have a temple announced for many years. The new temple will likely have 20-30 stakes assigned to the temple district. Stakes in the Lehi area are currently assigned to the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple (34 stakes assigned) and the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple (42 stakes assigned). The first stake created in Lehi was organized in 1928. Utah ranked as 39th for membership growth rates by state in 2023 at
0.78%, which was at nearly the same percentage as for the year 2019
(0.79%). With 635 stakes in Utah at present, the average temple will now have 21.2 stakes assigned to each temple district.