Barranquilla, Colombia
The Barranquilla Colombia Temple will become the LDS Church's second temple in Colombia following the dedication of the Bogotá Colombia Temple in 1999. Distance from the Bogotá Colombia Temple and the organization of several new stakes within the past decade in northern Colombia appear contributing factors influencing the decision to announce a second temple for Colombia notwithstanding the Bogotá Colombia Temple operating below capacity. Currently there are 28 stakes and 12 districts in Colombia.
Durban, South Africa
The Durban South Africa Temple will become the LDS Church's second temple in South Africa, making South Africa the only African nation with more than one LDS temple. Past mission presidents have shared the vision of a temple in Durban for several years notwithstanding only two stakes functioning in the city. The future temple will likely service Lesotho and Swaziland in addition to western South Africa, bringing the total of stakes and districts in the prospective temple district to as many as five and three, respectively. The new temple appears likely to be a small temple due to few stakes and districts in the surrounding region.
Kinshasa, DR Congo
The first temple in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo was announced. Prior to the temple announcement, the DR Congo was the country with the second most Latter-day Saints without a temple. LDS Church growth in the DR Congo has outpaced most nations in Africa and currently there are five stakes in Kinshasa and one across the Congo River in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. Due to rapid congregational and membership growth combined with good retention and member activity, it is likely that as many as ten stakes may function in Kinshasa alone by 2015. Other stakes in the DR Congo are distant from Kinshasa, but the new temple will significantly reduce travel times and logistical issues. With the new temple announcement, prospects appear higher for the opening of a missionary training center in Kinshasa to train new missionaries in Central French-speaking Africa. The new temple will also likely service some additional Central African nations.
Provo, Utah
A second temple built from the shell of the fire-damaged Provo Tabernacle was announced this morning. The new temple will alleviate the busy Provo Utah Temple which services BYU and the MTC in addition to stakes from Provo to Payson. The new temple becomes Utah's 16th temple.
Star Valley, Wyoming
The first LDS temple in Wyoming was announced. Due to most of Wyoming's LDS membership residing within close proximity of the state border, no temple had been announced for many years notwithstanding 16 stakes functioning since 1984. The future temple will likely serve members in only in two stakes (Thayne and Afton) but may also serve stakes in central and southwestern Wyoming.
20 comments:
I think the Star Valley temple will be in Afton. It is the biggest city in star valley, has the most congregations and is closer to some stakes in South Eastern Idaho. If the temple were to be in Afton, both Montpiliar stakes along with the Soda Springs stake could be in the star valley temple district. This would bring the total up to 5 stakes. I imagine it is much easier for the church to find temple workers as well. Many couples would be fine coming over from Idaho Falls for a few days a week. The same goes for the Winnipeg temple, they probably have a lot of willing senior couples to go to an english speaking temple mission for 6 months or so.
The new Provo temple will only be 3.0 miles away from the existing Provo Temple. That is a mile closer than the next currently closest two temples, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple and Jordan River Utah Temple, which are just over 4.0 miles away from each other. Pretty amazing!
Re: Durban: My impression is that Cape Town has much better transportation links to Johannesburg rather than Durban, so there probably won't be more than 4 stakes. Swaziland is also closer to JB than Durban, as are parts of the Bloemfontein so likely only 2-3 districts--a very small temple district.
Looking at this in conjunction with the announcement for Star Valley and Regina, for example, indicates that distance from an existing temple carries more weight in temple placement decisions than previously. This is reflected in Pres. Monson's comments in several conferences about the number of saints living within a particular distance from temples.
Re: Star Valley, I agree with Matthew Crandall completely. In addition to Montpelier (2 stakes) and Soda Springs, many parts of the Kemmerer and Riverton stakes will have a shorter driving distance to Afton than to Ogden, so theoretically you could have 7 stakes there, which is pretty average size for temple districts these days.
Any idea what they'll actually call the 2nd Provo temple? The church has formulaic ways of naming missions, stakes, temples, etc. I think simply the Provo Tabernacle Temple might be nice, dropping the "Utah" which they never added to the Salt Lake Temple as names were standardized.
Parts of the Driggs Id stake could be closer to star valley than Rexburg
Based on it's Historic Significance I think Provo Utah Temple will retain its name and Provo Tabernacle Temple is appropriate. I don't think it will be named after some mountain or anything as other Utah temples to distinguish between nearby temples. (i.e. Jordan River and Oquirrh moutain)
Given the instability in Kinshasa, DRC, do we have any idea what the church will do to guarantee the integrity and safety of the temple?
I think the Durban Temple will also service Madagascar and Reunion.
This last sunday I have heard that three new wards were created in the Brisbane Australia area. The Collingwood park ward was created in the Brisbane Centenary stake it make 7 wards in that stake now. The Centenary Lakes ward was organised in the Brisbane North stake to make 8 wards in that stake now. I have this info from people who were there. The third one I do not know someone that was there but have heard from a number of people was in the Eight Mile plains stake also in Brisbane but just on the south side but I don't think so (or it may be close). Not very often I would imagine two or more wards are created in Brisbane like this. I have unconfirmed reports that others are not very far away in the Brisbane area and therefore perhaps a stake. But thats speculation. Nice to see the growth as other areas of Australia are not going as well
I must report that LDS church Growth in the state of Texas is gaining unstoppable momentum this year and seems to be at a higher level that usual
There were 577 congregations at the beginning of the year.
There are now 589 congregations. That's an increase of 12. The church is growing faster in Texas than any other state placed outside of the "book of mormon belt".
^
I agree I served my mission in Houston. 4 years ago I was a greenie in the Eagle springs ward in the Kingwood, TX stake (now in Houston east stake boundary).... now 4 years later that same ward is now 3 (Eagle Springs, Summerwood, and Fall Creek).... with a new stake center under construction in the summerwood development.
Do think they're preparing for a stake in Yekaterinburg with the discontinuation of the district in Chelyabinsk?
I served in Yekaterinburg and a member said that the two branches in Chelyabinsk were combined because of inactivity and therefore the district was discontinued.
Even if a district was consolidated with a neighboring district with hopes of making a stake, member activity issues are almost always to blame for consolidating districts. It does seem like a potential stake may be in the works in Yekaterinburg as the two branches in the former Chelyabinsk Russia District were included in the district in Yekaterinburg despite geographical separation. However there are only five branches now in the district and the organization of a stake appears many years off if one is organized in the foreseeable future at all.
I do not think that safety and security will be the primary concerns for the new temple in Kinshasa. Rather, making sure the temple is properly cared for and maintained by local temple workers appears a far greater concern as senior missionaries in the past have reported challenges with members keeping existing meetinghouses in good repair. Also, there are very few members who have attended the temple before which will require senior temple missionaries to staff much of the initial temple ordinance work. Kinshasa is also among the most stable areas in the DR Congo and most conflict and war has in the past ravaged other areas, particularly in the north and east.
I live in Winnipeg, we have a lot of seniors but not too, too many senior couples. I am caustiously optimistic about this Temple. I am praying more people come here because we need them! I worry too about what will happen to the Regina Temple. The last time I went there were 4 brethren in the session, 3 of us from Winnipeg and the other fellow from Edmonton who was travelling through. I wonder what the motivation behind it is, we live within 10 hours of three Temples.
With regards to the future temple to be built in Durban, i would like to comment on the posted site about the future temple's size
"The new temple appears likely to be a small temple due to few stakes and districts in the surrounding region."
At best your comment was made from misinformation, and at worst, from the viewpoint of a person sitting miles away on their computer and who is a savvy google searcher, and may have a whopping two connections in Durban who told him of some few facts to make it look all credible.
It interests me that nothing has been said of the faith and sacrifices of the actual members who live in Durban and surrounding areas; of what they had to do to keep the church going, sending their daughters and sons on missions, and the faithful payment of tithes by thousands of Durbanite Saints; not to mention frequenting the existing Johannesburg temple more than the Saints in that region.
Most members don't have their own personal cars to do that, and yet they go, and most stay for several days at the temple at great monetary sacrifice, knowing that they wont go for a while.
In the thick of all your stats, graphs, charts and skint knowledge of what is truly happening, you have missed the core elements of the faith- which are demonstrated by the early saints in Nauvoo, Kirtland and other places. Only a person who is surrounded by temples (most likely somewhere in the Wasacht front) would ever refer to any temple as a "small" one. As if its size makes any difference, and, knowing that I know you know that, it still bothers me that you took the time to mention it regardless.
This is a Tribute to all the Saints in Durban, who have kept the faith, and will welcome their "small" temple with open and warm, grateful hearts.
Sincerely,
Zulu Warrior, the Durbanite!
Who said there is anything wrong with a small temple?
I would like to ask the same question.
besides...a temple is a temple is a temple. Labelling them as small or big really should be avoided. that kind of stuff generates the kind of talk worthy of a kindergartener
"my temple is bigger than yours"
And yes, since the begging of my brief stay in the States, I have heard alot of that talk(and i still do). So I'm somewhat "offended" but im also not looking for an apology. I would hate for any temple, built or still in planning, to be looked down upon or scoffed at 'accidently on purpose' because of its size.
And like i said, I have already been witness to that kind of talk...especially in reference to the Temples built under the administration of President Hinckley; in contrast and comparison to the other ones that are well known and considerably "larger".
All temples are of equal status and importance. lets cease such talk...size doesn't count-so don't make it count!
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