Thursday, September 28, 2023

The Impending End to Large Numbers of Temple Announcements?

The Church has announced a large number of new temples within the past 6 years. The last General Conference when no new temples were announced was in October 2017. In 2017, the Church announced five new temples (all in April), whereas there were four new temples announced in 2016, three new temples announced in 2015, and no new temples announced in 2014. However, the rate of new temple announcements has accelerated to approximately 30-35 a year since 2021, as shown below:

  • 2018 - 19
  • 2019 - 16
  • 2020 - 14
  • 2021 - 34
  • 2022 - 35
  • 2023 - 15

In my most recent temple predictions map published earlier this month, I identified 216 potential locations that appear likely to have a temple announced based upon the factors that have probably contributed to the announcement of recently announced temples. If the rate of temples announced remains at 30 per yer, this means that all the locations I have identified on this map will be exhausted by the end of the year 2030. There may be a few probable locations that I have missed in my map, but I find it highly unlikely, with the current number of stakes and congregations, for there to be many additional locations that appear likely candidates for temple announcements. Therefore, if the current rate of temple announcements is sustained, it appears unlikely that this number of temples will be announced every year for longer than 6 years unless there is a significant increase in growth that warrants the construction of additional temples. The Church reported 21.5 stakes per temple as of year-end 2000. Currently, there is one temple per 11.25 stakes. If this ratio is to be maintained and 30 new temples are announced per year, then the Church would need to have a net increase of 337 stakes per year to keep this ratio at 11 stakes per temple. In contrast, the Church reported an average net increase of 51.6 stakes during the past 10 years. If the Church were to target an average of six stakes per temple district (which in many areas of the world is a realistic number for a small temple due to geographic distance), then there would be 591 temples. However, considering thousands of stakes operate in metropolitan areas where temples already operate, there appears to be little need to have such a large number of temples at present.

Church growth rates are rarely consistent for a considerable period of time, and these rates often ebb and flow and cycle through periods of deceleration and acceleration (especially within individual countries). It will therefore be imperative for significant increases in active membership to warrant the construction of additional temples by 2030 unless the rate at which new temples are announced decelerates. 

There is a high degree of uncertainty what locations may be likely future candidates for temples that currently do not appear to be probable ones. However, based on my experience with tracking the growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 20 years, I would consider the following 41 locations as possible candidates by 2030 (none of these locations are currently listed as likely locations for temple announcements at present). I do not have the time to provide my rationale for each of these possibilities, but if there is a question about one, do not hesitate to comment below:

  • Abeokuta, Nigeria 
  • Accra, Ghana (2nd temple)
  • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 
  • Akure, Nigeria 
  • Aparri, Philippines
  • Assin Foso, Ghana
  • Blantyre, Malawi
  • Bujumbura, Burundi 
  • Butuan City, Philippines
  • Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • Eldoret, Kenya
  • Gaborone, Botswana
  • General Santos, Philippines 
  • Georgetown, Guyana
  • Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
  • Huambo, Angola
  • Jos, Nigeria
  • Kigali, Rwanda
  • Kisangani DR Congo
  • Kolwezi, DR Congo 
  • Lae, Papua New Guinea
  • Legazpi, Philippines
  • Makurdi, Nigeria
  • Maseru, Lesotho
  • Matadi DR Congo
  • Mbabane, Eswatini
  • Mwene-Ditu, DR Congo
  • Nampula, Mozambique 
  • Onitsha, Nigeria
  • Owerri, Nigeria
  • Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo
  • Sagay, Philippines
  • Seville, Spain 
  • Tagbilaran, Philippines
  • Talca, Chile
  • Takoradi, Ghana
  • Toamasina, Madagascar
  • Ubon, Thailand
  • Warri, Nigeria
  • Yaounde, Cameroon
  • Yenagoa, Nigeria

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

So basically, you think that by the time we get to 500ish temples, temple announcements will slow down?

I wouldn't be surprised if announcements slow down to 10-20 temples per year after we get to about 500.

Christopher said...

I agree that temple announcements will likely decline by 2030. However, looking forward I think it could accelerate again if India and China were to boom in church growth. There is potential for large numbers of temples to be constructed in each of those nations, as well as other populous nations in Asia in the future, even to bring us back to the current level of announcements.

Ethan said...

Announcing temples is one thing but building them, staffing them, and having patrons are all very different challenges. Anecdotal stories about difficulty finding enough workers for the new Saratoga Springs temple are telling. Having lived in places where the church is much more dispersed leads me to believe that if staffing a Utah County temple is a challenge, putting temples in places like Champaign, Illinois will be incredibly difficult to operate more than 1-2 days per week. The numbers we've seen announced for the past several years aren't sustainable for long.

Matt said...

Yes, unless we see a major increase in growth rates in the Church, the rate of temple announcements will inevitably decrease. As for India and China, there is way too much uncertainty whether these will be fertile areas for missionary work. There is much more certainty in Africa and Latin America being future areas of growth to warrant additional temple announcements in places that are now unrealistic to have temples.

Ethan - Totally agree. There are trade offs with having more temples, and one of these is what is needed to staff them. I enjoy going to the temple in Denver because there is so much flexibility on when you can go (you can do literally any ordinance from early in the morning until late in the evening), and I wonder whether when we get a temple here in Colorado Springs if it may only be open for part of the day or have things spaced out so much that it limits accessibility. Smaller temples offer very few options, and this can be a barrier for accessibility as well.

Harvstr said...

Last year we increased the number of congregations by 15 , maintaining even a few temples seems difficult

Nephi said...

The Temple President for the Red Cliffs Temple is in my Stake. He was told that he will need 2,800 workers to fully staff the Red Cliffs Temple.

Adam said...

Fun post. Have a few thoughts.

First off, you are undershooting the 30 number based off Bednar's talk at the Bentonville dedication, wherein he implied 40 into perpetuity. Second, the 11.25 is the current for announced, but what has that been for the past two years of announcements? Idk off the top of my head, but a lot of places will have less than 5 stakes servicing it. May be a better baseline. Springfield MO isn't servicing 5 stakes. Okinawa is an outlier due to the travel obstacles needed for them but we've seen how small they are willing to go. If they are willing to do Okinawa they are very comfortable with having less than 10 outside of Utah. Doing your analysis but switching to 40 temples a year (by 2026 they expect to hit that 40 per year dedicated and are ramping up to that) and keeping the 50 stakes (which may be generous moving forward), it will be 2034 before we get under 8 stakes per temple and 2042 until when we get under 5. If the trendline for the US is any area with 3 stakes that requires over 90 minutes of driving, and potentially extend that to developing countries, we could have quite the runway.

Adam said...

Also some he-said she-said for some fun context. When I served in the Philippines in 2010, I had a companion whose father was the president of a Utah engineering firm (verified on LinkedIn) that provided services making sure the temples were structurally sound and whatnot. His father sat on the temple committee. He said that the church already had money set aside for over 20 temple in the Philippines, and that was at a time when they only had two dedicated. There are now 11 announced, so they still have a ways to go, and the country has grown a lot in those past 10+ years.

I totally agree that we may be building more than needed, and figured that there would be an eventual slowdown. But by all accounts it doesn't appear that the Brethren are on the same page we are.

Mike Johnson said...

I remember in the discussions here about whether Bentonville/Fayetteville or Springfield would get the temple. I argued it would be Springfield because of 6 Missouri vs 4 Arkansas stakes with greater distances to temples. Currently, the Bentonville temple serve 4 stakes in Arkansas and 4 stakes in Missouri. I believe that the Springfield MO stake will also include the West Plains and St. Roberts stakes from the St. Louis district.

We have had temples announced for which only 1 or 2 stakes were all that close. I believe that they are only open a few days a week. The important thing is they give people the opportunity to grow in temple worship that they might not otherwise be able to do.

One other note. My shift at the DC Temple from about 2011 to 2018 had about 60 brothers and 60 sisters. 15 shifts. That is about 1800 workers, although the shift I was on was probably above average in size (Saturday AM). Plus the presidency, office staff, engineers, etc. DC is one of the three largest temples, but it would be easy to see well over 2000 staffing the temple and keeping up with turnover.

The Richmond temple probably now has far fewer staffing it.

EP said...

Maybe the Brethren know something we don't and they're building based on direction from someone on high who knows the hour of His return is nigh. That would explain what appears to be an unsustainable long-term pace.

L. Chris Jones said...

Won't we need the temples during the millennium?

Brett Stirling said...

With President Nelson confirming he won’t attend, does this mean there won’t be any temple announcements this conference?

Religlang said...

Brett, President Nelson said he's planning on recording a digital message to play during conference, so I'd imagine he would announce temples in that way. Alternatively, Dallin H. Oaks could announce them instead

James G. Stokes said...

No, Brett. Either he will announce them during any prerecorded remarks, or (more likely) he has asked President Oaks to offer a short address concluding General Conference and announcing temples in his behalf. There is precedent for that.

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Coming late to the party, here is my big list of temples predictions (I decided to do things a little different this year)...

My Ultimate Temple Wishlist (w/ Expected/Possible Timeframes):

Starting April, 2023

3-5 Years:

-Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (3-5 years)
-Rigby, Idaho (3-5 years)
-Edinburgh, Scotland (3-5)
-Dublin, Ireland (3-5)
-Osorno/Valdivia/Puerto Montt, Chile (Central Chile) (3-5)
-Metro Area Pick:
-Santiago, Chile Metro: Viña del Mar/Valparaíso (3-5)
-Springville/Mapleton/Spanish Fork Area, UT (3-5)
-North Ogden/West Weber County (announced after Syracuse & Layton Completed) (3-5 years)
-Possibilities:
-West Haven
and/or
-Pleasant View/North Ogden
-Price, Utah (3-5)
-Jackson, Mississippi (3-5)
-Majuro, Marshall Islands (3-5)
-Tirana, Albania (3-5)
-Kingston, Jamaica (3-5)
-Port of Spain, Trinidad (3-5)
-Santiago, Dominican Republic (7 stakes in area + districts - distant from Santo Domingo) (3-5)
-Santa Ana, El Salvador (3-5) (4 stakes)
-Colorado Springs, Colorado (3-5) (5 stakes)
-João Pessoa (State of Paraíba) (Northeastern Brazil) (8 stakes, 2 districts - as of Sep 2023) (3-5)
-Sorocaba, Brazil (State of São Paulo) (5 stakes, 2 districts - as of Sep 2023) (close to Sao Paulo & Campinas) (3-5)
-Bo, Sierra Leone (3-5)
-Tacna, Peru (southern tip of Peru/border w/ Chile) (3-5)
-Poza Rica, Mexico (6 stakes, 1 district) (3-5)
-Tacuarembó, Uruguay (8 Stakes and remote from Montevideo and Buenos Aires) (3-5)

3-10 Years:

-Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (3-10)
-Herriman, Utah (3-10)
-Puerto Princesa (Palawan Island), Philippines (3-10)
-Kalispell, Montana (3-10 years?)
-New Delhi, India (3-10) (after Bengaluru is finished)
-Lahore, Pakistan (or other, Pakistan) (3-10)
-Champaign, Illinois (3-10)
-Kampala, Uganda (3-10)
-Cape Coast, Ghana (3-10)
-Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (3-10)
-Christchurch, New Zealand (3-10)
-Lome, Togo (3-10) (3 Stakes)
-Cotonou, Benin (3-10) (2 Stakes)
-Abuja, Nigeria (3 Stakes) (Nigeria's Capital, Far From Other Temples) (3-10)
-Port Harcourt, Nigeria Metro - 8 stakes, 2 districts - as of Sep 2023) (not too far from Aba) (3-10)
-Piura, Perú (3-10)
-Chihuahua, México (4 stakes, 3 districts - remote) (3-10)
-Houston, Texas Metro Area #2 (South Houston/Sugar Land, Pearland? or Katy, League City or Channelview?) (22 stakes in the Houston Temple district and growing - as of 2023) (3-10)
-Santa Maria, Brazil (8 Stakes 2 Districts - as of Sep 2023) or Passo Fundo, Brazil (5 Stakes - as of Sep 2023) (both in Rio Grande do Sul and Far from Porto Alegre) (3-10)

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Part 2...

5-10 Years:

-Georgetown, Guyana (5-10 years) (after Trinidad & Tobago)
-Maracaibo, Venezuela (5-10 years)
-Ammon, Idaho (5-10 years)
-Blackfoot, Idaho (5-10)
-Cardiff, Wales (5-10)
-Berlin, Germany (5-10)
-Fairbanks/North Pole, AK (5-10)
-Great Falls, Montana (5-10 years)
-Lima, Peru - Metro 3rd (5-10)
-El Paso, TX/Las Cruces, New Mexico (5-10)
-Southern Patagonia (Chile and/or Argentina) (5-10)
-Cincinnati, Ohio (5-10)
-Florianópolis/São José, Brazil (5-10)
-Rapid City, South Dakota (5-10)
-Rio Branco, Brazil (5-10)
-Maputo, Mozambique (5-10)
-Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (5-10)
-Hanoi, Vietnam (5-10)
-Taichung City, Taiwan (5-10)
-Lehi, Utah (5-10) (20 stakes) (or Eagle Mountain)
-Morgan, Utah (5-10)
-Farmington/Kaysville, Utah (Davis County) (5-10)
-Salem, Oregon (5-10)
-Newark, Trenton, Princeton or East Brunswick, New Jersey? (5-10)
-Canberra, Australia (Capitol) (1 Stake) (5-10)
-Nampa, Idaho (5-10)
-Hurricane/Washington County #3 (5-10)
-Cache County #3/Hyrum, Utah? (5-10)
-Cottonwood Heights/Sandy/Holladay (Salt Lake County) (5-10)
-Uyo, Nigeria Metro - 4 stakes (includes Abak) - (as of Jan 2023) (not too far from Eket) (5-10)
-Ibadan, Nigeria (6 stakes, 3 districts - as of Sep 2023) (not too far from Lagos) (5-10)
-Enugu, Nigeria (5 stakes, 4 districts - as of Sep 2023) (remote) (5-10)
-Umuahia, Nigeria (6 stakes, 1 district - as of Sep 2023) (not too far from Aba) (5-10)
-Mbuji-Mayi (2 Stakes - as of Sep 2023)/Luputa (3 Stakes, 1 District - as of Sep 2023)/Mwene-Ditu, DRC (all not too far from Kananga) (5-10)
-Cuiabá, Brazil (2 stakes, 2 districts) (remote) (State of Mato Grosso) or Campo Grande (3 stakes) (State of Mato Grosso do Sul) (Both in Central Brazil) (5-10)

5-15 Years:

-Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (5-15)
-Angola (5-15)
-Canary Islands, Spain (5-15)
-Yaounde, Cameroon (2 Districts - 2023) (5-15)
-Cheyenne, Wyoming (5-15)?
-Kigali, Rwanda (5-15)
-Botswana (5-15)
-London, England #3/London City Center/Hyde Park Chapel, London, England (Converted to Mixed-Use Temple)? (5-15)
-Tulsa, Oklahoma (5-15)
-Yuma, Arizona (5-15)
-Bangor/Augusta/Portland, Maine (5-15)
-Preston, Idaho (5-15)
-Munich, Germany (5-15)
-Tremonton/Garland, Utah (Box Elder County) (5-15)
-Calabar, Nigeria (4 stakes, 1 district - as of Sep 2023) (not too far from Eket & Uyo) (5-15)
-Milwaukee/Madison/Appleton/Green Bay, Wisconsin? (5-15)
-Kimbanseke, DRC (5 stakes - as of Sep 2023) (very close to Kinshasa & Brazzaville) (5-15)
-Likasi, DRC (3 stakes - as of Sep 2023) (pretty close to Lubumbashi) (5-15)
-Goiânia, Brazil (Goiás State)
-(7 Stakes) (East-Central Brazil) (not too far from Brasilia) (5-15)

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Part 3...


10-15 Years:

-Vilnius, Lithuania/Riga, Latvia (Russia Temple announcement possibly suspended and reassigned to the Baltic States) (10-15)
-Lima, Peru - Metro 4th? (10-15)
-Triple Frontier (Foz Do Iguaçu, etc.) (Brazil/Argentina/Paraguay) (10-15 years)
-Manama, Bahrain (10-15)
-Milan, Italy (10-15)
-Bucharest, Romania (10-15)
(announced after Albania gains another stake (and a temple), and after Austria and Hungary Temples completed)
-Eden, Utah (Ogden Valley) (10-15)
-Honolulu, Hawaii Metro - (5 stakes - (as of Jan 2023))
-(Renovate the historic Honolulu Tabernacle into a temple?)
-(The Laie Hawaii temple is roughly 30 miles and 60 minutes from downtown Honolulu.) (10-15)
-Kinshasa, DRC #2? (10-15)
-Evanston/Lyman/Bridger Valley, Wyoming? (2 Stakes and distant from current temple) (10-15)

10-20 Years:

-Bozeman, Montana? (10-20)
-Butte, Montana? (10-20)
-Utica/Upstate New York #2/Sharon, Vermont (Joseph Smith Birthplace)/Priesthood Restoration Site ("Susquehanna River," Pennsylvania) (10-20)
-Lexington, Kentucky (10-20)
-Evansville, Indiana (10-20)
-Havana, Cuba (10-20)
-Belize (10-20)
-Reykjavik, Iceland (10-20)
-Southern Virginia University, Virginia? (10-20)
-Ottawa, Ontario? (10-20)
-Macon or Savannah, Georgia? (10-20)
-Fort Wayne, Indiana? (Northern IN) (10-20)
-Prague, Czechia? (10-20)
-Suriname (10-20)
-French Guiana (10-20)
-Warsaw, Poland (10-20)
-Belfast, Northern Ireland (10-20)
-Bucharest, Romania (10-20)
-Valencia, Barquisimeto or Barcelona, Venezuela? (10-20)
-Mazatenango, Guatemala? (Retalhuleu, Guatemala is right near it) (10-20)
-Maine or New Hampshire Temples?
-Bangor/Augusta/Portland, Maine or Concord, New Hampshire (Portland, Maine: would either end up in South Portland, Cape Elizabeth or Windham) (10-20)

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

Part 4...


20-30 Years:

-Harrison/White Plains, New York (20-30)
-Kazakhstan (20-30)
-Saudi Arabia (20-30)
-Beijing, China (20-30)
-Kuwait (20-30)
-Yerevan, Armenia (20-30)
-Qatar (20-30)
-Bahrain (20-30)
-Athens, Greece (20-30)
-Istanbul, Turkey (20-30)
-Egypt (20-30)
-Former Yugoslavian Nations (20-30): Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, etc. (at least one of them)
-Havana, Cuba (20-30)
-Navajo Nation? (2 Stakes) (Window Rock, Chinle or Kayenta) (20-30)
-Geneva, Switzerland? (20-30)
-Alamosa/San Luis Valley, Colorado (20-30) (2 Stakes and distant from current temple) (A person who manifested the Gift of Tongues predicted that there would be an Alamosa temple someday, at a Quarterly Conference of the SanPete Stake, Presided Over by Apostle Erastus Snow, at a Meeting held by Bishop Hans Jensen in Manti, Utah - August, 17th & 18th, 1878.)
(Page 45: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5693&context=etd)

20-50 Years:

-Far West (20-50)

40-100 Years:

-Independence/Jackson County, Missouri (40-100)
-Adam Ondi Ahman, Missouri (40-100)
-Kirtland, Ohio (Repurchase) (40-100)
-Jerusalem, Israel (40-100)

Captain Jack Sparrow Lives said...

With all due respect, I think you might be missing the Church’s overall objective here.

The Chruch is moving very rapidly away from meetinghouse (Ward/Branch) and stake-center (Stake/District) worship. The Church is moving very rapidly to an individual (personal temple), home (family temple), and temple worship.

Moving forward, there will be very few meetinghouses built (if any at all). There will be fewer, but larger, congregations. Fewer, but larger, stakes. Thus, much fewer, but larger, stake centers will be built.

Ultimately, there will be MANY more temples built. These temples will be enduring, high quality, temples with no expense spared on their quality or durability — but will on average, be smaller, but FAR more numerous.

Based on this model, the Church could easily use well over 1,000 more temples — right now.

I highly doubt there will be any significant slow down to the number of temples announced or being built.

JTB said...

According to Elder Andersen there are more than 71,000 missionaries currently serving.

Chris D. said...

In his talk he said 414 Missions worldwide, according to my count there are 417. I wonder which 3 have been consolidated that I missed.

Chris D. said...

417 Missions

1 ADRIATIC NORTH
2 ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM
3 ALASKA ANCHORAGE
4 ALBANIA TIRANA
5 ALPINE GERMAN-SPEAKING
6 ANGOLA LUANDA
7 ARGENTINA BAHIA BLANCA
8 ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES EAST
9 ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES NORTH
10 ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES SOUTH
11 ARGENTINA BUENOS AIRES WEST
12 ARGENTINA COMODORO RIVADAVIA
13 ARGENTINA CORDOBA
14 ARGENTINA MENDOZA
15 ARGENTINA NEUQUEN
16 ARGENTINA RESISTENCIA
17 ARGENTINA ROSARIO
18 ARGENTINA SALTA
19 ARGENTINA SANTA FE
20 ARIZONA FLAGSTAFF
21 ARIZONA GILBERT
22 ARIZONA MESA
23 ARIZONA PHOENIX
24 ARIZONA TEMPE
25 ARIZONA TUCSON
26 ARKANSAS BENTONVILLE
27 ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK
28 ARMENIA/GEORGIA
29 AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE
30 AUSTRALIA BRISBANE
31 AUSTRALIA MELBOURNE
32 AUSTRALIA PERTH
33 AUSTRALIA SYDNEY
34 BALTIC
35 BARBADOS BRIDGETOWN
36 BELGIUM/NETHERLANDS
37 BENIN COTONOU
38 BOLIVIA COCHABAMBA
39 BOLIVIA LA PAZ
40 BOLIVIA LA PAZ EL ALTO
41 BOLIVIA SANTA CRUZ
42 BOLIVIA SANTA CRUZ NORTH
43 BOTSWANA/NAMIBIA
44 BRAZIL BELEM
45 BRAZIL BELO HORIZONTE
46 BRAZIL BRASILIA
47 BRAZIL CAMPINAS
48 BRAZIL CUIABA
49 BRAZIL CURITIBA
50 BRAZIL CURITIBA SOUTH
51 BRAZIL FEIRA DE SANTANA
52 BRAZIL FLORIANOPOLIS
53 BRAZIL FORTALEZA
54 BRAZIL FORTALEZA EAST
55 BRAZIL GOIANIA
56 BRAZIL JOAO PESSOA
57 BRAZIL JUIZ DE FORA
58 BRAZIL LONDRINA
59 BRAZIL MACEIO
60 BRAZIL MANAUS
61 BRAZIL NATAL
62 BRAZIL PIRACICABA
63 BRAZIL PORTO ALEGRE NORTH
64 BRAZIL PORTO ALEGRE SOUTH
65 BRAZIL RECIFE NORTH
66 BRAZIL RECIFE SOUTH
67 BRAZIL RIBEIRAO PRETO
68 BRAZIL RIO DE JANEIRO NORTH
69 BRAZIL RIO DE JANEIRO SOUTH
70 BRAZIL SALVADOR
71 BRAZIL SANTA MARIA
72 BRAZIL SANTOS
73 BRAZIL SAO PAULO EAST
74 BRAZIL SAO PAULO INTERLAGOS
75 BRAZIL SAO PAULO NORTH
76 BRAZIL SAO PAULO SOUTH
77 BRAZIL SAO PAULO WEST
78 BRAZIL TERESINA
79 BRAZIL VITORIA
80 BULGARIA/GREECE
81 CALIFORNIA ANAHEIM
82 CALIFORNIA ARCADIA
83 CALIFORNIA BAKERSFIELD
84 CALIFORNIA FRESNO
85 CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
86 CALIFORNIA NEWPORT BEACH
87 CALIFORNIA OAKLAND/SAN FRANCISCO
88 CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
89 CALIFORNIA ROSEVILLE
90 CALIFORNIA SACRAMENTO
91 CALIFORNIA SAN BERNARDINO
92 CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO
93 CALIFORNIA SAN JOSE
94 CALIFORNIA SANTA ROSA
95 CALIFORNIA VENTURA
96 CAMBODIA PHNOM PENH
97 CAMEROON YAOUNDE
98 CANADA CALGARY
99 CANADA EDMONTON
100 CANADA MONTREAL

Chris D. said...

101 CANADA TORONTO
102 CANADA VANCOUVER
103 CANADA WINNIPEG
104 CAPE VERDE PRAIA
105 CHILE ANTOFAGASTA
106 CHILE CONCEPCION
107 CHILE CONCEPCION SOUTH
108 CHILE PUERTO MONTT
109 CHILE RANCAGUA
110 CHILE SANTIAGO EAST
111 CHILE SANTIAGO NORTH
112 CHILE SANTIAGO SOUTH
113 CHILE SANTIAGO WEST
114 CHILE VIÑA DEL MAR
115 CHINA HONG KONG
116 COLOMBIA BARRANQUILLA
117 COLOMBIA BOGOTA NORTH
118 COLOMBIA BOGOTA SOUTH
119 COLOMBIA CALI
120 COLOMBIA MEDELLIN
121 COLORADO COLORADO SPRINGS
122 COLORADO DENVER NORTH
123 COLORADO DENVER SOUTH
124 COLORADO FORT COLLINS
125 COSTA RICA SAN JOSE EAST
126 COSTA RICA SAN JOSE WEST
127 COTE D'IVOIRE ABIDJAN NORTH
128 COTE D'IVOIRE ABIDJAN EAST
129 COTE D'IVOIRE ABIDJAN WEST
130 COTE D'IVOIRE YAMOUSSOUKRO
131 CZECH/SLOVAK
132 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KANANGA
133 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KINSHASA EAST
134 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO KINSHASA WEST
135 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO LUBUMBASHI
136 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO MBUJI-MAYI
137 DENMARK COPENHAGEN
138 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SANTIAGO
139 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SANTO DOMINGO EAST
140 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SANTO DOMINGO WEST
141 ECUADOR GUAYAQUIL EAST
142 ECUADOR GUAYAQUIL NORTH
143 ECUADOR GUAYAQUIL SOUTH
144 ECUADOR GUAYAQUIL WEST
145 ECUADOR QUITO
146 ECUADOR QUITO NORTH
147 EL SALVADOR SAN SALVADOR EAST
148 EL SALVADOR SAN SALVADOR WEST/BELIZE
149 EL SALVADOR SANTA ANA
150 ENGLAND BIRMINGHAM
151 ENGLAND BRISTOL
152 ENGLAND LEEDS
153 ENGLAND LONDON
154 ENGLAND MANCHESTER
155 ETHIOPIA ADDIS ABABA
156 FIJI SUVA
157 FINLAND HELSINKI
158 FLORIDA FORT LAUDERDALE
159 FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE
160 FLORIDA ORLANDO
161 FLORIDA TAMPA
162 FRANCE LYON
163 FRANCE PARIS
164 GEORGIA ATLANTA
165 GEORGIA ATLANTA NORTH
166 GERMANY BERLIN
167 GERMANY FRANKFURT
168 GHANA ACCRA
169 GHANA ACCRA WEST
170 GHANA CAPE COAST
171 GHANA KUMASI
172 GUATEMALA ANTIGUA
173 GUATEMALA COBAN
174 GUATEMALA GUATEMALA CITY
175 GUATEMALA GUATEMALA CITY CENTRAL
176 GUATEMALA GUATEMALA CITY EAST
177 GUATEMALA QUETZALTENANGO
178 GUATEMALA RETALHULEU
179 HAITI PORT-AU-PRINCE
180 HAWAII HONOLULU
181 HAWAII LAIE
182 HONDURAS COMAYAGUELA
183 HONDURAS SAN PEDRO SULA EAST
184 HONDURAS SAN PEDRO SULA WEST
185 HONDURAS TEGUCIGALPA
186 HUNGARY BUDAPEST
187 IDAHO BOISE
188 IDAHO IDAHO FALLS
189 IDAHO POCATELLO
190 ILLINOIS CHICAGO
191 INDIA BENGALURU
192 INDIA NEW DELHI
193 INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS
194 INDONESIA JAKARTA
195 IOWA IOWA CITY
196 ITALY MILAN
197 ITALY ROME
198 JAMAICA KINGSTON
199 JAPAN FUKUOKA
200 JAPAN KOBE

Chris D. said...

201 JAPAN NAGOYA
202 JAPAN SAPPORO
203 JAPAN TOKYO NORTH
204 JAPAN TOKYO SOUTH
205 KANSAS WICHITA
206 KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE
207 KENYA NAIROBI
208 KOREA BUSAN
209 KOREA SEOUL
210 KOREA SEOUL SOUTH
211 LIBERIA MONROVIA
212 LOUISIANA BATON ROUGE
213 MADAGASCAR ANTANANARIVO
214 MARSHALL ISLANDS/KIRIBATI
215 MARYLAND BALTIMORE
216 MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON
217 MEXICO AGUASCALIENTES
218 MEXICO CANCUN
219 MEXICO CHIHUAHUA
220 MEXICO CIUDAD JUAREZ
221 MEXICO CUERNAVACA
222 MEXICO CULIACAN
223 MEXICO GUADALAJARA
224 MEXICO GUADALAJARA EAST
225 MEXICO HERMOSILLO
226 MEXICO MERIDA
227 MEXICO MEXICO CITY CHALCO
228 MEXICO MEXICO CITY EAST
229 MEXICO MEXICO CITY NORTH
230 MEXICO MEXICO CITY NORTHWEST
231 MEXICO MEXICO CITY SOUTH
232 MEXICO MEXICO CITY SOUTHEAST
233 MEXICO MEXICO CITY WEST
234 MEXICO MONTERREY EAST
235 MEXICO MONTERREY WEST
236 MEXICO OAXACA
237 MEXICO PACHUCA
238 MEXICO PUEBLA NORTH
239 MEXICO PUEBLA SOUTH
240 MEXICO QUERETARO
241 MEXICO SALTILLO
242 MEXICO TAMPICO
243 MEXICO TIJUANA
244 MEXICO TORREON
245 MEXICO TUXTLA GUTIERREZ
246 MEXICO VERACRUZ
247 MEXICO VILLAHERMOSA
248 MEXICO XALAPA
249 MICHIGAN DETROIT
250 MICHIGAN LANSING
251 MICRONESIA GUAM
252 MINNESOTA MINNEAPOLIS
253 MISSOURI INDEPENDENCE
254 MISSOURI ST. LOUIS
255 MONGOLIA ULAANBAATAR
256 MONTANA BILLINGS
257 MOZAMBIQUE BEIRA
258 MOZAMBIQUE MAPUTO
259 NEBRASKA OMAHA
260 NEVADA LAS VEGAS
261 NEVADA LAS VEGAS WEST
262 NEVADA RENO
263 NEW HAMPSHIRE MANCHESTER
264 NEW JERSEY MORRISTOWN
265 NEW MEXICO ALBUQUERQUE
266 NEW MEXICO FARMINGTON
267 NEW YORK NEW YORK CITY
268 NEW YORK SYRACUSE
269 NEW ZEALAND AUCKLAND
270 NEW ZEALAND HAMILTON
271 NEW ZEALAND WELLINGTON
272 NICARAGUA MANAGUA NORTH
273 NICARAGUA MANAGUA SOUTH
274 NIGERIA ABA
275 NIGERIA ABUJA
276 NIGERIA BENIN CITY
277 NIGERIA ENUGU
278 NIGERIA IBADAN
279 NIGERIA LAGOS
280 NIGERIA OWERRI
281 NIGERIA PORT HARCOURT
282 NIGERIA UYO
283 NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE
284 NORTH CAROLINA RALEIGH
285 NORTH DAKOTA BISMARCK
286 NORWAY OSLO
287 OHIO CINCINNATI
288 OHIO COLUMBUS
289 OKLAHOMA OKLAHOMA CITY
290 OREGON EUGENE
291 OREGON PORTLAND
292 OREGON SALEM
293 PAKISTAN SERVICE
294 PANAMA PANAMA CITY
295 PAPUA NEW GUINEA LAE
296 PAPUA NEW GUINEA PORT MORESBY
297 PARAGUAY ASUNCION
298 PARAGUAY ASUNCION NORTH
299 PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA
300 PENNSYLVANIA PITTSBURGH

Chris D. said...

301 PERU AREQUIPA
302 PERU CHICLAYO
303 PERU CUSCO
304 PERU HUANCAYO
305 PERU IQUITOS
306 PERU LIMA CENTRAL
307 PERU LIMA EAST
308 PERU LIMA NORTH
309 PERU LIMA SOUTH
310 PERU LIMA WEST
311 PERU LIMATAMBO
312 PERU PIURA
313 PERU TRUJILLO NORTH
314 PERU TRUJILLO SOUTH
315 PHILIPPINES ANGELES
316 PHILIPPINES ANTIPOLO
317 PHILIPPINES BACOLOD
318 PHILIPPINES BAGUIO
319 PHILIPPINES BUTUAN
320 PHILIPPINES CABANATUAN
321 PHILIPPINES CAGAYAN DE ORO
322 PHILIPPINES CAUAYAN
323 PHILIPPINES CAVITE
324 PHILIPPINES CEBU
325 PHILIPPINES CEBU EAST
326 PHILIPPINES DAVAO
327 PHILIPPINES ILOILO
328 PHILIPPINES LAOAG
329 PHILIPPINES LEGAZPI
330 PHILIPPINES MANILA
331 PHILIPPINES NAGA
332 PHILIPPINES OLONGAPO
333 PHILIPPINES QUEZON CITY
334 PHILIPPINES QUEZON CITY NORTH
335 PHILIPPINES SAN PABLO
336 PHILIPPINES TACLOBAN
337 PHILIPPINES URDANETA
338 POLAND WARSAW
339 PORTUGAL LISBON
340 PUERTO RICO SAN JUAN
341 REPUBLIC OF CONGO BRAZZAVILLE
342 ROMANIA BUCHAREST
343 RUSSIA MOSCOW
344 RUSSIA NOVOSIBIRSK
345 RUSSIA ROSTOV-NA-DONU
346 RUSSIA ST PETERSBURG
347 RUSSIA YEKATERINBURG
348 RWANDA KIGALI
349 SAMOA APIA
350 SCOTLAND/IRELAND
351 SIERRA LEONE FREETOWN
352 SINGAPORE
353 SOUTH AFRICA CAPE TOWN
354 SOUTH AFRICA DURBAN
355 SOUTH AFRICA JOHANNESBURG
356 SOUTH AFRICA PRETORIA
357 SOUTH CAROLINA COLUMBIA
358 SPAIN BARCELONA
359 SPAIN MADRID NORTH
360 SPAIN MADRID SOUTH
361 SWEDEN STOCKHOLM
362 TAHITI PAPEETE
363 TAIWAN TAICHUNG
364 TAIWAN TAIPEI
365 TANZANIA DAR ES SALAAM
366 TENNESSEE KNOXVILLE
367 TENNESSEE NASHVILLE
368 TEXAS AUSTIN
369 TEXAS DALLAS EAST
370 TEXAS DALLAS WEST
371 TEXAS FORT WORTH
372 TEXAS HOUSTON
373 TEXAS HOUSTON EAST
374 TEXAS HOUSTON SOUTH
375 TEXAS LUBBOCK
376 TEXAS McALLEN
377 TEXAS SAN ANTONIO
378 THAILAND BANGKOK
379 TONGA NUKU'ALOFA
380 TONGA OUTER ISLANDS
381 TRINIDAD PORT OF SPAIN
382 UGANDA KAMPALA
383 UKRAINE DNIPRO
384 UKRAINE KYIV/MOLDOVA
385 URUGUAY MONTEVIDEO
386 URUGUAY MONTEVIDEO WEST
387 UTAH LAYTON
388 UTAH OGDEN
389 UTAH OREM
390 UTAH PROVO
391 UTAH SALT LAKE CITY
392 UTAH SALT LAKE CITY CHURCH HEADQUARTERS
393 UTAH SALT LAKE CITY SOUTH
394 UTAH SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE SQUARE
395 UTAH SALT LAKE CITY WEST
396 UTAH ST GEORGE
397 VANUATU PORT VILA
398 VENEZUELA BARCELONA
399 VENEZUELA CARACAS
400 VENEZUELA MARACAIBO
401 VENEZUELA VALENCIA
402 VIETNAM HANOI
403 VIRGINIA RICHMOND
404 WASHINGTON DC NORTH
405 WASHINGTON DC SOUTH
406 WASHINGTON EVERETT
407 WASHINGTON KENNEWICK
408 WASHINGTON SEATTLE
409 WASHINGTON SPOKANE
410 WASHINGTON TACOMA
411 WASHINGTON VANCOUVER
412 WASHINGTON YAKIMA
413 WEST VIRGINIA CHARLESTON
414 WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE
415 ZAMBIA LUSAKA
416 ZIMBABWE BULAWAYO
417 ZIMBABWE HARARE

JTB said...

I would imagine that the Tonga Outer Islands mission would be one of the consolidated ones, if I recall correctly that one was organized due to Covid restrictions for missionaries from Tonga.

L. Chris Jones said...

I have wondered why the Church headquarters mission and Temple square are separate missions. Unless I am mistaken, they share the same two to four blocks, making them the smallest missions geographically. However, due to numbers, I see why they are separate from the rest of the Salt Lake City missions.

JTB said...

That's a great question as to why they are separate. They both have such unique functions compared to regular missions, similar to the historical site missions. I would love to get some more insight into that if anyone has it.

Craig said...

(Craig Shuler)
The Utah Church Headquarters Mission has senior missionaries and young missionaries in the Church Office building, Church History museum, Ensign College, etc. Most are assigned and work only during the week in one of the Church departments and helping with their department's missions. Family history missionaries support family history leaders all over the Church.

The Temple Square Mission has missionaries giving tours 7 days week at the Conference Center, Church History Museum, and other buildings around temple square (while the temple is rebuilt). There are hundreds of volunteers hosting all events in those buildings, such as this weekend's conference, and weekly Choir broaccast. This mission's sites are a wonderful place for members to go, and bring friends. They are a heavy tourist attraction.

Both missions have hundreds of volunteers from the Salt Lake area with senior missionaries from both the Salt Lake area and elsewhere.

Breckenfeld said...

Elder Anderson also sad we have 179 temple in operation, but we have 182...

Craig said...

(Craig Shuler)
There are 3 missions of Chris's list of 417 that are not in the 414 discussed by Elder Andersen and shown in Wikipedia Area (LDS Church) article:

- Russia Rostov-Na-Danu and Russia St. Petersburg were closed when Russia missions were consolidated from 5 to 3.

- Pakistan Service Mission was never a mission. My guess is that there are senior service workers (not missionaries) assigned to Pakistan by whatever mission that presides over the 3 Pakistan districts.

Daniel Moretti said...

Doing a quick calculation, there are 8 Brazilians on the list of general authorities and officers in 2023. This amounts to around 6% of the total of 133 people listed. I ask: has there ever been a time in the history of the church when such a large number of non-Americans from the same country were represented? Or that members of the same country other than the US represented such a high percentage of general authorities?

EP said...

@Johnathan Reese Whiting, thanks for sharing your long-term list. Comforting to know I'm not the only one maintaining a mega list like that. Also comforting to see a lot of similar locations on your list.

Mikepstewart said...

One point about a potential Ottawa Ontario Temple. While this may be the case one day, there are other, more obvious locations in Canada that I see getting a temple before Ottawa. Ottawa is only 2 hours away from Montreal and the road infrastructure is sufficient for easy travel. BC has 2 locations that will probably see a temple first: Vancouver Island and the Okanagan valley. Both are part of the Vancouver temple district but are not well connected. The Okanagan is 4 hours away and the highway is not safe for 3 to 4 months a year. Victoria can access the main land with a ferry, but that is expensive and time consuming.

Chris D. said...

Craig Shuler, Thank you very much for that clarification. Since the Russian consolidations were never reported on either the Church News nor Newsroom websites. I as a regular layman without access to the CDOL official list and the Missions no longer posted on the old Classic Maps website that was taken offline about a year ago.

It has now been confirmed by a friend who has access to the CDOL official unit lists. The Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission (2010445), and the Russia St. Petersburg Mission (2010097) have both been consolidated on May 23rd, 2023.

Although it was confirmed that the Pakistan Service Mission (2178133), is still listed as currently active on the CDOL rolls.

So still 1 extra i have from 415 to 414, stated in the talk yesterday. Possibly it was the Tonga Outer Islands Mission which was supposed to be a temporary fix also. If anyone can confirm this i appreciate it?

Johnathan Reese Whiting said...

@EP

Hey, you're welcome.

Nice to find a kindred spirit.

Brandon said...

Chris D. — I’m a long-time reader, infrequent commenter. I can confirm CDOL lists the Tonga Outer Islands Mission as “historical” and not “active.”

Mike Johnson said...

Thank you, President Nelson. That makes 35 temples for 2023:

Savai’i, Samoa
Kahului, Hawaii
Fairbanks, Alaska
Vancouver, Washington
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Roanoke, Virginia
Cancún, Mexico
Piura, Peru
Huancayo, Peru
Viña del Mar, Chile
Goiânia, Brazil
João Pessoa, Brazil
Cape Coast, Ghana
Calabar, Nigeria
Luanda, Angola
Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Laoag, Philippines
Osaka, Japan
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

3rd temple for Virginia.

Matt, several are on your list from Ward Radio.

Chris D. said...

Thank you, Brandon, for confirming my error. Since neither the 2 Russian Missions nor the Tonga Outer Islands were officially announced as consolidated.

I appreciate you checking for me to make my corrections necessary.

Unknown said...

@Craig Shuler, no, the Pakistan service mission is not just service missionaries, in spite of its name. There are full-time young elders who serve there (only native Pakistanis, however).

@Daniel, it is possible Brazil currently has the highest percent ever of non-American general authorities. The other two possibilities I can think of are Canada and Great Britain in the early days of the church. There were several Canadian general authorities (a list of which can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Canadian_general_authorities_(LDS_Church) ) and several British general authorities (lists of which can be found by clicking through to the English and Scottish lists here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:British_general_authorities_(LDS_Church) ). It would take quite a bit of work to figure out when each of those two countries peaked in terms of the percent of general authorities from them, because the total number of general authorities varies over time. Interestingly, there was a period of time where the majority of church members lived in the UK (I think circa 1850, if memory serves).

--Felix

John Pack Lambert said...

I think Elder Andersen was not counting temples closed for renovation. Although he might have not updated his talk after the most recent dedications, but I was thinking it was the right number if you did not count temples closed for renovation, but I could have been wrong.

John Pack Lambert said...

Salt Lake Headquarters mission exists to support Ch7rch departments and operations. 2 big components are the staffing of the FamilySearch Library, and staffing of the Church History Department, but there are many other operations.

The Temple Square Mission is public facing missionaries giving tours of temple Square.

I think I read that Salt Lake Headquarters Mission had 900 missionaries. My grandparents were Church archives missionaries full time for 18 months, and then part time for 7 or so years.

Daniel Moretti said...

Thanks Felix

John Pack Lambert said...

In 1850 there were more Church members in Great Britain then the US.

In 1923 there were 2 non-US born apostles, plus a non-US-born Presiding bishop, 3xactly like 100 years later. Well, sort of.

John A. Widstoe came to the US at age 9, Bishop Nibley about the same age. Elder Talmage was well into his teens, but still not an adult. So very different from the two apostles and the Presiding bishop today who lived outside the US almost all their lives until called as general authorities.