In preparation for the 182nd Semiannual General Conference, I have updated my potential new temples map. Potential locations for future temples were selected based on many factors including distance to the nearest temple, the number of stakes and districts within a potential temple district, measures of temple attendance (frequency of endowment session scheduling, member reports), duration of an LDS presence, the presence of an LDS mission headquartered in the city, and recent congregational growth trends. New potential temple sites added to the map with this most recent update include Hyderabad, India; Moscow, Russia; Neiafu Vava'u, Tonga; Oslo, Norway; Pago Pago American Samoa; and Praia, Cape Verde.
View Potential New Temples in a larger map
21 comments:
Great post, however using your same criteria I believe that some other locations are more likely. Additionally the majority of these locations have locations near existing LDS meetinghouses which would suit temples making these sites even more likely. These are:
USA:
Casper WY,
Milwaukee WI,
Pittsburgh PA (rather than Cleveland OH),
Tacoma/Pullyaup WA,
Lexington VA,
Chico CA,
Stockton CA,
Thousand Oaks CA
International:
Birmingham England,
Salta Argentina,
Queretaro Mexico,
Londrina Brazil
Benin City Nigeria,
Mongolia
It would be nice to update the temple districts, many potential new temples are completely outdated have created several stakes and districts in their future temple district.
Maybe even Helena Montana, as we are within 120 miles of 6 stakes, and there is church owned land next to the stake center.
5 wards and two meetinghouses
Thanks Irwin - I updated the temple district lists.
Christian-
I agree that these cities may be possible sites for future temples. I will consider adding some of these to the map.
There are a number of temples announced (and have been for a while) that are still in the planning phases. I wouldn't be surprised if they went another conference without announcing any. However, I'd guess that 1-3 will be announced. It seems like the US, counting temples announced and under construction, is pretty saturated in a general sense (for now) with there being very few that are a decent distance from a temple relative to membership size in the area
That being said, I'd guess that a temple would likely be announced from each of the following categories (just one):
US:
Pocatello, ID
Cedar City, UT
Tucson, AZ
Africa:
Harare, Zimbabwe
Nairobi, Kenya OR Kampala, Uganda
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
South America:
Brasilia, Brazil
Rio de Janiero, Brazil
Managua, Nicaragua (yes, I know this is not South America)
Other:
Bangkok, Thailand (I think this one will be announced)
Papua New Guinea (I don't think this will be announced yet but I consider it as a sleeper possibility)
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (don't see this quite yet with the situation the country is in, but with more recovery I wouldn't be surprised to see this announced in the next 5 years).
If I had to put my money on it, it'd be Bankok, Rio, Kenya/Uganda, and one of the US ones (equal probability).
I'm going to guess they'll announce 5: Pocatello, Cedar City, Edinburgh Scotland, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, and somewhere in the Phillipines
In southern Asia i think it will Either Singapore, Thailand, or Indonesia. (Indonesia now has 2 stakes where Thailand and Singapore each have 1 stake). They are all in the same region of the world geographically)
Be sure to include a proxy for size of Church choirs in the area. Apparently this used to be a proxy variable HQ would use to determine strength of membership.
I don't think Thailand will get a temple because a returned missionary told me the Church is waiting to get three stakes in Bangkok, and they currently only have one. Also I wonder why Benin City Nigeria is not more likely than the Cote d'Ivoire or Zimbabwe temples, but I am guessing distance is weighted more than number of stakes?
Yes, there are concerns about the Church's stability and self-sufficiency in Thailand that may deter a temple announcement for some time. However a temple in Bangkok, Singapore, or Jakarta would really help make the temple more accessible to members in Southeast Asia. I believe that future temple announcements in Benin City and Lagos are likely. However, the Aba Nigeria Temple does not appear sufficiently utilized to merit another temple in Nigeria but we will just have to see what actually happens.
I went to the leadership training in Bangkok a few weeks ago and they are planning to have 3 stakes with the temple announcement by 2014. The Bangkok North district is almost ready to become stake, My branch in Bangkok Stake will become ward at the beginning of the next year, and hopefully the other branches too and we need one more unit as well to be able to split Bangkok stake. If we all work hard on this it's possible to have 3 stake within 2 years and temple announcement within 5 years
Have they ever really announced a temple when it would only service one functioning stake and a few districts? It seems there are a few on here that fit that description. Doesn't seem like they could support it, unless potential means in like 5 years if things go great.
There are currently 11 operating temples that have five or fewer total stakes and/or districts in their respective service areas. The announced Winnipeg Manitoba Temple is anticipated to only serve one stake and perhaps half a district. The Halifax Nova Scotia district currently serves two stakes and zero districts. Each set of temple announcements always seems to include a couple well-anticipated locations, but also one or two complete surprises. It will be very interesting to see what transpires during this next conference.
I think it will be announced Pocatello, ID, Cedar City, UT, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Managua, Nicaragua and somewhere in Africa, don't know if I'm right but the 3 stakes of Tacna, Peru are also in the temple district of Arequipa Peru Temple, I say this because I live in Tacna and always leaders, missionaries and autoridades informed of this but for the moment I don't think the temple will be announced
Some things I'm seeing:
Tucson Arizona. Rumors have persisted for years there is a site in the 'Catalina Foothills' on the north side of the city overlooking it. These rumors have persisted since about 1982 or so.
Leaders there were told several years back that some of the reasons there has not been an announcement is three factors: Sacrament meeting attendance, full tithe-payer statistics, and temple attendance at the Mesa (or now Gila Valley, it's actually a shorter trip for those in the eastern part of the city to go there).
Rio de Janeiro:
The mission there created two videos, and a third which duplicates a lot of the second one urging everyone to work towards getting a temple in Rio. These were first posted to Facebook, but were soon posted on Youtube. Here's one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbvMfKB69fc
Note the visualization of a temple design not seen anywhere else as created by those that made the video itself, is probably not going to be the final design once one is built in the metro area.
Cedar City:
Has good freeway access to Cedar City, but some winter storms can really foul things up especially through the 'Black Ridge' area. Drivers loathe going through the area during or immediately after winter storms. So I could see one here, eventually as well.
I could certainly see an announcement for Auckland, New Zealand:
MEMBERSHIP - Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and has the highest concentration of membership with 10 growing stakes in the immediate area and more nearby.
DISTANCE - Hamilton (Temple View) is about an 80-mile drive for Auckland members. With the expense of gas and difficulty of arranging for babysitters for 5-6 hours, temple worship is more challenging for the majority of the temple district.
ACCESS - For patrons who must fly for temple worship, Auckland offers a large airport—one the busiest in Australasia.
MTC - The MTC was recently relocated from Hamilton to Auckland, placing missionaries a long distance from the temple.
LAND - Land is already set aside for a temple between the new MTC and meetinghouse in Manukau City (South Auckland), as seen in a site plan approved by the city in 2006.
HIGH TEMPLE USE - Although the sessions held at the Hamilton temple are relatively few, that is due to a limitation of the temple design and is not reflective of the actual use of the temple. With only one endowment room with about 200 seats, sessions can only be held every two hours. Those sessions, however, are often very full, so one session would be equivalent to four 50-person sessions. That comes out to a lot of patrons per day!
RENOVATION - The Hamilton temple is over 50 years old and could use a major overhaul. Having a second temple in New Zealand would allow the Hamilton temple to close without majorly disrupting temple worship for the Saints.
I think we will see an announcement for Wellington, New Zealand, in the future, too.
Fascinating. I had no idea prospects were so favorable for New Zealand. As for the Southeast Asia thing, I imagine we will see Singapore first, as I read on cumorah.com that a stake president or somebody told them they had enough members for a temple but needed to become more forgiving. Hopefully Bangkok will get its three stakes and temple soon, as Isawan described. Thanks Isawan, I didn't know that either.
Oh! And before I forget, just last week I was talking to a friend from South Dakota. She said that about three years ago when a new ward was created, an area seventy visited and said that if they stayed faithful in visiting the North Dakota temple they would get their own. As of now it would only service one stake and a district, but the Church is building a temple in Manitoba so who knows?
Interesting list.
Here in Virginia, we think a temple in Richmond will happen soon. Virginia has more stakes and more official membership than any other state without a temple in operation, under construction, or announced, with 20 stakes.
The Washington, DC, Temple is close, but it is a huge pain to get to the far side of the DC metro area. Richmond would be a lot easier for a lot more stakes than the 6 mentioned.
There have been rumors of a temple in Tallahassee, FL for serveral years and the church is currently shopping for land for "multiple reasons." It is goegrahically centaral between Pensacola and Jax, which I see you have already included on your list. A temple in Tallahassee would still cut traveling distances for all stakes involved, since those stakes all go to Orlando, Atlanta, or Birmingham currently.
My daughter will soon be serving in.the Cape Verde Praia Mission., so.a temple there would be wonderful. Have you heard anything on a potential temple in the Eagle Mountain- Saratoga Springs Utah area? :))
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