Savai'i Samoa Temple
The Savai'i Samoa Temple is the Church's second temple in Samoa following the Apia Samoa Temple (dedicated in 1983). The Church also announced a temple in neighboring American Samoa which is a United States Territory in 2019. It is unclear where the temple will be built on the island of Savai'i which has a population of 61,241 according to the most recent census data from 2021. The new temple will likely serve all six stakes on the island of Savai'i. The first stake on the island was organized in 1971, and the most recently organized stake on Savai'i was created in 2012. The Church has reported very slow, but steady, congregational growth on Savai'i. The Church reported 87,695 members and 165 congregations in Samoa as of year-end 2022. There are 20 stakes in Samoa. I added Samoa to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2019.
Kahului Hawaii Temple
The Kahului Hawaii Temple is the Church's third temple in Hawaii following the Laie Hawaii Temple (dedicated in 1919) and the Kona Hawaii temple (dedicated in 2000). The new temple will likely service only two stakes - both of which are headquartered on Maui but which also service additional islands including Lanai and Molokai. Also, there are three Tongan-speaking congregations on the island of Maui. The Church organized its first stake in Kahului in 1975 followed by a second stake in 2014. Only one new congregation has been organized on Maui within the past decade, although no congregations have been discontinued. The Church in Hawaii reported 74,952 members, 143 congregations, 16 stakes, and 2 missions as of year-end 2022. I added Kahului to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2019.
Fairbanks Alaska Temple
The Fairbanks Alaska Temple is the Church's second temple in Alaska following the Anchorage Alaska Temple (dedicated in 1999). The new temple will likely only serve two stakes - both of which operate in Fairbanks (organized in 1979 and 2021). The Church has experienced slow, but steady growth in the Fairbanks area for many years. Significant distance between Fairbanks and Anchorage appeared to be the biggest factor for why a temple was announced. It is a six-hour drive one way from Fairbanks to Anchorage. As of year-end 2022, the Church in Alaska reported 33,574 members, 81 congregations, 9 stakes, and 1 mission. I added Fairbanks to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2019.
Vancouver Washington Temple
The Vancouver Washington Temple is the Church's sixth temple in Washington following the Seattle Washington Temple (dedicated in 1980), the Spokane Washington Temple (dedicated in 1999), the Columbia River Washington Temple (dedicated in 2001), the Moses Lake Washington Temple (dedicated in September 2023), and the Tacoma Washington Temple (announced in October 2022). The new temple will likely include six stakes in the Vancouver area which are currently assigned to the Portland Oregon Temple. The first stake created in Vancouver was organized in 1963, and the most recently organized stake was created in 2016. The Church organized a mission headquartered in Vancouver in 2013. The Church has historically experienced steady growth in the Vancouver area. As of year-end 2022, there were 281,389 members and 489 congregations in Washington. There are currently 60 stakes and 7 missions in the state. I added Vancouver to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in February 2023.
Colorado Springs Colorado Temple
The Colorado Springs Colorado Temple is the Church's fourth temple in Colorado following the Denver Colorado Temple (dedicated in 1986), the Fort Collins Colorado Temple (dedicated in 2016), and the Grand Junction Colorado Temple (announced in April 2021). As a Colorado Springs resident, I have long awaited the announcement of this temple given the steady growth of the Church in the city which is far enough away from the Denver Colorado Temple to warrant a separate temple. Moreover, the Church has owned a large parcel of land in the north part of the city for many years which is speculated to be the site for the new temple, although no official announcement has yet been made. The new temple will likely service eight stakes in Colorado (five in Colorado Springs, two in the San Luis Valley, one in Pueblo) and western portions of the Garden City Kansas Stake. The first stake in Colorado Springs was organized in 1960 followed by additional stakes in 1980, 1990, 1999, and 2016. The Church created the Colorado Colorado Springs Mission in 2002. As of year-end 2022, there were 148,708 members, 310 congregations, 35 stakes, and 4 missions in Colorado.
Tulsa Oklahoma Temple
The Tulsa Oklahoma Temple is the Church's second temple in Oklahoma following the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple which was dedicated in 2000. The new temple will likely service five stakes in northeastern Oklahoma which are assigned to the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple. The Church organized its first stake in Tulsa in 1960. Steady growth has occurred in northeastern Oklahoma which has resulted in the creation of additional stakes in 1978, 2014, and 2023 (2). As of year-end 2022, there were 51,847 members and 93 congregations in
Oklahoma. Currently, there are 11 stakes and one mission in Oklahoma. I added Tulsa to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2023.
Roanoke Virginia Temple
The Roanoke Virginia Temple is the Church's third temple in Virginia following the Richmond Virginia Temple (dedicated in May 2023) and the Winchester Virginia Temple (announced in April 2023). The new temple will likely service four stakes in western Virginia and two stakes in West Virginia. The first and only stake in Roanoke was organized in 1970. This area of Virginia has experienced slow growth for many years and is currently assigned to the Richmond Virginia temple. Roanoke was added to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in February 2022.
118 comments:
Matt, thank you for this report. Savai'i has been on my list for a while. I was intrigued by your statement that the Savai'i temple may not be built on the island of Savai'i. Where do you think it might be built? I was similarly intrigued by your observation of a rumored parcel of land for the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple. Based on what I have heard on my end, Colorado Springs may be another that uses the 30,000-sqaure-foot plan the Church has used on other temples. I am hopeful that, in view of your report, Colorado Springs may be one of the temples for which a site confirmation might soon occur.
I was also intrigued by your indication that the temple in Roanoke would likely serve the stakes in West Virginia. Do you think that this will meet the needs of West Virgnia long-term? I ask because I had a temple for Charleston West Virginia on my list and I'm wondering if the Roanoke temple makes that prospect less likely. Also, I have wondered about a temple in the Buena Vista area. I know that has been discussed here previously, but I just thought I'd mention that again.
I am hopeful that tomorrow, we get another announcement about an open house and dedication. I anticipate such announcements in the near term for Puebla Mexico and Layton and Taylorsville Utah. I am also hoping for more groundbreakings, exterior renderings. and/or site announcements in the near term. I am grateful to live in this unprecedented time of temple construction. Matt, thanks again for this report.
James, the remark was it's not known where on the island the temple will be located. On my prediction list, I anticipate that the location will be in the vicinity of Salelologa, mostly given that three of the stakes on the island look to be rather close by to this location, whereas the other three stakes on the island are a bit more spread apart from each other.
3 baptisms in my ward today! (one adult convert, 2 kids)
And one other member (returning to activity) attended, plus a kid brought another little investigator friend of hers again.
Good stuff is happening. :)
Anybody else seeing small-scale growth in their local wards or branches (or groups)?
Thank you for sharing! I always love hearing these personal stories and local successes.
Our ward here in Dallas has seen some really remarkable events these past few months. Today we had a baptism for a young man who is the only active member in his immediate family. He has been attending church and seminary for the past 3 months by himself. His friend was the one to perform the baptism, which is especially cool since the friend and the friend's family have recently been reactivated, and the friend is looking into going on a mission next year.
Last week we had brother ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood. He was introduced to the church decades ago and baptized back then, but was less active for decades. He started attending again about two years ago and has been a fixture in our ward.
Finally, we have had a family with six(!) youth that have been slowly coming back to church, coming 2/3 of the last few Sundays.
Great stuff all around!
I like to look on Google maps satellite view of chapels and stake centers first to see if they have large plots of land adjacent to the meetinghouses as possible temple locations. For example , at least in the U.S. lot of buildings have recreational fields that could be used for temples in the future. One of President Hinkley's small temple plan was to use existing meetinghouse property to save on parking.
Has anyone heard anything more about the Manhattan New York Temple Renovation? Is any part of the meetinghouse going to be repurposed as temple space? What about The American Folk Art Museum that appears to use part of the building? Will they relocating?
@JTB
Nice to hear about the progress in your ward. :)
You reminded me that there are a couple of older brethren in our ward who I minister to who've been working towards receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood (and temple attendance).
I've also had the chance to do discussions with the missionaries recently with some investigators (including one good friend of mine) and we just found out about a part member family that we'll probably be visiting and making friends with soon.
Orem Utah Temple opens to the public:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/orem-utah-temple-open-house
So that won't be today's main temple construction announcement at 2:00 PM today.
The fort Worth Mission President said yesterday in the Denton Stake Conference, that baptisms were up 70-% in the Mission from last year. Our Stake is up 50%, and our ward has had 4 baptisms this year.
Randall...that is awesome. A few months ago the missionaries spoke in my ward in St. George Utah. I am in the Crimson West Stake. The missionaries said the mission goal was 800 baptisms for the year. Half way through the year they were at 500 and the mission revised the goal to 1000. The work of the Lord is moving forward.
As from James comment above about the Orem Utah open house. This just posted today "
Take a first look inside the new Orem Utah Temple with photos and video
The release of the photos and video coincide with the temple’s media day, which kicks off the open-house phase
By Scott Taylor 23 Oct 2023, 9:00 AM MDT"
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/10/23/23927279/take-first-look-inside-new-orem-utah-temple-photos-video
Hartsville, SC Stake created yesterday from the Columbia, SC and Conway, SC Stakes. Conway, SC stake renamed Myrtle Beach, SC Stake.
Thanks, Ryan J, for that great news.
Love to hear it!
Also organized yesterday, as previously commented here.
Antananarivo Madagascar Ampefiloha Stake
None of these changes has been reflected on the CDOL as of right now. I will keep my eyes on that and let you know when I see official details in the next day or two. in the meantime, the early morning announcement on the Orem Utah Temple (as published by the Newsroom) has me convinced we will also get another major temple construction announcement at 2:00 PM as usual. Stay tuned for coverage on that announcement on my blog:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/
My thanks to Matt for continuing to allow me to share such updates here, and my thanks once again to you all.
James, this was sent to me earlier by Rick Satterfield in email.
"From a comment on Facebook:
Ampefiloha Stake:
ampitatafika ,itosy,67h ,ampefiloha, ambohidrapeto , tana , anjanahary
Ivandry Stake:
Analamahintsy, ambohibao ,ambojanahary,talatamaty ,ivandry,sabotsinamena
Manakambahiny Stake:
Ambohipo ,manakambahiny ,betongolo, mahamasina ,akadindramamy ,ambohimanga kely , tanjmbato
which he updated on his website.
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/johannesburg-south-africa-temple/district/
"Johannesburg South Africa Temple
Temple District
The Johannesburg South Africa Temple serves members from 35 stakes and 31 districts headquartered in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Angola, Botswana, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Namibia, Reunion, and Swaziland:
....
Madagascar
Antananarivo Madagascar Ampefiloha Stake
Antananarivo Madagascar Ivandry Stake
Antananarivo Madagascar Manakambahiny Stake
Antsirabe Madagascar District
Toamasina Madagascar Stake
Tolagnaro Madagascar District
....
Aside from the Bangkok Thailand Temple dedication and the Orem Utah Temple open house, no new major temple construction announcements today.
Thanks, Chris!
Unfortunately, you were wrong. Which is sad, because I'm eagerly awaiting the rendering of São Paulo Leste.
Craig Shuler says:
Bangkok Thailand Temple is such a wonderful event in the history of the Church in Asia. Maps of temple districts published today show Bangkok serving all of southeast Asia and South Asia. It goes from Indonesia to India and Pakistan. The temple serves 13 stakes and 21 missions and well over 2 billion non-members. Four more temples are announced in that area.
In my ward we have a convert baptism scheduled for this Saturday.
A sister who has been a member 25 years got endowed last Sunday.
A brother in the branch, who was baptized in Spring 2022 is scheduled to be endowed hopefully before the end of the year. They are waiting for him to get the needed clothes. You do things like that when your temple lacks a distribution center. He was ordained an elder in September I believe.
Utgaikvik Alaska formerly Barrow only way in and out by plane, or sealift in summer. How did people get there before aviation? Don’t know of any places you could hike up there. Drive on ice when real cold if �� do t freeze. Crazy.
There is a branch up there. They have long trip to get to Anchorage temple. Don’t know how often members get out of the North Slope.
Mutare Stake was also created on 22 October from the Mutare district. This now shows on CDOL but the branches that changed to wards are not yet showing
Bangor, Maine (not Augusta) and Juneau, Alaska appear to be the only 2 stakes in the US that are not within 200 miles of a temple (counting the ones that are announced)- see https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/maps/units/
What is the real measurement distance. For example on Rick's temple site, he has a units map that shows distance choice for 50, 100, and 200 mile radius. But this is "as the bird flies." Real distance that can be attributed to geographical and manmade barriers or winding roads, can be much further.
Don't forget Singapore, Okinawa Japan, Regina Saskatchewan, and Halifax Nova Scotia. Jakarta Indonesia and Dubai UAE too if you're being more pedantic
The new Hartsville South Carolina Stake has been updated on the map today.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2236915
Also the Mutare Zimbabwe Stake has been updated on the map.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/296872
I think before aviation people came to Barrow by boat. I believe the Inuit there stayed put in the winter, or made sure to be out before winter.
Speaking of boating, I think there are some islands along Nigeria's coast where a Port Harcourt temple placed very close to the water would greatly increase temple access.
Right now Aba Temple is the central temple east to west for Nigeria. Aba is much to the east of the country, but the south east is where the Church has the most through presence. In the south east the Ch7rch exists in villahes, in the south central a little in villages, but mainly urban areas, south west in urban areas, central Nigeria mainly urban areas and gor less time, and in the north almost not at all. Nigeria has much more differences in Church penetration by area than anywhere else. DR Congo you have a few key areas reached, and elsewhere only in the last 10 years or less, Nigeria you have some places reaching to tiny villages, and others where even huge cities are unreached.
I have to second L. Chris Jones that the travel distance is what matters, not air distance.
However travel time matters more. Also travel cost.
So for Brazaville to Kinshasa the distance is low. However there is no bridge. So you have to go by ferry, time to the ferry, and such.
I remember reading about a temple trip from Ukraine to Freiburg. They were delayed at a border for 24 hours. Elsewhere you have to pay a lot to get authorization to cross a border.
I also once read about people coming from Camerron to the Aba Nigeria Temple. Their car kept getting stuck in the mud. I think the journey ended up being 60 hours.
So road conditions matter.
In areas where many people use oubluc transit, one needs to Co sider the cost of using that, the time it takes if you have to transfer routes or even switch for bus to train.
I think I read somewhere that someone had said the goal was to have 90% of the Church within an hours travel of the temple. I am not sure if that is a currently defined goal. It does not seem likely in Alaska anytime soon, because the Fairbanks Temple will leave the person at the Anchorage/Fairbanks mid point 3 hours from the closest temple. Even a Juneau Temple would not get 90% of Alaska members within an hours travel of the temple.
If that is the goal I think more southern California Temples are needed.
In an ideal world we would have the vast majority of members able to go home, get their spouse or other family member and make it to the temple after work. Since some people commute insane times or distances that is not fully doable, but the more people who have the option the better. That will mean probably multiple temples in Metro New York City, more temples in Metro Los Angeles, and probably at least one more in Metro Chicago, as well as several other locations in the US, and even more so in Latin Anerica, Africa, Europe and Asia.
Heard from someone who is related closely to the superintendant or at least close to that on the Kona temple renovations. What I heard was that when he is done there he will go to Maui and work on that temple.
Brazil is getting temples by state, at least one for each state initially.
a few states have hardly any members and they are in the west or far northwest. Santa Catarina seems to me the most likely next in line there,
sergipe and Maranhao are two coastal states that do not have temples announcd yet, and Tocantins has two stakes in Palmas so that is another likely one short term. Brazil has 29 states and the DF so there are some possibilities there.
What Mexican states have a reasonably-sized member population but do not have a temple at least close to its borders?
Is this same scenario in play for Nigeria? Other countries?
Craig Shuler says:
John Park Lambert is right. There are many examples of temples without two stakes in the temple city. Also I should have said Fairbanks Alaska temple, not Anchorage as an example this year of a temple district with two stakes in the temple city or nearby.
I have alluded to earlier that the Hamburg Temple will likely have the Berlin Stake in its district, thus leaving it with three relatively large stakes. In particular, public transit between Berlin and Hamburg is significantly better than it is between Berlin and Freiberg. And the units where there is likely noteworthy car ownership among members are all north and west of Berlin, and thus even closer to Hamburg.
Thank you for sharing information about the recently announced temples. It's exciting to see the growth and expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in various regions.
Temples hold special significance for members of the Church as they are considered sacred spaces for worship, ordinances, and spiritual experiences. The addition of these new temples will provide greater accessibility and convenience for members in these areas, reducing the need for extensive travel.
The locations you mentioned, such as Savai'i in Samoa, Kahului in Hawaii, Fairbanks in Alaska, Vancouver in Washington, Colorado Springs in Colorado, Tulsa in Oklahoma, and Roanoke in Virginia, demonstrate the Church's commitment to bringing temples closer to its members.
Temples represent a deep-rooted aspect of religious practice within the Latter-day Saint faith, serving as physical manifestations of spiritual connections. They provide opportunities for members to come together and strengthen their faith through various ordinances, sacred ceremonies, and acts of service.
The construction and dedication of these temples will likely bring joy and excitement to the members residing in these areas. It will also serve as a sign of growth and progress for the Church as a whole.
There is a bridge being built between Brazzaville and Kinshasa. Expected completion 2028. Several donors involved, including the African Development Bank. They were looking for donors for the final $40 M back in 2018.
If there is a temple one day in Maryland named the blank Maryland Temple which would be pretty far in the future it would probably be either: Baltimore Maryland Temple, Columbia Maryland Temple or Hagerstown Maryland Temple. And they could serve three or four stakes if announced in a conference or two.
Annapolis Maryland Stake
Baltimore Maryland Stake
Columbia Maryland Stake
Frederick Maryland Stake
Also Frederick Maryland Temple could be another.
The Guam Temple is 6,861 square feet. In comparison, a typical Utah stake center is 23,000 to 24,000 square feet. My temple of 10,890 square feet which hides behind the stake center with only the Angel Moroni on its spire showing when viewing from the street. The arc of the covenant (the smallest temple I know of) was much smaller. The Guam temple regularly serves members of the stake on the island and members from the other stake and district are able to attend on an occasional basis due to distance and international travel. Online, it shows it offers 3 endowment sessions per week with a maximum capacity of 20. However, it's demonstrating its value as it allows the members to go more frequently and saves on travel expenses of flying/lodging in Manila (1,000 miles away).
My biggest surprise in the latest temple announcements was what was not announced. There has not been a new Utah temple announcement since 2021.
The Heber Valley Utah Temple site is up for review by the County officials according to this News report by Fox 13 News Channel.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/county-officials-to-review-controversial-plan-to-build-lds-temple-in-rural-area/vi-AA1iN2c2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=bf74d64619bd4ba496bd1f920ac21b60&ei=21
Does anyone know what has happened with the Serchil Guatemala District (616303) in the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple District? I am reviewing my list of 489 (current) Mission Districts on the Meetinghouse locator map, and this is not found by name or unit number search. The Serchil Branch is found as part of the San Marcos Guatemala Stake (517143).
My best guess it was recently consolidated with the nearby San Marcos Guatemala Stake.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/517143
Chris, the CDOL information on the San Marcos Guatemala Stake shows that it includes the Alameda, Federacion, Maya, Soche, and Valle Real Wards, as well as the Laguna Seca, Palo Gordo, Serchil, and Tejutla Branches. There is scant information about the Serchil Guatemala District, but it is in the "Historical" rather than "Active" category. Hope that helps.
David, I have a hunch that the Church is waiting until after the St. George and Manti rededications and the Red Cliffs, Layton, and Taylorsville dedications before announcing the next new Utah temples. That means the earliest the next Utah Temple could be announced is October of this year or April of next year.
Sorry. I meant either April or October of next year. I am well aware that October of this year already saw General Conference occur.
Thanks James
James, for my historical record keeping, does the CDOL list the date the Serchil District Presidency was released to get an approximate date of when the merger took place with the neighboring San Marcos Guatemala Stake?
Also, do you have any thoughts about the Heber Valley Temple update i posted above from the Fox 13 News channel report of the County leaders reviewing the plans to approve?
No. There's nothing on the listing showing any leadership information of any kind. As far as the Heber Valley Utah Temple update is concerned, odd that residents are raising objections now. Where were these concerns when the temple was being planned?:People really need to quit these eleventh-hour efforts to stop projects that have already been approved. I hope these objections are dismissed as out of line and coming too late.
Chris D....the Serchil District was discontinued around Sept 10 to Oct 22 of this year. All 3 branches of the Serchil District were transferred to the San Marcos Stake.
Actually all temples being built in Utah except 1 are 70,000 square feet or more.
Red Cliffs is 96,000 square feet. Several are about 88,000 square feet including Lindon, Syracuse and Layton.
Orem is just shy of 72,000 square feet. Deseret Peak and Taylorsville come in at 70,000 square feet. Salt Lake City is listed as 403,000 square feet.
The outlier is Ephraim Utah at 39,000 square feet. Manti is at 85,000 square feet.
Most temples built in the 1998-2000 doubling of temples were 10,700 square feet.
I just came across an article indicating The Church of Jesus Cheist of Latter-day Saints just bought 10 acres of land adjacent to land already owned in a Des Moines, Iowa suburb. This may be a step in the process that will result in a Des Moines Temple.
James, the complaints over the Heber temple have been ongoing for months. There has been back-and-forth on the specifics of the temple for months.
This is simply coming to a head and getting media attention now because now is when the meeting is being held to make a decision.
Before that, there have been surveys. Organizing on social media and in meetings. Lawyers crafting documents. All of this taking time to respond to the church as it revealed its plans. All about it being built on an aquaduct, "darkest skies in America" Utah being threatened, the size and scope of the temple (twice the size of the Taj Mahal, 18th largest LDS temple in the world) on the valley, the height of the tower, the potential bias of board members and city planners/attorneys, etc.
There have even been conversation-type videos summarizing concerns made about it from an active LDS perspective imploring members and the church to consider non-members' concerns. I'll share the YouTube link if I can find them.
Anyway, long story short, this is not a case of complaints coming at the 11th hour.
I heard about the land acquired in the Des Moines area too. I actually live 4 minutes from the parcel. Easy to get to from the highway (about a mile from I-80).
I just came across a new app called Mission Call (https://missioncall.app/worldmap.html) that has a map of all the missions worldwide just like we used to have on the Church's classic map. Just spot checking it looks pretty accurate, though not as precise as the classic map. Does anyone know where they got their info? I don't have CDL access and I'm always looking for public ways to see things like mission boundaries.
Church announces dates for 2024 Churchwide broadcasts
Additional information about each broadcast will be published before the event
By Christine Rappleye 26 Oct 2023, 2:48 PM MDT
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2023/10/26/23928737/calendar-2024-churchwide-broadcasts-dates
KSL ran a story on the Heber City matter, was county area for the site, although the city has the street.
Saw no mention of an aqueduct, there is a visual of an aerial view with things around it designated, I think there is a watercourse on the south and a small lake to the north, the county attorney said the church had followed all procedures and best practices in designing the temple and designing the property plan
There is a big argument nationally on 'dark skies', the darkest skies in a city I know of is Flagstaff where they even use soft orange street lights somewhat dimmer than ordinary sodium vapor lights, saw that on a bus trip ten years ago. The dark skies argument anywhere will not be settled anytime soon.
Thanks to all who made an effort to explain why they thought my comment about "eleventh-hour objections" to the Heber Valley Temple was wrong. I based my assessment on sources I found on the Church Temples site, which seem to indicate that the Church gave the community multiple opportunities to express such concerns. And none of that opposition actually became vocal until the necessary permits were recently approved. All of that is a matter of record, per the reports on the Church Temples site. Again, for the record, I never post a comment like the one to which you all responded above unless I am sure I have my facts straight. And other sources I found on my end relating to this matter verify the opinion I shared above. So I stand by those assertions. And I hope construction can begin soon. That said, I am not surprised that there are always vocal objectors to most temples. I wish more news sources would follow up with those objectors after the temple is built, because those that do often find that the objectors are singing a different tune. I pray that the Lord will sweep away all obstacles to temple construction moving forward, while I recognize that such opposition has always been part of the Plan. Such opposition will only intensify as the number of temples increases. It's a clear sign of the times. Not surprising, just frustrating. I have every confidence construction will move ahead on all temples in the Lord's due time. It's a privilege to see it all unfold.
On a completely different area...
*Overall* in the countries where Gay/Lesbian Marriage is Legal, is the Church growing or Shrinking? It feels like the areas that I'm seeing new Stakes created is mostly in the places where Gay/Lesbian Marriage is illegal.
The US has a net increase of 6 stakes, Brazil 4, Chile 3, Ecuador 2, and Mexico 1. Of the 40 stakes organized this year, 16 have been in countries that legalize same-sex marriage. 14/16 of dissolved stakes have occured in countries that legalize same sex marriage
I realized I did my math wrong and forgot to include South Africa. 27/40 stakes created are in countries that legalize same-sex marriage.
The new Antananarivo Madagascar Stake was just updated on the map.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2237865
I think probably the most likely Temple for southern Maryland would be Waldorf and for the Eastern Shore, Salisbury. But there would need to be some growth.
what does gay marriage have to do with anything
James,they will be required by law to built the temple in heber city even some people the news talked to in heber have said so if they dont start soon then they are infridge on their rights
the land in des moines is 10 arce it in Johnston
JTB, Not to nitpick, but I count 43 new Stakes this year including the Linares Chile Stake reinstatement scheduled for this Saturday 10/28 or Sunday 10/29.
418714 Linares Chile 1988-04-24 (S), 2002-11-24 (D), 2023-10-28 or 29 (S)
610194 Buín Chile 1984-02-10 (D), 1995-02-26 (S), ****-**-** (D), 2023-10-08 (S)
418676 Arauco Chile 1997-03-23 (S), 2002-11-17 (D), 2023-10-15 (S)
2217139 Mesquite Nevada West 2023-01-15
2220059 Johannesburg South Africa South 2023-01-29
2216167 Queen Creek Arizona Empire 2023-01-29
2197669 Iloilo Philippines Central 2023-02-05
2212668 Guayaquil Ecuador Alborada 2023-02-26
2217260 Richland Washington South 2023-02-26
2221500 Nairobi Kenya South 2023-03-05
2216965 Pucallpa Perú Centenario 2023-03-05
2086026 Ngandajika Democratic Republic of the Congo 2016-11-06 (D), 2023-03-12 (S)
2217201 Wake Forest North Carolina 2023-03-19
2224399 Lehi Utah Cold Spring Ranch 2023-03-19
2221748 Caldwell Idaho Snake River 2023-03-26
2221489 Eagle Mountain Utah Porter's Crossing 2023-04-16
2225264 Trujillo Perú Jerusalen 2023-04-30
2221594 Gore Oklahoma 2023-05-07
2221608 Owasso Oklahoma 2023-05-07
2229080 Lomé Togo Agoe 2023-05-07
2227452 Beira Mozambique Munhava 2023-05-14
614157 Riobamba Ecuador 1992-06-09 (D), 2023-05-21 (S)
2227312 Iquitos Perú San Juan 2023-05-21
2223236 West Haven Utah North 2023-05-21
2227649 Saratoga Springs Utah Quailhill 2023-06-11
2227657 Saratoga Springs Utah Riverside 2023-06-11
2228696 Mazatenango Guatemala Las Flores 2023-06-11
2123827 México City El Lago 2023-07-02
2224259 Ponta Grossa Brazil North 2023-07-02
2234122 Curitiba Brazil Campo Comprido 2023-07-16
2233347 Jaraguá do Sul Brazil 2023-07-16
2232502 Nsit Ubium Nigeria 2023-07-16
472557 Gramado Brazil 2005-03-20 (D), 2023-07-23 (S)
2206196 Amarillo Texas East 2023-08-13
2072475 Bouake Cote d'Ivoire 2016-06-05 (D), 2023-08-20 (S)
2235773 South Jordan Utah Highland Park 2023-08-20
2233460 Uyo Nigeria Central 2023-08-20
2236761 American Fork Utah Harbor 2023-09-10
2237253 Lewiston Utah 2023-09-24
2125412 Man Cote d'Ivoire 2019-01-27 (D), 2023-10-15 (S)
296872 Mutare Zimbabwe 2000-03-19 (D), 2023-10-22 (S)
2237865 Antananarivo Madagascar Ampefiloha 2023-10-22
2236915 Hartsville South Carolina 2023-10-22
I still think due to large numbers of people in the city relying on public transit a temple within the city limits of Batimore will be announced soon.
I am hoping that we have several announcements of temple sites, groundbreakings and dedications. I believe right now 98 temples are awaiting groundbreaking so hopefully a few more can occur.
I have to admit looking back I am not at all sure how we were able to actually meet the 100 temples by the end of 2000 goal when it was announced in April 1998.
The design of temples with spires, and the desire to light them, are central to their religious purpose as places to focus our thoughts towards God.
I am very happy to be corrected Chris! So if I am counting correctly then the number should be 28/43. Not bad.
When we make the longest travel distance, wouldn't it be the halfway point between temples?
Joella92, I never said they wouldn't build the temple in the current spot, so your comment is confusing. That will be the spot for the temple. The only question is the extent to which the current objections may delay the formal start of construction. To my knowledge, the Church has never held a groundbreaking only to change the location of a temple and hold a second groundbreaking at the new site. The Anchorage relocation is possibly the only exception to that.
The Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple was relocated after its groundbreaking due to opposition at it's original location, citing fears of overshadowing a nearby prominent basilica.
"On Wednesday, January 28, 2009, Church officials announced that construction of the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple would no longer be pursued at the originally selected location. Construction of the temple was halted shortly after excavation for the foundation in September 2007 when opposition was met from Tegucigalpa City officials and citizens who felt the temple would overshadow and block the view of the iconic Our Lady of Suyapa Basilica. Despite months of negotiations, the Church did not succeed in obtaining a response of approval from the mayorship. Out of respect for the City officials' feelings and to avoid the perception of any rivalry with the Catholic Church, Church officials made the decision to relocate the temple."
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/tegucigalpa-honduras-temple/
i was just letting you know they will have to buil there now someone said they were being treated unfairly in Honduras because the officals were antimormons but that honduras not the United States,they tried that on the boston temple and it didnt work
Nice catch, Ryan! I somehow missed that. Thank you!
Joella92, thank you for clarifying. I didn't mean to imply that I thought the Heber Valley Utah Temple will be relocated. I never had any doubts it will be built on the current spot. I hope work can soon begin on the Heber Valley Utah, Lubumbashi DR Congo, and Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temples. And, as it happens, ground was broken just this morning for the Fort Worth Texas Temple. It's exciting to see temple construction progress.
Chris D. You are missing 1 Stake that I am aware of. The Capistrano Valley California Stake created 10.22.2023
Thanks, Nephi, you are correct. No one had posted here the update.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/2247305
Chris, from the CDOL, the Capistrano Valley California Stake consists of the following units: Capistrano Beach Ward, Capistrano Ward, Covenant Hills Ward, Dana Hills Ward, Liberty Park Ward, Marina Hills Ward, and Tierra Grande Ward.
Follow-up on the earlier anticipated changes in the Friedrichsdorf Germany Stake: We are going to combine with the two wards in Frankfurt to create a Spanish/Portuguese ward in November. My assumption is that about 90% of the members of that new ward will be from the Friedrichsdorf and Frankfurt 2nd wards. Darmstadt, which is painfully far from Friedrichsdorf (I know because I commute there from Friedrichsdorf every day) but has the largest number of Spanish speakers perhaps in any German ward right now, was explicitly excluded from the new unit. This leads me to believe that they will possibly create their own Spanish branch (potentially small ward) soon. There might be a few Spanish-speaking members in the Langen Ward as well but I don't know for sure; it's very possibly the unit in metro Frankfurt I know least about.
My gut feeling is that we are not done with new units in the Friedrichsdorf Stake for this year but it's becoming much harder to say. Stake Conference is in two weeks and we will know more after. Assembling all the Latino members from the four wards in the northern Frankfurt suburbs may make all these wards just barely too small to split for now. So my best guess for additional new units is a split in Wetzlar (with a new ward created in either Marburg or Giessen) and the Fulda group being officially organized as a branch. Both of these are very, very close, and great things continue to happen in these places; in the case of Fulda and Marburg without the assignment of full-time missionaries for now, which is all the more remarkable.
Just heard an interesting tidbit from a reliable source. The dedication and opening of the Layton, Utah has been delayed to allow extra sound insulation to be installed. Apparently, the noise from the F-35 fighter jets from nearby Hill Air Force Base was not factored into the design.
I heard the same from the 1st counselor in our temple presidency and his wife about Layton. Their son lives extremely close to Layton Temple and also in the aircraft flight pattern area.
I am hoping we have at least 2 new groundbreaking, 1 new dedication and 1 new cite announced this week. Maybe 4 announcements in 1 week is ambitious but I have hope.
Interesting report, Paul! Thanks for sharing it.
JPL, thanks for confirming Paul's report on the Layton Utah Temple matter. As for tomorrow, I anticipate opening dates for the Puebla Mexico Temple, the final 2023 groundbreakings, 1-2 artists' renderings, and/or site confirmations for 1-3 new temples.
Matt, Sorry for my confusion. Did you mean Harare Zimbabwe 5th? After Harare Stake, South, East and Marimba Park? Also Did you mean Bulawayo Zimbabwe 2nd, not 3rd? I only found 1 Stake with the name Bulawayo Zimbabwe on the map.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/470465
Sorry, I hadn't counted the Nkulumane Zimbabwe Stake as the 2nd in the Buluwayo Metro Area. So yes, there would be a 3rd next time.
But I still count 4 in Harare, not including the Bindura Stake just a few miles away. Or the Kadoma Zimbabwe District to the south.
We are also still waiting on official details for the Dubai UAE Temple. The government was supposed to turn that land over to the Church late last year.
"30 October 2023 - Salt Lake City News Release
Three New Temple Sites Announced in the US and Europe"
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/three-new-temple-sites-announced--us-europe-2023
Regarding the Heber temple site and public complaints, I mistyped "aquifer" as "aqueduct" - my bad.
The current temple setup is going to require the church to pump out ~1 million gallons of groundwater daily because it's sitting on a 1A site. That's a lot of groundwater being diverted needlessly into the Provo river, and a huge environmental concern for many when it comes to the long-term effects of the groundwater surrounding the temple. Being a floodzone, it could also have major implications for the temple's neighbors. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2023/09/11/planned-heber-vally-lds-temple-may/
If anyone is interested in understanding some of the concerns that have been raised over the past several months re: Heber temple since its site announcement last September, you can look up Lisa Habash (Save Wasatch Back Dark Skies organization), and the best way to see what people are saying about it would be to go to the Heber Valley Temple Project Group Discussion page (it is public) on Facebook.
I think it's very enlightening and worth considering the public's concerns when building a temple. Most Heber valley residents feel left out of the loop. They feel the changes in coding for building height and night lighting were pushed through specifically for the temple. They see the Mesa and Hawaii temples and justifiably don't understand why a 200 foot spire is needed. These are valid concerns.
James Stokes, the opposition to the Heber Valley temple has been well documented (not 11th hour). We dont see that on the church websites. However, several external, non church sources have this documented many months in the past. We shouldnt solely use church only media sources. Its important to hear the voices on non members/media as well.
I do not think this website should be used to provide links to groups that actively seek to destroy the work of God. These groups that fight against the building of the temple have a long record of spreading hateful attacks on members of the Church of Jesus Christ that fit the standard definitions of anti-semitism, such as trying to blame all members of the Church for the actions of a few members of the Church or actions not done by members of the Church. They also have a long record of misrepresenting relevant building codes and misrepresenting the actual building plans.
There are enough places on the internet where enemies of the advancement of the work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can spread their views. This should not be such but it is turning into such with the constant posts attacking the Heber Valley Temole. I do not come here to be demanded and attacked with the repeated lies and canard that have been used against temples by their various opponents for decades.
Well, my hope for ground breaking and temple dedications announced has not occurred. However there are 3 temple sites announced today. All 3 are imas far as I can tell within the boundaries of their named for cities.
The Vienna Austria Temple is the only multi-story temple but the smallest. It will be 15,000 square feet. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania will be 20,000 square feet a day Winchester Virginia will be 30,000 square feet. That size for Winchester does surprise me a little.
StephenB, with all due respect, you are overlooking (or choosing to ignore?) the second part of my comment to which you are replying. Here's the relevant part you missed: "for the record, I never post a comment like the one to which you all responded above unless I am sure I have my facts straight. And other sources I found on my end relating to this matter verify the opinion I shared above." I agree that someone who only relies on information reported on the Church Temples site is poorly informed, and assure you that I've done plenty of research on this and all other topics from a wide range of resources. I stand by my position. I'm perfectly willing to agree to disagree on this. The topic on this thread has moved on, so I hope we can too. Thanks for your expressed concern.
JPL, calm down. No one is attacking you personally, and the above comment was addressed to me. I don't take any exception to that. I do think we all need to do better at assuming good faith here. Any comments Matt has a problem with will be taken down. And attacking someone when you feel attacked is never a good strategy. I have often felt and said that we can disagree without becoming disagreeable, and I worry you are crossing that line. I mean no disrespect.
JPL, Also the Vienna Austria site announced is on the location of a current Ward Meetinghouse. I'm guessing it will be easier to get the needed construction approvals on an already religious site. I wonder if the site plan calls for the demolition of the meetinghouse like they did for the Feather River California Temple in Yuba City, and rebuild next door? or demolition the meetinghouse completely like was done for the Taylorsville Utah Temple construction and move the Ward to attend another building location? Thoughts?
Thanks for your comments everyone. The size of the Heber City Utah Temple definitely surprised me - seems like it is twice as large as what I would expect for the number of stakes in the area. I wonder if the Church is anticipating future growth and this is why it is so large? Other temple sizes have generally been on par for what I have expected except for Bangkok and Bengaluru.
I think they will demolition the ward building in Vienna and build the temple on the site. There is only one English speaking ward in the building that I think will be moved to another building in the city that also only has one ward.
Countries that legally allow same sex marriage are generally freer than those that do not. That to me would indicate that the people are freer to act and believe freely, unlike places like Russia, Israel, China, and perhaps a dozen or two (more?) Muslim dominant countries where there is no Church presence or no open proselytizing.
Marriage between men and women is a central tenet to the Church of Jesus Christ, and the temples of the faith celebrate and promote and effectuate these acts for millions per year, by my count.
It is an interesting yet controversial or sensitive subject to use as a metric. Some people have a harder time analyzing or discussing these things without emotional or ad hominem arguments.
All said, currently the Church does better in freer places, which are secure and safer.
I think a big factor in the size of the Heber Valley Temple is that there are lots of people, and especially families, have vacation homes in Heber Valley. President Nelson did for a long time, maybe still does. So the number of members in the Heber Valley at any given time is often far above the numbers of people suggested by the number of stakes. There may be other factors but I believe that is a big one. Families already spend lots of time up that way, including going to the temple in that time would be great.
https://www.kuer.org/politics-government/2023-04-21/wasatch-county-amends-outdoor-lighting-code-for-new-heber-valley-temple?_amp=true
Article from 6+ months ago about opposition to the light pollution. I also have deep, family history in heber valley and have heard concerns about the temple from faithful members.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
I have no issue with the public expressing concerns over building temples where zoning/ordinances are changed.
I agree that some groups just domt want to have a temple at all costs, but some groups have legitimate concerns.
I am sorry if i triggered JPL’s feelings. Its a blog to share opinions and discourse.
Love to hear the success in Germany, thanks for sharing Pascal! I was living near Ramstein when that ward split in two. I am happy with the progress of both German and non-German speaking wards in the country
Sorry, got distracted by some of the above discussions. None of us need to be offensive nor be offended on this forum. There is room enough for all!
Side note about sports and the Church. The other night I saw some of a sports show filmed in Salt Lake City, featuring the Utah Utes against the Oregon Ducks. Some of the hosts mentioned BYU and Provo, so a bunch of Utah fans spontaneously started cursing out BYU on live national television. Growing up in the Midwest and eventually attending the Y in Provo, I would root for the Utes when they were not playing BYU. This goes back to the 1980s for me.
Perhaps not anymore. I was really glad Oregon blasted them the next day. If Utah fans cannot be respectful and sexually bully and/or cuss out us Y fans, I might be of the opinion to be a hater on them. Clean it up, Utes. Focus on your opponent, not your regular state nemesis. Play and think higher than profaning your state rival.
Or just keep losing.
Anyway, super excited to see the stakes come back in/around the Concepcion mission. So cool!
Great news all around.
Chris, really interesting that the Austria temple took 2 1/2 years to announce the site, when the site ended up being on land the church already owned. I figured a wait that long would indicate the church was working towards securing a site. Maybe the church tried to get other land and it didn't work out or something.
@Eduardo, I generally appreciate your contributions on here, but would prefer that you and others keep sports rivalries elsewhere. There are a million sports boards on the internet where people can complain about/rag on/criticize their rivals, and those boards are all, without exception, unpleasant and depressing places. Can we please keep sports rivalries, which are totally irrelevant to the purpose of this site (even when they involve BYU) off of here? I personally was glad the Utes and Cougars lost by the exact same scores, as I naively hoped it would mean nobody from either team would go around making hay out of those games.
--Felix
Matt, really interesting points about the size of the temple not matching the underlying demand. I suppose vacationers to the valley could justify a larger temple, or perhaps the youth camp the church owns out there could increase traffic, but when you put it in context, the increased size puts it at 20% larger than the Orem and Manti temples. I just don't see Heber getting that kind of traffic. It looks beautiful but would probably still look large in the valley even if it were half its projected size (would put it at the same size as the Rome or Cedar City temples).
When it comes to growth, the valley has grown a lot over recent years, but only ~1/5 of them are LDS according to Andy Larsen. We're talking roughly 1,000 more members (surely some of them without active temple recommends, which includes kids) in the past 5 years or so in the entire Wasatch county. So, at least the current data doesn't portray a trend of membership growth that would justify such a huge temple. Maybe 50 years from now?...but by then it will need a renovation anyway.
The Linares Chile District has been updated to the new Stake name on the Map site.
https://maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/stakes/418714
The growth in Heber valley may not be there yet, but I imagine it's going to boom in the next 10 years or so as Utah valley starts to run out of space.
Unknown: I appreciate your opinion about how BYU and Utah football issues have "nothing to do" with Latter-Day Saint growth, but I think there are issues that you are far from considering.
1. Heber J. Grant chose to adopt the sport for the Y back in 1922. I believe it was inspired, for many reasons. One modern day principle (pardon the word, maybe notion) is that BYU wants to be like Notre Dame. This helps Catholicism, and I believe the notoriety and good stories related to BYU helps. Look at the Minnesota Vikings right now, fall 2023. May mean nothing to you, but millions of eyes will be on Jaren Hall, an ambassador for the Church and Jesus Christ.
2. Vai Sikahema helped the Philadelphia Temple be where it is right now. I have been there multiple times. Look it up.
3. I would wager thousands of people have joined the Church because of the team. Look up Ty Detmer. I heard him in person speak about it.
4. Utah football is a force for good, yes the Utes, but if they fall to the worldly woes of everyone else and become crass and vulgar, they lose their appeal. Their coach, a highly respectable man, is a BYU grad. I want all the Utah schools to be higher class, which after all is what higher education is about.
5. Sports helps all of us relate, live, and grow. This is not just a minor part of our existence. I believe it is existential to who we are.
6. I could go on, but I think the points are valid and our holy tithings go to the school and all its enterprises. Including sports, of course.
7. I want to root for U of Utah, but it is hard when they themselves are that dirty. Low. Debased. That is not smack simply to say it based on what you presume is fluff. This is part of who we (or at least many of us) are.
Thanks for enjoying my contributions, I do not think as a lot of people, but I tend to think I and others are good with it, and we can be different in how we think and analyze. Vivre la difference, n'est pas?
Last note about Chile: Linares and Coronel are now in different missions, but used to both be in mine. I love to see all these stakes grow and live up to their promises and blessings.
Question, food for thought. What states grow the most stakes currently?
1. Utah
2. Texas
3. Arizona
4. Florida
5. Idaho or Washington.
Thoughts?
1. Countries?
Nigeria and Brazil, for sure. Right? Even Mexico would be up there. Does the U.S. still grow the most? Seems likely.
At least you live in a country where the Church invests in education and sports. Any program of value for young people has not even been thought of for Brazil, especially a university (and any sports program resulting from it)
Hey, Daniel. I agree with you. I wish our faith could support more of everything across the planet. Having lived in South America for three years, I note the differences too.
Each country and culture has to deal with its own issues, and it is not perfect.
Que Dios os bendiga sempre.
Matt, Thanks for both Lehi updates.
Daniel...I do believe the perpetual education program was designed for members outside the US. It would be nice though to see a church owned school in places such as Brazil. It would also be kinda cool to have several conference centers around the globe and have every other conference outside the US to give other high member population countries such as Brazil, Philippines and Nigeria a chance to see conference in person.
Somebody at university relations at BYU-Idaho told my class not too long ago that Pathway was going to soon expand into different languages other than English. They were going to start a pilot in Brazil with Portuguese. With affordable
online education now available in almost every part of the world a physical school or travel to the US for international students is no longer really necessary.
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/36-new-missions-church-of-jesus-christ
Exciting news about new missions! 36 is quite a lot and shows a general sense that missionary growth is going to be sustainable for some time.
Of course, I am especially excited about Hamburg. Germany needs another mission. So many even large cities are effectively unreached. The Church is, at the same time, experiencing the most remarkable growth here in decades. I've said it before and I will say it again: if you think the Church in Europe is dwindling, you will be very surprised by next spring when the new statistical report comes out.
Pascal, thanks for sharing that announcement and the growth of the Church in Europe. That gives me hope. It occurred to me to wonder if the new missions may also lead the Church to do a major area realignment next year as well. There are definite areas of growth like Brazil, Africa, the Philippines, and now Europe too. So I could see the creation of maybe 1-3 more areas nest year. It also seems likely that those locations with new missions that do not have a temple announced could be prime candidates for that in the near term. For anyone interested in my analysis on this, please see the following post:
https://stokessoundsoff.blogspot.com/2023/11/breaking-news-church-will-create-36-new.html
My thanks again to Matt for continuing to allow me to share such updates.
The BYU-Pathway worldwide is truly inspired. It has been an amazing affordable resource throughout the world. It builds both spiritual growth and temporal progress. Meeting tue 3-fold missions of the church. Pathway now uses be both BYU-Idaho and Ensign College. I wonder if other church schools will at to the Pathway program such as BYU-Hawaii or BYU. Or if some graduate programs at BYU can offer online programs. I would hope they can expand the degree offerings eventually as well.
Great suggestions, Nephi. Regarding conferences, I think it is an even more difficult idea, considering that Area conferences no longer exist. But I believe that Brazil has the structure for a BYU South America
Thanks Eduardo!!
@spencer
How did they get in and out?
My guess is by dog sleds. ;)
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