The Uturoa French Polynesia Temple will be the Church's second temple in French Polynesia following the Papeete Tahiti Temple. Uturoa (population: 3,663) is a village located on Raiatea - one of the islands in the western Society Islands (Leeward Islands). Only two stakes appear likely to be assigned to the new temple which were organized in 1993 (Raromatai Tahiti Stake) and 2018 (Bora Bora Tahiti Stake). Slow, but steady, growth has occurred on the islands that are likely to be assigned to the new temple. I added Raiatea to the list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2019. As of year-end 2023, there were 29,700 members in French Polynesia. Currently the two stakes in Raromatai and Bora Bora are assigned to the Papeete Tahiti Temple. Islands likely to be assigned to the new temple have a combined population of 36,000 people.
Chihuahua Mexico Temple
The Chihuahua Mexico Temple will be the Church's third temple in Chihuahua State, Mexico, and the 25th temple in Mexico following the Mexico City Mexico Temple (dedicated in 1983), the Colonia Juárez
Chihuahua Mexico Temple (dedicated in 1999), the Ciudad Juárez Mexico
Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple
(dedicated in 2000), the Oaxaca Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the
Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Tampico Mexico
Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Villahermosa Mexico Temple (dedicated in
2000), the Mérida Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Veracruz
Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Guadalajara Mexico Temple
(dedicated in 2001), the Monterrey Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2002),
the Tijuana Mexico Temple (dedicated in 2015), the Puebla Mexico Temple
(announced in 2018), the Querétaro Mexico Temple (announced in April
2021), the Torreón Mexico Temple (announced in April 2021), the Culiacán
Mexico Temple (announced in October 2021), the San Luis Potosí Mexico
Temple (announced in April 2022), the Mexico City Benemérito Mexico
Temple (announced in April 2022), the Cuernavaca Mexico Temple
(announced October 2022), the Pachuca Mexico Temple (announced October
2022), the Toluca Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), the Tula
Mexico Temple (announced October 2022), and the Cancún México Temple (announced October 2023). I added Chihuahua to my list of less likely locations to have a temple announced in September 2019. The new temple will likely service four stakes and three districts in southern Chihuahua State. There are three stakes in the city of Chihuahua that were organized in 1976, 1987, and 1989. Church growth rates in Mexico have dramatically decreased within the past decade, albeit the Church has begun to experience steady net increases in the number of ward and branches again within the past couple years. There were 1,516,406 Latter-day Saints in Mexico as of year-end 2023. Currently, stakes in southern Chihuahua State are assigned to the Ciudad Juarez Mexico Temple, whereas the three districts are assigned to the Colonia Juarez Mexico Temple. The Church organized the Mexico Chihuahua Mission in 1988.
Florianópolis Brazil Temple
The Florianópolis Brazil Temple will be the Church's 23rd temple in Brazil following the São Paulo Brazil Temple (dedicated in 1978), the Recife Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Porto Alegre
Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Campinas Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2002), the Curitiba Brazil Temple (dedicated
in 2008), the Manaus Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2012), the Fortaleza Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2019), the Rio
de Janeiro Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2022), the Belem Brazil Temple (dedicated in 2022), the Brasília Brazil Temple
(dedicated in 2023), the Salvador
Brazil Temple (announced in 2018), the São Paulo Brazil East Temple (announced in 2020), the Belo
Horizonte Brazil Temple (announced in April 2021), the Vitória Brazil Temple (announced in October
2021), the Maceió Brazil Temple (announced in April 2022), the Santos Brazil Temple (announced in April
2022), the Londrina Brazil Temple (announced in October 2022),
the Riberão Prêto Brazil Temple (announced in October 2022), the
Teresina Brazil Temple (announced in April 2023), the Natal Brazil
Temple (announced in April 2023), the Goiânia Brazil Temple (announced in October 2023), and the João Pessoa Brazil Temple (announced in October 2023). The Florianópolis/São José metropolitan area has been on my list of more likely temples to be announced for many years, as Florianópolis/São José is the most populous metropolitan area in Santa Catarina State (which was the Brazilian state with the most stakes without a temple prior to the temple announcement). The first stake in Florianópolis was organized in 1985, and two more stakes were later organized in the metropolitan area in 1993 and 2021 (although a previous stake once operated in Monte Cristo on the north side of the metropolitan area from 1993 until it was discontinued in 2001). Currently there are 11 stakes in Santa Catarina State - all of which appear likely to be assigned to the new temple. One district may also be assigned to the new temple (the União da Vitória Brazil District). The Church has experienced significant growth in Santa Catarina State within the past decade, as five stakes have been organized since 2013. Stakes and districts in Santa Catarina State have been assigned to the Curitiba Brazil Temple and the Porto Alegre Brazil Temple. The Church reported 1,494,571 Latter-day Saints in Brazil as of year-end 2023. The Church organized the Brazil Florianópolis Mission in 1993.
Rosario Argentina Temple
The Rosario Argentina Temple will be the Church's seventh temple in Argentina following the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple (dedicated in 1986), the Córdoba Argentina Temple (dedicated in 2015), the Salta
Argentina Temple (announced in April 2018), the Mendoza Argentina Temple (announced in October 2018), the Bahía Blanca Argentina Temple (announced in 2020), and the Buenos Aires City Center Argentina Temple (announced in October 2022). The new temple will likely service 8-9 stakes and 4-6 districts in Rosario, Santa Fe, and surrounding areas. The Church has experienced slow growth in this area of Argentina. There are three stakes in Rosario that were organized in 1974, 1980, and 1995. The Church reported 481,518 Latter-day Saints in Argentina as of year-end 2023. The Argentina Rosario Mission was organized in 1972. Stakes in Rosario are currently assigned to the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple, whereas stakes in Santa Fe are assigned to the Córdoba Argentina Temple.
Edinburgh Scotland Temple
The Edinburgh Scotland Temple will be the Church's first temple in Scotland and fourth temple in the United Kingdom following the London England Temple (dedicated in 1958), the Preston England Temple (dedicated in 1998), and the Birmingham England Temple (announced in April 2022). The new temple will likely service the five stakes in Scotland and the one stake in Northern Ireland. Stakes in Scotland and Northern Ireland currently pertain to the Preston England Temple district. The Church operates one stake in Edinburgh that was organized in 1980. However, the oldest stake in Scotland was created in Glasgow in 1962. The Church has reported stagnant membership growth in Scotland for many years. Scotland has ranked among likely locations to have a temple announced for many years due to its sizable membership and distance from the nearest temple in Preston, England. Some of the lowest member activity rates in the British Islands has appeared to have contributed to the delay of a temple announcement for Scotland. Scotland has experienced a decline in the number of wards and branches over the past couple decades. The Scotland/Ireland Mission was organized in 1961. The mission originally only included Scotland, but Ireland was added when the Ireland Dublin Mission was discontinued in 2010. The Church reported 186,350 members in the United Kingdom in 2023. The Church reported approximately 23,000 Latter-day Saints in Scotland as of 2017, whereas there were approximately 26,000 Latter-day Saints in Scotland for most of the 1990s and 2000s.
Brisbane Australia South Temple
The Brisbane Australia South Temple will be the Church's sixth temple in Australia following the completion of the Sydney Australia Temple (dedicated in 1984), the Adelaide Australia Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Melbourne Australia Temple (dedicated in 2000), the Perth Australia Temple (dedicated in 2001), and the Brisbane Australia Temple (dedicated in 2003). The new temple will be the first time that the Church has announced a second temple for a single metropolitan area in Oceania. Although Brisbane is the location of the most recently dedicated temple in Australia, the city has experienced tremendous growth within the past two decades in regard to the number of stakes and congregations. There are now 12 stakes in the greater Brisbane area stretching from the Sunshine Coast in the north to the Gold Coast in the south. The Brisbane Australia Temple is located in the heart of downtown Brisbane and services all stakes in Queensland. The new temple will likely service approximately 6-8 stakes in southern Brisbane and the Gold Coast areas. The first stake in Brisbane was organized in 1960, whereas the most recently organized stake in the area was the Brisbane Australia Beenleigh Stake in 2018. The Australia Brisbane Mission was organized in 1973. There were 157,079 Latter-day Saints in Australia as of year-end 2023. Slow membership and congregational growth has recently occurred in the Brisbane area.
Victoria British Columbia Temple
The Victoria British Columbia Temple will be the Church's second temple in British Columbia following the Vancouver British Columbia Temple (dedicated in 2010) and the 11th temple in Canada. The new temple will likely service only two stakes - both of which are located on Vancouver Island. The Victoria British Columbia Stake was organized in 1975, whereas the Nanaimo British Columbia Stake was organized in 1997. Both stakes are assigned to the Vancouver British Columbia Temple and are small in terms of the number of congregations. Although no wards or branches have been discontinued on Vancouver Island within the past 15 or so years, there has been only one branch organized during this time. The Church reported 31,171 members in British Columbia as of year-end 2023. There were 203,339 Latter-day Saints in Canada as of year-end 2023. Church membership increased by 1.25% in 2023 - the highest annual membership growth rate seen since 2012.
Maracaibo Venezuela Temple
The Maracaibo Venezuela Temple will be the Church's second temple in Venezuela following the dedication of the Caracas Venezuela Temple in 2000. Maracaibo has been on my list of the most likely cities to have a temple announced for many years, and Venezuela was the country with the most Latter-day Saints with only one temple prior to the new temple announcement. Former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley proposed a temple in Maracaibo in 1999. There are five stakes in the immediate Maracaibo area (the first stake was organized in 1980), and there are two more stakes in nearby cities. Stakes in the area have had many wards discontinued in the past decade due to active members moving away from Venezuela, and unless members return or large numbers of converts are baptized and retained, multiple stakes will likely consolidate in the near future. The Church opened the Venezuela Maracaibo Mission in 1979. Altogether, the new temple will likely service 12 stakes and three districts. The Church reported 176,623 members in Venezuela as of year-end 2023. This summer, Venezuela will also transfer to the Caribbean area from the South America Northwest Area. All stakes in Venezuela are currently assigned to the Caracas Venezuela Temple.
17 comments:
Excellent analysis! Thank you for the work that you put in.
Interesting the Victoria temple will only have two stakes
Other Matt here...
Unofficially it wouldn't surprise me if Port Angeles Washington Stake and some parts of Oak Harbor Washington Stake are a part of the Victoria BC Temple District. It's a shorter ferry ride to Victoria, than a longer ferry ride or taking the long way via roads to the Seattle Temple.
In a previous thread, someone mentioned the Salt Lake Tribune article which provided updates about the temple recommend question and the wearing of temple garments. Today, an update from the Church News makes that an official acknowledgment of those changes:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/04/14/first-presidency-letter-garmet-of-the-holy-priesthood-temple-recommend-statement/
My thanks once again to you all.
Having a discussion with a friend today about Kirtland and the newly coming Cleveland Temple. It appears that the site for the future temple will be in the southern suburbs, near Independence. How close to Kirtland? Likely farther from
the John Johnson farm in Hiram. Should make for great future visits to all of the above.
We discussed how we hope the Philly temple can have higher purposes near downtown in that great metropolis. How many other temples are near downtown? The Cusco temples will be pretty close by its center, I was able to walk right by it a couple weeks ago.
Great to see the urban and rural growth! More flights to Tahiti!
Provo City Center, Ogden, Salt Lake and Philadelphia are 4 downtown temples I can think of. I believe Bangkok as well. Manhattan is not "downtown", but is in a built up urban core.
Some temples are not even in the city they are naked for. Mesa Temple I believe is fairly close to the center of that city.
Craig, it was Brisbane South, not Melbourne. And analysis of that was shared above between Edinburgh Scotland and Victoria British Columbia.
The Mesa Temple is indeed in the historic downtown area of Mesa, though it's not really the economic heart of the city any more. I feel like most temples are built away from the historic core of a city unless the historic core of the city was founded by Latter-day Saints. Of course there are numerous exceptions, including Philadelphia as you mentioned.
Well the above mentioned Cleveland Ohio Temple now has a groundbreaking date. Ground will be broken on June 1st, with Elder Sikehema presiding at the ceremony.
One thing about the Uturoa French Polynesia Temple, while only two stakes, will significantly improve access to the temple for these members.
I would include Idaho Falls in the downtown list. Not that there's much of a downtown, but I'd definitely call it downtown.
FYI Kirtland is about 25 miles "east" of Cleveland proper. For enough away that when I visited I was surprised that they were part of the same "city".
Logan Utah probably counts, since the temple is near E 100 N and N 200 E. It’s only about three blocks from the tabernacle, which definitely qualifies as “downtown”. If smaller towns and cities with temples count, then Nauvoo Illinois (located right on Mulholland St at the top of the bluff), Vernal Utah (S 500 W and W 100 S), Cardston Alberta (Second St and Third Ave), and Brigham City Utah (W 300 S and Main St) certainly count. Star Valley Wyoming is close, it’s along the main drag but perhaps a little south of “downtown”. Montpelier Idaho probably qualifies, too, since the temple is on Washington between Fifth and Sixth (with Fourth serving as Montpelier’s “Main St”).
St George Utah is probably a stretch (E 400 S and S 300 E), but also the Central Business District is further east (closer to I-15) than it historically would have been. Still, it’s definitely easy walking distance from Main and Tabernacle.
There might also be temples outside of the continental US and abroad that we could probably characterize as being “downtown”, based on the specifics of their metro area, such as Pape’ete Tahiti, though I’m not aware of any others off the top of my head.
Oh, and, for what it’s worth, when it comes to the Manhattan New York Temple, I suppose I’d consider it “downtown”. In NYC, “downtown” is a bit of an ambiguous term. Historically, “downtown” would have been the Financial District, but Midtown is actually the major Central Business District in Manhattan these days. And basically anywhere in Manhattan is “downtown” to the whole metro area (transit in the NYC Metro is designed to get you into Manhattan, full stop). The temple itself is less than 10 blocks north of 59th Street (the northern edge of Midtown). It’s pretty easy to walk from the 59th Street Columbus Circle subway station to the temple (which I’ve certainly had to do before).
Kirtland probably qualifies as more of an exurb of Cleveland than a traditional suburb. I doubt the streetcar lines from Cleveland ever went into Lake County (though intercity rail probably did connect to Mentor). I suspect that, prior to the mid-20th Century, Kirtland would have been viewed as a rural town on the periphery of Cleveland (not unlike Plainfield, IL relative to Chicago prior to the 1990s). Certainly, in the 1830s, Kirtland would have been considered a small frontier town in the middle of nowhere (probably a two day journey from Cleveland), like what Nauvoo is today.
You mentioned last year that you thought,or at least predicted that Sunderland, England was a candidate for a temple site. Would love to know what you based that prediction on? As a member of the Ward in Sunderland, I've always thought that we had the space for a small Temple on the grounds.
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