Monday, September 1, 2025

New Temple Predictions - September 2025 Edition

I have updated my temple prediction map in preparation for General Conference in October. Several variables are used to identify prospective sites for future temple announcements. These include: the size of the Church in a given area (stakes, districts, wards, and branches), the age of the oldest stake, growth trends, distance to the nearest temple, traffic and transportation considerations, temple square footage, the historical number of weekly endowment sessions, and member/missionary reports on activity, temple attendance, and convert retention. Altogether, there are 186 potential temples on the map (which is 8 potential temple sites less than the total number of potential sites identified in March 2025, continuing a trend for many years of temple growth outpacing other growth metrics for the Church). The following five locations have been added to the temples prediction map with this current update - all of which are less likely temples:

  • Cheyenne, Wyoming
  • Eldoret, Kenya
  • Fort Myers, Florida
  • Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Providence, Rhode Island

Also, there were two locations that were moved from the less likely to be announced list to the more likely to be announced list. Provided with a reasoning for the transfer from the less likely temples to be announced list to the more likely temples to be announced list, these locations include: 

  • Augusta, Maine (remote location, third stake recently organized in Maine, no temple in the United States in the Northeast north of Boston, Massachusetts)
  • Kinshasa DR Congo Kimbanseke (Kinshasa is now the metropolitan area with the most stakes of any city on the Afro-Eurasian landmass with 17, and several more stakes appear likely to be organized in the immediate future; rapid growth, high rates of member activity and convert retention, difficulty traveling to the current temple from far eastern areas of the metropolitan area)
  • Tema, Ghana (12 stakes in the immediate Accra, Ghana and Tema, Ghana area, with four more stakes on the outskirts of the city; a couple stakes likely to divide in the near future; moderate growth in the city during the past two decades; improving accessibility to the temple for stakes in the northeast area of the metropolitan area)
  • Yopougon, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Abidjan is the metropolitan city on the Afro-Eurasian landmass with the second most stakes (16) with a couple additional stakes likely to be organized soon; high rates of growth in the past decade; high Latter-day Saint density in the city population in the Yopougon area)

For the first time, I am providing my top 20 most likely locations for a temple announcement this October. With 15–20 temples announced in nearly every General Conference for several years, expanding the prediction list feels appropriate. I welcome your own prediction lists and insights in the comments. However, I anticipate that this period of rapid temple expansion will eventually wind down, as the overall growth of the Church has not kept pace with the rate of temple announcements.

  1. Angeles or Olongapo, Philippines 
  2. Bo, Sierra Leone
  3. Port Harcourt, Nigeria
  4. Rigby, Idaho
  5. Lomé, Togo 
  6. Southeast Salt Lake City, Utah (i.e., Cottonwood Heights, Holladay, or Sandy)
  7. Evanston, Wyoming
  8. San Pablo City, Philippines
  9. Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
  10. Ibadan, Nigeria
  11. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 
  12. Lilongwe, Malawi
  13. Santa Maria, Brazil
  14. Augusta, Maine
  15. Kimbanseke, Kinshasa, DR Congo
  16. Tema, Ghana
  17. Yopougon, Côte d’Ivoire
  18. San Luis Valley, Colorado
  19. Longview, Texas
  20. Lahore, Pakistan

 

16 comments:

Matt said...

Here is a list of 31 locations that may appear on the 'less likely to be announced' list in the coming years—likely 3–7 years out—based on the same criteria outlined at the beginning of this post. Much of this will depend on the creation of additional stakes, and in some areas, new stake creation does not appear imminent:

Albany, New York

Aparri, Philippines

Atlanta, Georgia (second temple)

Belmopan, Belize

Berlin, Germany

Bilbao, Spain

Bozeman, Montana

Bujumbura, Burundi

Dumaguete, Philippines

Fargo, North Dakota

Gboko, Nigeria

Georgetown, Guyana

Gillette, Wyoming

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Kalibo, Philippines

Kisangani, DR Congo

Lenexa, Kansas

Legazpi, Philippines

Lyon, France

Minj, Papua New Guinea

Ngandajika, DR Congo

Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo

Salem, Oregon

San Marcos, Guatemala

San Miguel, El Salvador

Seville, Spain

Tanna, Vanuatu

Whangarei, New Zealand

Yaoundé, Cameroon

Yerevan, Armenia

James G. Stokes said...

Hey, Matt! Glad to see your lists in this post and in your above comment. As mentioned in the threads of the previous post, those who are interested in my projections can see this document, which outlines all prospects I see in the near term, and this one, which is an area-by-area breakdown of temples announced by President Nelson in each General Conference.

As I have previously noted in various other threads on my blog and here on this blog, with 382 current temples, I am projecting that exactly 18 more will be announced in October, bringing the worldwide total to an even 400. I have also heard statements attributed to various general leaders indicating that President Nelson's goal is to have 500 in any phase by the 200th anniversary of the Church's reestablishment (Satureday, April 6, 2030).

So I'm glad to see your expanded lists, Matt, and I hope that my lists, such as they are, are helpful to all who view them. Thanks for another great report, Matt! Keep up the great work!

James G. Stokes said...

I forgot to add that, on the area-by-area document, my more specific picks for October can be found at the bottom. Hope that further contextualizes my predictions.

jonesto942@gmail.com said...

Strong candidates for temples Oct 2025

Herriman or E. SLC UT
Fort Bridger or Evanston WY
Poza Rica Mexico
Machala Ecuador
Quevedo Ecuador
Santiago Chile
Neuquen Argentina
Buenos Aires Argentina
Santa Maria or Passo Fundo Brazil
Sao Paulo Brazil
Bo Sierra Leone
Yamoussoukro Ivory Coast
Port Harcourt or Ibadan Nigeria
Kinshasa DRC
in or near Angeles Philippines

Potential Surprises:
Paducah KY
Longview TX or Shreveport LA
Mobile AL
Newnan GA
Augusta ME
Puerto La Cruz Venezuela

John Pack Lambert said...

I will report my previous predictions here.

I have decided to put together my list of new temples for October 2025. I feel I am still a little early, but I might not be able to have another time to compile the list.

I suspect there will be 18 announced, taking us to an even 400. I would love to see more, but that is what I expect.

Here is my list of 18 in no particular order:
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Lome, Togo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Kinshasa DR Congo 2 (probably close to the airport)
Toulouse, France
Prague, Czech Republic
Sendai, Japan
Angeles, Philippines
Resitencia, Argentina
Otavalo, Ecuador
Sorocaba, Brazil
Antigua, Guatemala
Poza Rica, Mexico
Henderson, Nevada
Thousand Oaks, California
2nd Weber County, Utah
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Somewhere in New Hampshire

3 next top candidates:
4th Dallas Metro Temple
Waco Texas Temple
Augusta Maine Temple

Really high candidates I could not fit on the list above:
Appleton Wisconsin Temple
Santa Maria, Brazil
Xalapa, Mexico
Hobart, Australia
Olongopo, Philippines
Legazpi City, Philippines
Yamosoukro, Ivory Coast
Cotonou, Benin
Somewhere in eastern North Carolina
Little Rock, Arkansas
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, West Virginia
Ciudad Obregon, Mexico
Mexicali, Mexico

Temples that I think less likely:
Canberra, Australia
Ottawa, Canada
Olympia, Washington
Eastern Oregon
Salem, Oregon
San Francisco, California
Santa Rosa, California
San Luis Obispo, California
Chinle, Arizona
Surprise, Arizona
Provo Temple #3
Provo Temple #4
Rigby, Idaho
America Falls, Idaho
Preston, Idaho
Morgan, Utah
Park City, Utah
Murray/Sandy/Holliday, Utah
West Valley City, Utah
Harriman, Utah
Springville, Utah
Gunnison, Utah
Delta, Utah
Satanquin, Utah
Alpine, Utah
Roosevelt, Utah
San Luis Valley, Colorado
Topeka, Kansas
2nd Temple for metro Kansas City
Columbus Georgia Temple
Gainesville, Florida Temple
Appleton Wisconsin Temple
Long Island New York Temple
Harrison/White Plaines New York Temple
Utica/Albany New York Temple
Fortaleza Temple 2
Abijan Temple 2
Benin City Temple 2
London England Hyde Park Temple
Tempe Arizona Temple
Champaign Illinois Temple
Paducah Kentucky Temple
Lafayette Indiana Temple
Midland Michigan Temple
Munich Germany Temple
Leeds England Temple
Bristol England Temple
Gotteborg Sweden Temple
Valencia Venezuela Temple
Kingston Jamaica Temple
Port-of-Spain Trinidad and Tobago Temple
Greensboro North Carolina Temple
Dayton Ohio Temple
Bloomington Indiana Temple
Lincoln Nebraska Temple
Iowa City Iowa Temple
Luputa DR Congo Temple
Kolwezi DR Congo Temple
2nd Papua New Guinea Temple
Haapai Islands Tonga Trmple
2nd Nukualofa Tonga Temple
4th greater Manila Philippines Temple
4th greater Lima Peru Temple
3rd Sao Paulo Brazil Temple

Anonymous said...

I’m surprised Pakistan is on the list, there aren’t any stakes there!

Anonymous said...

There is already a temple in Santiago!

Thomas Wagner said...

I made a map that shows my predictions for this General Conference’s temple announcements. Black dots are existing/under construction/announced temples, red locations are locations I think are very likely to be announced, blue are locations I think are somewhat likely to be announced, and green are less likely to be announced.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1AmwcgvPYngdfL6mShZ8Q_m4XyduHivE&ll=10.397520911816653%2C-11.041823980756174&z=2

Gary Stroble said...

You listed Appleton Wisconsin as both a really high candidate and as less likely. Frankly, until the location of the Milwaukee Wisconsin Temple is disclosed, that is very unlikely.

James G. Stokes said...

Also, I further anticipate 6 US temples and 12 elsewhere in the world.

Rocky said...

Thanks for sharing your temple predictions. It's always exciting to hear about the new temples each General Conference. In July there was an article by the Church about the number of temples in the Pacific Area (currently 11) going to double with the announcements of the Noumea Caledonia and Liverpool Australia temples.
https://news-pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/why-is-the-church-doubling-its-number-of-temples-in-the-south-pacific
Curious to see if the Pacific Area will get anymore temples announced in October.

Rocky said...

This article was from mid-August but was highlighted last Sunday in my inbox. I recall hearing about this earlier in the year and this article talks about that it's not the Church bur rather affiliated companies buying farming land. I'm not familiar with Farmland Reserve and Alkira Farms if someone could shed light on what the relationship is between the Church and these companies?
https://news-au.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/does-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-own-farms-in-australia

miro said...

I think the most likely temples in europe will be Bristol England (or Cardif Wales), Southern Spain (Seville, Murcia or Valencia or two of those) and Southern France (Lyon (mission home) or Toulouse (more central for Soutern Fench stakes)).

Pascal Friedmann said...

I agree and would add Tirana to that list.

James G. Stokes said...

There is also already a temple in Buenos Aires, but I think they were referring to President Nelson's earlier statement that multiple temples will be built in some selected major metropolitan areas. We've seen him do that in Mexico City, Santiago Chile, Sao Paulo Brazil, and Buenos Aires so far, but there may be others needed in those areas. That's what I believe they meant.

Bryansb1984 said...

I'm going to add
Thousand Oaks, California
Lancaster, California
Henderson, Nevada
Mesquite, Nevada
Tremonton, Utah
North Ogden, Utah
Shreveport, Louisiana
Alexandria, Virginia
Mesa Arizona East