SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will build 18 new temples, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced Sunday in the final session of the faith’s October 2022 general conference in Salt Lake City.
The temples will be built in the following locations:
- Busan, Korea
- Naga, Philippines
- Santiago, Philippines
- Eket, Nigeria
- Chiclayo, Peru
- Buenos Aires City Center, Argentina
- Londrina, Brazil
- Riberão Prêto, Brazil
- Huehuetenango, Guatemala
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Prosper, Texas
- Lone Mountain, Nevada
- Tacoma, Washington
- Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Pachuca, Mexico
- Toluca, Mexico
- Tula, Mexico
President Nelson said the four new temples in the Mexico City area are part of an effort to build houses of the Lord in selected large metropolitan areas where traveling to an existing temple is a significant challenge.
The church, widely known as the Mormon church, currently has 168 operating temples and another 68 announced, 41 under construction and five undergoing renovation. See the official temple list.
“[Any temple] is His (God’s) house,” the prophet said. “It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temples more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can. … My dear brothers and sisters, may you focus on the temple in ways you never have before. I bless you to grow closer to God and Jesus Christ every day.”
See more information below about the Church in each of the locations where these new temples will be built.
Busan, Korea
This will be the second temple in South Korea. The first was completed in Seoul in 1985. Nearly 90,000 church members in 100 congregations live in the country. The southeastern city of Busan is Korea’s busiest port. Latter-day Saint service members brought the Church’s teachings to Korea in the 1940s. In 1973 the Seoul Korea Stake, the first stake (group of congregations) in mainland Asia, was organized.
Naga, Philippines
The Naga City Philippines Temple will be the ninth announced temple in the Philippines. Naga City is located about 250 miles southeast of Manila. The first temple in Manila was dedicated in 1984. There are more than 833,000 Latter-day Saints in more than 1,250 congregations in the Philippines. Since the country officially opened for missionary work in 1961, Church growth has been among the fastest in the world.
Santiago, Philippines
Located about 225 miles northeast of Manila, the Santiago Philippines Temple will be the tenth announced temple in the Philippines. The other nine temples announced, under construction or in operation in the country include those in Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao, Manila, Naga (announced today), Tacloban City and Urdaneta.
Eket, Nigeria
Eket is an industrial city in southeastern Nigeria. The Eket Nigeria Temple will be the fourth temple built in the country. One temple is currently in operation, the Aba Nigeria Temple. Two other temples are also yet to be built, the Benin City Nigeria Temple and the Lagos Nigeria Temple. There are more than 211,000 church members in more than 750 congregations in Nigeria.
Chiclayo, Peru
This will be the sixth temple in Peru. The country is home to nearly 625,000 church members spread throughout 780 congregations. Chiclayo is located in northern Peru, just a few miles inland from the Pacific coast. The first missionaries arrived in the country in 1956. Other temples in operation or under construction include the Arequipa Peru Temple, Cusco Peru Temple, Lima Peru Temple, Trujillo Peru Temple and Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple.
Buenos Aires City Center, Argentina
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city in Argentina. The Buenos Aires City Center Temple will be Argentina’s fifth temple. The Buenos Aires Argentina Temple was dedicated in 1986, while the Córdoba Argentina Temple was dedicated in 2015. Ground was broken for the Salta Argentina Temple and the Mendoza Argentina Temple in late 2020. Argentina is home to about 475,000 Latter-day Saints and 725 congregations in a country of more than 45 million residents.
Londrina, Brazil
Londrina, Brazil is a city located in the state of Paraná in southeastern Brazil. The state is home to Iguaçu Falls, with hundreds of cascades straddling the border with Argentina and Paraguay. This will be the second temple in the state of Paraná with the first temple in Curitiba. There are 1.5 million church members in Brazil in more than 2,100 congregations. The temple in Londrina will be the 17th announced temple for Brazil, with dedicated temples located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; three are under construction in Belém, Brasília and Salvador; and others have been announced in Belo Horizonte, East São Paulo, Maceió, Santos and Vitória.
Riberão Prêto, Brazil
The Riberão Prêto Temple will be located in the São Paulo state of southeast Brazil. There are 1.5 million church members in Brazil in more than 2,100 congregations.
The temple in Riberão Prêto will be the 18th announced temple for Brazil, with dedicated temples located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; three are under construction in Belém, Brasília and Salvador; and others have been announced in Belo Horizonte, East São Paulo, Londrina (announced today), Maceió, Santos and Vitória.
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
The Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple will be the fifth house of the Lord in the highlands of western Guatemala. The other four temples in operation are the Cobán Guatemala Temple (under construction), Guatemala City Guatemala Temple, Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (announced), and Quetzeltenango Guatemala Temple. Guatemala is home to more than 284,000 Latter-day Saints in 436 congregations.
Jacksonville, Florida
The Jacksonville Florida Temple will be the state’s fifth temple. There are more than 160,000 church members and more than 280 congregations in the state. Jacksonville is in the northern part of Florida in the United States. Other temples in the state include the Orlando Florida Temple, Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, Tallahassee Florida Temple (under construction) and the Tampa Florida Temple (announced).
Grand Rapids, Michigan
The Grand Rapids Michigan Temple will be the second house of the Lord in Michigan, which is part of the United States Midwest. The Detroit Michigan Temple was dedicated in 1999 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The Church’s first building in Detroit was completed in 1928. Michigan is home to more than 45,000 Latter-day Saints in 96 congregations. Grand Rapids is the second-largest city in Michigan and the seat of Kent County.
Prosper, Texas
The city of Prosper is located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area in North Texas. Texas is home to more than 370,000 church members in 737 congregations. Missionary work in Texas began in 1843 during the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Prosper Texas Temple will be the state’s eighth temple. The other seven temples in Texas include the Austin Texas Temple, Dallas Texas Temple, Fort Worth Texas Temple, Houston Texas Temple, Lubbock Texas Temple, San Antonio Texas Temple and McAllen Texas Temple.
Lone Mountain, Nevada
Lone Mountain is on the northwest side of the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Nearly 6% of Nevada’s population are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are about 180,000 church members in more than 360 congregations in this U.S. state. The Lone Mountain Nevada Temple will be the state’s fourth temple. The Las Vegas Nevada Temple was dedicated in 1989, and the Reno Nevada Temple was dedicated in 2000. Ground was broken for the Elko Nevada Temple in 2022. Shortly after Latter-day Saint pioneers arrived in the Western United States in the 1840s, they established a trading post near Carson City (now the state’s capital).
Tacoma, Washington
This will be the fifth temple announced in the state of Washington, which is situated in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Missionaries first arrived in Washington in 1854. Today, the state is home to more than 280,000 Latter-day Saints in nearly 525 congregations. Other temples under construction or in operation are the Columbia River Washington Temple, Moses Lake Washington Temple, Seattle Washington Temple and Spokane Washington Temple.
Cuernavaca, Mexico
Cuernavaca is about 50 miles south of Mexico City. It is the capital and largest city in the state of Morelos. In the 19th century, the city was nicknamed “the city of eternal spring” by German scientist and explorer Alexander Von Humboldt. About 350,000 people live in the historical city. It is a favorite vacation spot of many residents of Mexico City due to its closeness and mild climate. Nearly 1.5 million church members live in Mexico.
Pachuca, Mexico
Pachuca is located about 75 miles northeast of Mexico City. The temple will be the first in the state of Hidalgo. Pachuca, formally known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and largest city in Hidalgo with a population of about 277,000.
Toluca, Mexico
Toluca, formally known as Toluca de Lerdo, is the capital of Mexico’s central state of Mexico. It is located about 40 miles west of Mexico City. With a population of about 900,000 residents, Toluca is the fifth most populous city in the country.
Tula, Mexico
Tula, formally known as Tula de Allende, is an ancient city in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. It is located about 60 miles north of Mexico City with about 100,000 residents. The new temple in Tula will be the second in the state of Hidalgo. The area was once known as the capital of the Toltec empire.
With these four temples announced near Mexico City, that will bring the total number of temples in Mexico to 23. The other 19 temples in Mexico include the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, Culiacán Mexico Temple, Guadalajara Mexico Temple, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple, Mérida Mexico Temple, Mexico City Benemérito Mexico Temple, Mexico City Mexico Temple, Monterrey Mexico Temple, Oaxaca Mexico Temple, Puebla Mexico Temple, Querétaro Mexico Temple, San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple, Tampico Mexico Temple, Tijuana Mexico Temple, Torreón Mexico Temple, Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple, Veracruz Mexico Temple and Villahermosa Mexico Temple. The country is home to 1.5 million Latter-day Saints with more than 1,800 congregations. Missionary work began in Mexico in 1875.
WRITTEN BY Church Newsroom staff.
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