The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has once again made headlines with the announcement of plans to build 17 new temples across the globe, one of which will be located in Price, Utah. This announcement came during the closing session of the Church's General Conference on Sunday. President Russell M. Nelson, who has been at the helm of the church since 2018, shared the news with church members and the public alike, noting new sites in locations ranging from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to Maputo, Mozambique, as reported by FOX13.
President Nelson detailed the motivation behind the rapid expansion with a simple explanation, "Because the Lord has instructed us to do so." According to ABC4, Nelson announced 185 temples during his tenure, accounting for over half of the total temples of the church. These declarations included 20 new temples in October 2023 and 15 in April this year, with the October announcement marking a continuation of this aggressive growth plan. The church's total count now sits at 367 temples that are operational, announced, or under construction.
Notably, Nelson delivered his latest announcement in person, which contrasts with his previous messages that were communicated via prerecorded video addresses. The in-person delivery perhaps signified the gravity of the announcement, signaling an earnest commitment to the expansion of these sacred spaces. The plans also include significant renovations to the historic Salt Lake City temple, slated for completion by the end of 2026, reinforcing a commitment not just to expansion but to the upkeep and revitalization of existing holy sites.
The implications of these new establishments are vast, signaling not just physical construction, but the growth of congregations and the church's presence in diverse communities around the world. As detailed by KSL, "We build temples to honor the Lord," President Nelson explained during the rededication of the Manti Utah Temple in April, "They are built for worship and not for show. We make sacred covenants of eternal significance inside these sacred walls." Areas such as Summit, New Jersey, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin will see their first temples, accommodating thousands of Latter-day Saints and their congregations. Of particular note, Dublin, Ireland and Kampala, Uganda are among the regions that will host their inaugural temples, further extending the church's reach.
As the Latter-day Saint community celebrates this substantial development, the church's growing infrastructure continues to reaffirm its spiritual mission on both a local and international scale. With ground yet to be broken and the chime of construction still on the horizon, these announcements bear the promise of new beginnings and the deepening of faith for Latter-day Saints worldwide.
