Temples

A by-the-numbers look at all 153 new temple locations announced by President Nelson since he became President of the Church

Breakdowns include announcements by date and year; current status; and first, multiple and total temples in specific areas, countries, territories and states

By Scott Taylor Oct 8, 2023 10 a.m. EDT

President Russell M. Nelson speaks at the groundbreaking of the Heber Valley Temple.

Temples

A by-the-numbers look at all 153 new temple locations announced by President Nelson since he became President of the Church

Breakdowns include announcements by date and year; current status; and first, multiple and total temples in specific areas, countries, territories and states

By Scott Taylor Oct 8, 2023 10 a.m. EDT

When President Russell M. Nelson listed the 20 locations for new temples at the close of the October 2023 general conference on Sunday, Oct. 1, the Prophet matched the highest total of new locations announced in one setting in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The 20 new temples equaled the total he announced on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021 — then the most locations ever announced in a single day. Prior to that, the largest number of temple locations announced in general conference was 12 — by President Nelson, in the October 2018 general conference.

President Nelson announces 20 new temple locations, increasing Church’s total to 335 worldwide

However, the 20 temples in a single setting wasn’t the Church’s only historical mark repeated with Sunday’s announcement. Coupled with the 15 temple locations he announced during the April 2023 general conference, President Nelson has announced 35 new locations once again in 2023 — the same total as he did in 2022.

In fact, consider the last three years of total new temples he has announced — 35 each in 2023 and 2022 and 34 in 2021. That makes for 104 new temples — or nearly a third (31%) of the Church’s 335 total temples worldwide that are dedicated, under construction or announced.

The Bentonville Arkansas Temple at sunset.

Of note: In April 1998 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to construct as many as 32 new temples, although he did not list specific locations. Throughout that year, the First Presidency announced the locations of 27 of those temples.

During his nearly six years as President of the Church, President Nelson has announced 153 new temples — or 46% of the Church’s 335 total temples.

Temple milestones in 2022, Part 3: 35 temples announced is the most in a single year

With more than two months remaining this year, there is a chance that President Nelson could announce more new temple locations and add to the 35 total for 2023 for a new annual high. But the pattern of temple announcements during his nearly six years as President of the Church has been to announce new locations during the April and October general conferences each year. All but one of the 153 he has identified have come in a conference session.

Also, President Nelson has announced new temples for 24 different states in the United States and 50 other nations or U.S. territories.

Temple totals and announcements by date, year and location are just some of the categories included below as the Church News takes a by-the-numbers look at the 153 temple locations that President Nelson has announced since early 2018.

Church is dedicating 6 temples in just 36 days — but as many have been dedicated in shorter times twice before

And some of those numbers are in constant flux — such as a temple’s status, from in planning to under construction to dedication and in operation. For example, just a week following the October 2023 general conference, status changes have occurred with three temples — the Saturday, Oct. 7, groundbreaking services for the Modesto California Temple and the two Sunday, Oct. 8, dedications for the McAllen Texas and Feather River California temples.

The sun sets on the new Helena Montana Temple.

By current status

Of the 153 new temple locations President Nelson has announced, the breakdown in current status as of Sunday, Oct. 8 (including the day’s two aforementioned dedications) is:

9 temples dedicated
2 temples scheduled for dedication
44 temples under construction
1 temples scheduled for groundbreaking
36 temples with site locations identified
61 announced temples still in planning and design

President Russell M. Nelson announces new temple locations during the 191st Semiannual General Conference.

By date of announcement

President Nelson has announced temples on 13 different occasions — all but one coming in a general conference setting. The sole exception? When he announced a temple for Ephraim, Utah, on May 1, 2021, at the same time announcing plans to preserve through renovation the “pioneer craftsmanship, artwork and character” of the Manti Utah Temple.

Also, of the 12 times President Nelson has announced new temple locations in general conference, 11 have been at the conclusion of the Sunday afternoon session in the 12 conferences he has presided over since becoming President of the Church. Again, the exception? He announced eight new temples during the Saturday evening women’s session of the October 2019 general conference.

Here are the dates he has announced new temple locations:

By year

The breakdown by year of new temple locations President Nelson has announced over the past six years:

35 — in 2022
35 — in 2023
34 — in 2021
19 — in 2018
16 — in 2019
14 — in 2020

This map of the area surrounding Mexico City shows the locations of the current operating temple in Mexico City, the construction site of a temple in Puebla, and five additional cities where temples will be built.

By geographic location

The breakdown by geographic location — the United States and remaining continental areas — of new temple locations President Nelson has announced:

53 — United States
27 — South America
21 — Asia
19 — North America (besides U.S.)
17 — Africa
8 — Europe
8 — Oceania/Pacific

By nation

A list of the nations where President Nelson has announced at least four new temple locations:

53 — United States
12 — Brazil
11 — Mexico
9 — Philippines
5 — Peru
4 — Argentina
4 — Guatemala
4 — Nigeria

People arrive for the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple dedication in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Countries, territories and states with a first temple

Of the new temple locations announced by President Nelson, 25 are the first in 25 different countries or territories and another 3 the first in U.S. states:

American Samoa
Angola
Austria
Belgium
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Guam
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Liberia
Madagascar
Mongolia
Mozambique
Nicaragua
Norway
Papua New Guinea
People’s Republic of China
Puerto Rico
Republic of the Congo
Russia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
United Arab Emirates
Vanuatu

States with a first temple

Arkansas
Kansas
Virginia

Attendees leave the Richmond Virginia Temple dedication.

A closer look by states, countries and territories

Following is an area-by-area breakdown of new temple locations announced by President Nelson, with a look at the status and numbers of the temples in that specific area.

In the listings of temples by state, country and territory, the following key is used for each temple location:

* — First temple in state, country or territory
/D — Dedicated
/SD — Scheduled for dedication
/C — Under construction
/SG — Scheduled for groundbreaking
/L — Site location identified
/P — Announced and in planning

Families wander the grounds of the new Moses Lake Washington Temple after taking family photos in the late afternoon sunlight.

United States — 53 new temples

Current status

6 — Dedicated
1 — Scheduled for dedication
20 — Under construction
1 — Scheduled for groundbreaking
12 — With site location
13 — Announced and in planning

States with new temples

24 — Total
3 — With a first temple
12 — With multiple temples

States with most new temples

10 — Utah
5 — California
4 — Texas
3 — Florida
3 — Idaho
3 — Virginia
3 — Washington
2 — 6 states

By state

Alaska — Fairbanks/P
Arkansas — Bentonville*/D
California — Feather River/D, Yorba Linda/C, Modesto/C, San Jose/L, Bakersfield/L
Colorado — Grand Junction/C, Colorado Springs/P
Florida — Tallahassee/C, Tampa/L, Jacksonville/P
Hawaii — Kahului, Maui/P
Idaho — Burley/C, Teton River/L, Montpelier/C
Kansas — Wichita*/L
Michigan — Grand Rapids/L
Missouri — Springfield/P
Montana — Helena/D, Missoula/P
Nevada — Elko/C, Lone Mountain/L
New Mexico — Farmington/C
North Carolina — Charlotte/L
Ohio — Cleveland/L
Oklahoma — Tulsa/P
Oregon — Willamette Valley/C
Pennsylvania — Pittsburgh/C, Harrisburg/P
Tennessee — Knoxville/L
Texas —McAllen/D, Fort Worth/SG, Austin/L, Prosper/P
Utah — Layton/C, Red Cliffs/C, Deseret Peak/C, Orem/SD, Taylorsville/C, Syracuse/C, Lindon/C, Smithfield/C, Ephraim/C, Heber Valley/C
Virginia — Richmond*/D, Winchester/P, Roanoke/P
Washington — Moses Lake/D, Tacoma/P, Vancouver/P
Wyoming — Casper/C, Cody/L

The future site of the Mexico City Benemérito Mexico Temple.

North America (other than the U.S.) — 19 new temples

Temple status

1 — Dedicated
7 — Under construction
4 — With site location
7 — Announced and in planning

Countries/territories with temples

6 — Total
2 — With a first temple
2 — With multiple temples

Countries with most new temples

11 – Mexico
4 – Guatemala

By country/territory

Canada — Lethbridge, Alberta/L
Guatemala — Cobán/C, Miraflores Guatemala City/C, Huehuetenango/L, Retalhuleu/P
Honduras — San Pedro Sula/C
Mexico — Puebla/C, Torreón/C, Querétaro/C, Culiacán/P, San Luis Potosí/L, Mexico City Benemérito/L, Cuernavaca/P, Pachuca/P, Toluca/P, Tula/P, Cancún/P
Nicaragua — Managua*/C
Puerto Rico — San Juan*/D

Rendering of the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple.

South America — 27 new temples

Temple status

6 — Under construction
12 — With site location
9 — Announced and in planning

Countries with temples

6 — Total
5 — With multiple temples

Countries with most new temples

12 – Brazil
5 – Peru
4 – Argentina
3 – Chile

By country

Argentina — Salta/C, Mendoza/C, Bahía Blanca/C, Buenos Aires City Center/P
Bolivia — Santa Cruz/L, La Paz/L
Brazil — Salvador/C, São Paulo East/L, Belo Horizonte/C, Vitória/L, Maceió/L, Santos/L, Londrina/L, Ribeirão Preto/L, Teresina/L, Natal/L, Goiânia/P, João Pessoa/P
Chile — Antofagasta/C, Santiago West/L, Viña del Mar/P
Colombia — Cali/L
Peru — Cusco/P, Chiclayo/P, Iquitos/P, Piura/P, Huancayo/P

Site location map for the Bacelona Spain Temple.

Europe — 8 new temples

Temple status

2 — With site location
6 — Announced and in planning

Countries with temples

8 — Total
5 — With a first temple

By country

Austria — Vienna*/P
Belgium — Brussels*/P
Germany — Hamburg/P
Hungary — Budapest*/P
Norway — Oslo*/L
Russia — City to be determined*/P
Spain — Barcelona/L
United Kingdom: Birmingham, England/P

Beatriz Lima, who was the first Relief Society president in Cabo Verde, poses for a photo outside the Praia Cape Verde Temple.

Africa — 17 new temples

Temple status

1 — Dedicated
2 — Under construction
3 — With site location
11 — Announced and in planning

Countries with temples

11 — Total
7 — With a first temple
3 — With multiple temples

Countries with most new temples

4 – Nigeria
3 – Democratic Republic of the Congo
2 – Ghana

By country

Angola — Luanda*/P
Cape Verde — Praia*/D
Democratic Republic of the Congo — Lubumbashi/C, Kanaga/P, Mbuji-Mayi/P
Ghana — Kumasi/P, Cape Coast/P
Liberia — Monrovia*/P
Madagascar — Antananarivo*/P
Mozambique — Beira*/P
Nigeria — Lagos/L, Benin City/L, Eket/P, Calabar/P
Republic of the Congo — Brazzaville*/P
Sierra Leone — Freetown*/C
South Africa — Cape Town/L

Attendees use umbrellas due to heat at the Yigo Guam Temple dedication.

Asia — 21 new temples

Temple status

1 — Dedicated
1 — Scheduled for dedication
4 — Under construction
2 — With site location
13 — Announced and in planning

Countries/territories with temples

12 — Total
8 — With a first temple
2 — With multiple temples

Countries with most new temples

9 – Philippines
2 – Japan

By country/territory

Cambodia — Phnom Penh*/C
Guam — Yigo*/D
India — Bengaluru*/C
Indonesia — Jakarta*/P
Japan — Okinawa/SD, Osaka/P
Korea — Busan/P
Mongolia — Ulaanbaatar*/P
People’s Republic of China — Shanghai*/P
Philippines — Cagayan de Oro/P, Davao/C, Bacolod/C, Tacloban City/P, Naga/P, Santiago/P, Tuguegarao City/P, Iloilo/P, Laoag/P
Singapore — Singapore*/L
Taiwan — Kaohsiung/L
United Arab Emirates — Dubai*/P

The construction site of the Auckland New Zealand Temple is next to the New Zealand Missionary Training Center.

Oceania/Pacific — 8 new temples

Temple status

5 — Under construction
1 — With site location
2 — Announced and in planning

Countries/territories with temples

7 — Total
4 — With a first temple
1 — With multiple temples

Country with most new temples

2 – New Zealand

By country/territory

American Samoa — Pago Pago*/C
Kiribati — Tarawa*/L
New Zealand — Auckland/C, Wellington/P
Papua New Guinea — Port Moresby*/C
Samoa — Savai’i/P
Tonga — Neiafu/C
Vanuatu — Port Vila*/C