A disturbing series of earthquakes and aftershocks have shaken the island of Puerto Rico for weeks, leaving many with rattled nerves and damaged property. However, the movement of earth at one location has been a very welcomed site. After a long delay following last May's groundbreaking ceremony, all of the government permits and approvals are in place to begin full-scale construction on the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple and its adjoining meetinghouse. Heavy equipment will clear and rough grade the site in preparation for excavation.

On Sunday, January 12, 2020, members of the groundbreaking committee were set apart for the temple to be constructed in the Alabang district of Muntinlupa, Philippines—currently known as the Greater Manila Philippines Temple. Auditions are being accepted for the choir, which will rehearse for about three months. As yet, no official announcement has been made as to the name of the temple, its exact location, or the date of the upcoming groundbreaking ceremony.

The ten-day public open house for the Durban South Africa Temple begins this Wednesday, January 22, and continues through Saturday, February 1, 2020, with no tours offered on Sunday, January 26. The temple will be dedicated in three sessions that will be broadcast to designated meetinghouses within the temple district on Sunday, February 16. A youth devotional will take place the evening prior to the dedication and also be broadcast.

Demolition has begun on the stair tower addition to the St. George Utah Temple, which extends from the rear side of the building. The stair tower was constructed in the 1970s to provide wider staircases and better access to the temple's floors. The replacement structure will extend even farther and be made to the match the exterior of the original temple. It will include a grand staircase and two elevators with stops at each floor. The street on the south side of the temple, 500 S, has been closed to better accommodate construction.