Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Neiafu Tonga Temple continues to rise just north of the entrance to Saineha High School. Because a proper foundation for the temple was so important, the first and second foundations were dismantled. Members applied the situation to their own lives, emphasizing the importance of building a life on a foundation of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Concrete columns and block walls are now rising on a solid foundation.

Load-bearing columns are rising at the Neiafu Tonga Temple site where work is underway on the superstructure of the building. Steel bars and concrete blocks will form the temple's reinforced walls that are designed to withstand high winds and movement of the earth. Tropical trees surround the temple property adjacent to Saineha High School.

Construction is ramping up at the Neiafu Tonga Temple site where a construction barrier has been erected, trailers set on site, and heavy equipment put to work. Tonga opened its borders a few weeks ago after being closed for than two years in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only certain nationals were allowed to enter during that time. The temple in Neiafu will be the second in Tonga and the first on the island of Vava'u.

The King and Queen of Tonga, His Majesty ʻAhoʻeitu Tupou VI, and Her Majesty Nanasipau'u, were among the honored guests at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Neiafu Tonga Temple held on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Elder Inoke Kupu, Area Seventy, presided at the service. He said: "Temples are houses of the Lord and to have one on this beautiful Island of Vava’u is a blessing sent of God and a reflection of the goodness and faithfulness of citizens and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who live here and in the surrounding area." Members living in the northern islands of Tonga have traditionally attended the temple in Nuku'alofa about once a year, but having a temple in Neiafu will allow for more frequent attendance.

Elder ‘Inoke F. Kupu of the Quorum of the Seventy will preside at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Neiafu Tonga Temple on Saturday, September 11, 2021. The temple will be constructed next to Church-owned Saineha High School. The single-story building will be about 17,000 square feet and be the second constructed in the Kingdom of Tonga, joining the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple.

The official rendering has been released for the Neiafu Tonga Temple—the second temple to be constructed in the Tongan Islands. The 17,000-square-foot, single-level temple will be constructed on Tu’i Road on the site of Church-owned Saineha High School. Housing for the temple president and matron and for temple missionaries will be constructed on site in addition to a distribution center. No school buildings will be impacted by the project.