News
Photo: Midwest Latter-day Saints Facebook page
Nauvoo Illinois Temple Visitors' Center Construction Advances
Construction is advancing on a new visitors' center that is under construction across the street from the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. The 13,200-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in mid-2026 and will provide a 121-stall parking lot open to the public and community. Inside, the center will feature picture windows facing the temple, exhibits on the original temple, a Tiffany stained-glass window of Jesus Christ, a children's area, and a theater. Several streets are currently closed to accommodate the construction. Visitors to Nauvoo are encouraged to pay attention to these closures and to find alternate routes.
Photo: Scott Ririe
Realigned Bybee Road Opens at the Vancouver Washington Temple Site
The realigned segment of Bybee Road next to the Vancouver Washington Temple site has been opened to traffic. The old road has been closed and converted for use as a construction entrance. A block retaining wall is being constructed near the detention pond, while pipes and conduits are being installed in utility trenches. Once the underground utilities for the temple are in place, work can begin on building the foundation.
Photo: Girlaidy Barbosa
Exterior Cladding Continues at the Ribeirão Preto Brazil Temple
The steel framework for the steeple of the Ribeirão Preto Brazil Temple is lit at night, creating a beautiful vista for passers-by. The majority of the temple has been clad with stone, leaving work to be done on the west (front) side, mezzanine level, and steeple. Statuesque palm trees stand in two lines on either side of the entrance plaza. Construction has progressed rapidly for over 15 months.
Photo: Jacob Oscarson
Inscription Stone Panels Added to Salt Lake Temple Entrance Pavilion
Stone panels inscribed with Holiness to the Lord – The House of the Lord have been installed above the east door of the west entrance pavilion, located north of the Salt Lake Temple. On the south side of the temple, the visitors' pavilions are being furnished, and a new cutaway model of the temple is on display. Elsewhere on Temple Square, the exterior of the Beehive House—one of the official residences of Brigham Young—has been stuccoed and painted.
Photo: Jennifer Mast
Pink Clouds Over the Smithfield Utah Temple
Dazzling pink and orange hues fill the skies over the Smithfield Utah Temple as the sun sets on another day of construction. The temple sits on the western edge of the city, surrounded by fertile farmland. The exterior of the temple has been completed, but months of work remain on the interior. Inside the tower, lighting has been added to backlight the stained-glass windows at night.
Photo: Victor Loza
Cladding the Facade of the Querétaro Mexico Temple
The installation of white cladding panels has begun on the facade of the Querétaro Mexico Temple. The panels feature moldings around the windows with rectangular windows on the ground floor and arched windows on the upper floor. Querétaro is a beautiful example of a Spanish colonial city with its well-preserved historic center that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996.
Photo: Templo de Cali, Colombia Facebook page
Steeple Frame Installed on the Cali Colombia Temple
Ten days ago, the steel frame for the steeple of the Cali Colombia Temple was lifted by crane to the top of the building and secured into place. During the seven months that the temple has been under construction, the concrete structural walls have been installed, and the steel framing has been erected. Across the street, construction has begun on the ancillary building that will provide supporting facilities for temple patrons.
Photo: Jacob Hall
Lettering Painted On the Ephraim Utah Temple Portico
The lettering for the sacred phrase Holiness to the Lord – The House of the Lord, inscribed over the front portico archways of the Ephraim Utah Temple, has been painted, along with the lettering on the monument sign. The black coloring stands out beautifully against the cream-colored exterior stone. The temple is in the final weeks of construction, but no dates have been announced yet for the open house and dedication.
Photo: Reginald Johns
Cladding the Mezzanine Walls of the Modesto California Temple
Exterior stonework on the west facade of the Modesto California Temple is nearly finished, and work is well underway on the mezzanine walls. Many plants have been established on the temple and stake center grounds as landscaping progresses, and the perimeter masonry wall nears completion. Inside the temple, millwork is being installed, and tile is being laid on the floors and restroom walls. The visitors' center trailer has recently been relocated to the northeast corner of the parking lot next to the picnic pavilion.
Photo: Kristina Reneé Mollica
Beautifying the Grounds of the Cleveland Ohio Temple
The grounds of the Cleveland Ohio Temple are becoming more beautiful each day, as trees and plants are established among the walkways, ornamental fencing, and post lights. Installation of the cupola atop the tower will bring the exterior to completion, taking the temple to its final form and stature. Committee preparations have begun for the open house and dedication, but the dates have not yet been announced.
Photo: Templo de Santa Cruz, Bolivia Facebook page
Exterior Cladding Progress at the Santa Cruz Bolivia Temple
At the Santa Cruz Bolivia Temple construction site, crews continue to set stone on the exterior walls of this beautiful house of the Lord. Rising from the center of the roof is a multi-tiered tower, which is abutted on each side of its base by hipped roofs that extend over the four wings of the temple. Construction of Bolivia's second temple has been underway for nearly 16 months.
Photo: Christine Lake
Details in the Montpelier Idaho Temple Stained-Glass Windows
The natural beauty of the Bear Lake Valley has been incorporated into the stained-glass windows that adorn the Montpelier Idaho Temple. The windows are best seen at night when interior lighting backlights the colored glass, revealing the depiction of a mountain and lake scene with local flowers. Benches were recently placed on the temple grounds where trees, stones, grasses, rock mulch, and flowers are creating a heavenly haven.
Photo: Timothy Stewart
Heavy Steel Framing Underway for the Kona Hawaii Temple
Inside the walls of the Kona Hawaii Temple, heavy steel framing is progressing for the roof and the steeple of the new temple. The original building closed two years ago and was subsequently dismantled and removed, except for a portion of the core structural frame. The landscaping was also removed before reconstruction began. The new building features a larger footprint and modern building materials.
Photo: Nathaniel Jones
Erecting a Golf Net at the Elko Nevada Temple
To help protect patrons from errant golf balls, a 127-foot golf net is being constructed at the Elko Nevada Temple, which stands next to the Ruby View Golf Course. Construction of the net was approved by the Elko City Council on August 26, overturning a decision made by the Elko Planning Commission on July 1 that initially denied the request. The temple is scheduled to be dedicated by Elder Gary E. Stevenson on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
Photo: Timothy Lofthouse
Steeple Pedestal Frame Added to Teton River Idaho Temple
Rising on the north end of the city of Rexburg, the structural frame for the Teton River Idaho Temple has reached the height of the steeple pedestal. The temple's single steeple will rise from the center of this platform, topped with a metallic spire and finial. Light-gauge steel framing has also begun for the exterior walls of the building. Rexburg is home to Brigham Young University–Idaho, which has over 20,000 on-campus students.
Photo: Luciano Carvalho
Lighting the Grounds of the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple
The architectural and landscape lighting at the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple creates a dazzling sight at night for passers-by. Lamp posts line the driveway that curves up the hill to the well-lit parking lot between the temple and ancillary building. Most of the landscaping on the grounds has been carried out, and interior finish work is well underway. Construction on the project began over 27 months ago in June 2023.
Photo: Jonathan Hughes
Two Sides of the Anchorage Alaska Temple Clad in Stone
Cladding of the west and north sides of the Anchorage Alaska Temple have been completed, and work is underway on the east side and mechanical level. A bar ditch runs next to the road on the the west side of the property for water detention. A flat-roofed grounds maintenance building has been constructed at the northeast corner of the property. And the existing temple continues to operate at the southeast corner.
Photo: Lane Casper
San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple in Final Stages of Construction
The captivating grounds surrounding the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple have become a beautiful sight, as construction of this house of the Lord reaches its final stages. The monument sign stands on the east end of the property next to a circular planter that features an agave plant at the center. Red clay pavers form the walkways where patrons can stroll among the verdant gardens and feel the peaceful spirit that abides there.
Photo: Charlize Bactong
Grass Established on the Bacolod Philippines Temple Grounds
Vibrant green grass has been established on the grounds of the Bacolod Philippines Temple, lending focus to the cream-colored walls and classical architecture of the temple. On the street side of the building, parking lot entrances and sidewalks were recently installed, and crews are now preparing to pave the road. A beautiful fence surrounds the property, featuring evenly spaced fence posts that coordinate with the temple exterior.
President Russell M. Nelson Leaves a Legacy of Temple Building
During Russell M. Nelson's 7-year, 8-month tenure as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, plans were announced for the construction of 200 new temples, ground was broken for 100 temples, and dedications were held for 49 temples. He also announced plans to renovate the historic pioneer-era temples of the Church. Renovations of the St. George Utah Temple and Manti Utah Temple have been completed. Renovations of the Salt Lake Temple are underway, and renovations of the Logan Utah Temple are anticipated in the near future.
Photo: Kenny Larsen
Construction Getting Underway at the Tampa Florida Temple Site
It's been just over a month since the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Tampa Florida Temple, and plenty of work has been carried out to prepare the property for construction of the temple and meetinghouse. Bulldozers and compactors have leveled the ground and increased its load-bearing capacity. Drilling and excavating equipment will be used for constructing the buildings' foundations.
Photo: Pat Hall
Cupola Installed Atop the Wichita Kansas Temple Tower
The pyramidal cupola and finial were installed atop the Wichita Kansas Temple tower yesterday. A telescoping crane was used to lift and position the charcoal-colored shingled structure into place. The monument sign has been clad in stone panels inscribed with the name of the Church and the name of the temple. Several windows have been installed, and finish work is progressing on the interior.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Ground Broken for the Fairbanks Alaska Temple
"We pray that this site will be a place of protection and spiritual safety," said Elder Peter M. Johnson, First Counselor in the North America West Area Presidency, in his site dedicatory prayer at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Fairbanks Alaska Temple held on Saturday, September 27, 2025. "We ask Thee, Father, to bless the rising generation, even the youth," he prayed, "with an enhanced testimony of Jesus Christ and to take more responsibility for their spiritual conversion as they worship, serve and work in the house of the Lord."
Photo: Michael Bennett
Exterior Cladding Underway at the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple
On the exterior of the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple, most of the surfaces have been sheathed and coated with a vapor barrier, while stone cladding is getting underway on the rear walls of the building. Walkways are being installed around the temple as part of the ongoing work of hardscaping the temple grounds. An ancillary building has also been constructed to house a distribution center and grounds maintenance equipment.
Photo: Bradley Anderson
Construction of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple Nearing Completion
Church members in Papua New Guinea are looking forward with great anticipation to the completion of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple. For many years, participation in temple ordinances has necessitated overseas travel, but that will end once the temple has been dedicated. Plans for the temple were announced six years ago, and construction has been underway for the past two-and-a-half years. Once completed, many of the crews will be relocated to other temple construction projects in the Pacific.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Renovation Progress Inside the Salt Lake Temple
Finish work is well underway on the assembly room inside the Salt Lake Temple. The four spiral staircases have been refurbished, parquet flooring and wainscoting have been installed, and the ceiling details have been completed. The bride's suite has new light fixtures and painted ceiling medallions that reflect the original appearance of the room. The celestial room has been carefully restored, and the sealing rooms feature historically inspired color selections: green in the large rooms, blue in the medium rooms, and yellow in the small rooms.
Photo: Manuel Castro Vergara
Installing the Cornice on the Santiago West Chile Temple
The installation of stone cladding is moving up the exterior walls of the Santiago West Chile Temple, including pieces of the cornice and parapet near the top of the structure. Each piece of stone is designed by computer and then cut and labeled with a number that corresponds to a specific location on the building. If there is a problem with a particular piece, it can easily be manufactured again.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Groundbreaking Held for the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple
Elder Michael A. Dunn, First Counselor in the United States Southwest Area Presidency, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple on Thursday, September 25, 2025. "Help us, as a covenant people, to continue to stand on holy ground, to reach toward heaven even as heaven reaches down to us through this magnificent house of the Lord," said Elder Dunn in his site dedicatory prayer. Plans call for a three-story temple to be constructed on a 20-acre property located near Lone Mountain in Northwest Las Vegas.
Photo: Taliilagivaioaopo AhVan Magalei Pula
Exterior Lighting Operating for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple
The lighting system for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple illuminates the exterior architecture of the building, with its single spire pointing to the heavenly realms. Jesus taught that we are also the temple of God when he posed the question: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16). He taught that we could also be filled with light, saying: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matthew 6:22).
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Idaho's First Temple Turns 80 Years Old
The first temple constructed in the state of Idaho has reached an anniversary milestone. The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, which stands on the beautiful banks of the Snake River, was dedicated 80 years ago. The next temple in Idaho came almost 39 years later when the Boise Idaho Temple was dedicated in 1984. Today, there are six dedicated temples in the state, and the dedication of the seventh will occur in Burley on January 11, 2026. Two more are currently under construction, and another two are in the planning stages.
