News
Photo: Rofelix Media
Grass Added to the Harare Zimbabwe Temple Grounds
The Harare Zimbabwe Temple grounds have been beautified with addition of rich green grass that contrasts beautifully with the temple's light-colored brick exterior. Construction of the temple and its supporting facilities began almost 4 years ago and is drawing closer to completion. It is the first temple to be constructed in the country where members are currently organized into eleven stakes and two districts.
Photo: Tricia Norton
Stained Glass Installed in the Ephraim Utah Temple Tower
Backlighting inside the west tower of the Ephraim Utah Temple illuminates the beautiful geometric shapes and floral details in the stained-glass windows. Over the coming months, more stained glass will be installed in the temple, and stone cladding of the exterior walls will continue. During the cold weather, work will be more focused on the interior, and then landscaping will take off in the spring and summer.
Photo: R Elias Adams
Ancillary Building Roofed at the Querétaro Mexico Temple Site
Reinforced concrete walls are growing taller for the two-story Querétaro Mexico Temple. A tower crane stands at the southeast corner of the temple to lift the concrete forms and bundles of steel that are used to form the building's load-bearing structure. At the rear of the property, the roof deck has been completed for the ancillary building, and portions of the parking areas have been defined.
Photo: TRip ni ToniO
Tower Crane Installed at the Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple Site
Construction activity has been underway at the Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple site since the groundbreaking event was held at the end of August. Massive retaining walls are being installed at the rear of the property, and excavation for the foundation has been carried out. A safety fence has been erected around the excavation pit, and a tower crane has been installed to facilitate the upcoming framing and construction.
Photo: Chris Huston
Landscaping the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple Grounds
Construction continues on the first temple to be built in the Pacific island country of Papua New Guinea in the capital city of Port Moresby. Elements of the hardscape have been installed near the entrance portico, and several trees have been planted on the grounds. Work continues on applying finishes to the concrete block exterior walls of the temple, which stands on a stunning location overlooking Walter Bay.
Photo: Jared Fugal
Statues Being Installed on Temple Square
In the heart of Salt Lake City, Avard Fairbanks’ priesthood restoration statues have been recently returned to Temple Square, and a beautiful new sculpture of the First Vision has been installed. Several sections of Temple Square have been reopened to the public as renovation of the Salt Lake Temple continues. Scaffolding is being removed from the north side of the temple where a sealing room addition will soon be constructed. The temple will have a total of 22 sealing rooms.
Photo: J.H.L. Photography
Furnishing the Farmington New Mexico Temple and Meetinghouse
A moving van was recently spotted at the Farmington New Mexico Temple site, parked next to the meetinghouse. The temple and meetinghouse have been under construction for the past two-and-a-half years and are expected to open next year, though no dates have been announced yet for the open house and dedication. Moving vans are used to deliver furniture and furnishings during the final stages of construction.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Mediation Scheduled for the Proposed McKinney Texas Temple
Representatives for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Town of Fairview are scheduled to enter non-binding mediation early next week over the planned McKinney Texas Temple. The Fairview Town Council denied the Church's application for a conditional use permit in August, saying that the dimensions and lighting of the temple would be "totally out of place" in the community of almost 11,000 residents who value dark skies. Church legal representatives countered, "The town’s staff report correctly concludes that the church meets all legal requirements necessary for approval."
Photo: Mark R Jacobs
Scaffolding Removed from the Montpelier Idaho Temple Steeple
A recent photograph of the Montpelier Idaho Temple shows the recently completed steeple under nighttime lighting. The cupola and stained-glass windows have been added to the newly clad tower, and the pedestal will be completed next. In the foreground is the John A. Bagley House, known locally as the Purple Sage. It is a three-story Queen Anne-style residence built in 1902 with a distinctive octagonal corner tower and original murals.
Photo: Remi
Property Entrance Gates Installed at the Syracuse Utah Temple
Beautifully ornamented wrought-iron gates have been installed at the driveway entrance to the Syracuse Utah Temple site. The temple has entered the final stages of construction, which began almost three-and-a-half years ago. Standing approximately five miles west of I-15 near the West Davis Corridor, it will serve the growing Church membership on the west side of Davis County. The county's other two temples are located east of the interstate.
Photo: Nolen Ryan Alatorre
Another Step Forward for the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple
Construction of the Lone Mountain Nevada Temple in northwest Las Vegas took another step forward on Tuesday when the Las Vegas Planning Commission voted to vacate a city easement on the 17.5-acre temple site to accommodate a drainage line for the project, which was approved by the City Council in July. Both supporters and opponents were in attendance, including members of the Nevada Rural Preservation Alliance who are currently taking legal action against the City of Las Vegas regarding its vote on the temple project.
Photo: Templo de Belo Horizonte Brasil Facebook page
Cladding Moving Up the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple Tower
Orange safety fences have been placed along the edge of the roof of the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple, providing protection to crews who are on the roof regularly to clad the tower in stone. The temple stands in a hilly location of the city enveloped in natural beauty. The temple grounds will be a formal extension of the surrounding nature, featuring colorful flowerbeds and well-groomed trees.
Photo: Kwevira Tokalolo
Building Modules Staged at the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple Site
Staging and installation of the prefabricated modules for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple has begun. The building modules are manufactured at an off-site factory and then shipped to the construction site where they are stitched together and secured to the foundation, forming the interior rooms and walls. The groundbreaking for the temple was held a year and a half ago, so work has been focused on the temple foundation, the ancillary building, and the meetinghouse.
Photo: Darryl May
Framing the Steeple for the Cleveland Ohio Temple
Framing of the central steeple over the Cleveland Ohio Temple is underway with the assistance of a telescoping crane. Exterior cladding panels have been staged on site, and installation is progressing. The use of prefabricated modules has significantly accelerated the construction of the temple, which has been underway for just five-and-a-half months. The temple stands on a beautifully wooded lot in the Cleveland suburb of Independence.
Photo: Greg Farley
Glorious Sunset at the Smithfield Utah Temple
Progress on the hardscape of the Smithfield Utah Temple grounds can be seen in a recent photograph taken during a glorious sunset. Asphalt has been paved for the driveways and parking areas, and black posts have been set for the permanent fencing. Scaffolding has been removed from the south and east sides of the building, which have been clad in beautiful ornamented stone panels. Cladding is progressing around the base of the steeple and at the rear of the building.
Photo: Dani Riding Haskin
Red Skies Behind the Elko Nevada Temple
Deep red skies fill the horizon as the sun sets behind the Elko Nevada Temple. While the vast majority of the building's exterior and landscaping have been finished, there is still a good deal of work to be done on the interior, which is about 70 percent complete. The temple can be seen from many parts of the Ruby Valley, especially from Interstate 80.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Artistic Rendering of the San Jose California Temple Revealed
An artistic rendering of the San Jose California Temple was released today. The 30,000-square-foot temple and an accompanying distribution center will be constructed on a 4.73-acre parcel located at 771 West Fremont Avenue in Sunnyvale, California. Plans for the temple are still being finalized for submission to local government agencies. No groundbreaking date has been announced.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Groundbreaking Date Released for the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple
Elder Mathias Held, First Counselor in the North America Northeast Area Presidency, will preside at the groundbreaking event for the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The temple will be constructed on a 10.5-acre property located at 2400 Forest Hill Avenue SE in Grand Rapids. Plans call for a single-story building of approximately 20,000 square feet. An updated exterior rendering has also been released, showing a redesigned tower that sits over the temple entrance.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Open House and Dedication Announced for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple
An open house for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple will begin with a news conference held on Monday, April 28, 2025, followed by two days of tours for invited guests. The public is invited to tour the newly constructed house of the Lord from Thursday, May 1, through Saturday, May 17, 2025. The temple will be dedicated by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time. The dedicatory session will be broadcast to all units in the temple district.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
President Nelson Dedicates the 200th Temple at Age 100
President Russell M. Nelson, at age 100, dedicated the Deseret Peak Utah Temple on Sunday afternoon, November 10, 2024. "When I was born," he said, "there were just six operating temples in the Church. The Deseret Peak Temple will be the 200th in the world. Just think of it!…The Lord is truly hastening His work." President Nelson was joined by his wife, Wendy, and Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Lesa. President Nelson encouraged the members by saying, "I hope that our members in the Deseret Peak temple district will not just treasure the addition of a beautiful building to their community but will arrange their lives so that they worship and serve in the House of the Lord as regularly as possible."
Photo: Jonathan Hughes
Snow Covers the Anchorage Alaska Temple Site
Winter snow has arrived at the Anchorage Alaska Temple construction site where work continues on building the structural walls of the new temple. Once crews have enclosed the structure, heating equipment will be used to create a more comfortable working environment on the interior. The stake center that once stood where the temple is rising was demolished in late February and early March of this year. Construction of the new temple began shortly afterward.
Photo: Yorba Linda California Temple Friends Facebook page
Progress Inside the Yorba Linda California Temple
Interior framing has been completed for the Yorba Linda California Temple, and work continues on wiring, plumbing, and installing ductwork for the heating and cooling system. Millwork for the ceilings of the celestial and sealing rooms are almost finished, and tiling on the walls and floors is getting started. On the exterior, the marble and granite cladding is well over halfway finished, and clear glass has been installed in all of the window openings. Stained glass will be installed behind the clear glass in the future.
Photo: SkyscraperCity Bacolod
Cladding the Bacolod Philippines Temple Tower
Stone cladding of the Bacolod Philippines Temple is growing closer to completion, as cladding panels progress up the steeple. Along the top of the parapet walls, several urns have been installed as decorative architectural elements. The temple stands on Bacolod Airport Access Road, a highly traveled roadway that leads from Bacolod to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport.
Photo: Brent R.
Work Progressing on Both Steeples of the Lindon Utah Temple
Crates of granite panels have been lifted to the roof of the Lindon Utah Temple in preparation for cladding the north and south steeples. On the east side of the building, scaffolding has been removed, decorative spandrel panels have been installed, and planters are taking shape on the ground. Landscaping of the front plaza is making substantial progress while some trees and shrubs have been planted in the rear plaza area.
Photo: Brent Molen
Cladding the South Side of the Fort Worth Texas Temple
On the south side of the Fort Worth Texas Temple, stone masons are making progress on cladding the exterior of the holy edifice. Construction, which has been underway for just over a year, is moving forward quickly. Next to the temple, a meetinghouse has been wood framed, and the exterior is being weatherproofed. The driveway apron and curbing have been poured.
Photo: Ruben
Modules and Windows Installed for the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple
Prefabricated modules have been installed on the foundation for the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple, located approximately 265 miles (426 kilometers) northwest of Mexico City. Glass windows have been installed in the openings, enclosing the structure and allowing interior finish work to move forward. Construction on the project began 8 months ago with a groundbreaking ceremony held in March.
Photo: Gabriel Mirah
Exterior Floodlighting of the Nairobi Kenya Temple Operational
The floodlighting system for the Nairobi Kenya Temple is operational, creating a beacon of light in this metropolitan area of over 5 million children of God. Near the end of His ministry, Jesus Christ taught: "Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light."
Photo: Rachel Smith Anderson
Scaffolding Erected Around the Willamette Valley Oregon Temple Tower
Scaffolding has been erected around the steeple frame of the Willamette Valley Oregon Temple in preparation for sheathing and stone cladding. Cladding of the main body of the temple is underway and will continue over the coming months. Plans to construct the temple were announced at the April 2021 general conference. The groundbreaking was held two years ago at the end of October 2022.
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Groundbreaking Event Held for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple
"Today’s breaking of the ground is symbolic of planting a giant coconut or breadfruit seed. It will produce the greatest harvest we have seen or can conceive for generations to come," said Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, General Authority Seventy, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple on Saturday, November 2, 2024. He warmly greeted His Excellency Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati and First Lady Madam Teiraeng Maamau who were in attendance. The proceedings were broadcast live to meetinghouses, allowing all members to participate. Elder Jaggi promised, "The temple that will be built in this spot will provide great protection from the storms of life."
Photo: Google
Missoula Montana Temple Site Location Revealed
The site location for the Missoula Montana Temple has been revealed as a 5.08-acre site located at the corner of Old Bitterroot Road and Lower Miller Creek Road on the southern side of Missoula. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 19,000 square feet with an accompanying ancillary building. It will be the third temple built in Montana. Detailed design plans continue. No rendering has been released, and no groundbreaking date has been scheduled.
