News
Groundbreaking Postponed for the Salta Argentina Temple
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Salta Argentina Temple, which was anticipated to take place this Saturday, has been rescheduled for Friday, October 9, 2020. The decision to delay the event by two months was made in response the current impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The temple will be the third to be constructed in Argentina. Two more temples have been announced for the cities of Mendoza and Bahía Blanca.
Richmond Virginia Temple Basement Walls
Concrete has been poured for the walls of a small basement area on the rear side of the Richmond Virginia Temple where the baptismal font will stand. Having a partial basement allows for the top of the font to be level with the main floor and provides access for font maintenance. The baptistry will be located on the main floor, just beneath the second-floor Celestial Room.
More Temples to Enter Phase 2 on August 17
Seventeen more temples will enter Phase 2 on Monday, August 17, including several—but not all—temples in Utah. These temples are expected to be very busy, so ordinance work will be scheduled on a priority basis by appointment only. Numerous precautions will be followed including a mask requirement, a limited number of patrons, social distancing, temperature checks, and strict sanitization practices. A total of 29 temples will have entered Phase 2, which allows for all living ordinances. Three more temples will enter Phase 1 on August 17, bringing the total number of reopened temples to 130.
Temples Through Time Video Presentation
Watch the Temples Through Time video presentation created by Church headquarters to hear the perspectives of scholars, ministers, people of faith, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share thoughts about temples, old and modern, and how they connect people with heaven.
Brasília Brazil Temple Groundbreaking Announced
The First Presidency has announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the Brasília Brazil Temple will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2020. The president of the Brazil Area, Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella, will preside at the event. Attendance at the temple site is by invitation only. The 25,000-square-foot temple will be built on a six-acre site near an arm of Paranoá Lake along with an accommodation center and meetinghouse.
Groundbreaking Announced for San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple
The First Presidency has announced that the groundbreaking ceremony for the San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2020. Elder José Bernardo Hernandez Orellana, a member of the Area Seventy, will preside. Attendance at the temple site is by invitation only. The temple will be constructed in the northwest section of the city on Bulevar Mario Catarino Rivas.
Grading the Feather River California Temple Site
Construction of the Feather River California Temple, located in Yuba City, began the week following the weekend groundbreaking for the temple and stake center held on July 18. Grading equipment is building up and leveling the ground according to specifications, and excavation for the foundations is expected to begin shortly. Watch the latest drone video of the construction site.
Repeal of Rezoning Sought for Residential Development in Erda
Over 1,600 of the required 2,445 signatures have been gathered and verified on petitions for a referendum to repeal the rezoning approved by Tooele County commissioners for the subdivision proposed for the Tooele Valley Utah Temple and a surrounding higher-density planned community. Petition sponsors emphasize that they are not against the temple but that they would like to retain the low-density one-acre zoning. If enough signatures are gathered, however, it could delay construction for at least a year since June 2021 is the earliest time that the rezoning could be placed on a ballot. The outcome of that vote could ultimately alter plans for the temple and the surrounding development.
Activity at the Brasília Brazil Temple Site
Heavy equipment has arrived at the Brasília Brazil Temple site to carry out a variety of preliminary construction activities. The ground is being cleared of vegetation, leveled, and compacted to prepare for the building of the temple, a meetinghouse, and an accommodation center. No groundbreaking date has been announced, but the official exterior rendering was released about five months ago.
A View from Above of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
The day following the installation of the angel Moroni, the beautiful Winnipeg Manitoba Temple was captured from the perspective of a drone, showing the progress on all sides of the building. The brickwork has nearly been completed, and roof work continues. The flyover also gives a good view of the attractive landscaping including the curved walkways and the garden areas around the perimeter. Watch the video.
Installing the Roof Deck for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple
The steel framework for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple continues to rise at an impressive rate with crews attaching the roof deck to the highest beams of the structure. The windowed base of the tower will sit over the square-shaped opening in the center of the temple. Framing for the exterior walls and roof of the meetinghouse is nearly finished with framing underway on the interior.
Excavation for Layton Utah Temple Foundation Completed
Earth-moving crews have finished excavating for the foundation of the Layton Utah Temple, and rebar has been set for the first footings to be poured. An underground water detention basin was constructed in recent weeks using massive culverts that were set in place and backfilled. The temple will be the second constructed in Davis County, joining the Bountiful Utah Temple. An official site announcement is awaited for county's third temple, the Syracuse Utah Temple.
Bangkok Thailand Temple Baptismal Font
After a year of constructing a solid pile foundation and underground parking structure for the Bangkok Thailand Temple, work is now reaching above ground level. Floor slabs have been poured for the west side of the temple and for the multipurpose church facility being constructed to the north. Columns of rebar rising above the floor slabs will be part of the buildings' structural framing. Concrete forms have also been set for the structural support of the baptismal font, located in the basement level of the temple.
Contents of the Salt Lake Temple Time Capsule
Two days after the removal of the capstone from the Salt Lake Temple, the First Presidency witnessed the opening of the time capsule on May 20, 2020, from the loading dock of the Church History Library. Since then, conservation experts have carefully catalogued the capsule's severely water-damaged contents. "We did not expect to find much because we knew that the contents of the capstone had not been insulated from the weather during the 128 years that had elapsed," said President Russell M. Nelson. "But we wanted to be there anyway, just to be close and to pay tribute to the leaders and courageous pioneer craftsman who against all odds built this magnificent temple."
Angel Moroni Added to the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple
Following an unsuccessful attempt on July 15, Saints are rejoicing at the installation of the angel Moroni statue today atop the spire of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple under beautiful blue skies. The event comes less than three months before a public open house is scheduled to begin on October 22, 2020, and continue through October 31. Construction is nearing completion with interior finish work well underway and a little brickwork and roof work remaining on the exterior.
Main Street Makeover in Mesa, Arizona
The renovation of the Mesa Arizona Temple grounds is also a stunning upgrade for Downtown Mesa's Main Street. Where there was once a simple sidewalk, grass lawn, and visitors' center that obstructed a view of the temple; there is a now a wide paver-style sidewalk bordered by elongated stone planter boxes with ornate accents and a backdrop of a double row of palm trees. An opening in the trees provides a direct view of the temple and a staircase welcomes visitors to roam the immaculate setting. The July drone video showcases the latest additions and includes some close-ups of the historic friezes.
Two More Phase 1 Reopenings Announced
Two additional temples will reopen under Phase 1 on Monday, August 3, 2020, including the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple in Central Africa and the Córdoba Argentina Temple in South America. That brings the total number of reopened temples to 127. The majority of temples that remain closed are located in Latin America.
50th Anniversary of the Tokyo Japan Stake
Renovation continues on the Tokyo Japan Temple in the 50th anniversary year of the organization of the Tokyo Japan Stake. It was the first stake in Asia, established on March 15, 1970. Five years later, President Spencer W. Kimball announced plans for the Tokyo Japan Temple at an area conference held on August 9, 1975. Once the prophet's words were spoken by the interpreter, the congregation broke into spontaneous applause. They lifted their hands high in support of the proposal and wiped away tears of gratitude.
Structural Framing Continues for St. George Utah Temple Annex
A host of auxiliary functions will be housed in the extensive annex under construction next to the St. George Utah Temple, leaving the temple for the performance of ordinance work. The rest of the foundation walls have been poured for the annex, and structural steel is being set in place. Also visible are shear walls and an elevator shaft. A beautiful entrance plaza will be created in front of the annex, welcoming patrons who will walk across 400 South from the parking lot.
Scaffolding Added Around the Pocatello Idaho Temple Spire
During the month of July, crews assembled scaffolding around the spire of the Pocatello Idaho Temple to prepare for sheathing, cladding, and installation of the angel Moroni statue. A gap in the sheathing on the front side of the temple has now been completed with installation of granite cladding making its way around the rear side toward the front. Concrete planter boxes have been poured for the patron plaza on the north, and trees continue to be planted across the grounds.
Twelve Phase 2 Temple Reopenings Announced
On Monday, July 27, three additional temples will reopen under Phase 1 (for a total of 125), and twelve previously reopened temples will move to Phase 2—the first Phase 2 reopenings since all temples were temporarily closed in March. Phase 1 permits living husband-and-wife sealings while Phase 2 permits all living ordinances. A related message was also released from the First Presidency today stating: "With a concern for all and a desire to enhance the temple learning experience, recent changes have been authorized to the temple endowment ceremony. Given the sacredness of the temple ceremonies, we ask our members and friends not to engage in speculation or public discussion about these changes."
Cupola Installed on Yigo Guam Temple Tower
The stately tower that rises over the entrance to the Yigo Guam Temple has recently been topped by a beautiful ribbed cupola. The exterior walls of the temple have been sealed, and the window openings have been boarded to enclose the structure. It is the first temple to be constructed in the vast region of Micronesia, comprising thousands of islands in the western Pacific Ocean.
Ground Broken for the Feather River California Temple
Elder Paul H. Watkins, Area Seventy, presided at a small groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, July 18, 2020, for the Feather River California Temple. Attendance was limited by COVID-19 social guidelines. In his site dedicatory prayer, Elder Watkins prayed, "As the temple foundation is poured, and the walls are placed, and the roof is formed, let us all revitalize our foundational faith in apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being our chief cornerstone." A video of the service will be publicly released in the next few days.
Pavers Installed at Entrance to Vernal Utah Temple
Hard landscaping continues for the expanded parking lot of the Vernal Utah Temple including a large circular element and four smaller rectangular elements in the center island. Reddish pavers have been installed around the main entrance to the temple and in the courtyard area. A solid fence has gone up between the parking lot and the residences to the north. A concrete slab has also been poured for a new monument sign that will be located at the southwest corner of the property.
Concrete Work Continues at the Hamilton New Zealand Temple
The concrete crew has been hard at work at the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, having progressed from the car park on the rear side of the building around to the front side of the property. Curbing, sidewalks, stairs, and planters have all been poured over the past several weeks. Scaffolding still surrounds the visitors' center, which is also being refurbished as part of the renovation.
Aerial Photograph of the Quito Ecuador Temple
A bird's-eye view of the Quito Ecuador Temple construction site shows the clean and professional working environment maintained by the general contractor. The main entrance to the temple faces toward the L-shaped housing facility where several crew members are working on the scaffolding along the rear side of the building. Work has been progressing inside the temple ever since it was enclosed several months ago.
Activity at the Orem Utah Temple Site
Heavy equipment has been clearing the land where the Orem Utah Temple and an adjoining meetinghouse will stand. A residence that stood at the corner of the property has been also been razed in preparation for September's groundbreaking ceremony. The temple will be the sixth constructed in Utah County.
Groundbreaking Committee Formed for the Tooele Valley Utah Temple
A groundbreaking committee that has been organized for the Tooele Valley Utah Temple is preparing for a ceremony at the end of August, but a referendum by Tooele County residents could delay the service or even alter plans for the temple according to Church officials interviewed by the Tooele Transcript Bulletin. If enough signatures are gathered to place the rezoning for the temple development on a ballot, the groundbreaking will be delayed for certain. The outcome of that potential vote could ultimately alter construction plans.
Concrete Frame for Praia Cabo Verde Temple
The concrete frame for the Praia Cabo Verde Temple has been poured and cured, and the crew is now setting concrete blocks to form the exterior walls of the building. While those supporting walls are constructed, metal posts are being used to hold the weight of the ceiling. A wing on the west side of the temple is visible in the accompanying photograph.
Construction Moving Forward on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
On June 16, 2020, quarantine restrictions for the province of Pangasinan—where the Urdaneta Philippines Temple is located—were eased from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), allowing all public and private construction projects to proceed under proper social distancing and safety guidelines. Crews have been back at work continuing with the structural framing for the temple and adjacent housing facility.
