https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/news/ Receive news, events, and construction updates on the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. en-us © 2026, ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org 60 https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/assets/img/churchofjesuschristtemples.png https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:17:55 -0600 Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:17:55 -0600 The spire was lifted into place this morning atop the tower frame of the Winchester Virginia Temple, marking a significant milestone in construction of the temple's prominent central feature. A crane positioned the tall, tapered spire above the scaffolded tower, completing the temple's distinctive silhouette. Installation of stone cladding is progressing along the main walls of the classically designed building.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/winchester-virginia-temple/photographs/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:17:55 -0600 Stone cladding is progressing across the exterior of the Lethbridge Alberta Temple, with the west side substantially covered and installation now advancing along the north side. Site improvements are also taking shape with the installation of concrete elements for the entrance plaza, including planting beds. On the west side, curbing has been added for additional parking. The temple’s tower remains surrounded by scaffolding, while the spire stands on a nearby staging pad.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lethbridge-alberta-temple/photographs/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:01:57 -0600 Framed by brilliant autumn foliage and the snow-capped Chugach Mountains, the Anchorage Alaska Temple has entered the final months of construction. Landscaped planting beds have been established around the building, with young trees, shrubs, and other plantings taking shape across the grounds. Asphalt paving has been completed across much of the parking areas and drives, while interior finish work progresses. The original temple will continue to operate on the southeast corner of the property until March 22, 2027, when it will close permanently in preparation for demolition. An open house for the new temple is scheduled to follow in May.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/anchorage-alaska-temple/photographs/ Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:07:51 -0600 The first episode of the new video series “Dedicate” has been released, as part of the global Salt Lake Temple Celebration. A premiere screening was held at the Legacy Theater on Temple Square yesterday. “Dedicate” follows seven young adults from Brazil, France, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines and the United States as they explore the Salt Lake Temple, meet with Church leaders and navigate questions of faith, purpose and spiritual growth. They share personal experiences as they deepen their understanding of temples and strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/salt-lake-temple/photographs/ Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:48:18 -0600 Excavation for the foundation of the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple is underway, with crews carving out the footprint of the future house of the Lord. Broad areas of the 18.6-acre property have been graded, while deeper excavation is visible near the center of the site. The construction follows last month's groundbreaking ceremony. A meetinghouse and grounds maintenance building will also be built on the property.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/colorado-springs-colorado-temple/photographs/ Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:43:31 -0600 Preliminary utility and infrastructure work to support the future Yuma Arizona Temple will begin soon, following approvals from the City of Yuma. The approvals allow the Church to begin initial preparation work on the nearly 7-acre site, located at the corner of East 36th Street and South 8 East Avenue in Yuma. This includes grading and the installation of underground utility infrastructure such as water, sewer and electrical service connections to the city’s existing systems. Design work on the temple continues, and a date for an official groundbreaking ceremony has not yet been announced.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/yuma-arizona-temple/photographs/ Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:01:03 -0600 The Fairbanks Alaska Temple is taking shape rapidly as exterior cladding panels are installed across the structure, including the steeple. The accelerated progress reflects the temple's modular construction. The exterior finishes are beginning to conceal the structural framing and establish the building's finished appearance. Construction is also progressing on the meetinghouse and ancillary building that share the property, where roofing is now underway.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/fairbanks-alaska-temple/photographs/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:19:21 -0600 Construction of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple is taking shape as prefabricated modules are anchored to the completed foundation. The foundation has established the footprint of the 10,000-square-foot building, while the modules are defining its structure. Foundations for the temple’s ancillary structures are also in place. The temple is rising alongside an existing Church meetinghouse on Lalana Général Andrimahazo in Antananarivo.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/antananarivo-madagascar-temple/photographs/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:04:15 -0600 Set against the beautiful skyline of Ribeirão Preto, landscaping and site improvements are nearing completion at the Ribeirão Preto Brazil Temple, where the stone-clad exterior and central spire rise above the surrounding grounds. Palm trees, ornamental plantings, and freshly maintained lawns frame the temple, while paved parking areas and walkways establish access around the building. Parking lot striping has been added as crews complete the final site details, while interior finish work progresses toward completion.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/ribeirao-preto-brazil-temple/photographs/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:57:37 -0600 Following five and a half hours of deliberation that extended late into the evening, the Sunnyvale Planning Commission approved with conditions plans for the proposed Sunnyvale California Temple on Monday, September 28, 2026. The approval grants a use permit for construction of the 38,805-square-foot temple, along with two accessory structures measuring 1,422 and 2,330 square feet at the rear of the property. Commissioners also granted a variance allowing the temple’s steeple and spire to reach 129 feet—89 feet above the city’s 40-foot building-height limit.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/sunnyvale-california-temple/photographs/ Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:21:09 -0600 Church membership in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to grow, with 49 stakes and 13 districts currently organized throughout the country, all within the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple district. Construction of the country’s second temple, the Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple, will bring temple blessings closer to members living in the southern regions of the country. Two more temples have been announced for the cities of Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lubumbashi-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-temple/photographs/ Fri, 02 Oct 2026 23:36:14 -0600 Work is taking place around the main entrance of the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple, where the tiered tower rises above the entrance portico. Scaffolding surrounds the tower in preparation for the installation of stone cladding. In front of the building, crews are constructing the large elliptical entrance plaza, with curved planter walls and underground heating tubes beginning to define the approach to the temple. Landscaping and site development are also progressing around the building, while interior finishing work continues inside.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/grand-rapids-michigan-temple/photographs/ Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:42:51 -0600 Additional reservations for the Salt Lake Temple Open House Tour become available today at 6:00 p.m. to accommodate as many visitors as possible during the six-month celebration from April to October 2027. Visitors are encouraged to visit TempleSquare.org, download the Temple Square app, and subscribe to the Temple Square email list. The theme of the celebration is "Rejoice in Christ" and will include the open house tour, exhibits, performances, films, service opportunities and other experiences centered on the Savior of the world.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/salt-lake-temple/photographs/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:35:36 -0600 Set against the wooded hills of Budapest, construction of the Budapest Hungary Temple is advancing. Crews have added sheathing to the steeple frame, giving the tower greater definition as it rises above the temple roofline. The temple’s reinforced concrete structural walls are in place, establishing the form of the sacred edifice. With two cranes serving the site, work continues on the temple structure.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/budapest-hungary-temple/photographs/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 16:51:20 -0600 Following the removal of its scaffolding, the completed steeple of the Kaohsiung Taiwan Temple rises prominently above the construction site, exhibiting its light-colored stone cladding and ornamental grilles. Scaffolding and green debris netting remain around the main body of the temple as crews complete the exterior finishes. Additional cladding panels are staged around the property as exterior work progresses on the temple and ancillary buildings.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kaohsiung-taiwan-temple/photographs/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 16:34:26 -0600 Freshly planted trees and expanses of new sod are beginning to transform the grounds in front of the Teton River Idaho Temple. Crews planted trees earlier this month and, on September 21, laid sod around them, establishing the first elements of the temple’s future landscaping. Work on the grounds is progressing alongside construction of the temple and other buildings planned for the 16.6-acre property, including a stake center.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/teton-river-idaho-temple/photographs/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:26:04 -0600 Crews are pouring the final curbing around the parking areas at the Lehi Utah Temple site, bringing the property closer to receiving its first layer of asphalt. The paving will establish access and staging areas in preparation for construction of the meetinghouse and temple. At the front of the property, forms are being removed from a large retaining wall that will support a future viewing area overlooking the valley and Utah Lake.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lehi-utah-temple/photographs/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:56:59 -0600 Victor Phillip Patrick and Elizabeth Fletcher Patrick of the Tampa Florida Stake have been called as president and matron of the Orlando Florida Temple, which has been closed for renovation for since July 2024. President Patrick is a Sunday School teacher and temple preparation instructor and former Area Seventy, Canada Montreal Mission president, stake president and bishop. Sister Patrick is a music chairman and temple preparation instructor and former mission president companion, stake Primary presidency counselor, ward Relief Society president, ward Primary president and seminary teacher.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/orlando-florida-temple/photographs/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:48:40 -0600 Glendon Lyons Castillo and Guadalupe Ochoa López de Lyons of the Querétaro México Stake have been called as president and matron of the Querétaro Mexico Temple. President Lyons is a Mexico Area executive secretary and former Area Seventy, Perú Lima East Mission president, stake president, bishop, branch president and elders quorum president, and served as a missionary in the Guatemala-El Salvador Mission. Sister Lyons is a Mexico Area assistant executive secretary and former stake Young Women president, ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women president, ward Primary president and temple ordinance worker, and served as a missionary in the Monterrey México Mission.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/queretaro-mexico-temple/photographs/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:39:40 -0600 The location for the Otavalo Ecuador Temple has been announced as a 6.05-acre property located on the northeast corner of Calle Bolívar and Calle Abya Yala in Otavalo, near the stake center for the Otavalo Ecuador Imbabura Stake. Plans call for a temple of approximately 18,850 square feet. It will be the third temple constructed in the country, joining the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple (1999) and the Quito Ecuador Temple (2022).

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/otavalo-ecuador-temple/photographs/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:19:13 -0600 The groundbreaking ceremony for the Cuernavaca Mexico Temple will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2026. Elder Moisés Villanueva, General Authority Seventy, will preside at the event. The temple will rise on a 5.36-acre site at the southeast corner of Calle Hernán Cortes and Calle Santa Prisca in the Colonia Vista Hermosa neighborhood of Cuernavaca. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 19,000 square feet.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/cuernavaca-mexico-temple/photographs/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:01:32 -0600 On September 15, the "Jesus Christ with Mary and Martha" statue was installed on Temple Square, joining ten other new statues. A twelfth statue, "Jesus Christ Blessing the Children," will be installed later. Temple Square will be open to the public for the upcoming general conference from State Street to West Temple. Visitors can walk the grounds and admire the beautiful landscapes and statues. The 196th Semiannual General Conference will be held October 3–4, 2026.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/salt-lake-temple/photographs/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:42:49 -0600 Excavation is well underway for the partial basement of the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple, where crews are also installing below-grade plumbing and drainage lines. Heavy equipment continues to move soil and prepare additional areas for concrete work, while materials and construction supplies are being staged throughout the site. The temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held last month, with Elder Pedro X. Larreal presiding.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/tulsa-oklahoma-temple/photographs/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:16:13 -0600 The Freetown Sierra Leone Temple is nearing completion, with the building and surrounding grounds presenting beautifully. The light-beige stone exterior is complete, including the central tower and its faceted cupola and finial, while mature palms and newly established landscaping frame the entrance. Interlocking pavers have been installed across the driveways and parking areas, and crews are completing final details on the interior and across the site.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/freetown-sierra-leone-temple/photographs/ Sun, 27 Sep 2026 09:46:03 -0600 Extensive excavation and foundation work is underway at the site of the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple. Deep trenches and excavated areas define the footprint of the temple, while crews install reinforcing steel for the reinforced-concrete foundation and walls. Temporary safety fencing surrounds the active work areas, and construction continues across the site under nighttime lighting.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/huehuetenango-guatemala-temple/photographs/ Sat, 26 Sep 2026 11:24:06 -0600 The first signs of construction are beginning to transform the site of the future Coeur d'Alene Idaho Temple. What was once an open property is now an active construction site, marked by orange safety fencing, new construction signage, staged materials, and the placement of a welcome center. Crews have begun the essential groundwork for the project, including excavation and installation of water and drainage systems.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/coeur-d'alene-idaho-temple/photographs/ Sat, 26 Sep 2026 11:18:14 -0600 Granite cladding is bringing the exterior of the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple closer to its finished appearance, with skilled stone masons installing panels across the upper floors on the south side of the building. Work has progressed between the large arched windows and has also begun around the base of the tower. Golden window headers crown the tops of the tall arched windows spanning the second and third floors. At the rear of the temple, sidewalks are being poured between the exterior stairways as landscape and hardscape improvements take shape.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/provo-utah-rock-canyon-temple/photographs/ Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:47:29 -0600 A gleaming new detail has appeared high above the Querétaro Mexico Temple, drawing the eye to the top of its central tower. Crews have installed the gold finial and lantern assembly atop the blue patterned dome, adding a distinctive finishing accent to the temple’s silhouette. The crowning feature marks a significant step as the exterior nears completion, while finish work continues inside the temple and landscaping progresses across the surrounding grounds.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/queretaro-mexico-temple/photographs/ Fri, 25 Sep 2026 15:20:16 -0600 Photorealistic renderings of the Wellington New Zealand Temple were prepared by Virtual View in collaboration with Rough Milne Mitchell Landscape Architects to support the project’s resource consent during the approval process for the temple’s construction. The daytime and nighttime views depict the planned temple, landscaping, and exterior lighting. With the majority of the structural framing now complete, the temple is beginning to take shape as envisioned in the renderings.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/wellington-new-zealand-temple/photographs/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:53:26 -0600 Tilt-up precast-concrete walls now define much of the lower profile of the João Pessoa Brazil Temple. Steel framing is being assembled across the upper portion of the building, establishing the structural framework for the temple’s single central steeple. A tower crane supports the ongoing structural work, while additional foundation and site work continues on the ancillary building across from the temple. The temple is prominently taking shape along the busy roadways bordering the property.

]]> https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/joao-pessoa-brazil-temple/photographs/ Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:14:08 -0600