President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced plans to build 20 new temples throughout the world. They will be constructed in the following locations:
- Oslo, Norway
- Brussels, Belgium
- Vienna, Austria
- Kumasi, Ghana
- Beira, Mozambique
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Cali, Colombia
- Querétaro, Mexico
- Torreón, Mexico
- Helena, Montana
- Casper, Wyoming
- Grand Junction, Colorado
- Farmington, New Mexico
- Burley, Idaho
- Eugene, Oregon
- Elko, Nevada
- Yorba Linda, California
- Smithfield, Utah
This is the second-highest number of temples announced at one time in the history of the Church. At the April 1998 general conference, former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) announced plans to construct as many as 32 new temples, though he did not list specific locations.
President Nelson’s announcement today of 20 new temples and their locations is not unique simply because of the historic number with specific locations. The prophet has now announced 69 new temples in the three years he has served as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Church of Jesus Christ now has 251 temples announced, under construction or operating.
Read more about the Church in each of the 20 new temple locations below.
Oslo, Norway
This will be the first temple for Norway, which is home to about 5,000 Latter-day Saints. Oslo, Norway’s capital, sits on the country’s southern coast. The Book of Mormon was translated into Danish in 1850 — the first language other than English. Because the Norwegian and Danish languages share similarities, the Danish version of the Book of Mormon was used in early missionary efforts in Norway. The first missionaries arrived in Norway in 1851 and the first two congregations were organized in July 1852. In the Nordic countries, the Church also has temples in Helsinki, Finland; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Stockholm, Sweden.
Brussels, Belgium
About 7,000 Latter-day Saints in a dozen congregations reside in Belgium. The Brussels Belgium Temple will be the Church’s first temple in Belgium. Brussels, a major international center, is the European country’s capital. A convert from Turkey was the first member to arrive in Belgium in 1888. Missionaries laboring in Switzerland and Germany were also sent to Belgium, and the first chapels built for French-speaking members in Europe were completed in the 1930s. There are now more than a dozen temples in Europe.
Vienna, Austria
Vienna is the capital of Austria and its most populous city. It is also home to about 5,000 Latter-day Saints. This will be the Church’s first temple in Austria, which is considered one of central Europe’s cultural and economic centers. Orson Hyde, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, visited Austria in 1841. More than 20 years later, Apostle Orson Pratt and missionary William W. Ritter arrived in Austria to begin missionary work. Austria granted official government recognition to the Church in September 1955.
Kumasi, Ghana
There are nearly 90,000 Latter-day Saints spread throughout 328 congregations in Ghana. With its beautiful variety of flowers and plants, Kumasi is known as the “Garden City,” located in the rainforest region of Ghana. The Kumasi Ghana Temple will be the second temple in the country; the first is the Accra Ghana Temple, dedicated in 2004. Missionary work began in the country in May 1970.
Beira, Mozambique
This will be the first temple in Mozambique. The country has more than 15,000 Latter-day Saints and more than 40 congregations. Beira, a city of more than half a million people, is a central Mozambique coastal city adjacent to the Indian Ocean. Missionary work began in this country in early 1999.
Cape Town, South Africa
About 69,000 Latter-day Saints worship in nearly 195 congregations in South Africa. Cape Town is located on the shore of Table Bay. This will be the third temple in the country; the other temples in South Africa are the Johannesburg South Africa Temple and the Durban South Africa Temple. The first missionaries arrived in South Africa in 1853, and the first meetinghouse was built in Mowbray in 1916.
Singapore, Republic of Singapore
This will be the first temple in Singapore, which is home to more than 3,000 Latter-day Saints and seven congregations. Singapore (officially the Republic of Singapore) is a sovereign island city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. Missionary work began in Singapore in 1968.
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Brazil is home to over 1.4 million Latter-day Saints spread throughout more than 2,100 congregations. Belo Horizonte, the sixth largest city in Brazil, is considered the economic hub of the country. The first known member of the Church to live in Brazil emigrated from Germany in 1913. In 1986, Brazil became the third country outside the United States to have 50 organized stakes (a group of congregations). The temple in Belo Horizonte will be the 13th announced temple for Brazil, with dedicated temples located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife and São Paulo. There is also a temple completed and preparing to be dedicated in Rio de Janeiro; temples under construction in Belem and Brasilia; and temples announced for Salvador and East São Paulo.
Cali, Colombia
The Cali Colombia Temple will be the country’s third temple. Colombia is home to around 210,000 Latter-day Saints in nearly 250 congregations. The Bogotá Colombia Temple was dedicated in 1999 and the Barranquilla Colombia Temple was dedicated in 2018. Missionary work began in Colombia in 1966. The first members of the Church to live in Columbia settled in Cali and Bogotá. Cali is the second-largest city in Colombia.
Querétaro, Mexico
This will be Mexico‘s 15th temple. Querétaro (officially known as Santiago de Querétaro) is a city about 135 miles northwest of Mexico City in the state of Querétaro in central Mexico. Querétaro has a population of about 1 million residents. The other temples in Mexico include the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, Guadalajara Mexico Temple, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple, Mérida Mexico Temple, Mexico City Mexico Temple, Monterrey Mexico Temple, Oaxaca Mexico Temple, Puebla Mexico Temple, Tampico Mexico Temple, Tijuana Mexico Temple, Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple, Torreón Mexico Temple, Veracruz Mexico Temple and Villahermosa Mexico Temple. The country is home to approximately 1.5 million Latter-day Saints, more than any other country outside the United States, and more than 1,800 congregations. Missionary work began in Mexico in 1875.
Torreón, Mexico
This will be Mexico‘s 16th temple. Torreón is a city in the Mexican state of Coahuila, with a population of about 735,000 people. The other temples in Mexico include the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, Guadalajara Mexico Temple, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple, Mérida Mexico Temple, Mexico City Mexico Temple, Monterrey Mexico Temple, Oaxaca Mexico Temple, Puebla Mexico Temple, Querétaro Mexico Temple, Tampico Mexico Temple, Tijuana Mexico Temple, Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple, Veracruz Mexico Temple and Villahermosa Mexico Temple.The country is home to approximately 1.5 million Latter-day Saints, more than any other country outside the United States, and more than 1,800 congregations. Missionary work began in Mexico in 1875.
Helena, Montana, United States
Montana, located in north central United States and bordering Canada, is home to more than 50,000 Latter-day Saints and around 125 congregations. The Helena Montana Temple will be the second temple for the state. The first is the Billings Montana Temple, which was dedicated in November 1999.
Casper, Wyoming, United States
One in every nine residents of Wyoming, or approximately 68,000 people, claim membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This will be the state’s second temple; the Star Valley Wyoming Temple was dedicated in 2016. Wyoming has a significant place in the history of the Church because pioneers traveled across this state in their westward migration to Utah, primarily from the 1840s to the 1860s. Casper is located in east central Wyoming.
Grand Junction, Colorado, United States
Colorado, in the Intermountain West of the United States, is home to over 150,000 Latter-day Saints and around 310 congregations. The first mission of the Church in Colorado was established in 1896 and the first official congregation was formed only a year later in January 1897. The Grand Junction Colorado Temple will be the third for the state. Temples already in operation in Colorado are the Denver Colorado Temple and the Fort Collins Colorado Temple.
Farmington, New Mexico, United States
New Mexico, a state in the Southwestern United States, is home to approximately 70,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 138 congregations. The first roots of the Church were established in New Mexico in the 1860s. Many Church settlements in New Mexico absorbed refugees from the Latter-day Saint colonies in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution in 1912. The Farmington New Mexico Temple will be the state’s second temple. The first temple, the Albuquerque New Mexico Temple, was dedicated March 5, 2000.
Burley, Idaho, United States
The Burley Idaho Temple will be the seventh temple in Idaho. Idaho is home to over 460,000 members of the Church in around 1,200 congregations. Burley is located in the southern part of the state. Early Church pioneers settled in Idaho in 1855 and several Church presidents are natives of Idaho, including Presidents Harold B. Lee, Ezra Taft Benson and Howard W. Hunter. Other temples in the state include the nearby Twin Falls Idaho Temple, Boise Idaho Temple, Idaho Falls Temple, Meridian Idaho Temple, Pocatello Idaho Temple (under construction) and Rexburg Idaho Temple.
Eugene, Oregon, United States
Oregon, a state in the Western United States, is home to nearly 154,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Latter-day Saint settlement in Oregon largely began with the arrival of Latter-day Saint businessmen in 1887. They built a lumber mill on North Powder River and persuaded several hundred Latter-day Saint families to migrate to Oregon. Today, there are approximately 300 congregations across the state. The Eugene Oregon Temple will be the third in the state, with other temples in Portland and Medford.
Elko, Nevada, United States
Nevada borders California in the Western United States and is home to more than 184,000 Latter-day Saints and 350 congregations. Thirty men were called to establish a mission at the Meadows in southern Nevada in 1855, the Church’s first mission in the state. Although Nevada was part of Utah Territory until it became a state in 1864, it was not until 1942 that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized a stake based in Elko County. The Elko Nevada Temple will be the state’s third temple. Other temples in operation include the Reno Nevada Temple and the Las Vegas Nevada Temple.
Yorba Linda, California, United States
Yorba Linda, California is a suburban city in the United States about 35 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, named after the Yorba family, who owned a 63,000-acre ranch in the early 1800s. More than 750,000 members of the Church reside in California in nearly 1,230 congregations. Latter-day Saint pioneer setters first arrived in California in 1846 and the Mormon Battalion concluded their famous 2,080-mile march in San Diego in 1847. This will be the ninth temple in the Golden State, which already has eight temples operating or under construction. The other temples include the Feather River California Temple (under construction), Fresno California Temple, Los Angeles California Temple, Newport Beach California Temple, Oakland California Temple, Redlands California Temple, Sacramento California Temple, and San Diego California Temple.
Smithfield, Utah, United States
The Smithfield Utah Temple will be the second temple in Cache County and the 26th in Utah. The Logan Utah Temple was the second pioneer-era temple to be dedicated (1884) in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ. As the Church’s world headquarters, Utah has 2.1 million Church members, which is roughly two-thirds of the state’s population of 3.3 million residents. There are 17 operating temples in the state, including the Bountiful Utah Temple, Brigham City Utah Temple, Cedar City Utah Temple, Draper Utah Temple, Logan Utah Temple, Jordan River Utah Temple, Manti Utah Temple, Monticello Utah Temple, Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, Ogden Utah Temple, Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, Payson Utah Temple, Provo City Center Utah Temple, Provo Utah Temple, St. George Utah Temple, Salt Lake Temple and Vernal Utah Temple. The Salt Lake Temple and St. George Temple are currently under renovation. Temples announced or under construction in Utah include the Layton Utah Temple, Lindon Utah Temple, Orem Utah Temple, Red Cliffs Utah Temple, Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, Syracuse Utah Temple, Taylorsville Utah Temple and Deseret Peak Utah Temple.
When a new temple is announced, media, Church members and others often have questions about why an area was selected and about specific location, timeline and other details. Temple sites are chosen by the First Presidency based on several factors, including the number of members in an area, travel time to the nearest temple and the need for additional temple capacity in a region. Other details about the location for the new temple, a rendering of what the building will look like, a date for a groundbreaking ceremony, timeline for construction and details about a public open house and the temple's dedication are all provided at a later time.