Groundbreakings Announced 
for Temples in Guatemala and Japan 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the dates of groundbreaking ceremonies for the Cobán Guatemala Temple and the Okinawa Japan Temple. 

Elder Brian K. Taylor, Central America Area president, will preside at the Cobán Guatemala Temple groundbreaking in November 2020.  

The Cobán Guatemala Temple will be built on a 5.4-acre site adjacent to 4a. Avenida 4-48 Zona 8, Barrio Bella Vista, in Cobán, Guatemala. The temple will be a single-story building of approximately 8,800 square feet. A meetinghouse and temple patron housing will also be built on the site. 

President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to construct the Cobán Guatemala Temple, which will be the country’s third temple, in October 2019. Temples in operation include the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple and the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple. There are nearly 300,000 Latter-day Saints in Guatemala. 

The Okinawa Japan Temple groundbreaking will take place in December 2020. Elder Takashi Wada, Asia North Area president, will preside at the event. 

The new temple, announced in April 2019 by President Nelson, will be a two-story building of approximately 10,000 square feet and will be located on a half-acre site at 7-11, Matsumoto, Okinawa Shi, in Okinawa-ken, Japan. A temple patron waiting area will also be added to an adjacent existing meetinghouse. 

The Okinawa Japan Temple will be the fourth in Japan. Other temples include the Fukuoka Japan Temple, Sapporo Japan Temple and Tokyo Japan Temple. The Church has been in Japan since 1901. Today, there are more than 130,000 Latter-day Saints in Japan.  

Due to local government social-distancing guidelines, attendance is by invitation only. Photos and video of the event will be available to the media and public on Newsroom after the groundbreaking services.  

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels, where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered houses of the Lord where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve others.