https://youtu.be/mU8qmIuCW0c
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints closed the church's 188th Semiannual General Conference with the announcement of 12 new temples in the following locations:
- Mendoza, Argentina
- Salvador, Brazil
- Yuba City, California
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Praia, Cape Verde
- Yigo, Guam
- Puebla, Mexico
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Davao, Philippines
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Washington County, Utah
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints closed the church's 188th Semiannual General Conference with the announcement of 12 new temples. (mormonnewsroom.org)
Many of the temple announcements brought cheers from members of the congregation in the Conference Center.
This is the most temples to ever be announced at one time, according tomormonnewsroom.org, and brings the total number of temples announced this year to 19 (seven were announced during the April 2018 General Conference). The previous largest number of temples announced on a single day was April 1, 1981, when nine temples were announced.
The announcement also comes 'exactly 18 years to the week since the church completed its 100th temple,' according tomormonnewsroom.org, and brings the total number of temples operating, announced or under construction to 201.
Currently, there are 159 operating temples worldwide and 42 announced or under construction.
'Building and maintaining temples may not change your life, but spending your time in the temple surely will,' President Nelson said. 'To those who have long been absent from the temple, I encourage you to prepare and return as soon as possible. Then I invite you to worship in the temple and pray to feel deeply the Savior's infinite love for you, that each of you may gain your own testimony that he continues to direct this sacred and ageless work.'
President Nelson also said pioneer-generation temples would be renovated, including the Salt Lake Temple.
'With the passage of time, temples are inevitably in need of refreshing and renewal. To that end, plans are now being made to renovate and update the Salt Lake Temple and other pioneer-generation temples,' he said. 'Details on these projects will be shared as they are developed.'
With this announcement, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Guam and Puerto Rico are receiving temples for the first time. In addition:
- Argentina currently has two operating temples: the Buenos Aires, Argentina Temple and the Córdoba, Argentina Temple, and President Nelson announced the Salta, Argentina Temple in April 2018. The Mendoza, Argentina Temple will be the country's fourth.
- There are currently six operating temples in Brazil, located inCampinas,Curitiba, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife and São Paulo. The Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro temples are under construction, and the Belém and now Salvador temples have been announced.
- California currently has seven operating temples in Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oakland (under renovation), Redlands, Sacramentoand San Diego. The Yuba City California Temple will be the eighth in the state.
- The Puebla, Mexico Temple will be the country's 14th temple. The other 13 are located in Ciudad Juárez, Colonia Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Mérida, Mexico City, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Ciudad Madero, Tijuana,Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Boca del Rio and Villahermosa.
- The Auckland, New Zealand Temple will be the second in the country, with the first temple, located in Hamilton,closed for renovationas of August 2018.
- The Lagos Nigeria Temple will be the second temple in the country, with the other located in Aba, Nigeria.
- The Davao, Philippines Temple makes six temples announced or dedicated in the country. The others are in Cebu City, Urdaneta and Cagayan de Oro, with twoin Manila.
- The Washington County, Utah temple will be the county's second temple, with the other in St. George, Utah. It will also be the state's 20th temple. The other 17 operating temples in Utah are located in Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Draper, Logan, Jordan River, Manti, Monticello, Mount Timpanogos, Ogden, Oquirrh Mountain, Payson, Provo City Center, Provo, St. George, Salt Lake and Vernal. The Saratoga Springs Temple was announced in April 2017, and the Layton Utah Temple was announced in April 2018.
Additionally, the Concepción, Chile Temple will be dedicated Oct. 28, while the Barranquilla, Colombia Temple will be dedicated Dec. 9.
Temples in 11 locations are currently under renovation:Asunción, Paraguay; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Frankfurt, Germany; Hamilton, New Zealand; Memphis, Tennessee; Mesa, Arizona; Oakland, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Raleigh, North Carolina; Tokyo, Japan; andWashington, D.C. Temples under renovation are considered operating temples, according tomormonnewsroom.org.