President Nelson announces 18 new temples at the October 2022 General Conference

In the following months and years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will construct 18 new temples. President and Prophet Russell M. Nelson gave this declaration on the closing day of the general conference in October 2022.

President Nelson explained that the temples in the Mexico City region are part of a larger initiative to construct homes of the Lord in chosen big metropolitan areas where accessing an existing temple is difficult.

Since 2018 when he became the senior Apostle, President Nelson has unveiled 118 new temples.

Currently, the Church of Jesus Christ has 168 operational temples, 68 announced temples, 41 temples under construction, and five temples undergoing refurbishment. See the official list of temples.

“[Any temple] is His dwelling,” stated the prophet. “It is brimming with His might. Never lose sight of what the Lord is now working for us. He is making His temples easier to approach. He is quickening the rate at which we are constructing temples. He enhances our capacity to assist in the gathering of Israel. He also makes it simpler for everyone of us to attain spiritual perfection. Increased time spent at the temple will benefit your life in ways that nothing else can. … My beloved brothers and sisters, may you concentrate on the temple like never before. I pray that each day brings you closer to God and Jesus Christ.

Learn more about the Church in each of the areas where these new temples will be constructed below.

Busan, Korea

This will be South Korea’s second temple. In 1985, the first was constructed in Seoul. In the country, around 90,000 Latter-day Saints dwell in 100 congregations. The busiest port in Korea is located in Busan, a city in South Korea’s southeast. In the 1940s, Latter-day Saint service men carried Church doctrine to Korea. In 1973, the Seoul Korea Stake was established as the first stake (group of congregations) in continental Asia.

Naga, Philippines

The Naga City Philippines Temple is the eighth temple to be announced for the Philippines. Naga City is approximately 400 kilometers southeast of Manila. In 1984, the first temple in Manila was consecrated. In more than 1,250 congregations, more than 833,00 Latter-day Saints reside in the Philippines. Since 1961, when the country was formally opened to missionary activity, Church growth has been among the world’s quickest.

Santiago, Philippines

The Santiago Philippines Temple, located around 370 kilometers northeast of Manila, will be the eighth announced temple in the Philippines. In addition to those in Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao, Manila, Naga (announced today), Tacloban City, and Urdaneta, the remaining nine temples announced, under construction, or operational in the country are located in Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu City, Davao, Manila, Naga (announced

Eket, Nigeria

The industrial city of Eket is located in southern Nigeria. The Eket Nigeria Temple would be the fourth temple to be constructed within the nation. There is now just one temple in functioning, the Aba Nigeria Temple. Two further temples, the Benin City Nigeria Temple and the Lagos Nigeria Temple, have yet to be constructed. In Nigeria, there are around 211,000 Latter-day Saints in over 750 congregations.

Chiclayo, Peru

This temple will be the sixth in Peru. There are around 625,000 Latter-day Saints throughout 780 congregations in the nation. Chiclayo is situated in northern Peru, just inland from the Pacific coast. In 1956, the first missionaries came in the nation. The Arequipa Peru Temple, the Cusco Peru Temple, the Lima Peru Temple, the Trujillo Peru Temple, and the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple are among the other temples in operation or building.

Buenos Aires, Argentina, City Center

Argentina’s capital and largest city is Buenos Aires. The Buenos Aires City Center Temple will be the fifth temple in Argentina. The Buenos Aires Temple in Argentina was dedicated in 1986, while the Córdoba Temple in Argentina was dedicated in 2015. In late 2020, construction began on the Salta Argentina Temple and the Mendoza Argentina Temple. Approximately 475,000 Latter-day Saints and 725 congregations dwell in Argentina, a country with more than 45 million inhabitants.

Londrina, Brazil

Londrina, Brazil is a city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Paraná. The state is home to the Iguacu Falls, which span the border with Argentina and Paraguay and feature hundreds of waterfalls. This will be the second temple in the state of Paraná, the first having been constructed in Curitiba. In Brazil, there are 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in over 2,100 congregations. The temple in Londrina will be the 17th temple announced for Brazil. Dedicated temples are located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, and So Paulo; three are under construction in Belém, Braslia, and Salvador; and others have been announced in Belo Horizonte, East So Paulo, Maceió, Santos, and Vitória.

Riberão Prêto, Brazil

The Ribero Prêto Temple will be constructed in the southeast Brazilian state of So Paulo. In Brazil, there are 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in over 2,100 congregations.

The Ribero Prêto temple will be the 18th temple announced for Brazil, with dedicated temples located in Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and So Paulo; three are under construction in Belém, Braslia and Salvador; and others have been announced in Belo Horizonte, East So Paulo, Londrina (announced today), Maceió, Santo

Huehuetenango, Guatemala

The Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple will be the sixth Lord’s house in the western Guatemalan highlands. The remaining four temples are the Cobán Guatemala Temple (under construction), the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple, the Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (announced), and the Quetzelteango Guatemala Temple. More than 284,000 Latter-day Saints reside in 436 congregations in Guatemala.

Jacksonville, Florida

The Florida Temple in Jacksonville will be the sixth in the state. The state has more than 280 churches and more than 160,000 Latter-day Saints. Jacksonville is located in northern Florida, in the United States. The Orlando Florida Temple, the Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, the Tallahassee Florida Temple (under construction), and the Tampa Florida Temple are more temples in the state (announced).

The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Michigan Temple in Grand Rapids will be the second house of the Lord in Michigan, which is located in the Midwest of the United States. In 1999, President Gordon B. Hinckley consecrated the Temple in Detroit, Michigan. In 1928, the first Church structure in Detroit was finished. More than 45,000 Latter-day Saints reside in Michigan’s 96 congregations. Grand Rapids is the county seat of Kent County and the second-largest city in Michigan.

Houston, Texas

North Texas’s Prosper city is located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region. More over 370,000 Latter-day Saints reside in Texas in 737 congregations. In 1843, during the early years of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, missionary work started in Texas. The Temple in Prosper, Texas will be the seventh temple in the state. Austin Texas Temple, Dallas Texas Temple, Fort Worth Texas Temple, Houston Texas Temple, Lubbock Texas Temple, San Antonio Texas Temple, and McAllen Texas Temple are the other seven temples in Texas.

Solitary Mountain, Nevada

On the northwest edge of the Las Vegas metropolitan region sits Lone Mountain. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comprises around 6% of Nevada’s population. This U.S. state is home to around 180,000 Latter-day Saints in more over 360 congregations. The Lone Mountain Nevada Temple will represent the fourth temple in the state. The Nevada Temple in Las Vegas was consecrated in 1989, while the Nevada Temple in Reno was dedicated in 2000. In 2022, construction began on the Elko Nevada Temple. In the 1840s, shortly after the arrival of Latter-day Saint pioneers in the Western United States, they built a trading station near Carson City, which is today the state capital.

Seattle, Washington

This will be the fifth temple announced in the Pacific Northwest United States state of Washington. In 1854, the first missionaries came in Washington. Today, more over 280,000 Latter-day Saints reside in roughly 525 congregations in the state. The Columbia River Washington Temple, Moses Lake Washington Temple, Seattle Washington Temple, and Spokane Washington Temple are more temples in development or operation in Washington.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

About 50 miles south of Mexico City is Cuernavaca. It is the state capital and largest city in Morelos. Alexander Von Humboldt, a German scientist and adventurer, dubbed the city “the city of endless spring” in the 19th century. About 350,000 people reside in the city’s historic district. Due to its proximity and temperate climate, it is a popular vacation site for many Mexico City residents. Nearly 1.5 million Christians reside in Mexico.

Pachuca, Mexico

Pachuca is approximately 120 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. It will be the first temple in the state of Hidalgo. Pachuca, also known as Pachuca de Soto, is the capital and biggest city of the Mexican state of Hidalgo, with a population of over 277,000.

Toluca, Mexico

Toluca, also known formally as Toluca de Lerdo, is the capital of Mexico’s central state. It is approximately 60 kilometers west of Mexico City. Toluca, with a population of around 900,000, is the sixth most populous city in the United States.

Tula, Mexico

Tula, also known as Tula de Allende, is an old city in Hidalgo, Mexico. It is approximately 100 miles north of Mexico City and has a population of approximately 100,000. The new temple in Tula will be the state of Hidalgo’s second. Historically, the region was recognized as the capital of the Toltec empire.

With the announcement of these four temples in Mexico City, the total number of temples in Mexico will increase to 23. The other 19 temples in Mexico include the Ciudad Juárez Mexico Temple, Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, Culiacán Mexico Temple, Guadalajara Mexico Temple, Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple, Mérida Mexico Temple, Mexico City Benemérito Mexico Temple, Mexico City Mexico Temple, Monterrey Mexico Temple, Oaxaca Mexico Temple, Puebla Mexico Temple, Querétaro Mexico Temple, San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple, Tampico Mexico Temple, Tijuana Mexico Temple, Torreón Mexico Temple There are around 1,800 congregations and 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in the nation. In 1875, missionary activities began in Mexico.