Edited and Revised List of Temples Most Likely to be announced in the near future

Hello. One of the big projects I worked on within this last week was my list of potential temples that I felt were most likely to have an announcement in the near future. I eliminated quite a few of the less likely locations and put in a couple of others that appear to be more likely. Given my efforts to trim down this list to the best and most likely options, this list will be shorter than previous ones have been. I also fully recognize, acknowledge, and accept that these are just my own ideas and insights about possible future temple sites.

I hope none of you who read any of my predictions are taking them as gospel or as being a sure and definite thing. The beauty of the Lord's Church is that it is directed by modern revelation. Many potential sites can be predicted accurately because of information supporting such sites. Others are no more than wild hopes or a best-guess effort that may or may not be in line with where the Lord needs new temples to be built. Since any theories about future site locations or a possible time-frame for temple-related events are subject to so many factors, some of which none but the leading brethren and the Lord may be aware, nothing is official until it is made so through the proper channels. I just wanted to make that clear.

And though I have trimmed this latest list as much as I can, I recognize that there are more than likely some that I've eliminated that should have stayed on there, or some that remained that should have been removed. That is why I request as much feedback as I do: I want to know what people who read my thoughts on the matter think of them. I have no issues with adding or deleting other possibilities.

A couple of additional notes: First, I have provided notes at the bottom of this list of potential temple locations that explain my rationale behind each choice, in addition to some explaining why I have eliminated certain possibilities. Let me know your thoughts, whether in agreement or not. I look forward to the continuing discussion. Thanks!

Here's the list:

Temple Predictions:

3+ temples announced in any of the following locations:

PRELIMINARY NOTE: Since it is difficult at best to know where the Lord feels a need for a temple and temple locations are not as cut-and-dried as I have originally believed them to be, I am doing a preliminary list, which I will refine as the time for General Conference draws closer. I will look forward to seeing what happens with those possibilities, if any are announced at all. So far between 2015 and this year, the 12 newest temples were announced during the April General Conference. If any temples are announced, there will only be a few.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: After thinking further about those temples I feel are most likely in the near future, I have felt to narrow my choices down considerably. I am now listing them by nation and then by likelihood within that nation.

Africa: Lagos Nigeria; Kumasi Ghana; Freetown Sierra Leone

Brazil: Belo Horizonte; Salvador

Central America: Managua Nicaragua

Mexico: Puebla Mexico

Pacific: Auckland New Zealand; Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

South America: Neuquen Argentina; Valparaiso Chile; Santa Cruz Bolivia

United States: Bentonville Arkansas Missoula Montana; Layton Utah; Tooele Utah

NOTE: The following (# of temples, if any, goes here) temples were announced, much to my great delight: 

Temple Predictions:

3+ temples announced in any of the following locations:

NOTE: Since it is difficult at best to know where the Lord feels a need for a temple and temple locations are not as cut-and-dried as I have originally believed them to be, I am doing a preliminary list, which I will refine as the time for General Conference draws closer. I will look forward to seeing what happens with those possibilities, if any are announced at all. So far between 2015 and this year, the 12 newest temples were announced during the April General Conference. If any temples are announced, there will only be a few.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: After thinking further about those temples I feel are most likely in the near future, I have felt to narrow my choices down considerably. I am now listing them by nation and then by likelihood within that nation.

Africa: Lagos Nigeria; Kumasi Ghana; Freetown Sierra Leone

*Brazil: Belo Horizonte; Salvador

!Central America: Managua Nicaragua

Mexico: Puebla Mexico

Pacific: Auckland New Zealand; Port Moresby Papua New Guinea

South America: Neuquen Argentina; Valparaiso Chile; Santa Cruz Bolivia

United States: Bentonville Arkansas Missoula Montana; Layton Utah; Tooele Utah

NOTE: The following (# of temples, if any, goes here) temples were announced, much to my great delight:

Notes about potential temple sites:

1.      Africa has seen one temple announced per year for the last three years, and the Church is growing rapidly wherever it is established. While those I listed above seem most likely, I am not ruling out other possibilities from happening first. These three just seem most likely based on the information I now have available.

2.      Between the two temples currently under construction in Brazil, and the two others announced, the focus for that nation may shift to getting those completed before any others are announced. Whenever Brazil does get another temple, the two cities I listed above seem to be the most likely candidates, and may be interchangeable in terms of their future likelihood.

3.      Central America’s next temple will be the one in Managua, whenever that happens, as there has been both a public proposal by then-Elder Nelson in 2012, and a site held in reserve until it is needed. Additionally, Managua is the first in the top ten of those cities that have the strongest Church presence without a temple, so that is only a matter of time.

4.      In thinking over my list above, the two temples I had for Europe (in Budapest Hungary and Vienna Austria) make sense logistically in view of President Monson’s expressed intention to ensure that every Church member lives within 200 miles of a temple, but don’t seem to be possible in the near future. As the Paris France temple was dedicated earlier this year, and the Rome Italy temple is sure to be dedicated in the early months of next year, the Church might hold off on announcing any other European temples until the impact of these new temples on that continent is known. Of the two, Budapest is more likely, but I don’t see that happening in the near future.

5.      The last temple dedication in Mexico happened in 2015, and since that time, only one district has been created. But I have received feedback indicating that Puebla is the most likely city for Mexico’s next temple, whether or not that happens anytime soon.

6.      In the Pacific area of the Church, I have heard that sites have been purchased in both Auckland New Zealand and Port Moresby Papua New Guinea and have been held in reserve until they are needed. Of the two, Auckland seems to be the most likely possibility.

7.      For South American nations besides Brazil, the research I have done has pinpointed the three cities above as the most likely possibilities. In total, 5 temples have been announced for South America within the last two years (Brazil included). If this trend continues, I have felt it very likely that many more temples will be announced for South America over the next several years.

8.      In previous versions of this list, I had also had several more possibilities listed for potential temples within the United States, but since growth has been stagnating here lately, I don’t think it likely that we will see very many temples announced unless and until regular growth resumes on a larger scale. That said, I have received reports of sites having been procured for both Arkansas’s first temple and for Montana’s second in the cities listed above, and that those temples will be announced whenever conditions warrant that happening.

9.      Within Utah, temple attendance has always been high. Layton and Tooele are two cities I have heard mentioned extensively as potential sites for Utah’s 19^th temple I also know that President Hinckley indicated in 2005 that a temple site had been procured in the southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley, and that a subsequent announcement would follow once membership and Church growth in the valley required it. Some have tried to assert that this temple has already been announced, but every source I have found indicates that that notion is incorrect. Until that site announcement is made, Layton and Tooele appear to be the best candidates for Utah’s next temples.

Final note: As with everything else I put together, these are no more than my own thoughts, feelings, and observations based on the research I have done and the reports I have received. I hope that is absolutely understood and accepted. No one can know the mind of the Lord relating to His Church except those authorized to receive revelation regarding their own spheres of responsibility. While I am always gratified when my predictions turn out to be correct, I am even more appreciative of the many times developments do not take place as I project they will. At the end of the day, the Lord is the only one who can determine best how to further His work, and He manifests His will to those authorized to lead the Church and make decisions. Just wanted to end on that note.