Yet Another Update to the Timeline for Future Temple-related Events

Given the announced temple renovations today, and given that I have had a couple of people who have been kind enough to point out errors with the last version of this timeline, I had a lot to fix and adjust. The results of my labor follow. Let me know what you think. I look forward to the ongoing discussion. Thank you!

PRELIMANARY NOTE: Due to the errors which others have so kindly pointed out to me in my work on the previous list, and in light of the announcement of the four renovations coming up, it has become necessary to once again revise this timeline. My efforts to do so follow below. Enjoy! I welcome the feedback.

2017—Events already scheduled:
Now: Reservations being accepted for the Paris France and Idaho Falls Temple Open Houses
Anytime soon: Construction expected to begin in earnest for the Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Arequipa Peru Temples, which both had a groundbreaking ceremony on March 4.
Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23  30 and May 7): Paris France Temple Open House
Saturday April 22-Saturday May 20 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 & 30 and May 7 &14): Idaho Falls Temple Open House
Monday May 15: Reservations will begin to be accepted for the Tucson Arizona Temple Open House
Saturday May 20: Paris France Temple Cultural Celebration
Sunday May 21: Paris France Temple dedication (the Church’s 156^th operating temple)
NOTE: I am anticipating that President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, our European apostle, will preside at this event and be accompanied by Elder Neil L. Andersen, who served his mission in France, and Bishop Gerald Causse, our French Presiding Bishop.
May or June: Construction expected to begin in earnest for the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple, following the conclusion of the really bad Canadian winter.
Saturday June 3-24 (excluding the Sundays of June 4, 11 & 18): Tucson Arizona Temple Open House
Saturday June 3: Idaho Falls Idaho Temple Cultural Celebration
Sunday June 4: Idaho Falls Idaho Temple Rededication
NOTE: It is my belief that President Henry B. Eyring or Elder David A. Bednar, who have ties to Idaho, may preside at this event, and that either or both will be accompanied by Elder Neil L. Andersen, an Idaho native.
Saturday August 12: Tucson Arizona Temple Cultural Celebration
Sunday August 13: Tucson Arizona Temple Dedication (157^th operating temple)
NOTE: Since President Dieter F. Uchtdorf broke ground for this temple, it is not unreasonable to assume that he will return to dedicate it.
Monday August 21: President Monson’s 90^th birthday
NOTE: While this is not, strictly speaking, a temple-related event, it is on this list because of President Monson’s extensive contribution to the worldwide number of temples. With the 124 that were operating when he became Church President, and, noting that the total number of temples in any phase is now 182, it is fitting that the milestone birthday of this Church President, who has so well carried on the legacy of his predecessor President Hinckley, should be included on this timeline.
September 23 and 30 and October 1: 187^th Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: This event made the list since there is every possibility that new temples could potentially be announced during this time.
October (most likely Monday October 3): Memphis Tennessee, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, and Tokyo Japan Temples will close for extensive renovations
NOTE: These renovations, all announced on Monday April 10, will be mostly for seismic and systemic upgrades. All of these renovations will take various lengths of time. I will be offering my best predictions for when we might see those renovations completed, but there it is, such as it is.
Saturday October 21-Saturday November 11 (excluding the Sundays of October 22 and 29 and November 5): Meridian Idaho Temple Open House
November (most likely Wednesday November 1): Asuncion Paraguay Temple will close for an extensive renovation
NOTE: This renovation, announced on Monday April 10, will be mostly for seismic and systemic upgrades. All of these renovations will take various lengths of time. I will be offering my best predictions for when we might see those renovations completed, but there it is, such as it is.
Saturday November 18: Meridian Idaho Temple Cultural Celebration
Sunday November 19: Meridian Idaho Temple Dedication (158^th operating temple)
NOTE: It would not surprise me, as I have before noted, if President Eyring, Elder Bednar, and Elder Andersen were all in attendance at this event
Friday October 27-Saturday November 18: Cedar City Utah Temple Open House
Saturday December 9: Cedar City Utah Temple Cultural Celebration
Sunday December 10: Cedar City Utah Temple Dedication (159^th operating temple)
NOTE: With this event being the dedication of a Utah temple, it is anticipated that several general authorities will be in attendance. I have felt that the temple will be dedicated by either President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, or Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a native of St. George, a close sister of Cedar City.

Likely to be scheduled later this year:
November 2017: Groundbreaking for Harare Zimbabwe Temple

2018—Exact event timeline unknown, but I offer my best estimate
Late January or early February: Rededication of the Jordan River Utah Temple
Early February (likely Thursday February 1): Renovation begins on the Oakland California Temple
NOTE: This renovation, announced on February 23, 2017, will serve as a way to upgrade and update seismic and systemic elements of the temple that are now outdated. More coming later on in this document about when this temple might be rededicated.
Late February or early March: Dedication of the Rome Italy Temple (160^th operating temple)
Early March (likely Thursday March 1): Renovation begins on the Washington DC Temple
NOTE: This renovation, announced on February 23, 2017, will serve as a way to upgrade and update seismic and systemic elements of the temple that are now outdated. More coming later on in this document about when this temple might be rededicated.
March 24 and 31 and April 1: 188^th Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
Early-to-mid May: Rededication of the Freiberg Germany Temple
Late May or early June: Dedication of the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo (161^st operating temple); groundbreakings for the Port-au-Prince Haiti and Bangkok Thailand Temples
NOTE: As Winter 2018 ends in the northern hemisphere near the end of March, it is my feeling that we might see the groundbreakings for the temples in Port-au-Prince Haiti (where a site has already been confirmed) and Bangkok Thailand (where an existing building might be rebuilt and renovated into a multi-purpose edifice) during this time. That said, with so much unknown about future temples, it is only my best-effort prediction.
Early August: Dedication of the Barranquilla Colombia Temple (162^nd operating temple)
Mid-to-late August: Groundbreaking for the Brasilia Brazil Temple
NOTE: Though this temple was just announced this past weekend and the temple site has yet to be officially confirmed by the Church, local leaders have identified where it will likely be located, opening the possibility that the groundbreaking could happen at around this time, especially if that site confirmation happens soon.
September or October: Groundbreakings for the Greater Manila Philippines and Pocatello Idaho Temples
NOTE: While the official sites have yet to be confirmed, the Facebook page for the Philippines indicates that the newest Filipino temple will be built on the southern side of the Manila metropolitan area in the area known as Alabang, Muntinlupa City. And while many options are under consideration for the next Idahoan temple, one of the most likely locations is the 10-acre land parcel that neighbors the meetinghouse on which the Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Center sits. So it is very likely that these two groundbreakings could happen around this time, as identifying a site is half the battle. It all depends on how quickly the Church is able to confirm these sites. But it wouldn’t surprise me.
September 29 and October 6 & 7: 188^th Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
Early-to-mid November: Dedication of the Concepcion Chile Temple (163^rd operating temple)
Late November-Early December: Groundbreaking for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple
NOTE: As the Church reportedly owns several acres of land in this community, the temple could be built on any of those developments. It is not impossible to believe that a groundbreaking could happen by the end of 2018, but I could see the Church pushing that back perhaps to sometime early in the year following. I will keep an eye on all of that and try to make a better prediction later on when more is known.
Early December: Dedication of the Durban South Africa Temple (164^th operating temple)

2019 (NOTE: This gets more speculative as it is two years out, but again, I offer my best estimate based on the information I have)
Late January or early February: Groundbreaking for the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple
NOTE: While the site for this temple has yet to be confirmed, the official name of it seems to indicate that it will be built within the district of the same name in the Peruvian capital city. If a site confirmation happens between now and then, I could definitely see a groundbreaking at this time. But that will largely depend on what happens between now and then. More to come once more is known.
Late March: Dedication of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple (165^th operating temple) and groundbreaking for the Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple
NOTE: If construction for the Winnipeg Temple starts as anticipated in May or June of this year, with the 20-month estimated timetable for construction, the dedication could happen there. As for the groundbreaking for the Ivory Coast’s first temple, while I recognize that an official site has not yet been confirmed, temples in Africa are having construction commence in relatively short order. I have mentioned above the likelihood that the Church will break ground for the first Zimbabwean temple by the end of this year. And given that that temple was announced one year after this one, it is not hard to believe that Abidjan could have a groundbreaking by this time, especially since this projection would allow for it to happen during the final days of the summer season for Africa.
March 30 & April 6 & 7: 189^th Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
Early-to-mid May: Dedication of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple (166^th operating temple); rededication of the Memphis Tennessee Temple
NOTE: If the completion of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple conforms to the usual pattern for the time frame within which most Brazilian temples are dedicated, it is very likely that we will see this dedication at this time. Right now, with the renovation of the Memphis Tennessee Temple anticipated to take at least a year, and with so much unknown about how long this renovation might take, this seems to be a pretty safe initial prediction.
Late May: Groundbreaking for the Quito Ecuador Temple
NOTE: We have had two temples whose time span between the announcement and the subsequent groundbreaking have spanned 14+ years, and one of them was Ecuador’s first temple in Guayaquil. With that in mind, I don’t think such a delay will apply in any way to this temple in the capital city. If the groundbreaking happens here at this time, it would hold true for the latest patterns in that regard for South American temples.
Early-to-mid September: Rededications for the Oakland California and Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temples
NOTE: As noted above, renovation is anticipated to last roughly a year for the Oakland California Temple, so 1.5 years seems to be a very good initial estimate for that rededication. And with the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple renovation starting in October 2017 and anticipated to take roughly two years, this seems to be a pretty safe initial prediction. I will be adjusting this estimate when I am able to find out more.
Mid-to-late September: Dedication of the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple (167^th operating temple) and groundbreaking for the Belem Brazil Temple
NOTE: Brazil seems to be highly favored of the Lord due to the wide-spread reception of the gospel by its citizens. Temples in particular are important to the Saints there, and the many announcements of Brazilian temples in the last few years has been amazing to see. With some exceptions (the Fortaleza Brazil temple being one), it has generally be the case that Brazilian temples progress fairly swiftly from announcement to groundbreaking to construction to dedication. It is therefore not only possible but highly probable that both of these events could take place at around this time, especially in light of the fact that they would be held during the Brazilian spring.
September 28 & October 6 & 7: 189^th Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
Late October or early November: Rededication of the Asuncion Paraguay Temple
NOTE: With the announcement made earlier today of this planned renovation, it seems apparent that, depending on what is involved in the renovation process for this temple, a rededication could easily take place at around this time. I will be keeping an eye out for ongoing developments and will readjust this estimate as that is needed.
Early December: Dedication of the Lisbon Portugal Temple (168^th operating temple)

2020 (NOTE: With this being 3 years from now, with the exception of General Conference dates, which are easily predicted, it is anyone’s guess how or if the events proposed here will take place as I am estimating they will. I will make adjustments when more is known.)
March: Dedication of the Arequipa Peru Temple (169^th operating temple); Groundbreaking for the Nairobi Kenya Temple
NOTE: Temples in Africa always take a little while between announcement and groundbreaking. While I am hoping and praying that Kenya’s first temple has its construction commence sooner than this, it may not happen that way.
March 28 & April 4 & 5: 190^th Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
June: Rededication of the Washington DC and Tokyo Japan Temples and groundbreaking for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
NOTE: The renovation on the temple of the US capital is anticipated to take two years, as is the temple in Tokyo, so this is a very conservative estimate on my part. And while I certainly hope it will not take another three years to see the groundbreaking for this Philippines temple that will have had almost ten years since its announcement by this time, there are no clear signs that it will happen any sooner than this. I will monitor that situation closely and go from there.
September: Dedication for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple (170^th operating temple)
NOTE: The completion timeline for this temple will depend entirely on how soon we see a site announcement, when ground is broken, what the design entails, and how swiftly construction progresses. But it seems to be a safe initial prediction.
September 26 & October 3 & 4: 190^th Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
December: Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple Dedication (171^st operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. The only other Caribbean temple was completed within a similar time frame to what I have suggested here.

2021 (NOTE: With this being 4 years from now, with the exception of General Conference dates, which are easily predicted, it is anyone’s guess how or if the events proposed here will take place as I am estimating they will. I will make adjustments when more is known.)
February: Pocatello Idaho Temple Dedication (172^nd operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which temples in Idaho are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
March: Saratoga Springs Utah Temple Dedication (173^rd operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Utah temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
March 27, April 3 & 4: 191^st Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
May: Greater Manila Philippines Temple Dedication (174^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for the dedication of this temple will depend entirely on when we see a groundbreaking (as there has already been a site confirmation). If the groundbreaking happens as indicated above, it is very possible that we will see this dedication happen at around this time, as it would conform to the general pattern by which has prevailed for the completion of temples in the Philippines.
September: Bangkok Thailand Temple Dedication (175^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Asian temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
September 25 & October 2 & 3: 191^st Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
December: Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple Dedication (176^th operating temple)
NOTE: If the groundbreaking for this temple takes place as estimated earlier, this, according to my calculations, would become roughly the time within which other African temples have been completed, opening the likelihood that this temple dedication could take place at around this time.

2022 (NOTE: With this being 5 years from now, with the exception of General Conference dates, which are easily predicted, it is anyone’s guess how or if the events proposed here will take place as I am estimating they will. I will make adjustments when more is known.)
March: Brasilia Brazil Temple Dedication (177^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Brazilian temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
March 26 & April 2 & 3: 192^nd Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
June: Quito Ecuador Temple Dedication (178^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Ecuadoran temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
August: Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple Dedication (179^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Peruvian temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
September 24 & October 1 & 2: 192^nd Semiannual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.

2023 (NOTE: With this being 6 years from now, with the exception of General Conference dates, which are easily predicted, it is anyone’s guess how or if the events proposed here will take place as I am estimating they will. I will make adjustments when more is known.)
March: Nairobi Kenya Temple Dedication (180^th operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which African temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
March 25 & April 1 & 2: 193^rd Annual General Conference
NOTE: While this is yet-to-be confirmed, it does conform to the general timeline under which previous general conferences have taken place. Temple announcements are always possible during General Conference.
June: Belem Brazil Temple Dedication (181^st operating temple)
NOTE: The timeline for this dedication will depend on whether or not a groundbreaking takes place at the time indicated above. And things might happen sooner than indicated here, all going well. But I have noted the general timeline in which Brazilian temples are usually completed, and will readjust my timeline as needed for the future.
September: Urdaneta Philippines Temple Dedication (182^nd operating temple)
NOTE: As this temple is currently stalled in the planning and approval phase, it is anyone’s guess as to when a site announcement and groundbreaking will happen. That said, if a groundbreaking can take place according to the timeline suggested above, it is very possible that this temple will be completed within the general time frame in which other temples in the Philippines have been known to be completed.


FINAL NOTE: Any other temple-related event is too far distant to be predicted, as the dedication above will mark that of the last temple we currently have announced. While I have based the timeline above on my observations for the timelines of temples worldwide, it is by no means a perfect or infallible system. With that in mind, I hope to see events happen much sooner than indicated here. And it is sure that I will make every effort to report any changes as more information comes to light. Thanks for reading this. Any comments are welcome and most appreciated.

Updated Temple Construction Progress Report

As it has been six days since I last posted a copy of my temple construction progress report, I thought I would do so now. Even though it has been less than a week, a lot has happened with temple developments, including the four announced renovations of which I spoke in the last post. So here's the updated report. Comments are always welcome and appreciated. I look forward to continuing the discussion of this tremendous progress. Thank you.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 4/10/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 8 under construction; 2 more have construction pending, and both are anticipated to commence construction before (or at least by) the start of summer 2017; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 6 renovations scheduled; 13 announced. NOTE: With two groundbreakings having already taken place this year, we could see several others before too much longer. For all of the announced temples that have not yet had a groundbreaking, I offer my best-guess estimate for when that might happen, to which I have recently made adjustments and corrections. One correction is noting that we might only see one other groundbreaking this year, though it seems that one is not as imminent as I originally was led to believe.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: VIP/media tours underway; accepting reservations for public open house (which will run from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 13 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 and 30 and May 7)); dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Pergola added to grounds; interior finish work underway; accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday May 15, 2017; (which will run from Saturday June 3-Saturday June 24 (excluding the Sundays of June 4, 11, and 18)); dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Monument sign installed; architectural finishes being installed; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Interior paint and millwork installation underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Angel Moroni installed on March 25, 2017; Christus and apostle statues installed at visitor’s center; installing art glass; completion anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Concrete block set in place for base of tower; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Sheathing exterior walls with rigid foam insulation; steel framework for cupola installed; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

NOTE: For the two temples above, they seem to be interchangeable in terms of which one might potentially be completed and dedicated first. I am trying to keep an eye on any and all developments and will adjust these estimates as necessary once more is known.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding progressing on north wall; planting palm trees on west side; monument sign poured; waterproofing membrane attached to east wall; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Scaffolding erected in preparation for second-level exterior walls; floor slab poured for missionary housing; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

NOTE: For the two temples above, they seem to be interchangeable in terms of which one might potentially be completed and dedicated first. I am trying to keep an eye on any and all developments and will adjust these estimates as necessary once more is known.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Erecting structural framing for temple tower; completion anticipated sometime during early 2019.

167. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Construction barrier erected; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2019.

168.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation completed for temple foundation; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

Construction pending:

166. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations, which may occur in April or May 2017 (construction currently delayed by a very bad Canadian winter); completion anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.

NOTE: Once construction commences, it is anticipated to last around 20 months (approximately 1.67 years.) It is a smaller edifice that is being built to at the moment serve just the one stake in Manitoba. So it might be completed sooner than that. It all depends on how soon construction will be able to start, and how quickly it progresses after that.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday March 4, 2017; awaiting commencement of full-scale operations (which is anticipated ASAP); completion anticipated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

NOTE: Once construction commences, it is anticipated to take roughly 28 months (2.25 years) to complete. This is because there are neighboring construction projects involved that will all be worked on simultaneously.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Accepting reservations for public open house, which will run from Saturday April 22-Saturday May 20 (excluding the Sundays of April 23 & 30 and May 7 & 14); rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; building basement addition for new baptistry; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to mid-2018.

Renovation Scheduled:

80. Memphis Tennessee Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in October 2017; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2019.

95. Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in October 2017; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-2019.

18. Tokyo Japan Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in October 2017; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

112. Asuncion Paraguay Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in November 2017; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

16. Washington D. C. Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in March 2018; rededication anticipated sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

                                                                  

NOTE: In view of the fact that we have already had two temple groundbreaking events so far this year, it is entirely possible that we might see site announcements and groundbreakings for other temples in the near future. That said, it is interesting to consider that, while some of those groundbreakings might be more likely than others, ultimately, it is more difficult than I originally believed to try and pinpoint how soon those groundbreakings are likely to take place. Wanting to be as conservative in my estimates as I am able to be, I have adjusted some things. As always, I would be gratified to hear of such events happening much sooner than anyone expects. But for the moment, it seems wise to make some adjustments. Thanks.

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; official site announcement anticipated later this year; groundbreaking may follow shortly thereafter.

NOTE: While the site announcement is pending, and while it may be a while before it happens, it does not seem to be unreasonable to anticipate that the groundbreaking might still take place sometime between mid-and-late 2017.

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and approval phase; groundbreaking pending.

NOTE: On Sunday March 12, while presiding at a stake conference for the area in which the first Haitian temple will be built, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles officially announced and confirmed that, just as members in the area had speculated, the plot of land behind an existing meetinghouse on the Route de Freres (French for “The Route of Brothers”) had been purchased as the official site for the first Haitian temple. While such site announcements generally signal that a groundbreaking might shortly follow, there is reason to believe that it will take the Church at least a year to plan and design the edifice to conform to government regulations and to be acceptable to the locals. It therefore makes sense to adjust my estimate here and to say that a groundbreaking could happen by early-to-mid 2018.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: There is more than sufficient reason to believe the current speculation being perpetuated to the effect that, in the mold of the already-existing multi-purpose buildings that house not only an office building but a meetinghouse and a temple as well (they are now known as the Hong Kong China and Manhattan New York Temples), a similar renovation and rebuilding might happen to a Church-owned office building in Bangkok. If it happens that way, we could see construction there commence with a groundbreaking by early-to-mid 2018 as well.

173. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase.

NOTE: A site has been identified by priesthood leaders as being located in the northern part of the city. This makes me believe that we might have a groundbreaking sooner than I anticipated, perhaps as soon as mid-2018. I will keep an eye out for developments on this front and report that information ASAP. In the interim, I also learned that the Church has discontinued the practice of public confirmation of temple site purchases, except to local members who have a vested interest in temples in their area. For that reason, his site identification by priesthood leaders is all we need. I also know that we will not be seeing a groundbreaking any sooner than next year, as it has generally taken a year following a site confirmation for such events to happen.

174. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase.

NOTE: The Church’s Philippines Facebook page has identified the site for this temple as being located on the southern side of the Manila metropolitan area in the area known as Alabang, Muntinlupa City, which may mean a groundbreaking could happen very quickly once the site is confirmed. For that reason, it is not impossible to believe that a groundbreaking could happen as soon as mid-to-late 2018, if not indeed before. And in this case, this appears to be the way that the Church has chosen to confirm this information, so it should be taken as official.

175. Pocatello Idaho: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase; possible temple site identified but not yet confirmed.

NOTE: While an official site confirmation has yet to occur, there is reason to believe that it might be built in any one of a few locations, one of which is a 10-acre land parcel that neighbors the meetinghouse on which the Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Center sits. For that reason, a groundbreaking could take place as soon as mid-to-late 2018, if the site is officially confirmed.

176. Saratoga Springs Utah: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase.

NOTE: While a specific site for this temple has yet to be confirmed, it has been reported that the Church owns several acres of land in the community, and that one of those Church-owned sites could be used for the temple. If an official site confirmation happens anytime soon, since temples in Utah are often built very easily, it could very well be that a groundbreaking could take place sometime during late 2018-early 2019. I am keeping my eye out for any developments and will refine this estimate as I am able to do so.

177. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: The name of this temple indicates that it will likely be built in the Los Olivos district of Lima. That puts it ahead in many respects than other temples might be. For that reason, I am refining my prediction to say that a groundbreaking might time place during early 2019.

178. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: Growth of the Church in Africa has really taken off, as evidenced by the fact that the last three years of temple announcements has seen one per year for that nation. For that reason, the groundbreaking might take place during early-to-mid 2019.

179. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: I am not in any way anticipating that the delays that prevailed between the announcement and groundbreaking of Ecuador’s first temple in Guayaquil will hinder construction commencing in its’ capital city. The temples announced during the April General Conference this year and their near-likely possibility of having a groundbreaking prior to others has delayed the process somewhat in my mind. However, I still have reason to believe that we could see a groundbreaking here during mid-2019.

180. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: While the other temple announced for Brazil (for the capital city of Brasilia) has already had a possible site identified, and while that makes it more likely that the groundbreaking there will happen sooner than this one, there is still reason to believe that a groundbreaking for the Belem temple could take place during mid-to-late 2019.

181. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase.

NOTE: Temples in Africa, a nation that is growing well in Church membership, seem to go up fairly quickly once their ground is broken. That said, it generally takes around 3-5 years between a site announcement and groundbreaking, except in rare occasions. Wanting to be as careful as I can with such estimates, I would say that we might see a groundbreaking for this temple sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

182. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement.

NOTE: While this temple was announced almost seven years ago in October 2010, the commencement of construction there has been delayed. We have even had another Philippines temple that was announced during the April General Conference this year that has already had a site identified and is therefore much more likely to have construction commence much sooner than this one. While I personally hope that we will never again see future delays to the extent of those that prevailed between the announcements of the temples in Guayaquil Ecuador and its groundbreaking and the Los Angeles California Temple and its groundbreaking (with those 14+ year periods being the longest in Church history), the fact that construction has been delayed on the Urdaneta temple for almost half that long already makes me think that we are not likely to see a groundbreaking for this temple any sooner than early-to-mid 2020. I am hoping for it to happen before then, but want to be as realistic as possible. Again, I will post updates as I receive them.

ADDITIONAL GENERAL NOTE: Temple announcements are possible at any time, but the last twelve announcements have taken place during the April General Conference. I never want to rule out the possibility of announcements at other times, but that has been the pattern for the last three years. There have also been reports of several cities that have had a site purchased for a while now, and where an announcement might happen at any time. I know of at least five that have been identified to me by name: Managua Nicaragua, Auckland New Zealand, Port Moresby Papua New Guinea, Bentonville Arkansas, and Missoula Montana. If other potential temples have had a site purchased, they have yet to be identified as such. The following temples have been publicly proposed by apostles at various and sundry times:  New Delhi India (in June 1992 by Elder Neal A. Maxwell; may not happen soon due to intense political and religious obstacles); Vilnius Lithuania (in May 1993 by Elder M. Russell Ballard, which may be more of a long-shot possibility); Maracaibo Venezuela (in August 1999 by President Hinckley, which is just waiting for the right conditions); Singapore (in January 2000 by President Hinckley, and is likely to be announced when the time is right); for the Southwest Salt Lake Valley (in October 2005 by President Hinckley; NOTE: While some contend that this temple announcement has already happened, verifiable sources widely available prove otherwise. It will be announced at the right time); Managua Nicaragua (in January 2012 by then-Elder Russell M. Nelson; very likely at any time due to Nicaragua being the #1 of the top ten world countries without a temple); Missoula Montana (sometime in 2014 by Elder David A. Bednar during a stake conference in the area; while the report of this proposal has yet to be verified, the fact that there has been a purchase of a temple site seems to indicate that it is a most imminent possibility, though perhaps not as imminent as I once believed); and for the Kasai Region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in February 2016 by Elder Neil L. Andersen). There are likely several other sites that the Church has purchased for a potential temple, but those have yet to be verified.

Key:

Bolded numbers and text denote temples whose numbers already exists (for renovations), or is certain due to a scheduled dedication, as well as information that is certain, such as dedication or groundbreaking dates.

Italicized numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on the order in which future dedications and groundbreakings are scheduled.

Underlined numbers and text denote temples whose numbers may change based on progress towards planning, approval, and groundbreaking.

Red text denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report. 

Renovations Announced for 4 Temples starting later this year

Exciting news from the Church today. In a windfall announcement, plans to renovate 4 temples of the Church were made public. Renovations for the Memphis Tennessee, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, and Tokyo Japan Temples will all start about six months from now, in October 2017. One month later, the fourth temple, the Asuncion Paraguay Temple will close. All of these renovations are anticipated to take different lengths of time. For the Tennessee, Oklahoma and Paraguay temples, these renovations are expected to last until sometime in 2019 (though based on previous patterns, it has been fairly easy to predict when those rededications might happen). In the meantime, the renovation of the Tokyo Temple is anticipated to last until sometime in 2020.

So let's talk some specifics. All of the temples are closing for seismic and systemic upgrades. And, with the previous renovations that have been announced to start in February (for the Oakland California Temple) and for March (for the Washington DC Temple) next year, it is awesome that these other four are likewise scheduled for renovation, and that they will begin the process of renovation several months in advance of the other two.

The Memphis Tennessee Temple is the 80th operating temple of the Church. Announced in September 1998 as part of President Gordon B. Hinckley's efforts to have 100 temples by the end of 2000, it had a groundbreaking about 4 months later, and a dedication on April 23, 2000, by President James E. Faust. This will be the first renovation for this temple, and I fully anticipate that we will see it rededicated sometime during early-to-mid 2019. The Church has stated that the Nashville Tennessee Temple will be one of the neighboring temples that will accommodate the Saints from this district during the renovation process. I will keep an eye on developments with this renovation and readjust things as necessary.

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple is the 95th operating temple of the Church. Announced in March 1999, it had a groundbreaking 4 months later. President James E. Faust also dedicated this temple, and that dedication was held on July 30, 2000 (as one of the few exceptions for temple events that have occurred during the month of July, which has been for years the traditional recess month for our apostles). Given that it is so relatively new, this is a first renovation for this temple as well. Based on previous precedent for temple renovations, I am predicting and anticipating that the renovation will be finished and a rededication held sometime around mid-2019. In the meantime, neighboring temples will accommodate those in the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple district, including the Dallas Texas Temple.

The Tokyo Japan Temple is the oldest of those six that will have a renovation done at around this same time, and is the Church's 18th operating temple. Announced in August 1975, construction commenced without a formal groundbreaking in April 1978, and a dedication was subsequently held in October 1980, during the administration of President Spencer W. Kimball. Since this temple is anticipated to take longer to renovate, I believe that we will see this rededication held sometime around early-to-mid 2020, around the same time period in which I am predicting we will see the rededication for the the Washington DC Temple, during early-to-mid 2020. During the renovation process, the other two Japanese temples (Fukuoka, dedicated in 2000, and Sapporo, dedicated just last year) will serve the Saints that reside in the Tokyo district.

The Asuncion Paraguay Temple, which will commence the renovation process in November, a month after these other three above, is also the only one of these four that was dedicated most recently. It was announced during the April 2000 General Conference, had a groundbreaking 10 months later, and was dedicated 1.25 years after that, on May 19, 2002, becoming the 112th operating temple of the Church. In spite of this renovation being started a month after the other three, it is anticipated to last for a minimum of a year. Based on previous patterns, I have felt that we will see this rededication at some point during mid-to-late 2019. While this renovation is going on, other South American temples, which are in good supply, will serve the Saints in this temple district.

If you are curious to know more about what specifically will be involved in these renovations, please click here. More to come, including a couple of other posts that this news has made necessary, in a minute. Comments are always welcome. Thank you.