Temple Construction Progress Report Section on Announced Temples Reworked

Hello again, everyone! In view of some new information that has crossed my radar in the last 2 or 3 days, I have reworked the announced temples section of my temple construction progress report, which has involved reordering many of them due to updates I have found, and also, where I feel confident in doing so, giving a very general time-frame within which many of them might go on to have a groundbreaking. The updates in that regard follow below.

That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.

Announced temples:

171. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning and approvals; artist’s rendering released on March 19, 2018.

Note: With the site identified and the release of the artist’s rendering, a groundbreaking for this temple may just be a matter of time.

172. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Awaiting government approvals.

Note: The biggest barriers preventing progress on this temple were getting government approval and having an official site announced. With the recent confirmation of the site location, it may simply be a matter of time before government approval goes through, at which point a groundbreaking can be held.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: The contractor assigned to oversee design and construction for this temple indicated in March 2017 that a year of pre-planning would be needed before a groundbreaking was held. If that year has come and gone, we may see a groundbreaking set soon.

174. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Planning and approval; designs underway; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Having received notification that the design process is underway for this temple, since it is a Utah temple, it seems relatively safe to assume that a groundbreaking could be held sooner rather than later.

176. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official

Note: Shortly after this temple was announced in 2016, Kevin S. Hamilton, who currently serves as the president of the Church’s Africa Southeast Area, was quoted as saying this temple could have a site announcement and groundbreaking in the early months of 2017. With that not occurring at all last year, it seems safe to assume that this temple could have a site announcement and groundbreaking this year. It may also be safe to assume that the Church might opt to have that occur before Elder Hamilton is released from his assignment on August 1.

177. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017.

Note: With the site having been confirmed and inspected almost a year ago, a groundbreaking for this temple may just be a matter of time.

176. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official name announcement.

Note: The site for this temple was confirmed not long after it was announced. Whether or not an official name is announced anytime soon, it may just be a matter of time until the groundbreaking is held.

177. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017.

Note: In an article published on April 18, 2018 by a Kenyan newspaper covering President Nelson’s visit to that nation, two tidbits were shared: the Church has selected a site for that temple, although its’ location has yet to be officially announced, and that this temple will, by comparison, be one of the Church’s smaller temples, which, depending on how quickly things happen for this temple, might be dedicated sometime during 2021. For that reason, I have felt impressed to move this temple up on this list.

177. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although the citizens of Pocatello have speculated about two or more potential locations for this temple, one of those locations has emerged as being the most likely to be chosen. Depending on how quickly that is confirmed, a groundbreaking could follow shortly thereafter.

178. Layton Utah Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: The Church reportedly acquired land in Layton two days before this temple was announced. Based on that acquisition, members have speculated that will be the most likely location for this temple. If that is confirmed in the near future, since this is a Utah temple, a groundbreaking could occur sooner rather than later.

179. Richmond Virginia Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: In mid-April 2018, a Virginia newspaper disclosed that the Church had purchased an 8-acre site in 2015. If the Church confirms that the site in question will be the official location for the temple, a potential groundbreaking could follow shortly thereafter, especially since temples in the US generally have their construction start a lot sooner than their international counterparts.

180. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although this is the last of the three temples announced in April 2015 that might have a groundbreaking, Church growth in the Ivory Coast seems significant enough to believe that a second (and perhaps even a third) temple could be announced in this nation within the next 15-30 years. With that in mind, the Church may opt to have a site announcement and groundbreaking sooner rather than later.

181. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although the first Ecuadoran temple (which is located in Guayaquil) had a 14-year wait between its announcement and subsequent groundbreaking, the Church will likely not wait even half that long for this temple’s groundbreaking. I would anticipate a groundbreaking could occur sometime between now and the end of 2020.

183. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although this temple was announced in 2016, its’ counterpart in Brasilia, which was announced a year later, has had a site confirmed and inspected already, which makes it likely that that temple will have a groundbreaking before this one does. That said, I would anticipate that we could see a groundbreaking for this temple within the next two or three years.

185. Salta Argentina Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: While many people (myself included) had shared our feelings that the next Argentine temple would be built in Neuquen, the Lord’s higher thinking resulted in a temple being announced in Salta. Although it has been just over two weeks since that announcement, I believe we might see a groundbreaking for this temple within the next 3 years or so.

186. Bengaluru India Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: President Nelson’s recent world tour includes this city, which may involve a search for a suitable location. While there may be obstacles to getting this temple started, I could see a groundbreaking happening within the next 5 years or less. And perhaps Elder Gong’s status as someone of Asian descent might be a means to get work started on this temple sooner than that.

187. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: President Nelson had publicly proposed a temple for Managua while an apostle, and he fulfilled that proposal himself. As noted elsewhere, Elder Juan A. Uceda is being assigned as president of the Central America Area, and one reason may be so he can work with the Nicaraguan government to get quick approval for this temple. If that occurs, a groundbreaking could happen within the next 3 years or less.

188. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement.

Note: Although this temple is the second to be announced for the Philippines since the beginning of last year, I would anticipate that this temple will likely not have a site announcement or groundbreaking until both the Urdaneta temple and the second temple in Manila are at least under construction. That said, I believe this temple could potentially have a groundbreaking within the next 3-4 years.

189. Russia: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official location and site announcement.

Note: Although Russia may have problems that could potentially create a barrier to getting this temple built, President Nelson had supervisory responsibility for the Europe East Area of the Church for several years, including during his tenure as President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. For that reason, he may be able to effect an expedited start for this temple. That area is now overseen by Elder Uchtdorf, who, as a European-born apostle, may have unique connections to help that process as well. Being conservative, I could see a groundbreaking for this temple in 7-10 years, but certainly sooner if the Lord opens doors for that to occur.