Estimates Updated for General Time-frames Within Which Announced Temples May Have a Groundbreaking

Hello again, everyone! In my ongoing efforts to analyze current developments and regularly update my thoughts about the time-frames within which future events might occur, and following additional research and analysis on my part, I have once again revised and updated my thoughts about the order whereby and the time-frames within which the current 19 announced temples might have a groundbreaking announced.

Particularly, I reevaluated what I knew about the climate in such areas, whether or not an official site has been confirmed, and anything which has been publicly identified by general Church leadership as pertinent information. And specifically, although I would hope no further delays are in store for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, since the artist's rendering has been released for the Pocatello Idaho Temple, I have prioritized the latter and also the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple above the one in Urdaneta.

I also, where I felt it would be appropriate, re-ordered the other temples based on the factors I mentioned above. So it does look almost entirely different. I should also note that, if the previously-mentioned plans President Nelson has to rapidly expand the number of temples worldwide involves an acceleration of the process whereby temples move from announcement to groundbreaking ton construction to dedication, then most if not all of the time-frames I set for each of the temples below could be significantly accelerated.

Additionally, it is worth noting that I had heard that both this year and next year would be huge ones for temple groundbreakings. Although I can only see the Bangkok Thailand Temple having a groundbreaking in the near future, it would not surprise me in the least to learn that 2 or more additional temples might also have a groundbreaking by the end of this year. Right now, though, until the extent of those plans are known, I needed to be more conservative in my conclusions about these time-frames.

The updated estimates follow below, with what has been updated appearing in red text. So as not to disturb the flow of that information, I will end here and now as I always do. That does it for this post. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated. I would especially appreciate hearing from any of you who might have knowledge about any of these announced temples that I may not be aware of.

Thank you for the privilege of your time. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly-added content, please feel free to subscribe. 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; groundbreaking may take place sometime during late 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. In connection with materials released on the date noted above, President Nelson noted he did not see any obstacles hindering the commencement of the construction process for this temple. Since this November marks the 52^nd anniversary of Thailand’s being dedicated for the preaching of the gospel, November may just be the month in which this groundbreaking occurs, or it could occur during the final month of this year.

172. Pocatello Idaho Temple: Planning and approval; site confirmed and artist’s rendering released on September 6, 2018; groundbreaking anticipated sometime during early 2019.

Note: On the date mentioned above, with the site confirmation and release of the artist’s rendering, the official announcement also noted that construction on the temple (which will take around 2-3 years) was anticipated to begin at some point next year. I have therefore moved my estimate for that process to early 2019, and could see a groundbreaking scheduled sometime between mid-January and late March.

173. Saratoga Springs Utah Temple: Planning and approval; designs underway; picture of presumed location shared on Facebook on August 27, 2018; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2019.

Note: Although a site confirmation is pending for this temple, because designs are currently underway, and because this is a Utah County temple (since temples in Utah always progress more swiftly than other temples elsewhere within the US), I have moved this temple up and down again on this list for the following reasons: on the last day of May, given the information about the designs being underway for the temple, I moved it temple up on this list. Around 6 weeks later, on July 6, 2018, as a result of the developments relating to the Urdaneta Philippines temple, I moved this one down and adjusted my general estimate for its’ groundbreaking. Then, on September 22, 2018, given the tropical storms in the Philippines, and because the Pocatello Idaho Temple will likely have a groundbreaking first, I moved this temple to its’ current spot. Depending on what happens in relation to this temple, it seems more likely than not that a groundbreaking could occur for this temple between March and June of next year, but certainly sooner if more information is provided.

174. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Site clearing activities underway; artist’s rendering anticipated to be released in the near future; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2019.

Note: On July 6, 2018, the LDS Church Temples Facebook page reported the developments noted above, and with that in mind, an artist’s rendering may be released and a groundbreaking ceremony may be set at some point in the very near future. Since this temple has not had a groundbreaking in the almost-8 years since it was announced, and in view of both the tropical storms that have devastated the Philippines and the comparative progress that has been made towards a groundbreaking for the Pocatello Idaho and Saratoga Springs Utah Temples, although I hope that this temple will have a groundbreaking sooner, I am altering my previously-offered estimate to sometime between May and September of next year. If I see anything which indicates that could occur sooner, I will make any other adjustments that may be needed.

175. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning and preliminary construction phase; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2019.

Note: In March 2017, the contractor for this temple indicated that a year of pre-planning would be needed for this temple site before a groundbreaking could be held. While it is unclear when that year began (or if that year has already passed), it seems safe to assume that the groundbreaking for this temple could occur within the next year, if not sooner.

176. Nairobi Kenya Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; media event held June 14, 2017; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2019.

Note: During President Nelson’s recent visit to Kenya, a national newspaper noted that the site for this temple had been selected, and that because this temple was anticipated to be a smaller one, its’ dedication might occur sometime during 2021. With that in mind, it is not hard to believe that an official site announcement and groundbreaking could occur within the next 15-18 months.

177. Brasilia Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; site inspected by Church engineers on June 21, 2017; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

Note: Although a site inspection occurred one year ago for this temple, the prospective groundbreaking timeframes offered for the temples above necessitates a change in my previously-offered thoughts about the imminence of that groundbreaking. While I would hope that the Brazilian Saints would not have to wait another 1.5 years for this temple’s groundbreaking, until more is known, it seems wiser to be conservative in this estimate.

178. Greater Manila Philippines Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official name announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

Note: Although this temple may also be further along in its’ progress towards a groundbreaking than other temples above it, in view of the factors noted on the others above this one, it has seemed wiser to be more conservative in my estimate for this temple’s future groundbreaking. Additionally, since getting the Urdaneta Philippines Temple underway may be more of a priority for the Church, this one may only have a groundbreaking within the next 16-19 months.

179. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Note: Although an official site confirmation is pending, President Nelson visited a probable location during his world tour in April 2018. If that site location is officially confirmed in the near future, then a groundbreaking could easily follow within the next 15 months or less.

180. Layton Utah Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Note: While I would anticipate that, for this temple in Utah, its’ construction will likely get underway sooner than other temples on this list, and while that could happen sooner than indicated above if the Church confirms that the land that was bought in Layton two days before the temple was announced in that city will serve as the site for that temple, it has seemed wiser to be more conservative in my estimate for this temple’s potential groundbreaking. I will be delighted to move it up on this list if I see a good enough reason to do so.

181. Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early 2020.

Note: This is the last of the three temples announced in April 2015 that may have a groundbreaking. The Church in the Ivory Coast has seen sufficient enough growth that a second (and perhaps even a third) temple may be announced to serve the Saints in this nation, but that may not occur until this temple makes further progress. We have seen recent developments on other temples in Africa, which gives me hope that this temple could have a groundbreaking ceremony around the estimated time noted above, but time will tell how accurate that might prove to be.

182. Quito Ecuador Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Note: While the first Ecuadoran temple had a 14-year wait between its’ announcement and groundbreaking, with the progress the Church has made in South America within the last two decades, this temple (to be built in the Ecuadoran capital city) will likely not see a wait nearly that long. I personally hope that this groundbreaking will occur sooner than indicated above, but until more information is available, I have felt a need to be more conservative.

183. Richmond Virginia Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Note: Although an official site confirmation is pending for this temple, a Virginia newspaper noted in mid-April 2018 that the Church had procured several acres of land in Richmond sometime during 2015. If the Church confirms in the near future that one of those plots will be the official temple site, then a groundbreaking could easily occur within the next two years, but possibly less, since temples in the US generally have construction begin well in advance of their international counterparts.

184. Belem Brazil Temple: Planning and approval; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2020.

Note: Although this temple was announced one year before the Brasilia Brazil Temple, that temple is further along in the approval process and will likely therefore have its’ groundbreaking before that occurs for this temple. In preparing these updated thoughts, it occurred to me that the Church may opt to hold off on beginning construction of this temple until both the Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro Temples are dedicated. With that in mind, I have felt that the groundbreaking could occur at around this time, but I will alter this estimate as needed once more is known.

185. Managua Nicaragua Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2020.

Note: Since then-Elder Nelson had publicly proposed this temple in 2012, and President Nelson himself made the announcement, I would imagine the Lord will allow him to be very much involved in the process of this temple’s construction and eventual dedication. With that in mind, I could see a groundbreaking occur within the next 24-27 months, but hopefully sooner if all goes well.

186. Salta Argentina Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-2020.

Note: While the time-frames offered for the temples above this one has resulted in this temple’s estimate being delayed as well, it would not surprise me if a groundbreaking for this temple happens sooner than estimated here.

187. Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2020.

Note: While I would anticipate that this temple will likely not have a groundbreaking until significant progress has been made on both the Urdaneta and greater Manila area temples, it is not impossible to believe that a groundbreaking could occur for this newest Filipino temple within the next 2.5-2.75 years, but perhaps sooner if all goes well.

188. Bengaluru India Temple: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during early-to-mid 2021.

Note: As previously noted, President Nelson had not originally intended to announce a temple for India during the April 2018 General Conference, but was inspired to do so the night before that conference began. Although India may have some political obstacles that would need to be cleared before this temple has a groundbreaking, I fully anticipate that the Lord could enable a groundbreaking to occur within the next three years, but possibly sooner, especially since President Nelson has also urged the members to hurry and prepare so it can be built.

189. Russia: Announced April 1, 2018; awaiting official location and site announcement; groundbreaking may take place sometime during mid-to-late 2021.

Note: Although both a specific city and a site location for this temple have yet to be identified, President Nelson did have supervisory responsibility for Eastern Europe for the last several years he was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. With that in mind, he may have connections that would enable an acceleration of the process to get this temple built, which is why I am being conservative in my offered estimate above, but will not in any way be surprised if the Lord clears all obstacles to allow that to occur sooner than indicated here.