Hello again, everyone! In view of Memorial Day being observed yesterday, I had theorized that the next new major temple developments would be announced today. That theory proved to be correct, with the First Presidency announcing updates for 4 temples in the Americas: opening arrangements for the San Luis Potosi Mexico Temple; a groundbreaking for the Santos Brazil Temple, and the preliminary details for the Caldwell Idaho and Greenville South Carolina Temples. There's a lot to get into, so let's jump right in:
We start with the San Luis Potosi Mexico Temple. A media day will be held on Wednesday, September 21, with tours for invited guests over the next two days. The public is invited to tour the temple between Thursday, September 24, and Saturday, October 10, 2026, except for Sunday, September 27 and the weekend of the October 2026 General Conference (Saturday and Sunday, October 3 and 4). The dedication will take place on Sunday, November 1, 2026, with Elder Dale G, Renlund presiding thereat.
At first, the timing of that dedication baffled me a little. In Latin American nations, the Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2. But then it occurred to me that there is no better way to honor one's kindred dead than to dedicate a space wherein those dead have the opportunity to be redeemed, if they choose to accept it. I am glad we got that dedication announcement, although I was hoping for one or two others as well.
Let's move on to the Santos Brazil Temple's groundbreaking. It will take place on Saturday, August 1, under the direction of Elder Ronald M. Barcellos of the Brazil Area Presidency. This follows the temple's announcement in April 2022, (the San Luis Potosi Mexico Temple was announced during that same General Conference). The site confirmation occurred the following November. No exterior rendering has been released for that temple yet, but hopefully that's coming down the pike soon.
The timing for the groundbreaking also surprised me (I had thought it was a little too far out), but then I realized August 1 is just two months away. I had just recently adjusted my groundbreaking estimate for this temple to early 2028, but clearly, I was off on that. And Elder Barcellos is conducting this groundbreaking on the same day his assignment as a member of the Brazil Area Presidency formally begins (though I suspect all GA Seventies serving abroad in area presidencies will be in place a day or two before those assignments become effective.
That said, let's move on to the site location confirmations and preliminary details for the newest Idaho and South Carolina Temples. A 19.2-acre site located at the southwest corner of W Orchard Ave. and S. Florida Ave., Canyon County, Idaho, will be home to the Caldwell Idaho Temple. That sacred edifice will be rooghly 82,000 square feet, quite a bit larger than I thought it would be. An adjacent meetinghouse and ancillary buidling will also be included in the project.
As for the Greenville, South Carolina, Temple, the 18,850-square-foot, single-story temple will rise on an 8.8-acre site at the south intersection of Independence Boulevard/Ponders Road and Roper Mountain Road, Greenville, South Carolina. No other facilities appear to be included for this temple, but I will note that both of these temples were announced by President Nelson in Aprill 2025. I will also have files wiith further analysis psoted in the comments below.
I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines.
I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
A rendering for the Santos Brazil Temple was shared on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0PFExIERK/
ReplyDeleteStill can't find a download link. Looks very much like the Maceio Temple.
Not sure why it popped up as anonymous, but that was me
ReplyDeleteHey, Noah! Great to hear from you. I am somewhat baffled as to why the rendering in question would be published to a Facebook page, but wouldn't merit official recognition thereof by the Church in the news release today. Hopefully, that is the rendering for the temple in question, and hopefully, the Church will release that as the official rendering in the very near term. That being said, it's not surprising at all that the designs for similarly-sized temples are almost identical. So I could easily see the Maceio and Santos Temples being "sister temples". I look forward to the Church releasing the official rendering, and I thank you for sharing this information here. It is always a pleasure to hear from you, Noah.
DeleteNoah, as I noted below, the Newsroom release has been updated to include the rendering that you said was on social media, so that was the actual rendering. I hope I was not overly dismissive of your comment about that. If I was, I apologize. Thanks again for taking the time to share your feedback here. It is always appreciated.
DeleteThe Church News has covered the opening arrangements for the San Luis Potosi Mexico Temple, the Santos Brazil Temple groundbreaking, and the site confirmations for South Carolina and Idaho's newest temples.
ReplyDeleteBut the Church News also reported on President Camille N. Johnson's visit to Maryland and Elder Gong's counsel about AI. The Newsroom also covered both stories mentioned from the Church News.
My thanks once again to you all.
I have updated my document showing apostolic temple dedications during President Oaks' prophetic tenure, and another showing a side-by-side comparison of temple groundbreakings in 2025 vs. 2026. As of this newest announced groundbreaking, we are a bit behind where were last year. Last year, the eighth temple to have a groundbreaking had that take place on May 24, while the eighth temple groundbreaking for this year will only occur on August 1. But there are a lot of weeks left in 2026, so we could easily catch up or surpass the 20 groundbreakings that took place last year. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom reported on Elder Gary E. Stevenson's recent ministry in the Pacific Area of the Church, suggesting he may now have apostolic oversight for that area. And the Church News has shared studying and teaching resources for the April 2026 General Conference talk by President Henry B. Eyring. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd yesterday, in conjunction with the temple news, I forgot to also provide my updated document showing the announced temples for which no official information has been confirmed yet. The list largely speaks for itself. But I would like to note one thing about it: in view of yesterday's announcements, all temples announced in the United States in April 2025 now have some degree of official information announced. Hopefully, the list can continue to be pared down before the October 2026 General Conference.
DeleteAnd speaking of the next General Conference, on another note, I am still tweaking the initial version of my General Conference predictions, which I hope to have published here soon, perhaps before the end of May, if all goes well. So stay tuned for those. My thanks once again to you all.
At some point between when the Newsroom reported the temple news and now, the Church has added the rendering for the Santos Brazil Temple to the original news release from yesterday. So that is the genuine rendering. Nice to have official word now. Journalists are previewing the new Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City. And the Church News has highlighted Elder Bednar's recent ministry in Chile and Argentina. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteApparently we got the rendering for the Greenville Temple as well
DeleteIt appears that both the Santos Brazil and Greenville South Carolina Temple Renderings were released at various intervals today. Hopefully later today or tomorrow, the rendering might be released for the Caldwell Idaho Temple as well. Anonymous, to whom may I offer thanks for this additional tidbit as well?
DeleteJournalists got a "sneak peek" at the Humanitarian Center earlier today; while Elder David A. Bednar continues his ministry trip in the South America South Area, where, in addition to meeting members and friends of the Church in Chile and Argentina, he met with the mayor of the city of Rosario, where the apostle discussed the future temple in that city with the mayor
ReplyDeleteAnd from the Church News today comes study and teaching resources for the April 2026 General Conference talk by President Henry B. Eyring; open applications are available for violists & harpists for the Orchestra at Temple Square; and, if you saw the Tabernacle Choir perform at the Hollywood Bowl, the Church News wants to hear from you.
In other news, there has been movement in the temple construction queue, with the latest updates being featured in this document. My thanks once again to you all.
The Church News has reported on the new Humanitarian Center. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Thursday, the Newsroom and the Church News highlight a new digital history for northwestern Shosohone Native Latter-day Saints. Additional Church News reports highlight the dedication of the Salt Lake City Humanitarian Center; study and teaching resources for the April 2026 General Conference talk by Elder Gary E. Stevenson; Elders Quentin L. Cook and Clark G. Gilbert speak during a special broadcast for Latter-day Saints in the United Kingdom and Ireland; and what Elder David P. Homer said about the new second-hour split schedule that will be effective September 6. (Elder Homer serves as the Executive Director of the Priesthood and Family Department). My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News just published this new report that speaks for itself. And from the Newsroom comes another report indicating that President Uchtdorf's first trip outside the United States as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taken him to his native Germany, specifically Berlin. Berlin is on my list of potential temple candidates, but President Uchtdorf's trip is more likely than not to be unrelated to such a prospect. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom also shared this update on food donations the Church is making in honor of the semiquincentennial of the United States, which is coming up on July 4 of this year. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News shared this additional report that speaks for itself. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Friday, the Newsroom has shared information about the guest artists for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's performances at the Hollywood Bowl. Meanwhile, from the Church News comes study and teaching resources for the April 2026 General Conference talk by Elder Eduardo F. Ortega. Since today is World Hunger Day, the Church News looked at what the Church is doing to combat the problem. In the newest Church News video, longtime Taberancle organist Richard Elliott reflects on his lifelong learnings from music.
DeleteIncidentally, I was curious, so I looked it up. Mack Wilberg, principal director of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, is 71. Linda Margetts, one of two part-time organists, is 78. And principal organist Richard Elliott is now either 86 or 69. Since the service of the directors and organists is voluntary, I assume they can choose when to retire. So depending on the personal preferences of these three individuals, there may or may not be turnover in the coming years for those positions.
Getting back to the reports for today, the only other Church News update is the latest edition of "This Week on Social", which featured posts from the following general Church leaders:
Church President Dallin H. Oaks; Acting President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elders David A. Bednar, Neil L. Andersen, Gary E. Stevenson (Elders Andersen and Stevenson both made separate ministry trips to various islands in the Pacific Area recently), Dale G. Renlund, Gerrit W. Gong (from whom two posts were shared), Patrick Kearon, and Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; the entire Relief Society General Presidency (President Camille N. Johnson and Sisters J. Anette Dennis and kristin M. Yee, who posted via Relief Society Worldwide to explain the "inspired changes" to the meeting schedule and how that will be implemented in Relief Society); Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson (posting separately from the aforementioned post from her presidency); the entire Primary General Presidency (President Susan H. Porter and Sisters Amy A. Wright andTracy Y. Browning, in a joint post on Primary Worldwide), and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, the outgoing Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency (who did a separate post, also via Primary Worldwide).
My thanks once again to you all.
The Newsroom has published the latest edition of "Latter-day Saints Around the World", which features stories from Chile, Guatemala, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, South Korea and Taiwan. And the Church News highlights the Church's food pantry donations for America's 250th anniversary (coming up officially on July 4). My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteRoughly 18 hours ahead of the Bacolod Philippines Temple dedication, the Church News has shared this new report. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Saturday thus far, the Church News has published an article introducing new GA Seventy Elder Kevin J. Hathaway, who currently presides over the Arkansas Bentonville Mission, and a month after that service concludes, he'll begin serving in the United States Northeast Area Presidency. I had thought that that area presidency had oversight for the same area covered by the boundaries of the mission over which he currently presides, but apparently I was mistaken in that regard.
DeleteMeanwhile, Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen attended and reported on the funeral services for Elder W. Mark Bassett, and today, in a new Church article, he offered some thoughts about how a line from the hymn "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" struck him ifferently than it ever had before.
My thanks once again to you all.
Elder Edward B. Rowe recently spoke at the Latter-day Service" at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Colorado last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Church News has provided the text of the message that will be given by Brother Derrick Porter during tomorrow's 5,046th episode of "Music & the Spoken Word". My thanks once again to you all.
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