Hello again, everyone! Today, the First Presidency released renderings & announced groundbreakings for the Eket Nigeria, Calabar Nigeria, and Viña del Mar Chile Temples, in addition to releasing official renderings for the Goiânia Brazil and Campo Grande Brazil Temples. The renderings largely speak for themselves, but we will be discussing the latest developments for each of these five temples. So let's jump right in!
The groundbreaking ceremony for the Eket Nigeria Temple will be held on Saturday, November 28, 2026, underElder Sergio R. Vargas the presiding direction of Elder D. Martin Goury of the Africa West Area Presidency. The release of the exterior rendering and groundbreaking information was preceded by its October 2022 announcement and its subsequent site location confirmation in mid-April 2022.
As for the Calabar Nigeria Temple, its groundbreaking will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2026, under the presiding direction of Elder Christian C. Chigbundu, also of the Africa West Area Presidency. The release of its exterior rendering and groundbreaking information was preceded by its October 2023 announcement and its subsequent site confirmation in mid-November 2025, It appears that the Calabar rendering was released at the same time as the site location was confirmed, so that part of the opening paragraph of this post is incorrect, but I will leave it as is.
We now move on to the Viña del Mar Chile Temple. Its groundbreaking will also take place on Saturday, December 5, 2026, but will be under the direction of Elder Sergio R. Vargas of the South America South Area Presidency. The release of the exterior rendering and the groundbreaking announcement follow the temple's October 2023 announcement and its subsequent site confirmation just one month later (for which I can't seem to find the associated Newsroom release).
I have updated my document showing temple groundbreakings in 2025 vs. 2026. We have now outpaced last year's 20 with a whopping 25, and hopefully there may be a few additional groundbreakings announced for 2026, though time is growing short for such prospects. Hopefully my theory is correct in that regard. As I noted above, the renderings for the two Brazilian temples speak for themselves, but I'd like to note that the rendering of the Goiânia Brazil Temple follows its announcement, which also occurred in October 2023,.and its site location confirmation in mid-July of this year.
Meanwhile, for the Campo Grande Brazil Temple, the release of the exterior rendering follows the temple's site announcement in mid-July of this year and its original announcement in October 2023. In view of today's announcement, there are now 8 temples with groundbreakings announced, 53 more with sites announced (38 of which have exterior renderings published), and 42 temples with no official information released yet.
And while I was preparing this update, the Newsroom also reported that President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, will dedicate the Montpelier Idaho Temple this weekend, so that information has been added to my document showing current apostles' temple dedications and rededications during President Oaks' prophetic tenure. I'm glad to hear that he will be well enough for that assignment. He didn't look well during General Conference, so I was glad to see that additional announcement.
It's been a monumental day for temple developments, and I'm grateful for the chance to share the latest with all of you here. 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.
Hello again, everyone! The Church News and the Newsroom have shared a few additional updates I want to get to. We start with the Newsroom. The second episode of that new series, "Dedicate:, is now available for viewing. As mentioned in the Church News, Elder Bednar and his wife returned to BYU-Idaho for the institution's 25th anniversary. And another report about the aforementioned video series speaks for itself.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the Church News covered several new updates: two senior missionaries of the Church have passed away while serving. The Church News has provided the text of the prayer offered by Elder Ronald A. Rasband to dedicate the Ephraim Utah Temple on Sunday, The Church News also covered today's news about President Eyring dedicating the Montpelier Idaho Temple on Sunday. The Church News also covered the new renderings released for the two aforementioned Brazilian temples. and the groundbreaking dates.for the aforementioned three temples.
My thanks once again to you all.
Sorry. I forgot to share the Church News link about the 3 temple groundbreakings. My apologies for that oversight. And there was only one update from today so far: With President Oaks set to mark the first anniversary of his prophetic tenure, the Church News shared a list of announcements and changes made in the Church since he became the Prophet and Church President.
DeleteMy thanks once again toyouall.
Actually, there was one more update from the Newsroom: Today is the media day for the Modesto California Temple. While I was preparing to post this comment, the Church News released ia corresponding reports about the temple open house.
DeleteMy thanks once again to you all.
The latest episode of the Church News podcast features the director and some of the cast of that new "Dedicate" video series. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Church News has provided the text of the prayer offered by Elder Gerrit W. Gong to dedicate the Mireflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe following temples have had status updates recently: Winchester Virginia, Birmingham England, and Antananarivo Madagascar. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this first anniversary of President Oaks' prophetic leadership, Sarah Jane Weaver, the former editor of the Church News and the current editor of the Deseret News, spoke with each of the other 14 apostles about what they admire about the prophet's leadership. It was a touching article, and I encourage you all to read it.
DeleteIn other Church News stories, a Milwaukee shorstop shares his faith journey that led him to Major League Baseball; the BYU medical school is now acredited, and will open in July 2027; and a new tool helps support Church members in acheiving self reliance.
Both the Newsroom and the Church News have shared an official statement from the First Presidency that conveys a message of healing and comfort to Pope Leo XIV, who is convalescing in the hospital following a recent cancer diagnosis.
My thanks once again to you all.
And at some point within the last several hours, a construction status update has been reported for the Manhattan New York Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteSince my last comment on this blog last night, the Church News reported on the Provo MTC missionary devotional featuring Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Aposltes. Yesterday, Presiding Bishop W. Christopher Waddell spoke to BYU-Hawaii students about what the Presiding Bishopric does.
DeleteIn particular, he highlighted oversight of the temporal resources of the Church, including temple building. He then noted: "“We are currently on pace to have over 400 houses of the Lord in the near future." Since we have 385 temples currently, that suggests 15 new temples may be announced "in the near future". Some have interpreted that to mean that the announcement of 15 more temples may be imminent, but that depends on what Bishop Waddell meant by "near future". In any case, I am not sure that it means it will occur within the next year, or even the next two or three. I hope it means 15 temples will be announced sooner rather than later, but I am not sure how soon "the near future" would be defined by Bishop Waddell, and I wouldn't want to put words in his month.
The other interesting thing he noted was that convert baptisms for the year 2026 are on track to reach 450,000-500,000. That is a more definitive statement, so I feel fairly confident in predicting that the total Church membership for year-end 2026 may end up in the range of 18.2-18.4 million. I am curious to see what Matt Martinich, author of the Church Growth Blog, has to say about that part of the report. That said, let's move on to today's Church News updates:
Latter-day Saint cowboys have forged friendships playing "goat rugby" at the World Nomad Games. The BYU College of Fine Arts and Communication is celebrating its' centennial anniversary. And the Church News also covered Elder Ulisses Soares at an Interfaith forum.
My thanks once again to you all.
In other temple news, the Church Temples site has moved the Santa Cruz Bolivia Temple down from its former position between the Freetown Sierra Leone and Riberao Preto Brazil Temples to now being between the Londrina Brazil and Port Vila Vanuatu Temples, primarily because both the Riberao Preto Brazil and Londrina Brazil temples have both had their parking lots striped, while that does not appear to be the case for the Santa Cruz Bolviia Temple, atleast not insofar as I have been able to ascertain.
DeleteMy thanks once again to you all.
And the Newsroom has shared how the premiere of the "Dedicate" video series in Brazil went. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAt the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City, President Oaks issued another call for peacemakers. And on this Friday, the Church News has shared this tribute to Primary General President Rosemary K. Chibota. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom and the Church News have shared resources relating to the 2027 youth theme, which, as noted previously, matches the theme of the Salt Lake Temple Celebration: "Rejoice in Christ". In addition, one other report on the Newsroom website speaks for itself, with the Church News providing coverage of the aforementioned G20 Interfaith Summit in Salt Lake City, at which President Oaks again called for peacemakers, My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteSorry. The G20 Summit, as reported by the Church News, can be found at this link. I apologize for that omission on my part in my comment just above this one. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThis afternoon and evening, the Church News has provided additional reports. The Church has sent emergency aid to Panama following multiple earthquakes; two events will feature the five organists for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square; and the latest edition of "This Week on Social" features social media content from the following general Church leaders:
DeleteChurch President Dallin H. Oaks; the following members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: Acting President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and Elders David A. Bednar, Ronald A. Rasband, Gerrit W. Gong, Ulisses Soares, and Gérald Caussé; Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson; the entire Young Women General Presidency (President Emily Belle Freeman and Sisters Tamara W. Runia & Andrea Munoz Spannaus, posting a Q&A on Young Women Worldwide; Sister Spannaus also posted separately); and Sister Theresa A. Collins, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency (posting via Primary Worldwide).
My thanks once again to you all.
On this Saturday, the Church News has published a few new updates: a message to readers about the missionary work magazine; how the Lord is hastening His work; how salvation is a matter of choice rather than a matter of chance; on the eve of the Managua Nicaragua Temple dedication, hear from Nicaraguan Latter-day Saints sharing their joy about a temple in their midst; and read the <a href='https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2026/10/17/music-and-the-spoken-word-tabernacle-choir-faith-unites-us/" >text of the message</a> that will be offered by Brother Derrick Porter during tomorrow's historic 5,066th episode of "Music & the Spoken Word".
DeleteMy thanks once again to you all.
Ground was broken for the Vienna Austria Temple on Saturday morning as scheduled (it is now early Sunday in Vienna). My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News has also covered the groundbreaking for the Vienna Austria Temple. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteHundreds gathered in Mexico City recently to watch the third episode of the "Dedicate" series. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, we are awaiting reports on the two temple dedications that took place today. In the meantime, the Newsroom has shared a couple of new reports: Elder Gerrit W. Gong addressed the G20 Interfaith Forum, and he gave counsel about maintaining a moral compass while using artificial intelligence. And the third episode of that "Dedicate" series is now available.
DeleteMeanwhile, the Church News shared how missionaries are called and a look at thewaves and surges of missionary work as various prophets made various adjustments to the ages of missionaires in the last couple of decades; a total of 19 stake presidencies were recently called (1 for a new stake, and the other 18 were stake reorganizations); and the latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review recapped the top 10 developments reported by the Church Neews this week.
My thaks once again to you all.
And the Church Temples site has moved both the Montpelier Idaho and Managua Nicaragua Temples into an "Operating" status, so hopefully that means that the dedication reports in either the Newsroom or the Church News may be forthcoming in the next few hours. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Newsroom has reported on today's dedications for the Montpelier Idaho and Managua Nicaragua Temples. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News also reported on today's dedications. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteElder Gong recently advocated for the responsible usage of AI. And with our "Come, Follow Me" study centered on 8 chapters in Jeremiah, see what Church leaders have taught about them. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteHey, everyone! This afternoon, the First Presidency announced official preliminary details for the El Paso Texas Temple. Due to several technical glitches I ran into with my devices today, and no matter what I tried to resolve those issues,vI couldn't get things resolved. So I will post the relevant links here in this comment. If the issue resolves itself somehow, I will update therelevant post & publish the links related thereunto in this comment, and will hopefully have this issue resolved by later this week. My apologies for that, and my thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDelete