Major Temple Developments Reported

This weekend, much has changed in terms of temple construction progress. First of all, a photograph submitted to the LDS Church Temples website shows that construction began in earnest last week on the Arequipa Peru Temple. This is an excellent sign, and means that we now only have one temple in the "construction pending" status: the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple. The one and only thing holding up construction there is a really bad Canadian winter. As seasonal changes in Canada coincide with when that happens in the United States, construction in Winnipeg could commence in earnest anytime between now and the end of June. In the meantime, we do also know that the construction of the Arequipa Peru Temple could be concluded in late 2019 or early 2020.

Additionally, I was overjoyed to find out from many sources that the Urdaneta Philippines Temple is no longer stalled in its progress towards a groundbreaking. While some reports indicate a site announcement and groundbreaking could take place sometime later this year, it seems more reasonable to assume that at least the groundbreaking will happen next year. But it does look like the Harare Zimbabwe Temple will be the next to have a groundbreaking, and that the Urdaneta Philippines Temple groundbreaking could follow within fairly short order.

This meant that I had to completely revise my estimates for when future groundbreakings will take place. So what I have done is put at the top of the announced section those temples that either have a site confirmed or a potential site identified, downgrading others for later on. And I am very excited that, contrary to what I had supposed, the Urdaneta Philippines Temple will not be the last one to have a groundbreaking or the last one to be dedicated.

This also meant that I needed to revisit my estimated timeline by which future temple-related events are most likely to happen. I am still working on that, trying my best to research every nuance as thoroughly as I can. And I will do my best to post the results of that research later on this week as I am able to.

Before the day is over today, I also hope to post a long-overdue update on the latest apostolic statistics. I will see how things go. In the meantime, my updated temple construction progress report follows. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. I look forward to the feedback.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 4/16/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 9 under construction; 1 more has construction pending, and may commence construction in May or June of this year; 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 started April 7; 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: Monument sign being installed; 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: Planting flowers; 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: Exterior walls sheathed with rigid foam insulation; stoe cladding underway; 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 and west walls; 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.

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

168.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Pouring footings for temple foundation; structural framing continues for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Construction trailers on site; construction barrier erected; completion anticipated sometime during late 2019-early 2020.

Construction pending:

167. 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 mid-2019.

NOTE: Construction on this temple is expected to begin in earnest anytime within the next two months. That construction is anticipated to last 20 months (1.67 years). Right now, it seems that either this temple or the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple could be interchangeable in terms of their future completion. Once construction commences on this temple, I will feel more confident in trying to figure out which of the two will be completed first. Until that time, since work has begun in earnest on the Rio temple, I have tentatively put it ahead of this one.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Renovation completed; 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, Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, who serves as the president of the Church’s Africa Southeast Area, has said that it will be announced later this year and that a groundbreaking would be anticipated sometime shortly thereafter. It is therefore not impossible to believe that this temple could have a groundbreaking 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 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 this temple. Since site confirmations generally precede groundbreakings by roughly a year, it is more than likely that a groundbreaking could be held sometime during early-to-mid 2018.

172. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Awaiting government approval and official site announcement.

NOTE: Given the fact that the delays preventing this temple from progressing seem to be over, there have been reports that a groundbreaking could happen for this temple as soon as later this year. However, the nature of such reports are vague and uncertain enough that it could be pushed back to next year. Speaking optimistically, I would revise my estimate to say that, if progress continues unhindered, a groundbreaking could happen on this temple by early-to-mid 2018.

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

NOTE: As official site confirmations are not now done at the general Church level as much as they used to be previously, it is most likely that the site confirmed by priesthood leaders, which is located in the northern section of the city, near an arm of Paranoa Lake, will be the official site for the temple. This increases the likelihood that a groundbreaking for the temple could be held sooner rather than later, perhaps by mid-2018. If that happens, then it would be the first time in almost 20 years that the Church had three temples simultaneously under construction in Brazil.

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

NOTE: The Church’s Philippines Facebook page has stated that this temple will be built on the southern side of the Manila metropolitan area in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Because this statement essentially constitutes a site confirmation, it is very possible that we might see a groundbreaking for this temple by mid-2018, if not before. I will be keeping my eye out for developments as they happen and will revise my estimate as I am able to. If this groundbreaking happens as estimated, then we would have two temples simultaneously under construction in the Philippines for the very first time in Church history. Additionally. it is also not unreasonable to believe that the Church will be releasing an official name for this second temple for the capital city of the Philippines, as the official name for the second temple in Lima Peru was released within 3 weeks after it was announced. So I have no doubt that will happen for this temple. More to come once more is known.

175. Pocatello Idaho: Announced April 2, 2017; planning phase; probable site identified and annexed into Pocatello City.

NOTE: While many sites are reportedly under consideration for this temple, the most likely one is a 10-acre plot of land next to the Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Center. If that is determined to be the right site for it, and if that is confirmed, we could see a groundbreaking for this temple by or before mid-2018, especially as US temples usually get started and finished so much sooner than temples elsewhere. Since so much is unknown currently about this temple, this seems like a safe revised estimate.

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

NOTE: As the Church owns several acres of land in Saratoga Springs, there are several sites that might do well for Utah County’s newest temple. Temples in Utah in general and specifically in Utah County are so widely accepted and used that getting them started is just a matter of time. It is therefore entirely possible, especially if a site is confirmed anytime soon, that a groundbreaking could happen by mid-to-late 2018. Again, that will all depend on how quickly things progress with this temple.

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

NOTE: While local speculation is that an existing building that houses Church offices might be renovated and repurposed into a multi-purpose edifice that would house not only Church offices, but a meetinghouse and the temple as well (in similar fashion to what has been done for the Manhattan New York and Hong Kong China temples, it could very well be that we could see a groundbreaking for this temple sometime in mid-to-late 2018, if the site is confirmed through any means anytime soon. I will be keeping an eye on developments with this temple and will revise my estimate if needed once more is known.

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

NOTE: The official name of this second temple for Peru’s capital city (released less than three weeks after it was announced) seems to indicate that it will be built in the Los Olivos district. That being the case, it is not hard to believe that we might see a groundbreaking for this temple sometime during early 2019.

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

NOTE: The Church has seen substantial growth on the African continent in recent years. This is verified by the fact that, with the announcement of the 12 temples over the last three years during April General Conference, 3 (25%) of those have been in Africa. I would therefore hope that this temple, announced in 2015, would not have to wait too long for a groundbreaking, but I could see it happening sometime during early 2019, if not before.

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

NOTE: While the first temple in Ecuador had a 14-year delay between its announcement and the subsequent groundbreaking (the second-longest such period in Church history), this temple is not nearly as likely to see such delays. The Church in South America has grown at an astonishing rate, and that is evidenced by the fact that 4 of the 12 temples announced most recently (25%) have been for South America. With the temples above most likely to have a groundbreaking first, it is very possible that we could see a groundbreaking for this time sometime during mid-2019, if not before.

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

NOTE: South America, as noted above, has been very receptive to the gospel. As a result, more temples are coming to that continent. And while this temple has not yet had a site identified or confirmed, Brazilian temples typically have been built very swiftly. While I am hoping to see it sooner, and while I will be happy to adjust my estimate going forward if that is necessary, it seems wise for the moment to revise my estimate and say that we could see a groundbreaking during mid-2019, which would ensure that we will have at least two temples under construction in Brazil at least for the next couple of years. I will revise my estimate if and when I am able to do so.

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

NOTE: It is becoming increasingly more likely that this African temple might be the last of the current bunch to have a groundbreaking. That said, with the Church growth that is occurring on the African continent, and with temples having gone up fairly quickly once a site is identified, I will revise my previous estimate and say that we will likely see a groundbreaking for this temple sometime during mid-to-late 2019.

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 highlights changes from the last posted temple progress report.

Yet Another Temple Construction Progress Report

While only minor changes have been noted in the progress of temples worldwide, the changes themselves were sufficient in my mind to warrant posting another copy of the update I post periodically here. With my thanks to those that have so willingly pointed out problems and errors with previous versions, I hope that this list, such as it is, has fixed those issues, and that any others that are detected by anyone else will be reported to me as soon as they are spotted. Thanks to you all for the ongoing feedback.

Here's the updated report:

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 4/13/17)

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 started April 7; 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: Monument sign being installed; 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 and west walls; 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: Pouring footings for temple foundation; structural framing continues 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 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: Renovation completed; 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: The most likely site for this temple is a 10-acre land parcel that neighbors the meetinghouse on which the Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Center sits. CGiven the fact that this land plot was officially annexed into the city of Pocatello on April 6, 2017 (on the 187^th anniversary of the Church’s restoration) makes that site even more likely. Please also note that this is land that had been deeded to the Church by the family of the man who maintains the LDS Church Temples website. For these reasons, a groundbreaking could take place as soon as mid-to-late 2018 depending on what happens between now and then, since identifying a site for any temple is the major first step towards getting it built.

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 continent. 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 continent 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 highlights changes from the last posted temple progress report. 

Temple Construction Progress Update

Hello, all! Here I am again with another temple construction progress update. Don't know if I mentioned this, but work began in earnest on the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple late last week. And there have been enough developments in the last little while to warrant posting such an update. Feedback is always needed, and most welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 4/12/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for d/edication; 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 started April 7; 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 and west walls; 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: Pouring footings for temple foundation; structural framing continues 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: The most likely site for this temple is a 10-acre land parcel that neighbors the meetinghouse on which the Pocatello Idaho Highland Stake Center sits. CGiven the fact that this land plot was officially annexed into the city of Pocatello on April 6, 2017 (on the 187^th anniversary of the Church’s restoration) makes that site even more likely. Please also note that this is land that had been deeded to the Church by the family of the man who maintains the LDS Church Temples website. For these reasons, a groundbreaking could take place as soon as mid-to-late 2018 depending on what happens between now and then, since identifying a site for any temple is the major first step towards getting it built.

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 highlights changes from the last posted temple progress report.