Updated Projections for When Future Temple-related Events Might Be Announced and Scheduled to Take Place

Given some things I have learned within just the last 8 hours or so regarding temple developments, I have felt it necessary to once again revisit my best-guess estimates for the timetable by which future temple-related events might be announced and take place. I don’t want to be long-winded, so I will try to move as quickly as possible. As with other recent updates of this sort that I have done, please bear in mind that I will not be restating what has developed in terms of temple construction progress milestones. Those have been explored in other posts I have done today.

That said, as you are all aware, the next temple-related events will be the already scheduled groundbreakings in Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Arequipa Peru on March 4. The Rio groundbreaking, over which Elder Claudio R. M. Costa (Brazil Area President) will preside, is scheduled for 10:00 AM Brazilian time, which is 5:00 AM MST. Elder Carlos A. Godoy, who presides over the South America Northwest Area of the Church, will preside at the groundbreaking in Arequipa.

As before mentioned, the last time two groundbreaking were held on the same day was October 17, 2015, when we had those events in Concepcion Chile and Tucson Arizona. It is interesting to note that the Tucson temple will be dedicated this year, and Concepcion next year. It is also interesting to contemplate how different temples in different parts of the world take different lengths of time to complete for a variety of reasons. It is wonderful to consider that there has not even been a year and a half since the last time two temples had a groundbreaking on the same day. And we might see several more instances like that in the future.

I could also see the Church making a site announcement and subsequently holding a groundbreaking for the temple in Harare Zimbabwe sometime before the dedication of the Paris France temple on May 21. In addition to that dedication, we also have the rededication on June 4 for the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple. It will be amazing to see those events happen. As I have previously stated, I am especially excited to see the dedication of France’s first temple.

And in speaking in terms of future temple-related events, we cannot forget the other already scheduled dedications in Tucson Arizona on August 13, in Meridian Idaho on Sunday November 19, and in Cedar City Utah on December 10.

That brings us to temples that might be dedicated next year. Jordan River, Rome, Kinshasa, and Freiberg are the first four we will likely see in 2018. When might those happen? I am more convinced than ever that we could see an official announcement for these milestones within the latter part of this year. The Jordan River Utah Temple will likely be rededicated in late January or early February. Kinshasa could be next, in late February or early March. We could see the rededication in Freiberg taking place in late March or within the first two weeks following General Conference weekend in April. And I could see the Rome dedication taking place in either late April or early May. I would love to be proven wrong in this regard, and to find out that the Rome dedication will precede any of the others. It does seem to be on track to be the first one dedicated, but I have seen enough delays there to convince me that the Rome Temple might not be dedicated any sooner than I have suggested here.

Between all of these things, we will have at least one temple commence the renovation process. The Oakland California Temple will be closed in February 2018 (I believe as of the very beginning of the month) for a complete overhaul. The renovation is expected to last at least a year. I will speak more about my estimate for when that will be completed later on.

In the meantime, the Barranquilla Colombia Temple, the next one that might be completed, could have a dedication announcement by sometime in March or April, with the dedication itself perhaps taking place in June. If that is not possible, it is very likely that the open house will finish in June and that the actual dedication might take place in early August, after the General Authorities have their traditional July recess. This is especially likely given the precedent that was set in this regard with the Tucson Arizona Temple open house and dedication that was announced last month.

I could see the temples in Concepcion and Durban being finished by the time fall starts in 2018. The dedications themselves could take place in early-to-mid November (Concepcion) and early December (for Durban).

I could see the Winnipeg temple (which will likely have its construction commence in earnest in April or May of this year; the only thing delaying progress now is a really bad Canadian winter) having a dedication announced late next year, with the actual event taking place in late March 2019.

We could also see the Fortaleza Brazil and Lisbon Portugal temples both having their construction completed by early spring of 2019, with their dedications to follow in May (Fortaleza) and June (Lisbon).

In the meantime, depending on what develops in terms of the construction of the construction in Rio, we could see that announcement in late spring of 2019, with the dedication to follow in early August. Given what happened with the three temple dedications announced for later this year, we could see simultaneous announcements for late August or early September (for both the dedication Arequipa and Oakland) and late November or early December (for Harare). Unless there is a drastic change, this seems to be a pretty safe timetable.

What these changes mean, as I have stated before, is that the Church will add 4 new operating temples and have one rededication by the end of 2017, and five other dedications and the remaining two renovations completed in 2018. In 2019, we could see 5 dedications and at least 1 rededication. I am not going to rule out the possibility of more renovations being announced this year and being completed by 2019 as well. That is not so cut and dried as it originally seemed. I welcome any thoughts about other potentially good candidates for renovations.

The so-called backlog that once existed has long-since been done away with, raising the likelihood of more temples being announced in the next year or so. And I have given my thoughts and feelings about the most likely candidates for such announcements. I may repost my list of near-future possibilities soon if there is enough demand for it.

As for future groundbreakings, they may be more unpredictable to anticipate than I originally thought. I look at the groundbreaking in Winnipeg, and it happened much faster than usual. And with the way things unfolded in Rio and Arequipa, things happened very quickly there. As I have before observed as well, if construction begins in Harare anytime soon, it would make that temple historically significant in so very many ways.

The next groundbreaking that is most likely to take place, in my opinion, will be for the first Haitian temple in Port-au-Prince, and that might happen by fall of this year. I have no reason to back this up. The same could hold true for the temple in Bangkok Thailand.

We might see Lima Peru’s second temple and the first temple in the Ivory Coast have groundbreakings next year. The same might be true for the temples in Quito Ecuador and Belem Brazil.

Without knowing how long the currently reported delays in Urdaneta might last, but they might be cleared up sufficiently by 2019, by which time several other temples could be announced in General Conference, sites identified, and groundbreakings held as well.

In these projections, I am always open to suggestion, clarification, and correction. Thanks for taking time to read this post. I look forward to hearing of all future temple-related developments, and I will do my level best to report on such things as I hear of them. Thank you!

Update to List of Upcoming Temple-related Events

Hello. In light of the previous post, in which I reported the upcoming renovation of the Oakland California temple, it has become necessary to also post an update to my list of upcoming temple-related events. Enjoy, and let me know what you think. Thanks.

Upcoming Temple Events (Text in parentheses indicates what the status of temples will be following the event listed):

2017

1.   Saturday March 4—Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Arequipa Peru Temple Groundbreakings (155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 10 under construction; 1 rededication scheduled; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may take place soon.)

NOTE: According to the LDS Church Temples website, Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, who serves as President of the Brazil Area of the Church, has been asked to preside at the groundbreaking in Rio. It is a pretty safe bet that his counselors in the area presidency, Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis and Elder W. Mark Bassett, will also be in attendance along with a representative from the Church’s Temple Department. However, assignments to preside at groundbreakings have been known to change as needed. For what it’s worth, when the 10:00 am groundbreaking takes place in Rio, it will be 5:00 am MST. The groundbreaking in Arequipa will be presided over by Elder Carlos A. Godoy, President of the South America Northwest Area, and it is more than likely that his counselors in the area presidency, Elder Enrique R. Falabella and Elder Hugo Montoya will also be in attendance. While no specific time has been announced for that groundbreaking, it might be that the groundbreaking in Peru will be held at 10:00 am Peruvian time, which would be 8:00 am MST. What is not so likely, however, is that the same Temple Department representative will be in attendance at both events. It makes more sense, logically and logistically speaking, to have two different brethren in attendance at these two events.

2.   Sunday May 21—Paris France Temple Dedication (156 operating; 3 scheduled for dedication; 9 under construction; 1 rededication scheduled; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may take place soon.)

NOTE: As to who might be asked to preside at this dedication, previous precedent indicates it may be any member of the First Presidency (with my vote going to President Uchtdorf, as he is a European native) or any of the apostles.

3.   Sunday June 4—Idaho Falls Idaho Temple Rededication (156 operating; 3 scheduled for dedication; 9 under construction; 1 rededication scheduled; 2 undergoing renovation;  1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may take place soon.)

NOTE: Since the health of the brethren remains unclear, it is anyone’s guess who might be asked to preside at this dedication. I could see three possibilities at this point: President Henry B. Eyring, a former Ricks College president; Elder David A. Bednar, a former BYU-Idaho president; or Elder Neil L. Andersen, who is an Idaho native that has personal ties to the area.

4.   Sunday August 13—Tucson Arizona Temple Dedication (157 operating; 2 scheduled for dedication; 8 under construction; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may be possible soon.)

      NOTE: The question of who might preside at this dedication may not be easy to resolve. Both President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf have accompanied President Monson to previous dedications in Arizona, with the question of who may have actually presided at the most recent one in Gilbert still being largely unresolved. Technically, since President Monson was present for at least one of the sessions, and since all three were under his direction, he presided there. However, with that said, it appears that President Eyring was the one who read the dedicatory prayer in the first session, opening the argument that he was the one to preside. For a similar anomalous situation, I cite the dedication of the Provo City Center Temple, where Elder Dallin H. Oaks was listed as presiding even though President Russell M. Nelson was present at the final session, which made him the presiding authority for that session. If President Eyring does preside at the previous dedication, it is not unlikely that President Uchtdorf will be asked to represent the Church at this dedication, especially considering that President Eyring, an Idaho native, will most likely be the one to preside at the next dedication in Meridian. Also, the choice of President Uchtdorf makes even more sense when remembering that he was the one who presided at the groundbreaking in 2015. It is also not impossible to believe that Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy, who oversees the North America Southwest Area of the Church, under which Arizona falls, might be in attendance as well.

5.   Sunday November 19—Meridian Idaho Temple Dedication (158 operating; 1 scheduled for dedication; 8 under construction; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 9 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may be possible soon.)

      NOTE: If President Uchtdorf is asked to preside at the previous dedication, and given the fact that President Eyring is an Idaho native, it would make sense if he (President Eyring) is asked to preside at this one. Another choice could be Elder David A. Bednar, who presided at the groundbreaking for the temple and was asked to preside at the dedication of the Star Valley Wyoming Temple, due to his wife’s personal connection to the area. Yet another option would be Elder Neil L. Andersen, who is an Idaho native. But the Church has never tapped such a junior apostle to preside at a temple dedication. It is not out of the question, however. It is also reasonable to believe that Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy, who oversees the Church’s Idaho Area, will be in attendance as well.

6.   Sunday December 10—Cedar City Utah Temple Dedication (159 operating; 8 under construction; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other groundbreakings may be possible soon.)

      NOTE: If President Eyring is asked to preside at the previous dedication, it would make sense if President Uchtdorf is asked to preside at this one. That said, it would not surprise me either in any way if Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a St. George native, is assigned to officiate at this dedication. After all, for all intents and purposes, the two are essentially neighboring cities, and it is not at all unprecedented for a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve to officiate at a temple dedication. Whoever does preside, it is a near certainty that multiple apostles may be in attendance, as has been the usual custom for temple dedications in Utah. It is not unreasonable to also believe that Elder L. Whitney Clayton, who is the Senior President of the Seventy and who presided at the groundbreaking, will be in attendance, along with Elder Craig C. Christensen, another member of the Presidency of the Seventy, who currently has supervisory responsibilities for the Utah South Area, within which the temple has been built.

NOTE: A site announcement is anticipated at some point during the early part of this year for the Harare Zimbabwe Temple, with a groundbreaking to follow at the temple site within 4-6 weeks afterward. Additionally, there is a possibility that we may have any number of additional temple groundbreakings sometime during 2017.  I will keep my eye out for such developments and share those as I learn of them.

2018

1.      February 1—Oakland California Temple Renovation (159 operating; 8 under construction; 3 undergoing renovation; 8 announced. NOTE: Several other temple groundbreakings may be scheduled soon.)

NOTE: The closure of this temple for extensive renovation was mentioned on the temple’s Facebook page, though the fact of the scheduled renovation has yet to be confirmed by the Church. The renovation is anticipated to last at least a year. For that reason, I anticipate that the renovation might last until mid- or late-2019.

Major Updates to Temple Construction Progress Report

As I have before mentioned, I have been getting some excellent comments and insights from people in response to my work, and that feedback has come both in public (posted comments) and privately (through various means). Based on the information I have received, I now feel confident in venturing a revised timeline (for the temple in Winnipeg) and an initial theory about how long construction might last for the temples in Rio de Janeiro Brazil and Arequipa Peru, which will both have their groundbreaking ceremonies on the first Saturday in March. In regards to those two temples, I feel I can say without fear of contradiction that we will likely have two different representatives from the Church Temple Department at these two events (as I had before shared my belief that it could be possible for one brother to be in attendance at both events, depending on the timing of them. The odd thing there is that we have a specific time for the Rio event (10:00 am Brazil time), but no indication of the time for the one in Arequipa (Peruvian time). That is far from unheard of, however. It is common to only have a groundbreaking time announced within those units which the district of the temple in question will cover.

With that noted, I don't believe I have mentioned this before, but the Facebook page for the Oakland California Temple (the 13th Church temple dedicated, which happened over 50 years ago, in 1964, well into the presidency of 9th Church President David O. McKay) reports that the temple will close in February of next year for extensive renovation that will make it necessary for the temple to have another open house and dedication. The renovation, which will last a minimum of a year, is appearing for the first time on this report.

This report will hopefully be followed up very shortly by yet another revision for my estimates of the timeline by which future temple-related events might be scheduled and subsequently take place. It all depends on how fast I am able to get that done. That said, for what it's worth, you will find my updated progress report below. I welcome any and all feedback. Thanks so much for taking time to read (and comment, if you feel so inclined). I look forward to being able to report on all temple-related developments as I might hear of them. Thanks again.

Temple Construction Progress Update (current as of 2/19/17)

Current Temple Status: 155 operating; 4 scheduled for dedication; 8 under construction; 2 groundbreakings scheduled; 1 scheduled for rededication; 2 undergoing renovation; 1 renovation scheduled; 8 announced. NOTE: In addition to the two groundbreakings already scheduled this year, the chances are very good that we will see several others also have a groundbreaking in 2017.

Dedication scheduled:

156. Paris France Temple: Accepting reservations for public open house beginning Monday February 27; dedication scheduled for Sunday May 21, 2017.

157. Tucson Arizona Temple: Desert landscaping progressing; exterior architectural details gilded; installing interior art glass and millwork; dedication scheduled for Sunday August 13, 2017.

158. Meridian Idaho Temple: Interior painting and millwork underway; dedication scheduled for Sunday November 19, 2017.

159. Cedar City Utah Temple: Installing art glass windows; hanging drywall on interior; dedication scheduled for Sunday December 10, 2017.

Under Construction:

160. Rome Italy Temple: Interior work progressing; completion anticipated sometime between early and mid-2018.

161. Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple: Applying waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; setting rebar; roughing in plumbing; completion anticipated sometime between early and mid-2018.

162.  Barranquilla Colombia Temple: Concrete walls poured for steeple; attaching waterproofing membrane to exterior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-2018.

163. Concepcion Chile Temple: Exterior cladding going up on north wall; framing the interior walls; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

164. Durban South Africa Temple: Backfilling foundation; preparing for ground floor; missionary housing walls poured; completion anticipated sometime during mid-to-late 2018.

165. Fortaleza Brazil Temple: Parapet poured; some scaffolding coming down; preparing to pour tower base; completion anticipated sometime during 2019.

166.  Lisbon Portugal Temple: Excavation underway for temple; structural framing going up for meetinghouse; completion anticipated sometime during 2019.

Construction pending:

167. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple: Groundbreaking held Saturday December 3, 2016; awaiting full-scale operations; if construction commences in April or May, it could be completed somewhere around early 2019.

Groundbreaking Scheduled:

168. Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking; environmental license issued in November 2016; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017; taking into account any delays, it seems safe to say that construction there might be completed around late 2019.

169. Arequipa Peru Temple: Preparing for groundbreaking; erecting construction barrier; clearing and leveling site; groundbreaking scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017; given what is known about how quickly construction might progress, it seems safe to say that construction will be completed sometime around late 2019.

Rededication Scheduled:

8. Idaho Falls Idaho Temple: Closed for renovation; finish work underway; rededication scheduled for Sunday June 4, 2017.

Undergoing Renovation:

20. Jordan River Utah Temple: Closed for renovation; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and-mid 2018.

41. Frankfurt Germany Temple: Closed for renovation; some exterior stone removed; foundation exposed; old meetinghouse razed; rededication anticipated sometime between early-and mid-2018.

Renovation Scheduled:

13. Oakland California Temple: Scheduled to close for renovation in February 2018; renovation may be completed around mid-to-late 2019.

Announced:

170. Harare Zimbabwe Temple: Approval and construction preparation phase; site announcement anticipated sometime later this year, with a groundbreaking to take place a short time after the site announcement. (This is according to a report from a Church leader in the area.)

171. Port-au-Prince Haiti Temple: Planning and design phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: According to member reports, a potential site has been identified but has yet to be confirmed.

172. Bangkok Thailand Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Some reports have indicated that a Church office building may be redesigned and renovated as a multi-purpose building that will not only continue to house Church offices but also a meetinghouse in addition to a temple.

173. Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple: Planning phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this was the last of the four temples that was announced most recently, and in spite of the fact that an official site has not yet been announced, the announced name for this second temple in Lima seems to indicate that it will be constructed somewhere in the Los Olivos District. For that reason, it seems appropriate to put this temple ahead of the others.

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

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

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

177. Urdaneta Philippines Temple: Stalled in planning and approval phase; awaiting official site announcement. NOTE: Even though this temple is technically ahead of the temples listed above in terms of its status, because it is unclear why progress has been stalled or how long those delays might last, we could see any or all of the temples above have their constructions commence before anything gets resolved with this one.

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 denotes changes from the last posted temple progress report.