8 New Temples Announced During Women’s Session Of General Conference

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – In a surprise setting, President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to build 8 new temples around the world, including two more along Utah’s Wasatch Front.

The announcement of new temples has traditionally come during one of the general sessions of the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

At the conclusion of the Saturday session, President Nelson spoke to the women and girls of the church about their work and efforts within the temples.

He said the temple was the most sacred of the church’s structures, and then shocked the congregation by listing off the eight new locations.

“As the Church grows, more temples will be built so that more families can have access to that greatest of all blessings, that of eternal life,” said President Nelson.

The temples will be constructed in the following locations:

• Freetown, Sierra Leone
• Orem, Utah
• Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
• Bentonville, Arkansas
• Bacolod, Philippines
• McAllen, Texas
• Cobán, Guatemala
• Taylorsville, Utah

In less than two years since becoming the faith’s leader, President Nelson has announced 35 new temples – more than any other church president.

The announcement brings the total number of temples under operation or construction to 217 across the world. The Orem and Taylorsville temples would be the 20th and 21st in the Beehive State. Over the coming years, six temples will be under construction in the state in Layton, Orem, Saratoga Springs, Taylorsville, Tooele County and Washington County.

A ground breaking for the Saratoga Springs Temple will be held this fall.

Saturday’s announcement brings the first temple in Arkansas, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Leone.

“We regard a temple as the most sacred structure in the Church,” President Nelson said. “Whenever plans are announced to construct a new temple, it becomes an important part of our history.”