SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 1, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced during the final session of the Church’s 188th annual general conference that seven new temples will be built worldwide, including one in Layton.
The announcement was made by President Russell M. Nelson, the LDS Church said in a news release Sunday afternoon. The other six locations will be Salta, Argentina, Bengaluru, India, Managua, Nicaragua, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines, Richmond, Virginia, and a major city yet to be determined in Russia.
“We want to bring temples closer to the expanding membership of the Church,” Nelson said. “My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will. In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple. I bless you with greater harmony and love in your homes and a deeper desire to care for your eternal family relationships. I bless you with increased faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a greater ability to follow Him as His true disciples.”
The Layton Utah Temple will be the 19th in Utah. As world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah has 2.1 million members of the Church in a state of 3.1 million people. There are 17 operating temples in Utah, including Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Draper, Logan, Jordan River, Manti, Monticello, Mount Timpanogos, Ogden, Oquirrh Mountain, Payson, Provo City Center, Provo, St. George, Salt Lake and Vernal. The Jordan River Temple has completed extensive interior renovation and is scheduled for rededication on May 20, 2018. The Saratoga Springs Temple was announced at the April 2017 general conference.
These seven announced temples bring the total number of operating temples, 159, and temples announced or under construction, 30, to 189 worldwide. There are two temples scheduled for dedication this year, including the Concepción Chile Temple in October and the Barranquilla Colombia Temple in December. The Jordan River Utah Temple will be rededicated May 20, and the Houston Texas Temple, which needed interior repairs due to flooding last year, will be rededicated in April. Nine temples are being renovated, including the Asunción Paraguay Temple, Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple, Frankfurt Germany Temple, Memphis Tennessee Temple, Oakland California Temple, Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple, Raleigh North Carolina Temple, Tokyo Japan Temple and the Washington D.C. Temple. The Mesa Arizona and Hamilton New Zealand Temples are scheduled for closure this year for renovation. Temples under renovation are considered operating temples.
