LDS President Nelson announces 17 new temples during Oct. 2024 general conference

Related video: LDS church concludes Oct. 2024 sessions of general conference

SALT LAKE CITY ( ABC4 ) — The final session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ general conference concluded with the church’s president, Russell M. Nelson , announcing the locations of several new temples.

Nelson announced the locations for 17 new temples during the Sunday afternoon session of the 194th semiannual general conference for the LDS church.

The new temples were announced in the following locations:

• Juchitán de Zaragoza, Mexico
• Santa Ana, El Salvador
• Medellín, Colombia
• Santiago, Dominican Republic
• Puerto Montt, Chile
• Dublin, Ireland
• Milan, Italy
• Abuja, Nigeria
• Kampala, Uganda
• Maputo, Mozambique
• Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
• Queen Creek, Arizona
• El Paso, Texas
• Huntsville, Alabama
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Summit, New Jersey
• Price, Utah

Of the above locations, the Dublin, Ireland temple and the Kampala, Uganda, temple will be the first LDS temples in their respective countries . The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Summit, New Jersey, temples will be the first LDS temples in their states.

The church said Sunday’s announcement would bring the total number of LDS temples “operating, announced or under construction to 367.” Since he became the global leader of the church in 2018, Nelson has announced 185 temples , the church said.

“Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why?” Nelson asked on Sunday. “Because the Lord has instructed us to do so.”

Nelson also mentioned that the renovations to the Salt Lake City temple would conclude by the end of 2026.

In Oct. 2023, Nelson announced 20 new temples in a prerecorded video address, and in April 2024, Nelson announced 15 new temples — again in a prerecorded address. Nelson delivered the Oct. 2024 announcement in person.

In the LDS faith, temples are different from chapels — while members (and guests who aren’t members) can enter chapels for weekly services on Sundays, temples are considered “ the most sacred places on earth ” and are not completely open to the public, the church explains .

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds its worldwide general conference twice a year — first in April, then in October. The individual sessions of the conference are each about two hours long and take place over a Saturday and a Sunday.

According to the church’s statistics from the end of 2023 , the church had a reported membership of more than 17.2 million people throughout the world, with more than 31,400 congregations.

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