Editor’s note: This is the second article of a three-part series on temple milestones during 2023. Part 1 looked at announcement of new temples and site locations; Part 3 deals with groundbreakings, construction and renovations.
In 2023, 11 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were dedicated by members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
That is the most in a calendar year since 34 houses of the Lord were dedicated in 2000, the year the Church was rushing to meet the late President Gordon B. Hinckley’s charge to have 100 total dedicated temples by the end of the 20th century.
In the 22 years between 2000 and 2023, the most temples dedicated in a year were six — both in 2016 and 2019.
The most recently dedicated house of the Lord — the Okinawa Japan Temple — is the Church’s 186th temple overall. Sometime in the next year, the Church could reach — and surpass — the benchmark of 200 dedicated temples.
Already, six temple dedications have been scheduled over the first five and a half months of 2024. By comparison, the Church had only three houses of the Lord dedicated over a similar stretch in the first half of 2023.
The Church today has 335 total temples dedicated, under construction, or announced and in planning. The breakdown by status, as of the end of 2023, is:
- 186 dedicated temples.
- 6 temples scheduled for dedication.
- 47 temples under construction.
- 1 temple scheduled for groundbreaking.
- 47 temples with published site locations.
- 48 temples announced but without sites.
The 186 dedicated temples include one renovated temple scheduled for rededication, four temples under renovation and four more temples scheduled to begin renovations in 2024.
Temple worship helps one ‘think celestial’
Spending more time in the temple builds faith, and service and worship in the temple will help one to “think celestial,” said President Russell M. Nelson at the conclusion of the October 2023 general conference, underscoring the “think celestial” theme of his message.
In the temple Latter-day Saints are “shown how to progress toward a celestial life,” he said. “There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power. There you are guided in solving the problems in your life — even your most perplexing problems.”
The ordinances and covenants of the temple “are of eternal significance,” he added. “We continue to build more temples to make these sacred possibilities become a reality in each of your lives.”
Multiple dedications in a single day
For the first time ever, three temples were dedicated on the same day, in 2023, each by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On Sunday, Sept. 17, Elder Neil L. Andersen dedicated the Brasília Brazil Temple, followed two hours later by Elder David A. Bednar dedicating the Bentonville Arkansas Temple. Two hours after that, Elder Quentin L. Cook dedicated the Moses Lake Washington Temple.
Three weeks later came another multiple-dedication day involving Apostles, with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf dedicating the McAllen Texas Temple on Sunday, Oct. 8, followed by Elder Ulisses Soares dedicating the Feather River California Temple.
Of the 11 temples dedicated in 2023, seven are in the United States. They include the Helena Montana Temple, the Church’s first temple built using a faster method of modular construction, and the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, the first of a coming slate of dedications in the state of Utah.
The four temples outside of the United States are in three countries and one U.S. territory.
In addition to the dedications of new temples, two previously dedicated temples that underwent extensive renovations were rededicated in 2023, including the St. George Utah Temple — the Church’s oldest operating temple and the first completed from President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2019 charge to renovate the Church’s pioneer-era temples.
A second such temple — the Manti Utah Temple — is scheduled for rededication in 2024, with the iconic Salt Lake Temple still under renovations. Its projected completion date was adjusted this year from 2025 to 2026.
Temple dedications in 2023
The following temples were dedicated in 2023, withthe date, the presiding officer and its rank in chronological order of all dedicated temples:
- San Juan Puerto Rico Temple, No. 176, dedicated on Jan. 15 by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
- Richmond Virginia Temple, No. 177, dedicated on May 7 by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.
- Helena Montana Temple, No. 178, dedicated on June 18 by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Twelve.
- Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, No. 179, dedicated on Aug. 13 by President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency.
- Brasília Brazil Temple, No. 180, dedicated on Sept. 17 by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Twelve.
- Bentonville Arkansas Temple, No. 181, dedicated on Sept. 17 by Elder David A. Bednar of the Twelve.
- Moses Lake Washington Temple, No. 182, dedicated on Sept. 17 by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Twelve.
- McAllen Texas Temple, No. 183, dedicated on Oct. 8 by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Twelve.
- Feather River California Temple, No. 184, dedicated on Oct. 8 by Elder Ulisses Soares of the Twelve.
- Bangkok Thailand Temple, No. 185, dedicated on Oct. 22 by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Twelve.
- Okinawa Japan Temple, No. 186, dedicated on Nov. 12 by Elder Stevenson.
Temple rededications in 2023
And the two rededications in 2023 of renovated houses of the Lord:
- Columbus Ohio Temple, rededicated on June 4 by the late President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
- St. George Utah Temple, rededicated on Dec. 10 by President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Twelve.
Looking ahead to 2024
The six dedications already scheduled for 2024 are:
- Jan. 14 — Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple, to be dedicated by Elder Christofferson.
- Jan. 21 — Orem Utah Temple, to be dedicated by Elder Christofferson.
- March 24 – Red Cliffs Utah Temple, to be dedicated by President Eyring.
- April 28 — Urdaneta Philippines Temple, to be dedicated by President Oaks.
- May 19 — Puebla Mexico Temple, to be dedicated by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Twelve.
- June 16 — Layton Utah Temple, to be dedicated by Elder Bednar.
Also scheduled is the April 21 rededication of the Manti Utah Temple.
NOTE: An earlier verision had an incorrect number to temples dedicated in the year 2000.
