With the 17 new temple locations he identified at the conclusion of the October 2024 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson has announced 185 temples in his six-plus years as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
That means that of the Church’s 367 total houses of the Lord — dedicated, under construction or announced and in planning — President Nelson has announced 50.4% of that total.
And to put that 185-temples-announced-in-six-plus-years ratio in perspective, the Bangkok Thailand Temple — the Church’s 185th dedicated house of the Lord — was dedicated less than 12 months ago, on Oct. 22, 2023, more than 193 years after the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
And President Nelson has announced 185 new temples in less than six years and nine months. The averages for temple announcements would be a new location every 13.3 days of his tenure as President of the Church.
That’s just one way to take a by-the-numbers look at the 185 temples President Nelson has announced. Temple totals and announcements by date, year and location are just some of the categories included below. All information is current as of Oct. 13, and the continental designations are for North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
For example, President Nelson has made temple announcements in each of the 14 general conferences held over the almost seven years since being set apart as President of the Church in January 2018. All but one of the 185 have come in a conference session.
The 17 he announced on Sunday, Oct. 6, marked the seventh time he has announced 15 or more temples in one setting — all since April 2021.
The most temples President Nelson has announced in a calendar year — 35 — has happened twice, in 2022 and 2023. The 17 he announced this past weekend and the 15 locations he identified in April 2024 general conference makes for 32 announced this year so far. And he has announced 30-plus temples each year since 2021.
So, add up the 35 temples announced each in 2022 and 2023, the 34 from 2021 and the 32 so far in 2024, and that totals 136 temples President Nelson has announced in four years, from April 2021 to October 2024.
Of note: In April 1998 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to construct as many as 32 new temples, although he did not list specific locations. Throughout that year, the First Presidency announced the locations of 27 of those temples.
By current status
Of the 185 new temple locations President Nelson has announced, the breakdown in current status as of Sunday, Oct. 13, (including the 17 announced locations from October 2024 general conference) is:
- 19 temples dedicated.
- 5 temples scheduled for dedication.
- 45 temples under construction.
- 1 temple scheduled for groundbreaking.
- 53 temples with site locations identified.
- 62 announced temples in planning and design.
Every effort is made to construct temples in an expeditious manner. At times, various reasons may delay a temple’s completion and dedication.
By date of announcement
President Nelson has announced temples on 15 occasions — all but one coming in a general conference. The sole exception was a temple for Ephraim, Utah, on May 1, 2021, at the same time announcing plans to preserve through renovation the “pioneer craftsmanship, artwork and character” of the Manti Utah Temple.
Also, of the 14 times President Nelson has announced new temple locations in general conferences, 13 have been at the conclusion of the Sunday afternoon sessions. The exception? He announced eight new temples during the Saturday evening women’s session of the October 2019 general conference.
Here are the dates he has announced new temple locations ordered by the number of temples announced at once:
- 20 — April 4, 2021
- 20 — Oct. 1, 2023
- 18 — Oct. 2, 2022
- 17 — April 3, 2022
- 17 — Oct. 6, 2024
- 15 — April 2, 2023
- 15 — April 7, 2024
- 13 — Oct. 3, 2021
- 12 — Oct. 7, 2018
- 8 — April 7, 2019
- 8 — Oct. 5, 2019
- 8 — April 5, 2020
- 7 — April 1, 2018
- 6 — Oct. 4, 2020
- 1 — May 1, 2021
Totals by year
The breakdown by year of new temple locations President Nelson has announced over the past six years:
- 35 — in 2022
- 35 — in 2023
- 34 — in 2021
- 32 — so far in 2024
- 19 — in 2018
- 16 — in 2019
- 14 — in 2020
By geographic location
The breakdown by location of new temple locations President Nelson has announced:
- 67 — United States
- 32 — South America
- 21 — Asia
- 24 — North America (besides U.S.)
- 20 — Africa
- 11 — Europe
- 10 — Oceania/Pacific
By nation
Nations where President Nelson has announced at least four new temple locations:
- 67 — United States
- 13 — Brazil
- 13 — Mexico
- 9 — Philippines
- 5 — Argentina
- 5 — Peru
- 5 — Nigeria
- 4 — Guatemala
Countries, territories and states with a first temple
Of the new temple locations announced by President Nelson, 28 are the first in their countries or territories, and six are the first in their U.S. states:
- American Samoa
- Angola
- Austria
- Belgium
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Guam
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Puerto Rico
- Republic of the Congo
- Russia
- Scotland
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Vanuatu
U.S. states with a first temple
- Arkansas
- Iowa
- Kansas
- New Jersey
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
A closer look by states, countries and territories
Following is a by-area breakdown of new temple locations announced by President Nelson, with a look at the status and numbers of the temples in that specific area.
In the listings of temples by state, country and territory, the following key is used for each temple location:
- * — First temple in state, country or territory
- /D — Dedicated
- /SD — Scheduled for dedication
- /C — Under construction
- /SG — Scheduled for groundbreaking
- /L — Site location identified
- /P — Announced and in planning
United States — 67 new temples announced by President Nelson
Current status
- 11 — Dedicated
- 3 — Scheduled for dedication
- 20 — Under construction
- 0 — Scheduled for groundbreaking
- 18 — With site location
- 15 — Announced and in planning
States with temples announced by President Nelson
- 29 — Total
- 6 — With the temple announced by President Nelson being its first
- 15 — With multiple temples announced by President Nelson
States with most new temples announced by President Nelson
- 13 — Utah
- 6 — Texas
- 5 — California
- 4 — Idaho
- 3 — Florida
- 3 — Virginia
- 3 — Washington
By state
- Alabama — Huntsville/P
- Alaska — Fairbanks/P
- Arizona — Yuma/P, Queen Creek/P
- Arkansas — Bentonville*/D
- California — Feather River/D, Yorba Linda/C, Modesto/C, San Jose/L, Bakersfield/L
- Colorado — Grand Junction/C, Colorado Springs/P
- Florida — Tallahassee/SD, Tampa/L, Jacksonville/L
- Hawaii — Kahului/P, Honolulu/P
- Idaho — Burley/C, Teton River/C, Montpelier/C, Coeur d’Alene/P
- Iowa — Des Moines*/L
- Kansas — Wichita*/C
- Michigan — Grand Rapids/L
- Missouri — Springfield/L
- Montana — Helena/D, Missoula/P
- Nevada — Elko/C, Lone Mountain/L
- New Jersey — Summit*/P
- New Mexico — Farmington/C
- North Carolina — Charlotte/L
- Ohio — Cleveland/C, Cincinnati/L
- Oklahoma — Tulsa/L
- Oregon — Willamette Valley/C
- Pennsylvania — Pittsburgh/D, Harrisburg/L
- Tennessee — Knoxville/C
- Texas —McAllen/D, Fort Worth/C, Austin/C, McKinney/L, Houston (south area)/P, El Paso/P
- Utah — Layton/D, Red Cliffs/D, Deseret Peak/SD, Orem/D, Taylorsville/D, Syracuse/C, Lindon/C, Smithfield/C, Ephraim/C, Heber Valley/C, West Jordan/L, Lehi/L, Price/P
- Virginia — Richmond*/D, Winchester/L, Roanoke/P
- Washington — Moses Lake/D, Tacoma/L, Vancouver/L
- Wisconsin — Milwaukee*/P
- Wyoming — Casper/SD, Cody/C
North America (other than the U.S.) — 24 new temples
Temple status
- 3 — Dedicated
- 1 — Scheduled for dedication
- 5 — Under construction
- 5 — With site location
- 10 — Announced and in planning
Countries/territories with temples
- 8 — Total
- 2 — With a first temple
- 3 — With multiple temples
Countries with the most temples
- 13 — Mexico
- 4 — Guatemala
- 2 — Canada
By country/territory
- Canada — Lethbridge, Alberta/L, Victoria, British Columbia/P
- Dominican Republic — Santiago/P
- El Salvador — Santa Ana/P
- Guatemala — Cobán /D, Miraflores Guatemala City/C, Huehuetenango/L, Retalhuleu/P
- Honduras — San Pedro Sula/SD
- Mexico — Puebla/D, Torreón/C, Querétaro/C, Culiacán/P, San Luis Potosí/C, Mexico City Benemérito/L, Cuernavaca/L, Pachuca/P, Toluca/L, Tula/P, Cancún/P, Chihuahua/P, Juchitán de Zaragoza/P
- Nicaragua — Managua*/C
- Puerto Rico — San Juan*/D
South America — 32 new temples
Temple status
- 2 — Dedicated
- 1 — Scheduled for dedication
- 7 — Under construction
- 12 — With site location
- 10 — Announced and in planning
Countries with temples
- 7 — Total
- 6 — With multiple temples
Countries with most new temples
- 13 – Brazil
- 5 – Argentina
- 5 – Peru
- 4 – Chile
- 2 — Bolivia
- 2 — Colombia
By country
- Argentina — Salta/D, Mendoza/D, Bahía Blanca/C, Buenos Aires City Center/P, Rosario/P
- Bolivia — Santa Cruz/C, La Paz/L
- Brazil — Salvador/SD, São Paulo East/L, Belo Horizonte/C, Vitória/L, Maceió/L, Santos/L, Londrina/C, Ribeirão Preto/C, Teresina/L, Natal/L, Goiânia/P, João Pessoa/L, Florianópolis/P
- Chile — Antofagasta/C, Santiago West/C, Viña del Mar/L, Puerto Montt/P
- Colombia — Cali/L, Medellín/P
- Peru — Cusco/L, Chiclayo/P, Iquitos/L, Piura/P, Huancayo/P
- Venezuela — Maracaibo/P
Europe — 11 new temples
Temple status
- 6 — With site location
- 5 — Announced and in planning
Countries with temples
- 11 — Total
- 7 — With a first temple
By country
- Austria — Vienna*/L
- Belgium — Brussels*/L
- England — Birmingham/L
- Germany — Hamburg/P
- Hungary — Budapest*/L
- Ireland — Dublin*/P
- Italy — Milan/P
- Norway — Oslo*/L
- Russia — City to be determined*/P
- Scotland — Edinburgh*/P
- Spain — Barcelona/L
Africa — 20 new temples
Temple status
- 1 — Dedicated
- 2 — Under construction
- 6 — With site location
- 11 — Announced and in planning
Countries with temples
- 12 — Total
- 8 — With a first temple
- 4 — With multiple temples
Countries with most new temples
- 5 – Nigeria
- 3 – Democratic Republic of the Congo
- 2 – Ghana
- 2 — Mozambique
By country
- Angola — Luanda*/P
- Cape Verde — Praia*/D
- Democratic Republic of the Congo — Lubumbashi/C, Kanaga/L, Mbuji-Mayi/P
- Ghana — Kumasi/L, Cape Coast/P
- Liberia — Monrovia*/P
- Madagascar — Antananarivo*/L
- Mozambique — Beira*/P, Maputo/P
- Nigeria — Lagos/L, Benin City/L, Eket/P, Calabar/P, Abuja/P
- Republic of the Congo — Brazzaville*/P
- Sierra Leone — Freetown*/C
- South Africa — Cape Town/L
- Uganda — Kampala*/P
Asia — 21 new temples
Temple status
- 2 — Dedicated
- 6 — Under construction
- 4 — With site location
- 9 — Announced and in planning
Countries/territories with temples
- 12 — Total
- 8 — With a first temple
- 2 — With multiple temples
Countries with most new temples
- 9 – Philippines
- 2 – Japan
By country/territory
- Cambodia — Phnom Penh*/C
- Guam — Yigo*/D
- India — Bengaluru*/C
- Indonesia — Jakarta*/L
- Japan — Okinawa/D, Osaka/L
- Mongolia — Ulaanbaatar*/P
- Philippines — Cagayan de Oro/C, Davao/C, Bacolod/C, Tacloban City/L, Naga/P, Santiago/P, Tuguegarao City/P, Iloilo/P, Laoag/P
- Singapore — Singapore*/L
- South Korea — Busan/P
- Taiwan — Kaohsiung/C
- United Arab Emirates — Dubai*/P
Oceania/Pacific — 10 new temples
Temple status
- 5 — Under construction
- 1 — Scheduled for groundbreaking
- 2 — With site location
- 2 — Announced and in planning
Countries/territories with temples
- 9 — Total
- 4 — With a first temple
- 1 — With multiple temples
Country with most new temples
- 2 — New Zealand
By country/territory
- American Samoa — Pago Pago*/C
- Australia — Brisbane (south area)/P
- French Polynesia — Uturoa/P
- Kiribati — Tarawa*/SG
- New Zealand — Auckland/C, Wellington/L
- Papua New Guinea — Port Moresby*/C
- Samoa — Savai’i/L
- Tonga — Neiafu/C
- Vanuatu — Port Vila*/C