The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has set a Saturday, Aug. 2, groundbreaking date for the Wellington New Zealand Temple — to be the third house of the Lord in the country.
Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area presidency, will preside over the services.
The groundbreaking date was first published Monday, April 28, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Wellington’s house of the Lord, as previously announced, is planned to be a two-story structure of approximately 14,900 square feet. Standing on a 3.35-acre site, the edifice will be located near Okowai Road and Whitford Brown Avenue, in Aotea, Porirua, New Zealand.
An ancillary building with arrival facilities and patron housing is also projected for the site.
About the Church in New Zealand
President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple for Wellington, New Zealand, on April 3, 2022, during April 2022 general conference. It was the first of 17 temples announced at the conference, totaling 100 during his time as Prophet.
This house of the Lord will join New Zealand’s two existing temples. The Hamilton New Zealand Temple, the Church’s first temple built in the Southern Hemisphere, was dedicated in 1958 by Church President David O. McKay. The Auckland New Zealand Temple was dedicated just two weeks ago on April 13 by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
In his dedicatory prayer on the Auckland temple, Elder Kearon prayed: “We express deep gratitude to assemble in this beautiful land amongst Thy daughters and sons of such deep faith. We are thankful for the devotion of those who have helped establish Thy Church here, and so many others who have made this day possible.”
New Zealand’s first branch was created at Karori, 2 miles west of Wellington, in April 1855. The New Zealand Mission was created in 1898 when the Australasian Mission was split. At the time, there were 4,000 members of the Church in the island nation, and 90% were Māori.
Many Māori recognized the missionaries’ efforts as fulfillment of earlier prophecies by Māori prophets, and they embraced the restored gospel.
Today, New Zealand is home to more than 118,000 Latter-day Saints in around 220 congregations.
