New Latter-day Saint Temples announced
NOTE: Source is from the 181st Morning Session of General Conference, LDS Newsroom, and Deseret News.
During today’s General Conference morning session, Thomas S. Monson announced six new temples that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be building. These new temples are a response to the continued and consistent growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
According to President Monson, LDS Newsroom, and Deseret News, these six new temples will be built in the following areas: Paris, France; Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo; Durban, South Africa; Barranquilla, Colombia and Star Valley, Wyoming. President Monson also announced that the Church would rebuild the historic Provo, Utah Tabernacle – which was heavily damaged by fire in December 2010 – converting it into a temple.
The Paris, France Temple will be the first temple ever built in France, and was actually announced at the beginning of this year. After the Kinshasa and Durban temples are built, they will be the fourth and fifth temples on the African continent. The Kinshasa Temple will serve approximately 23,000 members who would otherwise have to make a one-way trip of 2,100 miles to the Johannesburg, South Africa Temple. Other temples that are currently in operation in Africa are the Johannesburg, South Africa; Accra, Ghana, and Aba, Nigeria. Colombia will have its second temple built, the first is in Bogota and the new temple will serve 45, 000 members of the Church in Colombia and Venezuela. The Star Valley Temple will serve those members of the Church who currently travel to Idaho Falls and Rexburg, Idaho.
Reflecting on the importance of the Temples to Latter-day Saints, Thomas S. Monson states that “No church-built facility is more important than a temple,” and that “Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through the eternities. We are grateful for all the many temples across the world and for the blessing they are in the lives of our members.” Monson, then, introduced a new funding program that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can contribute. This funding program is the General Temple Patron Assistance Fund and will be used to assist those members of the Church who are otherwise unable to attend a temple. It will help with a one-time visit to the closest temple for those individuals. Members can make this donation through their regular church contributions.
Concerning the Provo Tabernacle, it will become the second temple in Provo, Utah. It will also be the sixteenth temple that will operate in the State of Utah. Originally constructed in 1883 to 1889, it was previously used for church meetings and cultural events. Church leaders worked with engineers, architects, and historical experts to decide the future of the building that was destroyed by a 2010 fire. The project will have a complete restoration of the original exterior, and the Church has acquired additional proper near the tabernacle. The Provo Temple will also be the second LDS Temple to have been converted from a previous building. The first was that of the Vernal Utah Temple, dedicated in 1997, and it was built within the brick exterior of the 1907 Uintah Stake Tabernacle.
This will bring a total of 135 operating temples worldwide, with 31 temples announced or under construction.
Following are some articles of interest:
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