Plans for the Ephraim Temple — one of the rare modern temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced outside of General Conference — have come into sharper focus.
The Salt Lake City-based faith recently released an exterior rendering of the three-story, 39,000-square-foot edifice to be built east of the intersection of 200 North and 400 East in central Utah’s Sanpete County.
Church leaders announced the temple in May, at the same time they revealed they were scrapping an earlier plan to remove treasured murals from the pioneer-era Manti Temple, a mere 7 miles away.
Those wall paintings, including a “world room” diorama by famed Latter-day Saint artist Minerva Teichert, instead will be preserved in the historic Manti Temple, which has closed for renovation.
A groundbreaking date has not been set for the Ephraim Temple.
Farther north, though, a groundbreaking has been scheduled for June 18 for the Smithfield Temple.
Apostles Quentin L. Cook and Gary E. Stevenson will lead the by-invitation-only ceremony, launching construction of the three-story, 83,000-square-foot building, according to a news release.
The Smithfield and Ephraim temples will join a tally of 28 existing or announced Latter-day Saint temples in Utah.
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) An artist's rendering of northern Utah's Smithfield Temple.
Groundbreakings also have been set for April 16 for the Grand Junction Temple (Colorado’s third existing or planned temple); May 7 for the Elko Temple (Nevada’s third); June 4 for the Burley Temple (Idaho’s eighth); and June 18 for the Yorba Linda Temple (California’s ninth).
Meanwhile, Cape Verde’s first Latter-day Saint temple will be dedicated June 19, the church has said, after a May 21-June 11 public open house.
Apostle Neil L. Andersen is scheduled to lead three dedicatory sessions.
The temple, in the capital of Praia and announced in October 2018, will serve the central Atlantic nation’s 15,000-plus members.
If tradition holds, church President Russell M. Nelson will announce more temples at next month’s spring General Conference. He has named 83 new temples in the four-plus years he has been at the global faith’s helm.
Latter-day Saints consider a temple to be a House of the Lord, where the faithful participate in rites that unite families for eternity.
Follow @sltribnoyce