After a dramatic sermon Sunday outlining the far-reaching role of temple worship in Latter-day Saint theology, President Russell M. Nelson, speaking in a recorded address, announced plans to build 15 additional temples, including two in Utah.
After a 2½-year drought of no new temples bound for the Beehive State, Lehi and West Jordan now join a list of 30 planned or existing temples in the Beehive State.
Here is the full tally of new temples Nelson named:
• Uturoa, French Polynesia.
• Chihuahua, Mexico.
• Florianópolis, Brazil.
• Rosario, Argentina.
• Edinburgh, Scotland.
• Brisbane, Australia south area.
• Victoria, British Columbia.
• Yuma, Arizona.
• Houston, south area.
• Des Moines, Iowa (the state’s first).
• Cincinnati.
• Honolulu.
• West Jordan.
• Lehi.
• Maracaibo, Venezuela.
Nelson has announced 168, or 48%, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ worldwide tally of 350 planned or existing temples — by far the most of any of the faith’s prophet-presidents.
There are 17 temples functioning in Utah: Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Draper, Jordan River (South Jordan), Logan, Monticello, Mount Timpanogos (American Fork), Ogden, Oquirrh Mountain (South Jordan), Orem, Payson, Provo City Center (converted from the former Provo Tabernacle), Red Cliffs (St. George — dedicated in March); Saratoga Springs, St. George and Vernal.
The iconic Salt Lake Temple is undergoing extensive renovation expected to wrap up in 2026. The space-age Provo Temple closed in February ahead of a major overhaul that members of the community and preservationists fought in vain to prevent. It will be renamed the Provo Rock Canyon Temple. Renovations were recently completed for the Manti Temple, another pioneer-era architectural gem that is set to be rededicated April 21.
Two other Utah temples are scheduled to be dedicated in June — the Taylorsville Temple on June 2; and the Layton Temple on June 16.
Six more — Deseret Peak (Tooele), Ephraim, Heber Valley, Lindon, Smithfield and Syracuse — are either under construction or in planning stages.
Latter-day Saints view a temple as a House of the Lord, a place where the faithful participate in their religion’s highest ordinances, including eternal marriage.
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