SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced plans to build 18 new temples across the world.
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced the locations of the future temples during Sunday's final session of General Conference.
Temples will be built in the following cities:
- Busan, Korea
- Naga, Philippines
- Santiago, Philippines
- Eket, Nigeria
- Chiclayo, Peru
- Buenos Aires City Center, Argentina
- Londrina, Brazil
- Riberão Prêto, Brazil
- Huehuetenango, Guatemala
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Prosper, Texas
- Lone Mountain, Nevada
- Tacoma, Washington
- Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Pachuca, Mexico
- Toluca, Mexico
- Tula, Mexico
Nelson said the four temples in Mexico are all in or near Mexico City — part of an effort to construct temples in "selected large metropolitan areas where traveling to an existing temple is a significant challenge."
The church's conference is held twice a year in Salt Lake City and broadcast to members throughout the world via satellite, television, radio and internet. Nelson announced 17 new temples in the previous session, which took place in April of this year.
This latest group of new temples announced does not include any in the state of Utah. The closest is Lone Mountain, Nevada, which is a suburb of Las Vegas.
More information about each location can be found on the church's website.
Temples are different from ordinary Latter-day Saint church meetinghouses; only members of the faith who are "in good standing" are allowed in. In these “houses of the Lord,” members make formal promises to live by the church's teachings and go through other ceremonies that are considered sacred.