The following are each excerpted from their respective articles in the Church Newsroom.
Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for the Benin City Nigeria Temple
On Saturday, May 24, 2025, the ancient Benin City, Nigeria, came alive as members, leaders and invited guests gathered to perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the Benin City Nigeria Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The ceremony was presided over by Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran, First Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency, who also offered the dedicatory prayer on the site. He was accompanied by his wife, Olufunmilayo, and by Elder Isaac K. Morrison, Second Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency, with his wife, Hannah.
During the April 2020 general conference of the Church, President Russell M. Nelson announced that a temple would be built in Benin City, Nigeria, the third house of the Lord to be built in the country. Upon completion, the temple will occupy a 2.17-acre site located at 16 Commercial Avenue, Benin City. The site will also host an arrival center and patron housing.
In his message to the gathering, titled “God’s Love made Manifest in the Temple,” Elder Ojediran pointed out the numerous blessings we receive through temple attendance.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Groundbreaking Announced for Vancouver Washington Temple
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the groundbreaking ceremony for the Vancouver Washington Temple.
Groundbreaking services for this new house of the Lord will be held on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Elder Mark A. Bragg, General Authority Seventy, will preside at the event.
As previously announced, this temple will be built on a 15.11-acre site located at the northwest corner of the SE 20th Street and SE Bybee Road intersection, Vancouver (Camas), Washington. Plans call for a multistory temple of approximately 43,000 square feet. This will be the city’s first house of the Lord.
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced the Vancouver Washington Temple during the October 2023 general conference.
He said then: “The ordinances and covenants of the temple are of eternal significance. We continue to build more temples to make these sacred possibilities become a reality in each of your lives.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
