News Summary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the construction of the Houston Texas South Temple in Missouri City. This will be the second temple in the Greater Houston area, featuring a single-story building of approximately 46,000 square feet. The new house of worship is part of the Church’s plans to enhance facilities for community gatherings and religious services, reflecting significant membership growth in Texas. The announcement, made by President Russell M. Nelson, signals the Church’s continued expansion in response to the needs of local congregations.
Missouri City, Texas — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unveiled plans for a new temple in the Greater Houston area, designated as the Houston Texas South Temple. This sacred structure will be the second house of the Lord in the region, with its location set in Missouri City, a suburb just outside the city limits of Houston. The official announcement took place on Monday, October 20.
The proposed Houston Texas South Temple is planned to be a single-story building encompassing approximately 46,000 square feet. The temple will be constructed on a 15.7-acre site situated along Fort Bend Parkway, just north of Sienna Parkway. This new temple will be located about 30 miles south of the existing Houston Texas Temple, enhancing access to worship for local congregations.
In addition to the temple itself, the Church intends to construct a meetinghouse and an ancillary building on the same site, broadening the facilities available for community gatherings and religious services.
The announcement for the creation of the Houston Texas South Temple comes from President Russell M. Nelson, who declared the new house of the Lord for the southern Houston area on April 7, 2024. This revelation was part of a larger initiative that identified a total of 15 new temple locations worldwide, pushing the Church’s total to 350 temples currently in various stages of planning and construction.
Currently, Texas is home to a total of ten temples, with five already in operation: Dallas (dedicated in 1984), Houston (2000), Lubbock (2002), San Antonio (2005), and the most recent temple in McAllen, dedicated in 2023. Additionally, two other temples are already under construction, with the Fort Worth and Austin temples having been announced in October 2023 and August 2024 respectively.
The Church is also planning temples for Fairview, which was announced in 2022, and El Paso, with the announcement happening in 2024. The significant interest in expanding temple infrastructure in Texas reflects the considerable growth of the Church’s membership, which has surged from 132,000 Latter-day Saints in 1985 to over 390,000 today. This membership is now spread across more than 750 congregations in the state.
Historical context shows that the foundation of Latter-day Saint missionary work in Texas was established back in 1845 when Elder Lyman Wight led a group of the faithful to central Texas. This marked the beginning of a substantial and enduring presence of the Church in the state.
As part of its broader construction plans, the Church has scheduled groundbreaking events for other temples, including a ceremony for the Brussels Belgium Temple on November 22, 2025. Updates have also included renderings for other temples, such as the Savai’i Samoa Temple located in Salelologa, Samoa, and the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple to be built in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This ongoing commitment to expanding temple infrastructure illustrates the significant investment the Church is making to meet the spiritual needs of its growing congregation.
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Additional Resources
- The Church News: Houston Texas South Temple Site Announced
- Wikipedia: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Deseret News: Church Announces Progress on Temples
- Google Search: Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- ABC4: Renderings of New Temples Announced
- Google Scholar: Latter-day Saints Temples
- The Church News: Temples Current Status
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Temple (Religion)
- The Church News: Houston Texas South Temple Almanac Entry
- Google News: Houston Texas South Temple
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