The location of a new temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Auckland, New Zealand, has been announced by President Russell M. Nelson during a Tuesday evening devotional in the country’s largest city. “Today I am pleased to announce that the new temple will be built in Auckland on Redoubt Road,” said President Nelson. The temple will be on a hill between the Missionary Training Center and the Redoubt stake center. President Nelson said the temple we will a ‘”two-story building with a granite exterior. Its light and beauty will be highly visible.”
The Auckland New Zealand Temple, announced in October 2018, will be the country’s second temple. The Hamilton New Zealand Temple is currently closed for renovation.
President Nelson addressed 12,000 Latter-day Saints and friends of the faith in Spark Arena, passing the midway mark of his nine-day ministry visit to the South Pacific.
Prior to the devotional, the prophet met with local leaders, including Auckland Mayor Phil Goff who spoke briefly at a reception. “President Nelson I have to say that your Church is a very important faith organization in New Zealand. The Church performs a very important role in the values that you teach and in the community service that you give us.”
He continued, “I have a special thanks for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that was for your response after the tragedy that affected New Zealand on March the 15th in Christchurch with an attack on two of our mosques resulting in 51 people being killed. And your Church was one of the first churches to come out to condemn the act, to express your solidarity with people of the Muslim faith.” He added, “your missionaries in Christchurch helped at the community center. Your ladies in Dunedin helped set up a women’s support center.”
Other dignitaries who met with President Nelson included fellow Latter-day Saints the Honorable Aupito William Sio, Minister for Pacific Peoples, and Dame Valerie Adams, a New Zealand two-time Olympic gold medalist shot putter. Latter-day Saint Vuyiswa Tulelo, South African High Commissioner to New Zealand, also attended the devotional.
The global faith leader is visiting New Zealand, an area known for its indigenous people and picturesque scenery, as he continues his Pacific ministry visits to seven countries.
This news release was provided by the Church newsroom.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
