Temple Updates Across Brazil, Utah, Missouri, and Nauvoo

Several recent announcements by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints highlight both the global growth of temple work and the Church’s continued effort to help members better understand the purpose of the house of the Lord. Taken together, the updates move from a new groundbreaking in Brazil to major temple milestones in Utah and Missouri, then to a new visitors’ center in Nauvoo centered on temple history and meaning.

Each development carries its own local significance, but all of them point to the same larger theme: the temple remains central to the worship, history, and future of the Church. From longtime members in Teresina who waited decades for a temple in their city to visitors in Nauvoo who will soon walk through new exhibits focused on sacred covenants, these updates demonstrate how temple work continues to shape the lives of Latter-day Saints.

Ground Broken for the Teresina Brazil Temple

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Teresina Brazil Temple took place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, marking an important moment for members in northern Brazil. Church Newsroom reports that Elder Ciro Schmeil of the Brazil Area Presidency presided at the event and offered a dedicatory prayer at the future site of the temple.

In that prayer, Elder Schmeil expressed gratitude for temple covenants and taught that those covenants help people understand their divine identity as children of God. In remarks before the prayer, he also said the role of the temple is to connect people with the Savior Jesus Christ, because without Him they cannot return to live in the presence of Heavenly Father.

Church Newsroom said the ceremony represented more than the start of a construction project for many who attended. For local members, especially those who helped establish the Church in the area, the event marked the fulfillment of a hope that grew over decades and opened a new chapter for Latter-day Saints in Piauí.

One of those members was Roberto Andrade, identified in the release as a pioneer member and the first person baptized in Teresina. He recalled that the Church in the city began in 1984 with just a small group of believers, and described the temple groundbreaking a source of great happiness.

The release also included the perspective of Theresa Rachel Mendes, who joined the Church on May 22, 1994, when she was baptized at age 16. She said the temple holds great meaning and power for her because she was for a long time the only member of the Church in her family, and she has taught her children the importance of the house of the Lord and the power of temple covenants.

The groundbreaking also adds to a growing number of temples in Brazil, where more than 1.5 million Latter-day Saints meet in around 2,000 congregations, according to Church Newsroom. The release said Brazil currently has dedicated temples in Belém, Brasília, Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo.

The Belo Horizonte, Ribeirão Prêto, Londrina, Natal, and now Teresina Temples are under construction.

President Russell M. Nelson announced the Teresina Brazil Temple in April 2023. At the time, he taught that the answer to all our problems and questions is found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, adding that He is the reason temples are built because each one is His holy house.

The release also repeated an important teaching about the purpose of temples and how they differ from local chapels. While all are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and weekday activities in meetinghouses, temples serve as the most sacred places of worship on earth for faithful members who participate in ordinances such as eternal marriage and proxy baptisms for deceased ancestors.

Dates Released: Open House and Dedication for the Ephraim Utah Temple, Groundbreaking for the Springfield Missouri Temple

The next set of updates shifts to the United States, where the First Presidency has announced major dates for both the Ephraim Utah Temple and the Springfield Missouri Temple. According to Church Newsroom, the Ephraim Utah Temple will hold a media day on Monday, August 31, 2026, followed by private tours for invited guests on Tuesday, September 1.

The public open house for the Ephraim Utah Temple begins on Wednesday, September 2, and continues through Saturday, September 19, with no tours on Sundays. That schedule gives members of the public more than two weeks to walk through the building before its formal dedication in October.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the Ephraim Utah Temple on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 10 a.m. Church Newsroom said the dedicatory session will be rebroadcast at 2 p.m. and will go out to all units in the Ephraim Utah Temple district.

President Nelson announced the Ephraim Utah Temple in a prerecorded message played during a news conference inside the Manti Tabernacle on May 1, 2021. In that message, he told listeners he loved them and testified that they were engaged in the work of Almighty God, declaring that Jesus is the Christ, that this is His Church, and that members are His servants.

Church Newsroom placed the announcement in the broader context of temple growth in Utah, which remains the Church’s global headquarters. More than 2.2 million Latter-day Saints live in the state and meet in nearly 5,400 congregations, while 32 temples in Utah are already in operation, under construction, or undergoing renovation.

The release listed the state’s dedicated temples as Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Deseret Peak, Draper, Jordan River, Layton, Logan, Manti, Monticello, Mount Timpanogos, Ogden, Oquirrh Mountain, Orem, Payson, Provo City Center, Red Cliffs, Saratoga Springs, St. George, Syracuse, Taylorsville, and Vernal.

It also noted that the Lindon Utah Temple will be dedicated on May 3, 2026, and that the Heber Valley, Provo Utah Rock Canyon, Smithfield, and Salt Lake Temples are under construction or renovation. The Lehi, Price, Spanish Fork, and West Jordan Temples are still in the planning phase.

The same release also announced the groundbreaking date for the Springfield Missouri Temple. That ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, and Elder Aroldo B. Cavalcante of the United States Southeast Area Presidency will preside.

Church Newsroom connected the Springfield temple to Missouri’s deep place in early Church history, noting that many important events happened there as Latter-day Saints worked to establish Zion. Today, more than 84,000 Latter-day Saints live in Missouri and meet in around 180 congregations.

When completed, the Springfield Missouri Temple will be the third dedicated house of the Lord in the state, joining the Kansas City Missouri Temple and the St. Louis Missouri Temple. President Nelson announced the Springfield Missouri Temple in April 2023.

New Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center Scheduled for Dedication

The final update turns to Nauvoo, Illinois, where the Church is preparing to dedicate a new visitors’ center tied directly to temple history. Church Newsroom reports that Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the new Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center on Saturday, June 27, 2026, and the restored Brigham and Mary Ann Young Home will be rededicated at the same time.

The new visitors’ center will include historical artifacts, interactive exhibits, a short film, children’s activities, and a Tiffany stained-glass window of Jesus Christ. According to the release, the stories and messages throughout the center will focus on the history and significance of the original Nauvoo Temple, the current Nauvoo Illinois Temple, and the importance of houses of the Lord in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Church Historian and Recorder Elder Kyle S. McKay said the Church hopes all who come to the site will feel the love of Jesus Christ and gain a deeper appreciation for the sacred covenants and ordinances of His holy house. He added that the vast majority of covenants and ordinances performed in temples today were first restored in Nauvoo.

The restored Brigham and Mary Ann Young Home also plays an important role in this update. Church Newsroom said the home was first restored in the 1960s and has now received structural and program updates, with a new guided tour that centers on the Young family’s preparations to leave Nauvoo and begin the long journey west.

The June 27 dedication date carries added historical weight. It marks the 24th anniversary of the dedication of the reconstructed Nauvoo Illinois Temple and also commemorates the martyrdom of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith, who were killed in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844.

Church Newsroom said the dedicatory session for the visitors’ center will be a ticketed event for those attending in person, and will also be broadcast live for wider participation. In addition, the broadcast will be available at multiple locations in Nauvoo for those who wish to take part there.

Beginning Monday, June 29, 2026, both the Nauvoo Temple Visitors’ Center and the Brigham and Mary Ann Young Home will open to the public with free admission. The visitors’ center at 155 Wells Street and the Young home at 610 Kimball Street will operate Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m.

The release also included a broader reminder of Nauvoo’s place in Church history. Nauvoo served as Church headquarters from 1839 to 1846, and it was there that the Saints learned more about the purpose of the Lord’s house, the divine nature and potential of humankind, and the promise of eternal families.

Church Newsroom also noted that Nauvoo was the setting for important developments in Church organization, including the establishment of the Relief Society, which now includes more than 8 million women worldwide. It was also in Nauvoo that Joseph Smith authored the Articles of Faith, a concise statement of the Church’s core beliefs.

Construction on the original Nauvoo Illinois Temple began in 1841, and the temple was dedicated in 1846, even as persecution intensified after the deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Many Saints received temple blessings there before leaving for the West, but a fire and later a tornado destroyed the building.

President Gordon B. Hinckley announced the reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple on its original site on April 4, 1999.

These updates show the many ways temple work moves forward at once. In one place, members celebrate a long-awaited groundbreaking, in another they prepare for an open house and dedication, and in Nauvoo they preserve the history that helps explain why temples matter so deeply in the first place.

Which temple update hits closest to home for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Holly Wallace

Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.