Latter-day Saint Temples Are Springing Up Around the South Pacific 

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temples are the most sacred places on earth.

Latter-day Saints and their friends worship each Sunday in meetinghouses, or chapels. All are welcome to attend these worship services each Sunday.

But it is in temples that Latter-day Saints participate in the highest sacraments of their religion.

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There are ten temples in the South Pacific, including in Australia and New Zealand. Seven more have been announced, all at different stages of planning and construction.

The seven new temples will be built in: Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; Tarawa, Kiribati; Pago Pago, American Samoa; Neiafu, Tonga; and Port Vila, Vanuatu.

This growth in the number of temples is part of a worldwide increase in temples, from Africa to the Americas. From Europe to Asia.

Here is a list of temples worldwide.

To understand why Latter-day Saints build temples, it is helpful to understand what members of the Church believe about Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him.

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson, said at the Church's October 2021 General Conference: "The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Saviour and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power" (President Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” General Conference, October 2021).

Take a virtual tour of a temple, view photos and read more about temples here.  

Many peoples of the Pacific resonate with the teachings found inside temples. The gospel of Jesus Christ, principles of personal salvation, the promise of stronger, eternal family bonds, and more united communities.

Watch a video featuring Papua New Guinean Latter-day Saints responding to the 2019 announcement of a temple to be built in Port Moresby.

View artists' renderings of the Tarawa Kiribati and Port Vila Vanuatu temples here.

Read comments from I-Kiribati Latter-day Saints following the announcement of the Tarawa temple in 2020, here.

Ground-breaking ceremonies have taken place in Pago Pago, Neiafu and Auckland. Similar services will take place in the coming months and years in Port Moresby, Port Vila, Tarawa and Wellington.

When a new temple is constructed, members of the public, including news media professionals, are invited to take a walk-through tour of the building.

During these open houses, guests learn why temples are so important to Latter-day Saints as they strive to love and obey God, follow Jesus Christ, and build family relationships that will last for eternity.

New Zealanders will have the opportunity to walk inside the newly renovated Hamilton New Zealand Temple from 26 August to 17 September. Learn how to reserve a free ticket here.

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The temple will then be re-dedicated by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, an apostle of Jesus Christ, on 16 October. 

ChurchofJesusChrist.org states: "For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple is the most sacred place of worship on earth—it is the house of the Lord. It is a place set apart from the rest of the world where members seek to draw closer to God. Temples are designated by the Lord and dedicated to His purposes. Temples are the only places where some religious ceremonies, called ordinances, are authorized to be performed. These ordinances lift and inspire participants as they promise to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ."