ST. GEORGE — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released exterior renderings Tuesday showing the planned design for three temples: Washington County, Utah; Tooele Valley, Utah; and Moses Lake, Washington.
According to a press release from the church, this announcement comes as project leaders file public documents relating to the temples’ design in preparation for the eventual groundbreaking and beginning of construction at each site.
The locations of all three temples have previously been announced.
The Washington County Utah Temple, which was announced in October 2018 by church President Russell M. Nelson, will be built on a 14-acre site located northeast of the corner of 1580 South and 3000 East in St. George. Plans call for a three-story temple of approximately 90,000 square feet.
This will be the city’s second temple. The St. George Utah Temple was closed Nov. 4, 2019, for an extensive renovation and is expected to reopen sometime in 2022.
The Tooele Valley Utah Temple, which was announced in April 2019 by Nelson, will be located northwest of the intersection of Erda Way and Highway 36 in Erda, Utah. Plans call for a three-story temple of approximately 70,000 square feet.
The Moses Lake Washington Temple, which was announced in April 2019 by Nelson, will be built on a 17-acre site located on Yonezawa Boulevard between Division Street and Rd K NE. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 20,000 square feet with a center spire.
The Moses Lake Washington Temple will be the church’s fourth temple in that state. The others are in Richland, Seattle and Spokane.
Detailed design plans for these temples are still in process. Interior renderings will be made public later. Groundbreaking dates have not been set.
Utah currently has 17 operating temples. In addition to Tooele Valley and Washington County, temples have also been announced in Layton, Orem, Syracuse and Taylorsville. A temple in Saratoga Springs is currently under construction.
Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the “house of the Lord” and the most sacred places of worship on the earth. Temples differ from the church’s meetinghouses, known as chapels.
All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses. The primary purpose of temples, however, is for faithful members of the church to participate in sacred ceremonies such as marriages that unite families forever and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity while living.
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