Work on temples begins, ends around the world

The Rexburg Idaho and Nuku‘alofa Tonga temples are nearing dedication, ground has been broken for the Kyiv Ukraine, Tegucigalpa Honduras, and Vancouver British Columbia Temples, and a new temple has been announced in Manaus, Brazil, according to the LDS Church Newsroom.

There are now 124 operating temples in the world, with 12 under construction or announced.Rexburg Idaho TempleThe First Presidency has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Rexburg, Idaho Temple. Four dedication sessions will take place Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Prior to its dedication, the temple will be open for public tours beginning Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, through Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, excluding Sundays. A member meeting and cultural celebration will take place Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008.Plans for the temple — the third in Idaho — were announced in December 2003 and work began in July 2005. Situated near the Brigham Young University-Idaho campus, the temple will serve Latter-day Saints in eastern Idaho. Groundbreaking for the state’s fourth temple in Twin Falls began in April 2006.Nuku‘alofa Tonga TempleThe newly renovated Nuku‘alofa Tonga Temple will be rededicated in November, following months of preparatory work.

The open house will begin on Sept. 29, 2007, and continue through Oct. 20, excluding Sundays. Following the open house, two rededicatory sessions will be held on Nov. 4, 2007, to accommodate Latter-day Saints in the area who will be served by the temple. A cultural celebration will take place on Nov. 3, 2007.

The Nuku‘alofa Tonga Temple, first dedicated in August 1983 by President Gordon B. Hinckley, serves Latter-day Saints throughout Tonga and the Line Islands of the Pacific Ocean. Tonga now has some 52,400 members.Kyiv Ukraine TempleGroundbreaking services for the Kyiv Ukraine Temple took place on Saturday, June 23, 2007.

Presiding over the service was Elder Paul B. Pieper, President of the Europe East Area. Elder Alexander N. Manzhos, Europe East Area Seventy, conducted the ceremony.

The temple, the first to be built in Ukraine, was first announced in July of 1998. Since 2002, Latter-day Saints in Ukraine have had to travel 30 hours one way to attend the nearest temple. Ukraine now has more than 9,900 members in one stake and five districts.Vancouver British Columbia TempleThe Church held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Vancouver British Columbia Temple on Sat., August 4, 2007. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy presided at the services.