Two temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have marked groundbreaking milestones. Groundbreaking services were held for the Wichita Kansas Temple on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The First Presidency has also announced the groundbreaking date for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple.
Wichita Kansas Temple
At a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wichita Kansas Temple, Elder Steven R. Bangerter offered a prayer: “Please bless us this day that, as we turn this dirt as a symbol of a new beginning, that we may feel Thy Holy Spirit within our hearts as a manifestation of the divine mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that we may each feel a new beginning with renewed commitment to live our lives according to His teachings and filled with His love.”
Elder Bangerter, First Counselor in the North America Central Area Presidency, presided at the groundbreaking event.
Several community and government leaders attended the event, including Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau and Rep. Stephen Owens from the Kansas State Legislature.
Thomas Dayley of the Wichita Kansas Stake spoke of how the knowledge he has gained in the temple has strengthened him through trials, including the death of his mother.
“I learned of how Christ gave His life for me within the temple, so I strive to give my life to Him,” Dayley said.
Tarawa Kiribati Temple
The First Presidency has announced the date of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024. Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, Second Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, will preside at the event.
Attendance at the site will be by invitation only. Additional details will be released later.
This temple was one of six announced by President Nelson in the October 2020 general conference.
“As we build and maintain these temples, we pray that each of you will build and maintain yourself so you can be worthy to enter the holy temple,” he said.
The Tarawa Kiribati Temple will be built on a 0.80-acre site located at Ambo, South Tarawa, Kiribati. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 10,000 square feet with an end-spire. Additional ancillary facilities will be located about a quarter mile west of the temple site. Plans for a meetinghouse and patron housing facility are in development.
This will be the first house of the Lord built in Kiribati. Nearly 23,000 members in over 40 congregations call the island nation home.
You can read more about each of these new temples on Church Newsroom here.
If you want to read more about upcoming temple construction projects, check out the articles below:
► Which Latter-day Saint temples are under construction around the world?
► Here are the latest updates on the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square renovation projects
► 3 tips to make visiting a temple open house extra special for your kids