Two Utah LDS temples to break ground this fall, renderings released

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to break ground on two Utah temples this fall, and we now know what they will look like.

The 70,000 square-foot Taylorsville Utah Temple will be built on a 7.5-acre lot at 2603 West 4700 South, right next to Interstate 215. The groundbreaking ceremony will happen in October.

The Red Cliffs Temple will occupy a 14-acre lot northeast of 3000 East 1580 South in St. George and ground will break for that temple in November.

The three-story building will be approximately 90,000 square feet.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, attendance for both will be invitation only.

Gerrit W. Gong will preside over the Taylorsville ceremony while Jeffrey R. Hollard will do so over the St. George ceremony. Both are elders in the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

A news release says:

The Taylorsville Utah Temple was announced in October 2019 and the Red Cliffs Utah Temple in October 2018 by Church President Russell M. Nelson. Utah has two dozen temples announced, under construction, under renovation or in operation. In addition to the temples in Taylorsville and St. George, temples have been announced in Orem, Syracuse and Tooele Valley."

LDS temples are different than meetinghouses. According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Each temple is considered a 'house of the Lord, where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man."