SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the groundbreaking dates of two new temples in American Samoa and Tonga
The groundbreaking for the Neiafu Tonga Temple will take place on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021 while the groundbreaking of the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple will take place on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021.
Both temples were originally announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson in April 2019.
The Neiafu Tonga Temple will be built at the location of the Church-owned Saineha High School. The single-story temple will be approximately 17,000 square feet.
According to Church officials, this will be the second temple built in Tonga, which is home to over 66,000 Latter-day Saints or 60% of the country’s population.
The Pago Pago American Samoa Temple will be built on the site of the Pago Pago Samoa Central Stake Center in Tafuna, American Samoa. This single-story temple will be approximately 17,000 square feet and will be the first temple in American Samoa, which is home to more than 16,000 Latter-day Saints.
“Attendance at both groundbreaking ceremonies will be by invitation only. The groundbreaking ceremonies will be broadcast to congregations in the two temple districts,” the Church explained in the announcement.
The groundbreaking announcements come on the heels of the church announcing the return of Saturday evening sessions of General Conference on Tuesday.
