The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the open house and dedication dates for the Modesto California Temple, the start of renovations for the Apia Samoa Temple and the location of the Hamburg Germany Temple.
In a recent general conference, President Dallin H. Oaks taught the purpose of building temples and worshiping within them.
“The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints centers on the family. Essential to our doctrine on the family is the temple,” he said. “The ordinances received there enable us to return as eternal families to the presence of our Heavenly Father.”
Modesto California Temple
The open house for the Modesto California Temple will begin with a media day on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, followed by tours for invited guests on October 14 and 15. The public is invited to attend the open house from October 16 through October 31 (excluding Sundays).
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will preside at the dedication on Sunday, November 22, 2026. The dedicatory session will be broadcast to congregations in the Modesto California Temple district.
California is home to nearly 730,000 Latter-day Saints, meeting in around 1,000 congregations.
Dedicated temples in the state include the Feather River, Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oakland, Redlands, Sacramento and Yorba Linda California Temples. The San Diego California Temple will be rededicated on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The Bakersfield and Sunnyvale California Temples have been announced. The Modesto California Temple was announced in April 2022.
Apia Samoa Temple
Beginning December 23, 2026, the Apia Samoa Temple will be closed for an extensive renovation.
During the closure, members from the temple district are encouraged to attend other temples as their circumstances permit. Those desiring to receive their own ordinances should contact a temple in the surrounding area to make the necessary arrangements.
More than 90,000 members of the Church reside in Samoa, meeting in around 170 congregations.
This house of the Lord was first dedicated in 1983. After a fire destroyed the sacred structure, President Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the Apia Samoa Temple in 2005.
The Savai’i Samoa Temple was announced in 2023.
Hamburg Germany Temple
The Hamburg Germany Temple will be built on a 1.4-acre site located at Wartenau 20, Hamburg, Germany.
This will be the third house of the Lord in the country. The Frankfurt Germany Temple and Freiberg Germany Temple were first dedicated in the 1980s. The Hamburg Germany Temple was announced in 2023.
More than 40,000 members of the Church live in Germany and meet in nearly 150 congregations.
Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ are different from meetinghouses or chapels where members gather for Sunday worship services. A temple is considered a house of the Lord, where the teachings of Jesus Christ are reaffirmed through marriage, baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors and other ceremonies that allow families to be united for eternity.
