Groundbreaking Held for Springfield Missouri and Missoula Montana Temples

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, groundbreaking ceremonies took place for the Springfield Missouri and Missoula Montana Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Springfield Missouri Temple

Download Photo

Elder Aroldo B. Cavalcante of the United States Southeast Area Presidency presided at the Springfield Missouri Temple groundbreaking.

In his dedicatory prayer on the future temple site, Elder Cavalcante referred to the sacred structure as a “lighthouse” for Church members and the surrounding community.

“We pray that this place, beginning today, may become sacred ground and a lighthouse to the members and to the community it serves, bringing peace, joy, hope and courage to all — one by one — who desire to worship and come unto Thy Son, Jesus Christ,” he said.

When Deanna Hinnen, a member of the Branson Missouri Stake, was a young girl living in Missouri, the closest temple to her family was in Salt Lake City, Utah. She shared her joy at the growth of the Church and the opportunity to have a house of the Lord so near her home.

“No sacrifice is too great. And no price too heavy in order to receive the blessings of the temple,” she said. “I’m grateful for temples everywhere.”

Between her studies and participating in various sports teams, Taianna Yandall, a youth in the Monett Missouri Stake, is a busy high school student, but says making time to worship in the temple brings “blessings upon blessings” to her life.

“I received personal revelation, peace in my struggles, relief from my pains, strength in my weaknesses, forgiveness for offenses, and calming from my anxieties,” she said. “In the temple, the noise of the world feels quiet, and I am able to feel my Savior’s peace.”

This will be the third temple in the state. The St. Louis Missouri Temple was dedicated in 1997, and the Kansas City Missouri Temple was dedicated in 2012.

Many historical events for the Church took place in Missouri, as Latter-day Saints worked to establish Zion during the Church’s early history. Now, more than 84,000 Latter-day Saints call the state home, meeting in around 180 congregations.

President Russell M. Nelson announced the Springfield Missouri Temple in April 2023.

“Jesus Christ is the reason we build temples. Each is His holy house,” he said.

Missoula Montana Temple

“May this temple that will be built here stand as a beacon of light and truth to the youth of Thy Church. May they come to know the Savior more deeply within these sacred walls,” prayed Elder José A. Teixeira of the United States Central Area Presidency, who presided over the Missoula Montana Temple groundbreaking.

Isabelle Duncan, a youth from the Missoula Montana Stake, recalled her excitement at hearing President Nelson announce the Missoula Montana Temple in 2022, and her experience attending the Helena Montana Temple open house in 2023.

“There are pictures of Christ in the temple to remind us of Him and why we choose to live the gospel,” she said. “He is the perfect example of kindness, charity, service, obedience, grace, and compassion.”

Download Photo

Craig Bell, from the Missoula Montana Stake, spoke about the purpose of temples throughout ancient and modern history.

“They are places where God’s people seek to draw closer to him, participated in sacred ceremonies, and deepened their commitment to follow him,” he said.

Over 52,000 members of the Church live in Montana, meeting in nearly 150 congregations.

This will be the state’s third house of the Lord, joining the Billings Montana Temple, dedicated in 1999, and the Helena Montana Temple, dedicated in 2023.

“Positive spiritual momentum increases as we worship in the temple and grow in our understanding of the magnificent breadth and depth of the blessings we receive there,” President Nelson said.

Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ differ 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, baptism and other ceremonies that unite families for eternity.