The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
For the fifth time in as many weeks, more than 10 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been identified to reopen for limited husband-and-wife sealing ordinances.
On Monday, June 1, 11 additional temples were announced for Phase 1 reopening on Monday, June 8. They included the first two on the African continent — in Ghana and Nigeria of the Church’s Africa West Area — as well as others in Japan, Portugal, Tahiti and the states of Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada and Texas in the United States.
Added to the temples identified for similar Phase 1 opening in each of the four previous weeks, the June 8 group brings the number of reopening temples to 77 of the Church’s total 168 operating temples worldwide.
In all, Phase 1 reopenings have occurred or will be occurring in 14 different nations and 25 states.
After a six-week period where all temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were closed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the First Presidency announced its four-phased temple-reopening plan via a letter sent to general and local leaders dated Thursday, May 7.
The phases are:
- Phase 1: Open for restricted living sealings only. Temple workers will perform living sealings only for previously endowed members, with the ordinances done under strict guidelines and safety precautions.
- Phase 2: Open for all living ordinances only. Temple workers will perform all temple ordinances for living individuals, but temples will maintain closure of patron housing, clothing, and cafeteria operations.
- Phase 3: Open for all ordinances with restrictions. Temple workers will continue providing ordinances for living individuals and provide proxy ordinances for ancestors in a restricted manner. The Church will open patron housing, clothing, and cafeteria operations as needed.
- Phase 4: Open for full operations. The Church will resume regular temple operations.
To read the full article and learn which temples are opening and when, CLICK HERE.
