Temples Announced for Arizona

President Thomas S. Monson announced on April 10, 2008, plans to construct two new temples in Arizona, in the United States, one of them in the city of Gilbert and the other in Gila Valley. The announcement of the two temples is the first such made by President Monson since he became President of the Church.

The First Presidency invited members who wish to make specific financial donations to the construction of either temple to do so by writing “temple” on the “Other” line of their tithing donation slips and specifying which temple they wish to contribute to rather than using the general “Temple Construction” line.

The temple in Gilbert will serve to lessen the demands placed on the Mesa Arizona Temple, nine miles (14 km) away, which was originally dedicated in 1927 and rededicated in 1975.

The Gila Valley temple will be built near the communities of Thatcher and Safford. The temple in this region will relieve members from the 300-mile (483-km) round trip to attend the Mesa temple.

Church officials said the construction of the new temples remains a year or two away. Arizona also has a temple located in Snowflake.