President Monson Calls for Missionaries, Announces Five New Temples

President Thomas S. Monson opened the Church’s 180th Semiannual General Conference, held on Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3, 2010, by calling for more members to serve missions and announcing five new temples.

President Monson repeated the call for “every worthy, able young man” to prepare to serve; welcomed young women who desire to serve; and expressed the Church’s need for “many, many more senior couples” to serve.

“Missionary service is a priesthood duty,” he said, “an obligation the Lord expects of us who have been given so very much.”

President Monson announced that five new temples are planned for construction in Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Lisbon, Portugal; Tijuana, Mexico; and Urdaneta, Philippines.

The new temples bring to 23 the number of temples that are announced or are under construction. Once completed, these 23 temples will bring the Church’s worldwide total to 157.

“We continue to build temples,” said President Monson. “… May we continue faithful in attending the temples, which are being built closer and closer to our members” (“As We Meet Together Again,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2010, 4).

The new temples will be the first for the Church in Portugal, Indiana, and Connecticut. The Urdaneta Temple will be the Church’s third in the Philippines and the Tijuana Temple will be Mexico’s thirteenth temple.

In the six months between April and October general conferences, the Church dedicated four new temples: The Gila Valley Arizona, Vancouver British Columbia, Cebu City Philippines, and Kyiv Ukraine Temples. The Laie Hawaii Temple is scheduled to be rededicated on November 21, 2010, after undergoing extensive renovations.