Announcement of the Jacksonville Florida Temple
President Russell M. Nelson, 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Jacksonville Florida Temple on Oct. 2, 2022, during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2022 general conference. A house of the Lord for this city on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida was one of 18 announced by the Church — and the fifth for the Sunshine State.
During the October 2022 temple announcements, a house of the Lord for Jacksonville was the first listed for U.S. cities. For Gail Pannell, who spends some Saturdays at the temple in Orlando, Florida, it sent a thrill through her heart. Soon after the announcements, Pannell expressed succinctly how a house of the Lord will bless the community.
“I definitely think that it will bring a closer spirit to our area,” she said. “If you are in the temple, preparing for the temple and thinking about temple things, then you are more in tune with the Spirit.”
For Amanda Weaver of the Whitehouse Ward, Jacksonville Florida West Stake, the announcement set her phone off. Her sister, related Weaver, lives next door and “has called me a million times.” She added, “I never thought Jacksonville would get a temple in my lifetime.”
Weaver anticipated her children watching a temple built during their lifetime. “This will be their temple,” she said. “I hope having this temple will help my children’s testimony strengthen and their love for our Savior grow immeasurably.”
Timeline of the Jacksonville Florida Temple
The Jacksonville Florida Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on Oct. 2, 2022. Details about the temple’s groundbreaking have not yet been released.
Architecture and Design of the Jacksonville Florida Temple
According to site plans released by the Church on Feb. 20, 2024, the Jacksonville Florida Temple will be a single-story structure of approximately 29,000 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 6.6-acre parcel at 3323 Loretto Road, Jacksonville, Florida.
Architectural renderings of the house of the Lord show an off-white exterior surrounded by rectangular windows and an arched entryway toward the front. A multilevel tower with tall, rectangular windows stands above the center of the building. Flower gardens of various colors will adorn the grounds.