MOSES LAKE, Wash. — The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the location of a new 20,000 -square-foot temple in Moses Lake.
The temple, announced in April by Church President Russell M. Nelson, will be built on a 17-acre site at Yonezawa Boulevard between Division Street and Road K NE. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 20,000 square feet and an adjacent 17,000-square-foot meeting house.
Church leaders said detailed design plans for the temple are still in the works.
Groundbreaking and opening dates have not yet been set. Project leaders will begin working with city officials on preliminary plans and filing public documents in coming months.
Church members consider temples to be the “house of the Lord,” or the most sacred place on earth. Unlike meetinghouses, where Sabbath worship and weekly activities take place, temples are open throughout the week and closed on Sundays.
The Moses Lake temple will be the fourth in Washington state, joined by existing temples in Richland, Bellevue and Spokane.
The Spokane temple is located at 13710 E. 40th Avenue. It serves Latter-day Saints in eastern Washington, and parts of North Idaho and western Montana.
Nearly 290,000 Latter-day Saints in 546 congregations live in Washington, according to the church.
The Moses Lake temple is also part of the Church’s plan to build eight new temples worldwide, including Utah.
Church President Russell M. Nelson has announced 27 new temples since becoming president in January 2018.
