Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple
On 5 October 2019, during the 189th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson announced that a temple will be built in Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple will be the island nation's first temple.
Port Moresby is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. Members currently fly to the Fijian islands to participate in temple ordinance work at the Suva Fiji Temple. The Port Moresby Branch, the nation's first congregation, was organized on 10 October 1979. The Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Mission was created on 13 February 1992.
There are approximately 36,000 Latter-day Saints in 92 congregations in Papua New Guinea.[1] In a six-minute video, Church members in Papua New Guinea share their reactions to the welcomed announcement of a temple in their country.
On Wednesday, 15 September 2020, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the location of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple and released an exterior rendering showing the planned design for the new temple. The temple will be constructed on Muniogo Crescent in the Badili neighborhood of Port Moresby on the site of an existing meetinghouse that overlooks beautiful Walter Bay. Plans call for a single-story temple with a single attached end spire of approximately 9,550 square feet. Missionary and patron apartments, a temple president’s residence, and a distribution center will also be constructed on the site. The meetinghouse currently on the site will be demolished.
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Groundbreaking
Members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Port Moresby gathered on 22 April 2023 for a groundbreaking event to officially commence the construction of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple. Elder Peter F. Meurs, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, presided at the service. He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Maxine Meurs. Elder Robert Gordon, Area Seventy, accompanied Elder and Sister Meurs.
Elder Meurs spoke about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, the purpose of temples, and the faith of local Latter-day Saints, before offering a dedicatory prayer.
Honoured guests who attended the event included His Excellency, Sir Bob Dadae, Governor General of Papua New Guinea; Tauvasa Tanuvasa Chou-Lee, Solicitor General; and Joe Zadrozny, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Other dignitaries in attendance included government officials, business leaders, and customary landowners.
Church members, including current and former leadership from across the country were in attendance. A group of 18 men walked the 100km Kokoda Track to be at the groundbreaking.
For many years, members of the Church in Papua New Guinea have needed to travel to Australia or other overseas locations to worship in the faith’s temples.
