Local Proclamations: Dallin H. Oaks and the New Temple Announcement Era

Under the new directive established by the First Presidency, temple announcements are authorized to be delivered locally by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on assignment or by Area Presidencies during stake devotions. President Oaks has noted that the "best place to announce a temple is in that temple district," allowing local congregations to receive the news in their own houses of worship.

This approach focuses on local engagement and highlights the intimate, sacred nature of a temple's arrival. By delivering these proclamations on-site, the Church strengthens the connection between local leadership, the community, and the sacred building they will sustain and utilize.

The first local announcement occurred on December 14, 2025, when Elder Allen D. Haynie of the United States Northeast Area Presidency read a statement from the First Presidency during a local Christmas devotional in Portland, Maine. The announcement of the Portland Maine Temple marked the historic start of the new policy.

This was followed on April 19, 2026, by the announcement of the Marysville Washington Temple, delivered by Elder Hugo E. Martinez during a stake devotional in Marysville, Washington. Most recently, the Otavalo Ecuador Temple was announced on May 14, 2026, by Elder Juan Pablo Villar of the South America Northwest Area Presidency. During the evening devotional in Otavalo, local Saints (many of Indigenous Otavaleño descent) reacted with tears of joy, demonstrating the deep emotional resonance of this decentralized approach.