Des Moines will be home to Iowa's first Mormon temple. Here's what to know:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church, announced Sunday that it plans to build 15 temples across the globe, including one in Des Moines.

While Iowa has 70 Latter-day congregations, this would be the first temple in the state. Churches are places of everyday worship, while temples are "the house of the Lord and the most sacred places of worship on the earth," according to a news release from the organization.

Iowans currently have to drive two to four hours to reach the nearest temple, said Susan Sims, communications director of the Iowa and western Illinois region of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Church members here in Iowa have long wanted a temple," Sims said. "We have long prayed to have a temple here."

In his announcement Sunday, Russell Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church is doing "all within our power" to make a temple more accessible to members. His announcement concluded the organization's April 2024 general conference.

Where will the Mormon temple be built in Iowa?

The announcement did not describe a location for the temple other than Des Moines. Sims said they don't yet have a location picked out.

Polk County records show the church bought 19.6 acres of land near the intersection of Northwest 62nd Avenue and Northwest 86th Street in Johnston. The sale closed in October for $2.5 million.

How many Latter-day Saints are in Iowa?

According to the church, Iowa is home to more than 29,000 active Latter-day Saints in about 70 congregations. The temple would be a place only for members of the church "who are in good standing are allowed to enter the temples," according to its website.

Iowa has a long history with the Latter-day Saints: Nearly 200 people settled the southern Iowa town of Garden Grove, which served as a waystation on the 1,300-mile route Mormons used to flee Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846, according to the National Park Service. Garden Grove, with its cabins and crops, served as "a resting place for those who could not continue and for those who would soon arrive" and was active until 1852, the park service said.

What can we expect from the Iowa Mormon temple?

The Latter-day Saints' announcement did not include information on what the Iowa temple would look like.

According to Sims, there are no current plans for the temple and a timeline for construction has not been set.

"We don't know what it's going to look like," she said. "We might not have the land, but this is our plan."

But Iowa is one of the last of the Midwestern states to have a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints and if it looks anything like those in Nebraska, Missouri or Minnesota, it will be grandiose and likely made of white granite.

Its 189 temples worldwide typically have spires or towers and a statue of the Angel Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet. Another 52 temples are under construction and 109 are planned.

Where else were Mormon temples announced?

The Latter-day Saints' other planned temples announced Sunday include:

• Uturoa, French Polynesia

• Chihuahua, Mexico

• Florianópolis, Brazil

• Rosario, Argentina

• Edinburgh, Scotland

• Brisbane, Australia

• Victoria, British Columbia

• Yuma, Arizona

• Houston, Texas

• Cincinnati, Ohio

• Honolulu, Hawaii

• West Jordan, Utah

• Lehi, Utah

• Maracaibo, Venezuela

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him a kwerner@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines will be home to Iowa's first Mormon temple. What to know