LDS Church announces plans for new temples in Arizona and Peru

The LDS Church has announced plans for a new temple in Tucson, Arizona.

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SALT LAKE CITY President Thomas S. Monson announced plans for two new temples as he opened the 182nd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday.

The temples will be built in Tucson, Ariz., and Arequipa, Peru.

"No church-built facility is more important than a temple," President Monson said.

The LDS Church has 139 temples in operation around the world. Another 27 were already under construction or planned before today's announcement.

"I can't stop crying, it's just incredible," Tucson's Megan Allen said. "It's a huge thing to have that so close and so available for everybody. I remember for every conference, everyone was on the edge of their seats for the announcement, and finally this is the one."

Growing up as a youth there, Allen said it was always a big deal for everyone to be able to go to the temple to perform baptisms for the dead. There were months of planning, and they often had to leave early in the morning and it would be an all-day event.

"I'm excited for the youth," said Kalene Day, who is from Marana, Ariz., a town near Tucson. "They have been so strong and having a temple here is going to be amazing ... it's just going to to give us something more to work towards, it's going to be a wonderful experience."

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LDS Church announces plans for new temples in Arizona and Peru