Fort Bend Texas Temple: Houston Gets a New Name for Its Second Latter-day Saint House of Worship

For Houston's diverse and growing faith communities — including many South Asian Latter-day Saints in the Fort Bend corridor — the renaming of a major new temple is a meaningful milestone in the region's spiritual landscape.

🏛️ First Presidency Announces the New Name

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially announced that the Houston Texas South Temple — first unveiled at the April 2024 general conference — will now be called the Fort Bend Texas Temple. The updated name reflects the temple's planned site on a 15.7-acre lot along Fort Bend Parkway, just north of Sienna Parkway in Missouri City, Texas. Plans call for a single-story structure of approximately 46,000 square feet, along with a meetinghouse and an ancillary building. The renamed temple will be the second Latter-day Saint house of worship in the Houston area and one of ten across the state of Texas. [4]

📍 Fort Bend County Lends Its Name to Houston's Newest Temple

Church News reported that the newly renamed Fort Bend Texas Temple draws its name directly from the county in which it will be constructed. The announcement was made on February 23, 2026, and the temple is described as the Houston area's second Latter-day Saint house of the Lord. An exterior rendering of the building has been released, giving the community its first visual glimpse of the planned structure. The name change was covered in multiple languages, reflecting the broad international reach of the announcement. [1]

🗺️ Houston Chronicle Highlights the Temple's Southwest Houston Footprint

The Houston Chronicle noted that the newly named Fort Bend Texas Temple is planned for a site southwest of Houston, underscoring the region's rapid growth and the expanding presence of faith institutions in suburban Harris and Fort Bend counties. The planned structure spans approximately 46,000 square feet, making it a substantial addition to the area's religious landscape. The renaming helps anchor the project more firmly to its geographic and civic identity within Missouri City and the broader Fort Bend community. [7]

⛏️ Texas Temple Activity Continues with Fairview Groundbreaking

While Fort Bend's temple moves through planning, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints marked another Texas milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony for the Fairview Texas Temple. This event signals the broader statewide expansion of Latter-day Saint worship facilities, of which Texas now hosts a growing number. Groundbreakings represent a significant ceremonial step between announcement and completion for these houses of worship. The Fairview development reflects the same momentum driving the Fort Bend temple project forward across the state. [5]

Sources: [4] Deseret News · [1] Church News · [7] Houston Chronicle · [5] newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org