SLT reporting on Shanghai temple.

[Thoughtful]

Looks like China knew nothing about this plan...

[Hagoth]

Whoa.
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2020/04 ... s-temple/

Within days of Nelson’s remarks, though, the Shanghai Municipal Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau said twice on its website it knew nothing about a “Mormon temple” being built in the city of more than 24 million people.

In response to a question posed on Weibo (China’s Twitter), the bureau first wrote, “foreigners are not allowed to establish religious organizations or areas of religious activity within China’s borders” and “the news that the American Mormon Church announced that it is building a temple came only from the American side.”

Note to self: Hmm, I wonder if enough Ensign Peak money making its way to certain dignitaries and officials could make a "miracle" happen.

[moksha]

The whole thing was apparently based on Sheri Dew and Wendy Nelson fixing a chow mein casserole for President Nelson. Apparently he woke up in his sleep later that night and began jotting down notes.

"Shanghai?! Oops... President Nelson meant to say Shangri-La, and by that, he meant Tooele, Utah. Sorry for the mixup."
-- The Newsroom on Temple Square

[nibbler]

The hair that is split with this story is that Nelson said that they were going to dedicate a room for multi-purpose use, meaning the room can serve as a temple.

Many took that to mean that the church was going to "build" a temple in Shanghai.

My guess is that Chinese officials were reacting to the buzz that a temple was being "built". As far as I know, that was never the plan. The plan only to dedicate a room or two in an existing building to be a place where temple ordinances could temporarily be performed.

[Red Ryder]

Right Nibbler.

I’m guessing they were going to clear out an existing room, add some theater style chairs, white curtains, and an altar.

Open by appointment only.

A temple doesn’t have to be a $50 million edifice. Of course nobody wants to get married in a broom closet though either.

[Hagoth]

The hair that is split with this story is that Nelson said that they were going to dedicate a room for multi-purpose use, meaning the room can serve as a temple

Nevertheless this is how the Church Newroom reports it:

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Sunday afternoon, April 5, 2020, plans to build eight new temples throughout the world.

Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Tallahassee, Florida
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Benin City, Nigeria
Syracuse, Utah
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

[no1saint]

The hair that is split with this story is that Nelson said that they were going to dedicate a room for multi-purpose use, meaning the room can serve as a temple

Nevertheless this is how the Church Newroom reports it:

President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Sunday afternoon, April 5, 2020, plans to build eight new temples throughout the world.

Bahía Blanca, Argentina
Tallahassee, Florida
Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Benin City, Nigeria
Syracuse, Utah
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

It feels like they will do what they originally intended for East Germany and the Freiburg Temple. In essence it will be very similar to an endowment house and a mix of what they are doing with the ultra smaller new temples where a multipurpose room functions as a sealing room/endowment room.