The church's first self-standing meetinghouse in the Middle East was dedicated in Abu Dhabi in 2013.

[5] The congregation grew from a small group of less than ten people to a stake organized by Jeffrey R. Holland in 2013.

[7] The Abu Dhabi Stake encompasses the UAE, Qatar, and Oman.

The temple is expected to serve 8,000 members living in two stakes in the Gulf states and a number of congregations in the Middle East, northern Africa, eastern Europe and western Asia.

[12] As of December 2022, discussions between the LDS Church and local authorities concerning the temple plot and design were still underway.