The Apia Samoa Temple was the first temple built in Samoa and the third built in Polynesia, following the Laie Hawaii Temple (1919) and the Hamilton New Zealand Temple (1958). The Apia Samoa Temple was the second temple to be completely destroyed and rebuilt. (The other is the Nauvoo Temple.) The Apia Samoa Temple was the first reconstructed temple to be relocated from its original footprint. The adjoining meetinghouse that had been located near the intersection was removed, and the temple was built in its place.

On the evening of July 9, 2003—nearly 20 years after its dedication—the Apia Samoa Temple was destroyed by fire while closed for an extensive remodeling project. One week later, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced that the temple would be rebuilt. On January 25, 2005, the same angel Moroni statue that had survived the fire that engulfed the original building was placed atop the newly rebuilt Apia Samoa Temple. The Apia Samoa Temple was rededicated on September 4, 2005. The granite building reflects the design of the original while providing over 4,000 additional square feet, higher quality building materials, and a more efficient floor plan.