Recent Temple News

We've posted many stories on Elliot's blog about temples, including, most recently. the open house at the new Kansas City Temple. In the past couple of weeks there have been several stories on the Church website about the development of new temples, so I thought it would be fun to compile those stories here. Click on the links to the titles of each story to read more, and enjoy the photos and videos embedded below.

• “Stately and Magnificent” Mormon Kansas City Missouri Temple Dedicated

On Sunday, May 6, President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Kansas City Temple. He said this “stately and magnificent temple in the lovely part of the country, really the heartland of America, ... will shine as a beacon of righteousness to all who will follow its light — the light of the gospel, the light of the Savior.”

The Kansas City Missouri Temple is the Church's 137th temple worldwide, 67th in the United States and second in Missouri. The temple will serve some 45,000 Latter-day Saints in 126 congregations throughout Kansas, Missouri and small portions of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Video: Kansas City Missouri Temple Dedication



Video: Kansas City Missouri Temple Cultural Celebration

• Ground Broken for Provo, Utah’s Second Temple

The Church broke ground for the new temple in Provo on May 12. The temple will be built on the site of the Provo Tabernacle, which burned in December 2010. The building was originally constructed from 1883 to 1898 at a cost of $100,000 and was a historic treasure for the Church. It was also a community gathering place for meetings and cultural events. One such popular event was Handel's Messiah sung each year at Christmastime in the tabernacle.

President Jeffrey R. Holland spoke at the groundbreaking:

What an absolute stunning site! It is a picture-perfect day in Utah County. The temple site is filled with faithful people making history. . . . You can tell people Elder Holland was downright giddy today about the temple groundbreaking.

• Connecticut and Indiana Mormon Temple Renderings Released

The Church recently released renderings for two new temples first announced at the October 2010 General Conference. The proposed plans call for the Hartford Connecticut Temple to be built at 1024 Farmington Avenue in Farmington, Connecticut (map). The Indianapolis Indiana Temple site (in the city of Carmel on the southwest corner of the intersection of W116th and Spring Mill Road (map)) was announced in January 2011. Renderings of both temples are below.

Hartford Connecticut Temple

Indianapolis Indiana Temple

• Manaus Brazil Temple Opens To the Public

The new temple in Manaus Brazil opened to the public on May 18 for an open house, following a media tour on May 16. It will remain open to the public until June 2. The temple will be formally dedicated on June 10 in three sessions. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to congregations of the Church within the temple district.In conjunction with the dedication of the temple, there will also be a cultural celebration featuring music and dance on June 9.

• Star Valley Wyoming Temple Site Announced

The Star Valley Wyoming temple, first announced at the October 2011 General Conference, will be constructed east of U.S. Highway 89 on the Haderlie Farm property south of Afton, Wyoming. It is the first temple in Wyoming and will serve members living in the western part of the state, who now travel approximately 1.5 hours to Idaho Falls and Rexburg, Idaho, for temple services.

“We truly believe this new temple will be a great asset not only to members of the Church but also to the people of the surrounding community, who will benefit from the peace and beauty a temple brings,” said Jerry Hansen, local spokesman for the Church. “Temples are where members participate in the highest sacraments of our faith — where we make and renew promises to God and to our families.”

Once construction of the new temple begins, it is expected to take approximately two years to complete.

• Mormon Beliefs Explained at Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’ Center Exhibit

What do Mormons believe? Are they Christian? How do they worship? Those are a sampling of questions answered by a new exhibit in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ (Mormons) visitors’ center in Washington, D.C. The visitors’ center, which draws thousands of people each year, is adjacent to the Washington D.C. Temple.

“If people are going to ask questions, we need to do everything we can to give them the answers,” said Elder Don Olsen, visitors’ center director. “The Church has many resources to provide people with answers to their questions. We have a beautiful exhibit space and decided we should use it to help in that effort.”

The exhibit, entitled “We Follow Jesus Christ,” will be on display at the visitors’ center through the end of August. It provides answers to 24 questions about the Church that seem to have captured most people’s interest.

Mormon Messages for Youth: "Practice, Celebration, Dedication: Temple Blessings in El Salvador"

I really enjoyed this Mormon Messages for Youth video about the recently-dedicated temple in San Salvador, El Salvador. The video demonstrates how a temple can affect the lives of all, young and old, and it was fun to share the experience of three youth as they participated in the dedication and celebration of a new temple in their home country. We've included several stories about the importance temples on Elliot's blog (here, here, here, here, here, and here).

More information about the El Salvador temple may be found here, including the text of the dedicatory prayer offered by President Henry B. Eyring, a news report about the dedication, and more photos of the temple.

And here's some facts about the El Salvador temple, also from its website.

• The El Salvador Temple is the first temple to be built in El Salvador and the fourth to be built in Central America, following the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple (1984), the San José Costa Rica Temple (2000), and the Panamá City Panamá Temple (2008).
• The architectural design of the El Salvador Temple, which features graceful arches and conches throughout, is inspired by the Spanish colonial architecture of the region.
• A motif of the Flor de Izote (pictured) — the national flower of El Salvador — is used throughout the El Salvador Temple including in the art-glass windows and mahogany wood from Honduras and nearby countries. The limestone flooring is from Israel.
• The El Salvador Temple was dedicated on the 84th birthday of the president of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson.

Enjoy the video.

 

Here's another video about the dedication of the El Salvador temple.

President Thomas S. Monson announces six new temples

Yesterday, in the Saturday morning session of the 181st Semiannual General Conference of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson announced six new temples around the world:

• Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Durban, South Africa
• Barranquilla, Colombia
• Paris, France
• Star Valley, Wyoming
• Provo, Utah

President Monson had previously announced the Paris temple in July.

Speaking of the Star Valley Temple, President Monson said: "I think I'll dedicate that one.  There's good fishing up there!"  And I suspect he will!

The new Provo Temple, the second temple in that city, will be built at the site of the Provo Tabernacle, which was badly damaged in a December 2010 fire.  From a Deseret News story:

The announcement of the new temple in Provo drew an audible response from the Conference Center congregation. President Monson explained that the temple would be built on the site of the recently burned Provo Tabernacle in downtown Provo. He indicated that the current Provo Temple is among the busiest in the church — the new temple will take some of the pressure off that temple.

We're delighted that the Provo Tabernacle will be restored.  It is the site of my graduation from the BYU Law School way back in 1990 and brings back great memories of friends and family on an important day.

In speaking of temples, President Monson said:

No church-built facility is more important than a temple.  Temples are places where relationships are sealed together to last through the eternities.  We are grateful for all the many temples across the world and for the blessing they are in the lives of our members.

More information about temples and their significance to the Church may be found here.  You may also want to read past temple-related stories on Elliot's blog (here, here, here, here, and here).

President Monson talks about temples at General Conference

Elliot's mission blog includes several posts about temples (here, here, here, and here) because they are such an important part of the message that he is sharing with the people of Oklahoma.  So it was great to hear President Thomas S. Monson talk so much about temples during General Conference this past weekend.

In Saturday's opening session of Conference, President Monson announced that the Church will build three new temples, in Meridian, Idaho, Fort Collins, Colorado, and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  With the construction of these new temples, there will be a total of five temples in Idaho (Boise, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Rexburg, and Meridian), two in Colorado (Denver and Fort Collins), and nine in Canada (Cardston, Calgary (under construction), Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Regina, Vancouver, and Winnipeg).  The Church has created a website with details about the Winnipeg temple.

Then, in the Sunday morning session of Conference, President Monson spoke extensively about temples.  I've included the video of his address below and have updated this post to include text excerpts.  I especially enjoyed his comments about the ongoing construction of a temple in Rome (beginning at about 17:10 of the video and excerpted below).  We have a great new missionary from the Newhall First Ward -- Kyle Hill -- who is currently in the Missionary Training Center in preparation for his mission to Rome.  We'll look forward to reports from him about the temple and the growth of the Church in Italy.

Here are some excerpts from President Monson's address:

During the October general conference in 1902, Church President Joseph F. Smith expressed in his opening address the hope that one day we would “have temples built in the various parts of the [world] where they are needed for the convenience of the people.”

During the first 150 years following the organization of the Church, from 1830 to 1980, 21 temples were built, including the temples in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois. Contrast that with the 30 years since 1980, during which 115 temples were built and dedicated. With the announcement yesterday of 3 new temples, there are additionally 26 temples either under construction or in preconstruction stages. These numbers will continue to grow.

The goal President Joseph F. Smith hoped for in 1902 is becoming a reality. Our desire is to make the temple as accessible as possible to our members.

* * * * *

Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.

* * * * *

Now, my brothers and sisters, may I mention one more temple before I close. In the not-too-distant future as new temples take shape around the world, one will rise in a city which came into being over 2,500 years ago. I speak of the temple which is now being built in Rome, Italy.

Every temple is a house of God, filling the same functions and with identical blessings and ordinances. The Rome Italy Temple, uniquely, is being built in one of the most historic locations in the world, a city where the ancient Apostles Peter and Paul preached the gospel of Christ and where each was martyred.

Last October, as we gathered on a lovely pastoral site in the northeast corner of Rome, it was my opportunity to offer a prayer of dedication as we prepared to break the ground. I felt impressed to call upon Italian senator Lucio Malan and Rome’s vice-mayor Giuseppe Ciardi to be among the first to turn a shovelful of earth. Each had been a part of the decision to allow us to build a temple in their city.

The day was overcast but warm, and although rain threatened, not more than a drop or two fell. As the magnificent choir sang in Italian the beautiful strains of “The Spirit of God,” one felt as though heaven and earth were joined in a glorious hymn of praise and gratitude to Almighty God. Tears could not be restrained.

In a coming day, the faithful in this, the Eternal City, will receive ordinances eternal in nature in a holy house of God.

Enjoy the video of President Monson's address after the jump.  And here's a link to a video of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rome Temple.

Mormon Messages: "Mormon Temples: The Blessings of the Temple"

I have posted about temples several times on Elliot's blog (here, here, and here).  The Church has posted another great video about the blessings of the temple, narrated by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  The video is based in part on Elder Nelson's address at the April 2001 General Conference, "Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings."  Elder Nelson explains:

The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant—the heart of the plan of salvation—is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house. Our efforts to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead all lead to the temple. Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.

Enjoy the video after the jump.