Announced: April 3, 1976.
Location: Near Aragon public park and zoological gardens, bounded by Calle Ignacio Allende and Calle Emiliano Zapata; Avenida 510 #90, Col. San Juan de Aragon, Mexico D.F. 07950; phone: (52) 555-747-4861.
Site: 7 acres.
Exterior finish: What cast stone, ornate with adaptations of ancient Mayan designs, especially on upper portion of the structure.
Temple design: Modern adaptation of ancient Mayan architecture.
Architect: Emil B. Fetzer, Church architect.
Resident inspector: Ricardo Espiriti.
Construction superintendent: Jose Ortiz for Urbec Construction Co.
Rooms: Baptistry, celestial room, four ordinance rooms, 11 sealing rooms.
Total floor area: 116,642 square feet.
Dimensions: 178 feet by 214.5 feet; two upper levels, 119.5 feet by 157 feet. Height to square, 70 feet; to top of tower with Statue of Angel Moroni, 152 feet.
Groundbreaking, site dedication: Nov. 25, 1979; by Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Dedication: Dec. 2-4, 1983, by President Gordon B. Hinckley; 9 sessions. Rededicated Nov. 16, 2008.
Dedicatory Prayer
Done by President Spencer W. Kimball
Almighty God, Thou great Elohim, in the name of Thy Beloved Son Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee in supplication and thanksgiving.
On this day of dedication our hearts turn unto Thee. Surely Thou hast favored us as Thy sons and daughters. We thank Thee for the restoration of Thine everlasting gospel with all of its gifts, powers, and authority, including the keys of the eternal priesthood to be exercised in this holy temple in behalf of both the living and those beyond the veil of death.
We thank Thee that Thou hast given us a prophet to guide us in these troubled days. We thank Thee for the love of Thy people for Thy chosen servant, Spencer W. Kimball. Bless him, keep him, sustain him by Thy power according to Thy divine wisdom. Bless all associated with him in the governance of Thy Church, and bless Thy faithful saints throughout the world. Leave us not alone. Prosper us as we walk in obedience to Thy commandments.
We pray for the poor of whom there are so many in this land. Lift them from the bonds of poverty. We pray for those who are blind to truth. Open their eyes and quicken their understanding of Thy revealed word.
Confound and frustrate the enemies of Thy work. May their evil designs be as dry chaff, scattered and blown by the whirlwind of Thy mighty power.
We thank Thee for this great nation, the Republic of Mexico. Bless those who govern, that they may be inspired to do that which will ensure peace and freedom for the people of this land, and the continued growth of Thy work.
Father, we thank Thee for the many thousands in this part of Thy vineyard whose hearts have been touched by the power of Thy Spirit and who have taken upon themselves the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ, and entered into solemn and binding covenants with Thee and with Him. Surely Thou hast brought to pass a miracle of faith for which we thank Thee. We pray that Thou wilt continue to bless in a special way those who serve as missionaries to the good people of Mexico and its neighbor nations. Lead them to those who are sensitive to the promptings of Thy Spirit. Hedge up the way of the adversary that he shall not have power to confound Thy servants. May the testimonies which they bear find lodgment in the hearts of many truth seekers.
Bless Thy saints in this great land and those from other lands who will use this temple. Most have in their veins the blood of Father Lehi. Thou hast kept Thine ancient promise. Many thousands "that walked in darkness have seen a great light."
May the harvest that we have witnessed here foreshadow greater things to come as Thy work rolls on in power and majesty in this the dispensation of the fulness of times.
Now, Father, we are here assembled to dedicate this beautiful and sacred house to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son. In the authority of the holy priesthood in us vested, this authority which is a gift from Thee, and in the name of Jesus Christ, we dedicate unto Thee and unto Him this, the Mexico City Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with all parts and aspects of its structure, its fittings and its associated facilities.
Wilt Thou accept it as the gift of Thy thankful people, presented and dedicated unto Thee as Thy house. We pray that Thou and Thy Son may visit it according to Thy will, and that Thy Holy Spirit may always dwell here.
Father, sanctify this Thy house, bless it, preserve it. May Thy watchcare be over it always to protect it in all of its structure and facilities.
We thank Thee for all who have labored to build it. We thank Thee for those who have designed it, constructed it, decorated it, and made it ready for this day of dedication. We thank Thee for the faith of all who have contributed of their means to make it possible. Give unto each that sweet feeling that comes of consecration to Thee and Thy work. May this temple be holy to all who enter it. May they do so with cleanliness and with purity of heart. May none ever defile it, and may all who look upon it see it as a place of holiness and as the expression of a thankful people to their Creator and to their Redeemer.
May it be used frequently by an ever-growing number of thy saints in participating in the ordinances peculiar to Thy house. May they with faith act in their own behalf and in behalf of the multitudes of the dead who have gone before them. May love for Thee grow in their hearts as they do so, and may they rejoice in the great opportunity that is theirs to labor in this Thy dedicated sanctuary.
Father in Heaven, we love Thee. We love Thy Son, our Redeemer. Hear our plea on this sacred occasion, and on all other occasions when with faith we approach Thee in prayer.
Grant us peace, O Lord. Grant us strength. Give us wisdom and increased faith. Grant us inspiration and revelation in our sacred responsibilities. Grant us love in our homes and gladness in our hearts as Thy sons and daughters. Forgive our sins and remember them no more against us, and help us to forgive any who do evil unto us.
We ask it all as Thy thankful children, and we dedicate ourselves to Thy service, in the name of our Beloved Savior, Thine Only Begotten Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prophet rededicates historic temple
Thousands gather in Mexico City and throughout North America
By Jason Swensen
Church News staff writer
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
Days before the rededication of the Mexico City Mexico Temple, a team of gardeners planted hundreds of festive poinsettias around the perimeter of the newly refurbished edifice. Mexicans call the native plant the "Flor de La Nochebuena," or "Christmas Eve Flower" to commemorate the happy, life-changing events of Christmas Eve.
The red-petalled flowers seemed apt symbols of joyful, new beginnings as Mexicans gathered Nov. 16 to participate in the reopening of their country's first and largest temple. After being closed for more than 18 months to accommodate extensive refurbishing, this temple in one of the world's largest cities was rededicated by President Thomas S. Monson in two sessions. Thousands participated in the services inside the temple, while many more viewed the proceedings via closed-circuit broadcast transmitted to meetinghouses in Mexico, Canada and the United States.
President Monson has a long-established connection to Mexico. When he was a youngster growing up in a west side Salt Lake City community, young Tommy Monson was friends with the neighborhood boys of Mexican descent. He ate at their family kitchen tables and honed a taste for their mothers' homemade enchiladas.
Decades later, as a counselor in the First Presidency, he presided over Mexican temple dedications in Merida, Tampico, Veracruz and Villahermosa.
"I love these people," he told the Church News following the rededication sessions. The Church president has witnessed Mexico become a land of temples. Twelve such dedicated edifices are in operation here. "And there will be more," he promised.
When asked how folks living in the Mexico City temple district can get the most from the rededicated temple, President Monson offered a resolute response: "Use it. The best way to appreciate this temple is to use it."
Those who follow his counsel and visit the Mexico City Mexico Temple in the coming weeks and months will encounter a dramatically different building. The temple's distinctive, Mayan-influenced exterior was brightened with a new shell of white concrete. Meanwhile, extensive work in the interior can be found throughout the building. New carpeting, paint, stone floor work, ornate glass features and chandeliers beautify the temple as it approaches its 25th birthday. The original paintings and murals that line the temple walls are distinctly Mexican in both subject and style.
Work was also performed on the temple's foundation to fortify the 35,551-square foot structure.
Some of the 264,000 members served by the Mexico City Mexico Temple were able to travel during the closure period to other temples in the country for temple worship. Some have not been so fortunate. Church convert Cesar Vargas loves the temple. "It's where God speaks to me," he said. But for almost 18 months, Brother Vargas has not been able to use his temple recommend.
"It's been very difficult — it's like something is missing from my spirit and body," he said.
A few days before the rededication ceremony, Brother Vargas said he was already preparing himself to be taught by a prophet and return to the temple. "I will be very attentive to what President Monson has to say."
President Ned B. Roueche and his wife, Sister JoAnn Roueche, know something of happy returns. The Roueches were serving, respectively, as president and matron of the Mexico City Mexico Temple at the time of its closure. They were thrilled to learn they would be returning to their callings following the rededication.
"It's been a long time getting the temple prepared and put back together...the Saints are anxious to come back," said President Roueche, a former Seventy.
In a conversation prior to the rededication ceremonies, Sister Roueche said the visit from President Monson will invigorate those who have been away from the temple for a time. "Seeing our prophet, a living prophet, is exactly the thing that is needed. The people here will know that President Monson loves them."
With 11 temples opening here over the past decade, Mexico has earned the title "A Nation of Temples." Still, many remember a time in the not-too-distant past when Mexicans claimed temple blessings only after great sacrifice and expense. Without a temple inside their own country, devout members would save, scrimp and pray to make a trip to U.S. temple cities such as Mesa, Ariz., or Salt Lake City.
"There were people who sold their homes to go to the temple in Mesa," said Sister Celia Becerra, who serves in the temple with her husband, President Juan Becerra of the temple presidency. "After visiting the temple, they would return to their hometowns and begin their lives all over again."
Much of that burden was lightened when President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Mexico City Mexico Temple almost a quarter-century ago. For the first time for Mexicans, temple work did not require a border crossing. The impact of an accessible temple in the lives of members here cannot be overstated, said President Becerra.
"You can point to the temples as the reason why families are stronger here in Mexico," he added.
The Mexico City Mexico Temple refurbishing project has offered new opportunities for local residents to learn about the Church. Many who, perhaps, passed by the temple each morning and evening were able to walk its halls and learn its eternal, family-centered mission for the first time prior to the rededication. Some 91,000 people toured the temple during its open house period. Missionaries collected more than 10,000 referrals from people who wanted to learn more.
Several adults who walked from the temple following one of the rededication ceremonies recalled attending the original temple dedication. Others who participated were born years after that moment. They all agree that good things happened in Mexico City after that historic event. Good things again await.
"The spirit I felt inside the temple today was very special; you don't have many chances to see a prophet," said 17-year-old Valerie Lopez. "I really love the temple."
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
Spirituality of patrons at Mexico City Temple making a lasting impact
By John L. Hart
Church News associate editor
Busy Latter-day Saints, each with individual tasks, bustle about on the temple block to further the work of the kingdom.
Some are involved in one corner of the block at a mission headquarters. Others go to a nearby distribution center, or to a family history service center, to apartments, to a microfilm vault, to a meetinghouse or to a missionary training center.Here is carried out the three-fold mission of the Church: proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints and redeeming the dead. Towering above in symbolic immensity, representing the ultimate purpose for which they work, is the Mexico City Temple.
The temple stands in relative serenity. The outside appears quiet only because its patrons are inside. And many arrive before daybreak.
The tempo at the temple increases on Saturdays and holidays. The peak work at the temple is done during vacations when members have time available - Christmas, holy week, and school vacation, said Pres. Agricol Lozano H. of the Mexico City Temple.
He said more members are coming to the temple, and they are coming better prepared than ever before. One busy Saturday morning, he counted 35 buses in the parking lot.
"The stakes are coming in excursions fully self-suffcient with their own temple workers, their own temple clothing and their own names."
He explained that some stakes in the interior of the country visit the temple, but due to the infrequency of their trips, do not have enough trained workers.
"There are many ordinances to do, and the stakes grow spiritually through their experiences," he said.
Accommodating the needs of the patrons is important to Pres. Lozano and his counselors, Presidents Guillermo Garmendia Leal and Angel Sandoval.
"The temple is open early and on Mondays. Saturday hours have been extended," Pres. Lozano said. And because "people have more time in December because of vacations," the temple workers' vacations were moved from December to another month.
He said the temple opens at 5 a.m. for youths who want to be baptized on behalf of their kindred dead. He recalls up to 70 youth participating at one time at that hour.
"We give the youth the opportunity to come regularly to do work for the dead," he explained. "Their love, their spirituality, their faith - all contribute to their participating in the goals of life. They help in the temple often."
In a recent excursion, for example, a stake brought 169 adults and 46 youth, and during the day stake members performed 500 baptisms, 1,351 sealings, and 305 initiatories and endowments. This stake brought many of its own temple workers.
At the temple, patrons such as these find a ready welcome. "The workers and missionaries are very attentive and solicitous," Pres. Lozano said. "We are not perfect, but everyone who comes knows the feeling here."
After serving in the temple the workers and patrons carry these traits into their homes and their jobs, leaving a great impact, he continued.
He said that the sealings at the temple are particularly enjoyable experiences. These experiences are frequent because the Mexico City Temple is one of the busiest in the world for temple marriages. And, added Pres. Lozano, "We want many more."
During the marriages, temple sealers teach two points: They emphasize the importance of eternal marriage, and the atonement of the Savior.
"This strengthens the spirituality of their sealings," he said.
The experiences of parents and children being sealed are also highlights that leave a long-lasting impact, said Pres. Lozano.
"The temple continues to bless our lives," he said. "It blesses the lives of returned missionaries, single members, couples, families and leaders in the branches, wards and stakes."
He said the temple missionaries and ordinance workers all have the goal to serve the Lord Jesus Christ more fully.
"It is sweet to see the love extended, and the sweet solicitude, always done with peace, in which all are made welcome," he said. "There is growing number of workers in the stakes who feel the power of the Lord.
"Patrons are lifted enormously by the temple missionaries and workers. This is celestial work within the sacred walls of the temple. This is part of the culture of the Saints in the temple; the temple is sacred in the lives of the Saints."
