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47th temple dedicated
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Dedication of the Bountiful Utah Temple
When President Howard W. Hunter offered a dedicatory prayer on the Bountiful Utah Temple, the overcast skies parted, bathing the celestial room in celestial rays. The temple was dedicated from Jan. 8 to Jan. 14, 1995, during 28 sessions. President Hunter — President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — attended six sessions and spoke in four, then Apostles read his dedicatory prayer in later sessions.During the seven days, 49 general authorities spoke in at least one dedicatory session, including all members in the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Presiding Bishopric. A total of 201,655 Latter-day Saints participated in the dedication of this house of the Lord.
The first session saw around 10,000 attendees, with 2,000 in the temple and 8,000 in five other locations: the Bountiful Regional Center, the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Ogden Tabernacle, the Brigham City Tabernacle and the Logan Tabernacle.
Over the week, 28 choirs performed, one during each dedicatory session, with each of the temple district’s 28 stakes in charge of a day. The choirs were organized in September 1994, and they practiced almost every Sunday evening for four months.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We humbly pray that thou wilt accept this edifice and let Thy blessings be upon it. Let Thy Spirit attend and guide all who officiate herein, that holiness will prevail in every room. May all who enter have clean hands and pure hearts. May they be built up in their faith and depart with a feeling of peace, praising Thy holy name.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Bountiful Utah Temple here.
Timeline of the Bountiful Utah Temple
May
28
1988
Site purchased
A property was purchased in Bountiful, Utah, on May 28, 1988, for “the possible construction of a temple.” There were not yet plans for immediate construction of a temple in Bountiful. The site was chosen by Church President Ezra Taft Benson.
February
02
1990
Announced
On Feb. 2, 1990, the First Presidency sent a letter to regional representatives and stake presidents in Davis County to announce a temple for Bountiful, Utah. The letter was then read in local stake conferences and at other meetings on Feb. 18. At the time, the First Presidency consisted of Church President Benson, President Gordon B. Hinckley as first counselor and President Thomas S. Monson as second counselor.
May
02
1992
Groundbreaking
The Bountiful temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held May 2, 1992, with President Ezra Taft Benson — 13th President of the Church — presiding. His counselors, President Hinckley and President Monson, also helped break ground for this house of the Lord after President Hinckley dedicated the site for construction. Around 7,500 attendees witnessed the event in person, and 2,500 watched it over video in the Bountiful Woods Cross Regional Center.
November
05
1994
Open house
An open house was held for the temple from Nov. 5 to Dec. 17, 1994. A media day was held Nov. 3, and a tour for government, business, community and education leaders was held Nov. 4. A total of 870,361 visitors toured the building, including some from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Russia. More than 10 marriage proposals took place on the temple site during the open-house period.
January
08
1995
Dedication
The Bountiful Utah Temple was dedicated from Jan. 8 to Jan. 14, 1995, by Church President Howard W. Hunter. He attended six of the 28 sessions and addressed the congregation in four of them. Members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles then read President Hunter’s prayer in later sessions.
June
01
2016
Angel Moroni statue replaced
On June 1, 2016, the statue of the angel Moroni atop the Bountiful temple was replaced. The statue had been damaged by a lightning strike on May 22, and it was replaced with a statue originally planned to be put on the Meridian Idaho Temple, then still in construction.
A temple was announced for Bountiful, Utah, on Feb. 2, 1990, via a letter by the First Presidency. Ground was broken on May 2, 1992, with Church President Ezra Taft Benson presiding over the ceremony.
After an open house from Nov. 5 to Dec. 17, 1994, the Bountiful Utah Temple was dedicated by Church President Howard W. Hunter from Jan. 8 to Jan. 14, 1995, in 28 sessions.
Atop the temple is a rectangular tower with two rectangular pillars on each corner. A thin, arched window adorns each of the four sides, and a spire above the tower leads up to a point. Inside the temple are a baptistry, a celestial room, four ordinance rooms and eight sealing rooms.
After an open house from Nov. 5 to Dec. 17, 1994, the Bountiful Utah Temple was dedicated by Church President Howard W. Hunter from Jan. 8 to Jan. 14, 1995, in 28 sessions.
Architecture and Design of the Bountiful Utah Temple
The Bountiful temple has an area of 104,000 square feet and stands on a site of nine acres. The structure is made of flat roofs of various heights, and its exterior is made of bethel white granite. In front of the temple is a trail of archways leading to the entrance, and a tall, arched window can also be seen on the front facade.Atop the temple is a rectangular tower with two rectangular pillars on each corner. A thin, arched window adorns each of the four sides, and a spire above the tower leads up to a point. Inside the temple are a baptistry, a celestial room, four ordinance rooms and eight sealing rooms.
Quick Facts
Announced
2 February 1990
Dedicated
8 January 1995
Dedicated by
Current President and Matron
Location
640 S. Bountiful Blvd.
Bountiful, Utah 84010-1394
United States
Appointments
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the eighth Latter-day Saint temple built in Utah and the first in Davis County.
Fact #2
The groundbreaking for the Bountiful temple saw such a large group of people that many attendees watched from a nearby hillside. When President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency, saw them, he said, “We don't anticipate those on the mountain can hear us.” The group then started waving, and President Hinckley said, “I guess they can — it is as it was in the days of King Benjamin.”
Fact #3
The temple received an award from Bountiful Mayor John Cushing for a landmark that contributed to the city’s beautification. This happened on Dec. 7, 1994, a month before the temple was dedicated.
Fact #4
In President Howard W. Hunter’s nine-month time as Church President, he dedicated two temples: the Orlando Florida Temple and the Bountiful Utah Temple.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the eighth Latter-day Saint temple built in Utah and the first in Davis County.
Fact #2
The groundbreaking for the Bountiful temple saw such a large group of people that many attendees watched from a nearby hillside. When President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency, saw them, he said, “We don't anticipate those on the mountain can hear us.” The group then started waving, and President Hinckley said, “I guess they can — it is as it was in the days of King Benjamin.”
Fact #3
The temple received an award from Bountiful Mayor John Cushing for a landmark that contributed to the city’s beautification. This happened on Dec. 7, 1994, a month before the temple was dedicated.
Fact #4
In President Howard W. Hunter’s nine-month time as Church President, he dedicated two temples: the Orlando Florida Temple and the Bountiful Utah Temple.