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Oaxaca Mexico Temple

74th temple dedicated

Dedication of the Oaxaca Mexico Temple


At the Oaxaca Mexico Temple groundbreaking on March 13, 1999, Elder Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy and president of the Mexico South Area observed: “It is impossible to really understand the greatness of this day. I wish we were able to comprehend the existence of a temple standing here, for which we have prepared the way.”

The new house of the Lord in Oaxaca made regular temple access for the Saints feasible. Before the new temple, Saints had to save and sacrifice immensely in order to attend the temple on an infrequent basis. President Rafael Ortiz Santiago of the Oaxaca Mexico Monte Alban Stake spoke of a young woman who, in order to have money to attend the temple, sold matches, oil and boxes.

The temple also caused many to think more of missionary work. Josefina Sanchez, a longtime member who was baptized in 1956, shared a brief testimony. “Because we have a house of the Lord, we should not be weary in preaching the gospel,” she said.

As the temple was mostly erected, on Sept. 30, 1999, a three-minute long, 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Oaxaca. Jay Erekson, project manager for Okland Construction Co., was in front of the temple at the time.

“I saw the building shake,” he said. “The tower was whipping back and forth about a yard, and I watched the windows going in and out of plumb.”

The miracle of the earthquake was that, while many buildings in the area were damaged and later condemned, the temple was undamaged, and construction was able to continue.

The temple was dedicated by President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, who was accompanied by his wife, Sister Ruth Faust, and Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “When they leave here, having served Thee according to Thy pattern, may they return to their homes with an added sense of their great responsibilities as husbands and wives, and as parents who have a binding responsibility to bring up their children in light and truth.”

Read the dedicatory prayer of the Oaxaca Mexico Temple here. 

Timeline of the Oaxaca Mexico Temple

February
23
1999
Announced

The Oaxaca Mexico Temple was announced on Feb. 23, 1999, by Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. When the temple was announced, the Oaxaca temple district comprised seven stakes and one district, with 26,624 members in total.

March
13
1999
Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking was on March 13, 1999. Elder Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy and president of the Mexico South Area presided at the event. There were approximately 500 people in attendance.

February
28
2000
Open house

On Feb. 28, 2000, the open house began. A total of 10,658 people attended the open house between Feb. 28 and March 4.

March
11
2000
Dedication

President James E. Faust, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the temple on March 11, 2000. The four sessions were attended by 18,030 members.

The Oaxaca Mexico Temple was announced on Feb. 23, 1999, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The groundbreaking ceremony was held less than a month later, on March 13, 1999.

The doors of the temple were opened to the public with an open house from Feb. 28 to March 4, 2000. President James E. Faust dedicated the Oaxaca Mexico Temple on March 11, 2000.

Architecture and Design of the Oaxaca Mexico Temple

The 10,700-square-foot house of the Lord stands on a 1.87-acre property. The location is on a major boulevard near a university in Oaxaca. Trees, shrubs and other greenery adorn the landscape. The temple features a wide base and a single spire. A meetinghouse is next to the temple.

The interior of the temple includes two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms, with a baptistry and a celestial room as well.

Quick Facts

Announced

23 February 1999

Dedicated

11 March 2000

Location

Avenida Universidad 139 

Universidad

Fraccionamiento Real de Candiani

68130 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oaxaca

Mexico

Appointments

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the fifth Latter-day Saint temple in Mexico.

Fact #2

The groundbreaking for the Oaxaca Mexico Temple was held the same day as two others, the Kona Hawaii Temple and the Nashville Tennessee Temple.

Fact #3

Before its dedication, the closest temple to Oaxaca was the Mexico City Mexico Temple, a distance of over 225 miles (over 360 km).

Fact #4

The Oaxaca temple was dedicated the day before the Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple was dedicated. Both temples were dedicated by President James E. Faust.

Additional Facts

Fact #1

This was the fifth Latter-day Saint temple in Mexico.

Fact #2

The groundbreaking for the Oaxaca Mexico Temple was held the same day as two others, the Kona Hawaii Temple and the Nashville Tennessee Temple.

Fact #3

Before its dedication, the closest temple to Oaxaca was the Mexico City Mexico Temple, a distance of over 225 miles (over 360 km).

Fact #4

The Oaxaca temple was dedicated the day before the Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple was dedicated. Both temples were dedicated by President James E. Faust.