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14th temple dedicated
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1972 Dedication of the Ogden Utah Temple
The Ogden Utah Temple was dedicated from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20, 1972, by President Joseph Fielding Smith, during six sessions. He was President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from early 1970 to mid-1972, and this was the first temple he dedicated. He presided at all six sessions and offered the dedicatory prayer in the first, then his prayer was read in later sessions.The Ogden temple cost around $4.5 million to build, a total of more than $32 million today. It was the first house of the Lord dedicated after the Oakland California Temple, which was dedicated in November 1964. This created a gap of over seven years without a temple dedication, but a gap this long has not happened since.
The dedicatory service in Ogden was held inside the temple’s celestial room, and around 50 television sets were placed in additional rooms of the temple and the Ogden Tabernacle to view the service. A different 50-person choir sang at each dedicatory session.
Before offering the dedicatory prayer, President Smith told those in attendance, “May I remind you that when we dedicate a house to the Lord, what we really do is dedicate ourselves to the Lord’s service, with a covenant that we shall use the house in the way He intends that it shall be used.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “It has been our privilege, as guided by the whisperings of thy Spirit, to build unto thee this temple, which we now present unto thee as another of thy holy houses.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Ogden Utah Temple here.
2014 Rededication of the Ogden Utah Temple
On Feb. 17, 2010, the Church announced that the Ogden temple would be closed on April 2, 2011, for an entire remodel of the exterior. The temple was not demolished; rather, the exterior was removed and replaced with new stone and more glass, keeping the interior structure largely the same. Other renovations included new landscaping, new underground parking, and new electrical, heating and plumbing systems.The Ogden Utah Temple was then rededicated on Sept. 21, 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ. He offered the dedicatory prayer in the first of three sessions, then President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, gave the prayer in the last two sessions. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other general authorities were also in attendance.
Hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saints attended the rededication ceremony for this house of the Lord, either in person or in a meetinghouse across Utah or Wyoming. Nine-year-old Conrad Gerber awoke at 5:30 a.m. so he could be first in line at the ceremony.
President Monson said during the ceremony that the Ogden temple “stands as a beacon of righteousness to all who will follow its light — the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The motif of light was also prevalent in the cultural celebration the night before, the theme being “Share the Light.” The performances even used a lantern prop traveling from scene to scene, emphasizing the youth’s role to shine the light of Christ on a dark world.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “This beautiful temple has been a haven of peace. It has served well. Showing the effects of such service, it became necessary to renovate and improve it. We are grateful for this long-awaited day of rededication, when the renovations have been completed.”
Read the rededication prayer of the Ogden Utah Temple here.
Timeline of the Ogden Utah Temple
August
14
1967
Announced
On Aug. 14, 1967, the First Presidency held a meeting in Ogden, Utah, to tell 25 stake presidencies that a temple would be built in the city. The meeting was conducted by President Hugh B. Brown and President N. Eldon Tanner, counselors in the First Presidency. A similar meeting was held earlier in the day in Provo, Utah, to announce a temple for that city.
September
08
1969
Groundbreaking
The Ogden temple’s site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony were held on Sept. 8, 1969. President N. Eldon Tanner, second counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the gathering. President Alvin R. Dyer — a counselor in the First Presidency, a calling apart from first and second counselor — offered the invocation. President Joseph Fielding Smith, also with the calling of counselor, offered the dedicatory prayer on the site. President Hugh B. Brown, first counselor in the First Presidency, broke ground.
December
16
1971
Open house
An open house was held from Dec. 16 to Dec. 30, 1971. More than 150,000 visitors toured the temple during this event. One young man slipped an engagement ring onto his girlfriend’s finger while they toured the celestial room.
January
18
1972
Dedication
The Ogden Utah Temple was dedicated during six sessions from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20, 1972, by Church President Joseph Fielding Smith. He presided at all six sessions and offered the dedicatory prayer in the first, then his prayer was read in later sessions.
April
02
2011
Closed for renovations
The temple was closed for renovations on April 2, 2011, with the renovations being announced a year before, on Feb. 17, 2010. The remodeling consisted of an entire redesign of the building, with the new design similar in structure to the Draper Utah Temple. The temple’s entrance was also moved from the west side to its east side.
August
01
2014
Rededication open house
The Church conducted a public open house for the Ogden temple from Aug. 1 to Sept. 6, 2014. VIP tours were also held from July 29 to July 31, 2014. A total of around 500,000 to 600,000 visitors attended the temple’s open house.
September
20
2014
Cultural celebration
Inside the Dee Events Center at Weber State University, 16,000 Latter-day Saint youth attended a cultural celebration. This was held Sept. 20, 2014, the day before the Ogden temple’s rededication. Because so many youth in the temple district wanted to participate in the celebration, two casts performed — the first at 1 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m. Church President Thomas S. Monson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were in attendance, as well as President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, during the second performance.
September
21
2014
Rededication
The Ogden Utah Temple was rededicated during three sessions on Sept. 21, 2014, by Church President Thomas S. Monson. President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, offered the dedicatory prayer in the last two sessions.
A temple was announced for Ogden, Utah, on Aug. 14, 1967, by the First Presidency. After construction was finished, the Ogden Utah Temple was dedicated during six sessions from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20, 1972, with Church President Joseph Fielding Smith offering the first dedicatory prayer.
After extensive remodeling, which started in April 2011, Church President Thomas S. Monson rededicated the temple on Sept. 21, 2014.
Around the curved exterior were white, rectangular panels. In the center of the building was a white spire with a design that slightly branched outward. On May 7, 2013, a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni, made of fiberglass, was placed atop the spire.
It had a floor area of over 130,000 square feet. Inside the temple were a baptistry, a celestial room and 11 sealing rooms. The Ogden temple was the first built with six ordinance rooms, allowing an endowment session to begin every 20 minutes.
After extensive remodeling, which started in April 2011, Church President Thomas S. Monson rededicated the temple on Sept. 21, 2014.
Original Architecture and Design of the Ogden Utah Temple
The Ogden Utah Temple was first built in a similar style as the Provo Utah Temple’s original style. It had a flat, round base with a spire in the center, made to represent Exodus 13:21 as the Lord went before the children of Israel “by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light.”Around the curved exterior were white, rectangular panels. In the center of the building was a white spire with a design that slightly branched outward. On May 7, 2013, a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni, made of fiberglass, was placed atop the spire.
It had a floor area of over 130,000 square feet. Inside the temple were a baptistry, a celestial room and 11 sealing rooms. The Ogden temple was the first built with six ordinance rooms, allowing an endowment session to begin every 20 minutes.
Quick Facts
Announced
14 August 1967
Dedicated
18 January 1972
Dedicated by
Rededicated
21 September 2014
Rededicated by
Current President and Matron
Location
350 22nd St.
Ogden, Utah 84401
United States
Appointments
View schedule and book online
(1) 801-621-6880
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the fifth Latter-day Saint temple built in Utah. It was also the second temple built along the Wasatch Front.
Fact #2
A temple for Ogden and one for Provo were both announced on Aug. 14, 1967, marking the first time in Church history that two temples were announced on the same day. The temples were also dedicated 22 days apart, marking the first time two temples were dedicated within less than a month.
Fact #3
The Provo Utah Temple was designed to be the sister temple of the one in Ogden. These two temples were the only ones dedicated by President Joseph Fielding Smith.
Fact #4
The Ogden temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on the same day as Church President David O. McKay’s 96th birthday. It was also dedicated exactly two years after President McKay’s death.
Fact #5
Since Utah became a state in 1896, this was the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Utah. Before the state was founded, four temples were built in Utah Territory.
Fact #6
It was the first temple within Utah state lines to be dedicated after the Salt Lake Temple, a difference of almost 79 years.
Fact #7
A cornerstone ceremony was not held for the Ogden temple’s 2014 rededication; the cornerstone from the 1972 dedication was still in place, and its contents were unopened, so there was no need to replace it.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the fifth Latter-day Saint temple built in Utah. It was also the second temple built along the Wasatch Front.
Fact #2
A temple for Ogden and one for Provo were both announced on Aug. 14, 1967, marking the first time in Church history that two temples were announced on the same day. The temples were also dedicated 22 days apart, marking the first time two temples were dedicated within less than a month.
Fact #3
The Provo Utah Temple was designed to be the sister temple of the one in Ogden. These two temples were the only ones dedicated by President Joseph Fielding Smith.
Fact #4
The Ogden temple’s groundbreaking ceremony was held on the same day as Church President David O. McKay’s 96th birthday. It was also dedicated exactly two years after President McKay’s death.
Fact #5
Since Utah became a state in 1896, this was the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated in Utah. Before the state was founded, four temples were built in Utah Territory.
Fact #6
It was the first temple within Utah state lines to be dedicated after the Salt Lake Temple, a difference of almost 79 years.
Fact #7
A cornerstone ceremony was not held for the Ogden temple’s 2014 rededication; the cornerstone from the 1972 dedication was still in place, and its contents were unopened, so there was no need to replace it.