Just moments before entering the Deseret Peak Utah Temple to participate in its historic dedication on Sunday, Nov. 10, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to a few media representatives gathered on the temple grounds.
“We think of moments when we can say, ‘Hallelujah!’ and for us this is one of those moments,” Elder Stevenson said of the dedication of the Church’s 200th temple. “This is a moment — the 200th in this dispensation now — that allows us to look heavenward and recognize the Lord’s love for each one of us.”
The Bible Dictionary explains that the utterance of the word “hallelujah” is an expression of worship and rejoicing, a grateful acknowledgment of the Lord’s ability to save. How apropos to describe feelings about the temple — the gateway to the greatest blessings God has for His children.
In my time at the Church News, I’ve covered many of these “hallelujah” moments for other Latter-day Saints — temple groundbreakings, open houses, media days and dedications — occasions that inspired Latter-day Saints to express their praise to the Lord. It’s always a privilege to be a witness and recorder to these events. But writing about the Deseret Peak temple enabled me to experience my own moments of “hallelujah.” The new temple is now my temple; I live within one of the 12 stakes in the temple district in the Tooele Valley, Utah, area.
I felt “hallelujah” taking a tour of the temple during the media day, and I could picture my loved ones — neighbors, friends and my own children — someday in the baptistry and ordinance rooms. I felt “hallelujah” as my husband and I served during the open house, and I felt a sample of the collective gratitude of the Tooele Valley. And I felt “hallelujah” while taking my family on a tour. As we entered the celestial room, my 4-year-old put her hands on her face and exclaimed, “I’m so happy!” I’m grateful that even at her young age, she is learning to love the house of the Lord.
But I especially felt “hallelujah” during the dedication and in the presence of the Lord’s Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.
In the weeks leading up to the dedication, I felt troubled in many ways. The world, society and my own family seemed to be grappling with difficult issues and hardships. I found myself yearning to be in the house of the Lord and yearning for the specific blessings promised by President Nelson.
Earlier this year during the April 2024 general conference, President Nelson shared Doctrine and Covenants 109:8, which teaches that the temple is “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”
The Prophet explained: “This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge and increased power” (”Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys,” April 2024 general conference).
Just a few weeks ago, President Nelson declared: “In the temple, we receive protection from the buffetings of the world. We experience the pure love of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father in great abundance! We feel peace and spiritual reassurance, in contrast to the turbulence of the world.
“Here is my promise to you: Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple“ (”The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again,” October 2024 general conference).
As I sat in the ordinance room during the Deseret Peak dedication and listened to the Prophet reiterate many of these blessings, I felt a sweet reassurance that he is the Lord’s Prophet and I can trust in those promises.
When it came time to shout “hosanna” — which means “God save us” — I felt tears on my cheeks. As I looked around the room, I noticed I wasn’t the only one.
That evening, as Latter-day Saints in the Tooele Valley exited the temple and their local meetinghouses following the dedication, the sky was ablaze with color. Brilliant orange, pink and violet stained the sky, like a heavenly exclamation point for a glorious “hallelujah” moment.
