With the Saturday, March 9, groundbreaking for the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple, Latter-day Saints in and around the city and Mexican state both named San Luis Potosí will be watching the progress as the latest house of the Lord begins construction.
The capital city of San Luis Potosí sits nearly 225 miles from Mexico City, requiring a drive of five to six hours to the Mexico City Mexico Temple, the region’s assigned temple. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are anxious to have a new house of the Lord in their own city and state, which will bring temple ordinances, covenants and worship closer to them.
It is why Elder Sean Douglas — a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Church’s Mexico Area presidency, who presided at the groundbreaking ceremony — cited Alma 26:37 from the Book of Mormon: “God is mindful of every people.”
With local government, faith and media leaders and other special guests joining the Latter-day Saints attending the event, Elder Douglas spoke and offered a dedicatory prayer over the site and construction of the San Luis Potosí temple, one of 24 houses of the Lord dedicated, under construction or in planning for Mexico.
Accompanying Elder Douglas were his wife, Sister Ann Douglas, and Elder Héctor Méndez, an Area Seventy, and his wife, Sister Verónica Méndez. Also in attendance were local stake leaders from the San Luis Potosí area.
President Nelson’s promise
Elder Douglas quoted Church President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings about the importance of temples and spending more time in the house of the Lord. “I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can,” the Prophet said in October 2022 general conference.
Elder Douglas also quoted Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who, when the latter visits the North America nation, often says, “Now is the time for the Lord’s blessings in Mexico.”
Added Elder Douglas: “And for San Luis Potosí.”
Speaking of peace and covenants
Mexico Newsroom also mentioned others who spoke at the event.
María Luisa Amaya, one of the pioneer Latter-day Saints in the city, recounted the Church’s history in San Luis Potosí. Her experiences include watching the Church grow from a handful of members to now three stakes totaling more than 4,000 strong.
Mayumi Loredo, a young woman from the San Luis Potosí México Industrias Stake, spoke of having attended other temples previously. “This is where we can feel peace and rest from our lives every day,” she said of temples, then quoted John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.”
And Claudia Hernández, from the San Luis Potosí México Stake, said preparation for the temple involves “preparing to make covenants,” adding, “We can access the power of God through the covenants we make in the temple.”
About San Luis Potosí and the temple
President Nelson announced a temple for San Luis Potosí in April 2022 general conference, one of 17 new locations identified at that time.
With plans for a single-story temple of approximately 9,300 square feet, the San Luis Potosí Mexico Temple will be built on a 3.87-acre site at Arboleda 100, Fraccionamiento del Parque in its namesake city.
Commonly referred to as just San Luis or by its initials SLP, San Luis Potosí is the most populous city of the state, and it is also one of central Mexico’s industrial and manufacturing centers.
More than 850,000 reside in the state of San Luis Potosí. The temple will serve Latter-day Saints in surrounding states and cities such as Aguascalientes, Fresnillo, Zacatecas and León.
Temples in Mexico
The San Luis Potosí temple is one of Mexico’s 24 total temples — dedicated and operating, under construction or announced.
Operating temples in Mexico are in Ciudad Juárez, Colonia Juárez, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Mérida, Mexico City, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Tampico, Tijuana, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Veracruz and Villahermosa, with a May 19 dedication set for a new temple in Puebla.
Houses of the Lord are under construction in Querétaro and Torreón, with sites announced for the Mexico City Benemérito temple as well as those in Toluca and Cuernavaca. Temples have also been announced for Culiacán, Cancún, Pachuca and Tula.
