Editor’s note: The Church News is highlighting the first 200 operating houses of the Lord of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with a weekly compilation of 20 temples in chronological order over a 10-week period.
The first 20 operating temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took more than a century to be built and dedicated — from the 1877 dedication of the St. George Utah Temple to the 1981 dedication of the Jordan River Utah Temple.
And while seven of the first 20 houses of the Lord are found in present-day Utah, the start of a global expansion was apparent as well, with temples dedicated across North America, in Europe, in the South Pacific, in South America and in Asia.
By the end of 2024, the total operating temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will go from that first 20 temples dedicated between 1877 and 1981 to more than 200 — with Nos. 181 to 200 being dedicated in a span of just 14 months. With The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to dedicate its 200th operating temple later this year, here’s the start of a weekly look — 20 at a time — at the houses of the Lord worldwide.
1. St. George Utah
Dedicated: April 6, 1877, by President Daniel H. Wells, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The Church’s oldest operating temple, the St. George temple was also the first house of the Lord where Latter-day Saints could perform all temple ordinances for the dead.
Announced: Jan. 31, 1871, by President Brigham Young, Church president.
Groundbreaking: Nov. 9, 1871, presided over by President Young.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May it stand as a monument of purity and holiness as long as the earth shall remain, commemorative of Thy great goodness toward us, Thy people.”
Rededicated: Nov. 11, 1975, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president; and Dec. 10, 2023, by President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Three more notes: Prior to the dedication, President Young directed that temple ordinances — previously passed down by memory and word of mouth — be written down, ensuring wording consistency and long-term availability. … The St. George temple had a preliminary dedication on Jan. 1, 1877, to dedicate parts for the performance of ordinances before the official dedication, with three members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicating three separate sections — Elder Wilford Woodruff, the basement; Elder Erastus Snow, the main room on the ground floor; and Elder Brigham Young Jr., the sealing room. … It was the only temple dedicated during President Young’s 29-year tenure as Church president; he passed away almost five months after the dedication.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: St. George Utah Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Read the original St. George temple dedicatory prayer and why Brigham Young was not the one who gave it
- Why the St. George temple holds ‘a special place in the hearts of Latter-day Saints’
- President Holland rededicates St. George Utah Temple; ‘I consider this one of the sweetest and most rewarding assignments I have had’
2. Logan Utah
Dedicated: May 17, 1884, by President John Taylor, Church president.
Notable: The Logan temple was the only house of the Lord dedicated during President Taylor’s tenure as Church president. … It was the first house of the Lord to have muraled instruction rooms for the endowment.
Announced: Oct. 6, 1876, by President Brigham Young, Church president.
Groundbreaking: May 18, 1877, presided over by President John W. Young, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We humbly seek unto Thee for Thy blessing to rest upon this house, that it may be indeed a house of learning under Thy guidance, direction and inspiration, as Thou didst ordain the laws of the universe. … We ask that in this house a more full knowledge of Thee and Thy laws may be developed.”
Rededicated: March 13, 1979, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Three more notes: It was the Church’s fourth Latter-day Saint temple to be rededicated after extensive remodeling; the previous three were the Mesa Arizona, St. George Utah and Laie Hawaii temples. … To accommodate out-of-town travelers for the dedication, a committee was set up to provide food and sleeping quarters, and excursion trains ran with reduced rates. … On the night of Dec. 4, 1917, faulty wiring in a switchboard caused a fire inside the temple’s east side, with damages to the walls, carpet, furniture, windows and paintings; Church members repaired the damages in around three months.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Logan Utah Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Logan Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Bless the honest and upright throughout the world’
- Logan Utah Temple: Learn 12 facts about its history
- ‘In Grandpa’s footsteps’ — walking to the Logan Utah Temple
3. Manti Utah
Dedicated: May 17, 1888, by President Wilford Woodruff, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Notable: The Manti temple was publicly dedicated on May 21, 1888, by Elder Lorenzo Snow, who read President Woodruff’s prayer from the private dedication. … President Brigham Young dedicated the site of the Manti temple on his way home from dedicating the St. George Utah Temple.
Announced: On Dec. 4, 1873, President Brigham Young announced a temple for Sanpete County, Utah, during a conference in Ephraim, Utah; he announced the temple specifically for Manti on June 25, 1875, during another conference in Ephraim.
Groundbreaking: April 25, 1877, by President Young.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May this delightful location be known as a holy hill of Zion, among Thy people. … Grant that [the temple] may stand and endure as a monument of the obedience and love of Thy people, and to the honor of Thy holy name for ages yet to come in holiness to the Lord.”
Rededicated: June 14, 1985, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency; and April 21, 2024, by President Russell M. Nelson, Church president.
Three more notes: When Latter-day Saint pioneers first came to the Sanpete Valley, extreme cold caused them to take shelter on a hill. That became the same hill the Manti temple was built on. … At the location earlier in the morning of site dedication and groundbreaking, President Young said: “Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can’t move it from this spot.” … The temple architect was William H. Folsom, who also designed the Salt Lake Tabernacle and Provo Tabernacle.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Manti Utah Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Manti Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘May this delightful location be known as a holy hill of Zion, among Thy people’
- President Nelson, in a surprise appearance, rededicates the historic Manti Utah Temple
- How art conservators preserved the Manti Utah Temple murals
4. Salt Lake
Dedicated: April 6, 1893, by President Wilford Woodruff, Church president.
Notable: Four days after Latter-day Saint settlers arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley, President Brigham Young announced both a temple and its exact location, driving his cane into the hard ground and saying, “Here we will build a temple to our God.”
Announced: July 28, 1847, by President Young.
Groundbreaking: Feb. 14, 1853, by President Young.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “When the children of Thy people, in years to come, shall be separated, through any cause, from this place, and their hearts shall turn in remembrance of Thy promises to this holy temple, and they shall cry unto Thee from the depths of their affliction and sorrow to extend relief and deliverance to them, we humbly entreat Thee to turn Thine ear in mercy to them; hearken to their cries, and grant unto them the blessings for which they ask.”
Three more notes: The Salt Lake Temple is one of many firsts — first to begin construction in the territory of Utah, first to have an Angel Moroni statue, first to have a public open house. … Dedicatory sessions were held from April 6 through April 24, 1893, with those attending able to tour the building before each session; five of the sessions — from April 21 to April 23 — were held for children under the age of 8 and their teachers, with about 12,000 attending. … The Salt Lake Temple closed Dec. 19, 2019, for an extensive interior and exterior renovation as part of the restorations of pioneer-era temples, as announced by President Russell M. Nelson, Church president; the closure and renovations continue, with 2026 the latest announced estimate for completion.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Salt Lake Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Salt Lake Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘O Lord, we regard with intense and indescribable feelings the completion of this sacred house’
- President Nelson details plans for Salt Lake Temple during its 4-year closure for renovation
- Salt Lake Temple renovation update: An emphasis on the project’s mission and mandates
5. Laie Hawaii
Dedicated: Nov. 27, 1919, by President Heber J. Grant, Church president.
Notable: It was the first Latter-day Saint house of the Lord built outside the contiguous United States. … The temple’s June 1, 1915, groundbreaking — presided over by President Joseph F. Smith, Church president — preceded its public announcement at October 1915 general conference.
Announced: Oct. 3, 1915, by President Joseph F. Smith, Church president.
Groundbreaking: June 1, 1915, by President Smith.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May all who come upon the grounds which surround this temple, in the years to come, whether members of the Church of Christ or not, feel the sweet and peaceful influence of this blessed and hallowed spot.”
Rededicated: June 13, 1978, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president; and Nov. 21, 2010, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president.
Three more notes: Previous to 1915, Latter-day Saints in Hawaii wanting to attend a house of the Lord had to travel almost 3,000 miles to the Salt Lake Temple in Utah; many chose to move to Utah in order to be close to and receive the blessings of the temple. … This house of the Lord was originally named the Hawaiian Temple or the Hawaii Temple. … It is located less than a mile away from Brigham Young University–Hawaii and its adjacent Polynesian Cultural Center.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Laie Hawaii Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Laie Hawaii Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We beseech Thee that no unclean thing shall be permitted to enter here’
- Laie Hawaii Temple rededicated and ‘shines as a beacon to all who will follow its light’
- Take a look inside the classic 100-year-old Hawaii temple with this new model
6. Cardston Alberta
Dedicated: Aug. 26, 1923, by President Heber J. Grant, Church president.
Notable: First house of the Lord built outside of the United States and its territories. … The construction of the temple was an effort led by Church President Joseph F. Smith to increase temple accessibility to those distant from the temples in Utah.
Announced: On Oct. 12, 1912, President Smith announced plans to construct a temple in Canada; on Feb. 13, 1913, Alberta Stake President Edward J. Wood received a letter from Elder Orson F. Whitney of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stating the temple would be built in Cardston, Alberta.
Groundbreaking: On July 27, 1913, President Smith dedicated the temple site; on Nov. 9, 1913, ground was broken for construction of the house of the Lord, with Daniel Kent Greene of Glenwood, Alberta, presiding at the groundbreaking.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We beseech Thee, O God in heaven, that the people of Canada may ever seek Thee for guidance and direction, that Thy declaration that the American continent is a land choice above all other lands, and Thy promise that it shall be protected against all foes, provided the people serve Thee, may be fulfilled, and that the people may grow in power and strength and dominion and, above all, in a love of Thy truth.”
Rededicated: July 2, 1962, by President Hugh B. Brown, second counselor in the First Presidency; and June 22, 1991, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: Initially named the Alberta Temple. … The temple’s original footprint was 40 rooms and a total floor area of 29,471 square feet; the interior today consists of 80 rooms, with additions and renovations expanding the square footage to 81,700. … In 1995, the temple was named a Canadian historic site by the Canadian government.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Cardston Alberta Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Cardston Alberta Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Bless Thy people in all parts of the world’
- Alberta temple named Canada historic site
7. Mesa Arizona
Dedicated: Oct. 23, 1927, by President Heber J. Grant, Church president.
Notable: Originally named the Arizona Temple, until the 1999 name change. … In 1945, it became the first temple to offer ordinances in a language other than English, with Spanish as the second language.
Announced: Oct. 3, 1919, by President Grant.
Groundbreaking: Nov. 28, 1921, site dedication by President Grant was followed five months later by the actual groundbreaking — also by President Grant‚ on April 25, 1922.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May Thy peace ever abide in this holy building, that all who come here may partake of the spirit of peace, and of the sweet and heavenly influence that Thy Saints have experienced in other temples.”
Rededicated: April 15, 1975, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president; and Dec. 12, 2021, by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: The temple was the first Latter-day Saint house of the Lord to be rededicated following renovations. … Instead of an open house prior to dedication, the Church led tours through the temple during the last two years of its construction. … The dedication was a four-day event, including a public concert on the temple roof during the second day to offer gratitude and prayer; the 300-person choir included 32-year-old Spencer W. Kimball, who later became president of the Church.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Mesa Arizona Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Mesa Arizona Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We thank Thee for this land of liberty in which we dwell’
- ‘Astonished, impressed, gratified’: President Dallin H. Oaks rededicates Mesa Arizona Temple
- On the grounds of the Mesa Arizona Temple, musical production of ‘Jesus the Christ’ celebrates Easter story
8. Idaho Falls Idaho
Dedicated: Sept. 23, 1945, by President George Albert Smith, Church president.
Notable: First temple in the state of Idaho. … The house of the Lord was dedicated just five weeks after the end of World War II.
Announced: March 3, 1937, by President Heber J. Grant, Church president.
Groundbreaking: Dec. 19, 1937, presided over by President David Smith, president of the Idaho Falls North Stake.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We are grateful, Heavenly Father, that we have been permitted to rear this temple on this beautiful spot upon the bank of one of Thy majestic rivers, the waters of which have made it possible for Thy faithful Saints residing here to subdue the land and establish delightful homes. We thank Thee for the means that Thou hast placed in our hands that has been utilized in constructing this edifice and preparing it for holy purposes.”
Rededicated: June 4, 2017, by President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: The first dedicatory session was the first general meeting over which President Smith presided as President of the Church, and all general authorities and general officers attended the first session. … After the 1893 dedication of the Salt Lake Temple and until the 1972 dedication of the Ogden Utah Temple, it was the house of the Lord dedicated in closest proximity to Church headquarters. … At the time of its 1945 dedication of what would be the Church’s eighth-oldest operating temple, Church membership in the temple district was approaching 100,000.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Idaho Falls Idaho Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We pray for the youth everywhere’
- Idaho Falls Idaho Temple reopens after renovations
- Promising future awaits all returning to historic temple as President Eyring rededicates Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
9. Bern Switzerland
Dedicated: Sept. 11, 1955, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Notable: Originally named the Swiss Temple. … It was the first house of the Lord in Switzerland, the European continent and all of the Eastern Hemisphere.
Announced: July 1, 1952, by President McKay.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 5, 1953, by President McKay.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May this building ever be held sacred, that all who enter may feel a peaceful and hallowed influence, and may those who pass the grounds, whether members or nonmembers of the Church, feel a hallowed influence and substitute for a doubt or possible sneer in their minds, a prayer in their hearts.”
Rededicated: Oct. 23, 1992, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: President McKay first announced a temple for Bern in an interview with the United Press in Glasgow, Scotland. … Public tours were conducted the two days before the temple’s 1955 dedication, and the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square — touring Europe at the time — sang at the first dedication ceremony. … In 1953, Gordon B. Hinckley, then a staff member of the Missionary Department of the Church, was tasked by President McKay to find a way to present the temple ordinances in eight different languages, a necessity for the diverse cultures that would attend the Bern Switzerland Temple. Brother Hinckley studied the ordinances, prayed often and consulted with President McKay to find an answer, which eventually led him to propose that the ordinances be presented in movie form. The top floor of the Salt Lake Temple was used to film the English video over the course of one year, then videos were filmed for each of the remaining seven languages.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Bern Switzerland Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Bern Switzerland Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Help us to free our minds from idle thoughts and our souls from selfish and envious feelings’
- Prior to 1992 rededications, thousands tour London and Swiss temples
- 50th anniversary of the Swiss Temple: Dedication a bold act of faith
10. Los Angeles California
Dedicated: March 11, 1956, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Notable: The first Latter-day Saint house of the Lord in the state of California and the 10th worldwide still in operation.
Announced: On April 17, 1937, President Heber J. Grant, then the president of the Church, announced at a meeting of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles a 24-acre temple site to purchase in Los Angeles; on Jan. 17, 1949, President George Albert Smith, then Church president, met with stake presidencies and bishoprics in the Los Angeles area, and they approved with a unanimous vote to build the temple on the site selected 12 years earlier.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 22, 1951, by President McKay.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We have felt Thy presence and in times of doubt and perplexity have hearkened unto Thy voice. Here in Thy holy house, in humility and deep gratitude we acknowledge Thy divine guidance, Thy protection and inspiration. This is truly Thy work — help us to be able representatives, faithful and true.”
Three more notes: At the time of its construction, this temple was the largest temple in the world. The Salt Lake Temple later became the largest temple after its additions and renovations. … The temple closed in 1981 for 10 weeks of remodeling; while the temple was not formally rededicated, Latter-day Saints celebrated the temple’s 25th anniversary on March 21, 1981, with 36 continuous hours of temple endowments — a total of 15,439 performed over 72 sessions. … In August 1847, Church President Brigham Young wrote a letter to the early Saints living in California, prophesying that “in the process of time, the shores of the Pacific may yet be overlooked from the temple of the Lord.”
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Los Angeles California Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Los Angeles California Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Guide us, O God, in our efforts to hasten the day when men will renounce contention and strife’
- 11 facts about the Los Angeles California Temple in honor of its 65th anniversary in 2021
11. Hamilton New Zealand
Dedicated: April 20, 1958, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Notable: Originally named the New Zealand Temple. … It was the first house of the Lord in the Southern Hemisphere and for a quarter-century the only temple in the South Pacific.
Announced: Feb. 17, 1955, by President McKay during a meeting with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Groundbreaking: Dec. 21, 1955, presided over by President Ariel S. Ballif, president of the New Zealand Mission.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Now, dear Lord, our Eternal Father, through love for Thee and their fellow men, faithful members of Thy Church, and others who believe in Thee, by tithes and other generous contributions, have made possible the erection and completion of this, Thy holy house, in which will be performed the ordinances and ceremonies essential to the happiness, salvation and exaltation of Thy children living in mortality and in the spirit world. Accept of our offering, hallow it by Thy presence, protect it by Thy power. With this prayer we dedicate our lives to the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth for the peace of the world and to Thy glory forever.”
Rededicated: Oct. 16, 2022, by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Three more notes: Unique to the New Zealand Temple is that it was primarily built by labor missionaries. As they commenced the building of the temple, they were told to “build it for eternity.” Through the contributions and donations from local members, the labor missionaries were able to complete the New Zealand Temple and the surrounding structures, including a secondary school. … Until temples were dedicated in Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and Australia in 1983 and 1984, the temple in New Zealand was the closest option for Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific, with the temple in Laie, Hawaii, the next closest. … At the time of the Hamilton temple’s rededication in 2022, there were 10 operating temples in the Church’s Pacific Area.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Hamilton New Zealand Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Hamilton New Zealand Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Accept of our offering, hallow it by Thy presence, protect it by Thy power’
- ‘A beacon of light and a place of hope’: Elder Uchtdorf rededicates Hamilton New Zealand Temple
- What the Hamilton New Zealand Temple means to the labor missionaries who helped build it in the 1950s
12. London England
Dedicated: Sept. 7, 1958, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Notable: Originally called the London Temple. … When dedicated in 1958, the house of the Lord in London served Latter-day Saints in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Announced: Aug. 10, 1953, by the First Presidency — President McKay and his counselors, President Stephen L Richards and President J. Reuben Clark Jr.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 27, 1955, by President McKay.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “If any with gloomy forebodings or heavy hearts enter, may they depart with their burdens lightened and their faith increased; if any have envy or bitterness in their hearts, may such feelings be replaced by self-searching and forgiveness. May all who come within these sacred walls feel a peaceful, hallowed influence.”
Rededicated: Oct. 18, 1992, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: President McKay’s Aug. 27, 1955, groundbreaking came a little more than two years following his dedication of the site on Aug. 10, 1953. … The Church’s first temple in the United Kingdom, the London England Temple is located 24 miles south of the namesake city’s central area, in the hamlet of Newchapel in Surrey, England. … The small waterway running through the picturesque 32-acre temple grounds is called Eden Brook.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: London England Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- London England Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Temples are but one means of man’s cooperation with Thee in accomplishing this divine purpose’
- London temple rededicated, lives renewed
- Why the Angel Moroni statue stopped traffic, and other interesting facts about the London temple on its 60th anniversary
13. Oakland California
Dedicated: Nov. 17, 1964, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Notable: The Oakland temple made California the second state — after Utah — to have multiple houses of the Lord. … In an April 1943 general conference address, Church President Heber J. Grant announced a temple site had been purchased in the Oakland area.
Announced: Jan. 23, 1961, by President McKay.
Groundbreaking: May 26, 1962, by President McKay.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Help all, O Father, to realize more keenly and sincerely than ever before that only by obedience to eternal principles and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ may loved ones who died without baptism be permitted the glorious privilege of entrance into Thy kingdom. Increase our desire, therefore, we pray Thee, to put forth even greater effort toward the consummation of Thy purposes to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of all Thy children.”
Rededicated: June 16, 2019, by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: The public open house in 1964 drew more than 347,000, with the open house extended an extra week to accommodate the large number of visitors. … The 2019 rededication sessions were among the Church’s first dedications and rededications to feature a change in participating speakers, including several youth. … The Interstake Center on the same property as the temple was used years ago as the NBA’s Golden State Warriors’ practice facility.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Oakland California Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Oakland California Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We invoke Thy blessing particularly upon Thy people in this temple district’
- Bay Area’s ‘beacon’ is back as President Oaks rededicates Oakland California Temple
- Why the Oakland temple is a popular spot for quinceañeras photoshoots (and a whole lot more)
14. Ogden Utah
Dedicated: Jan. 18, 1972, by President Joseph Fielding Smith, Church president.
Notable: It was the fifth house of the Lord to be built in present-day Utah and the first to be dedicated after the Salt Lake Temple, a difference of almost 79 years.
Announced: Aug. 14, 1967, by President Hugh B. Brown and President N. Eldon Tanner, counselors in the First Presidency, in a meeting in Ogden, Utah, with 25 local stake presidencies.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 8, 1969, by First Presidency counselors.
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.”
Rededicated: Sept. 21, 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president.
Three more notes: 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. … Four First Presidency counselors participated in the groundbreaking ceremony — President N. Eldon Tanner, second counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the gathering; President Alvin R. Dyer, an additional counselor, offered the invocation; President Joseph Fielding Smith, also called as a counselor, offered the dedicatory prayer on the site; and President Hugh B. Brown, first counselor in the First Presidency, broke ground. … The Ogden and Provo temples were the first built with six instruction rooms, allowing an endowment session to begin every 20 minutes.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Ogden Utah Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Ogden Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Father, we have in our hearts the spirit of praise and thanksgiving and worship’
- President Thomas S. Monson rededicates Ogden Utah Temple
- Media tour of reconstructed Ogden Utah Temple
15. Provo Utah Rock Canyon
Dedicated: Feb. 9, 1972, by President Joseph Fielding Smith, Church president, with the prayer read by President Harold B. Lee, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: In 1973, the Provo Utah Temple’s first full year of operation, 17.7% of all ordinances worldwide were performed in the temple.
Announced: Aug. 14, 1967, by President Hugh B. Brown and President N. Eldon Tanner, counselors in the First Presidency, in a meeting in Provo, Utah, with 28 local stake presidencies; the meeting was held earlier in the day, prior to a similar meeting and temple announcement in Ogden.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 15, 1969, presided over by President Hugh B. Brown, first counselor in the First Presidency.
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.”
Three more notes: The presence of the Provo Utah Temple is a fulfillment of a prophecy from Church President Brigham Young that a temple would one day be built on the hill overlooking the town. … On Feb. 20, 2024 — four days before it was scheduled to close for reconstruction — the Provo Utah Temple was renamed the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple. The name stems from its retained location at the mouth of Rock Canyon on Provo’s eastern bench. This name change also helps differentiate between the two temples in Provo just 2.4 miles apart. … With President Smith attending, presiding and speaking, the temple dedication was broadcast to large auditoriums on the Brigham Young University campus via closed-circuit television.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Provo Utah Temple: We plead with Thee to pour out Thy Holy Spirit upon us
- The Provo Utah Temple will be redesigned. Here’s what it will look like
- Provo Utah Temple will be renamed as it prepares to close for reconstruction
16. Washington D.C.
Dedicated: Nov. 19, 1974, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Notable: The first house of the Lord built east of the Mississippi River since the 1840s. … Originally known as the Washington Temple until 1999.
Announced: Nov. 15, 1968, by President David O. McKay, Church president.
Groundbreaking: Dec. 7, 1968, by President Hugh B. Brown, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Father, we are concerned with the political world of today and that nations seem to need only the lighting of a match to bring war and desolation and destruction. Bless, we pray Thee, the leaders of nations, that they may rule wisely and righteously and give Thy people freedom to worship Thee in truth and righteousness. Stay the powers, our Father, that would bring us to the brink of annihilation.”
Rededicated: Aug. 14, 2022, by President Russell M. Nelson, Church president.
Three more notes: The temple’s seven-week open house in 1974 brought in 758,328 visitors, including Betty Ford, first lady of the United States; United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger and other Supreme Court justices; Vice President-designate Nelson Rockefeller; more than 100 U.S. congressional leaders; and other federal, state and local government officials and community leaders. … Church architect Emil B. Fetzer called the Washington Temple “a subtle reflection of the Salt Lake Temple.” … It was the Church’s first six-spired house of the Lord since the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple in 1893. … By the time it had been dedicated, the Washington Temple was featured in 1,374 articles published in 931 newspapers, including at least five articles in each of the 50 states — except Hawaii (three articles) — as well as reports published in Europe and South America and carried on international wire services. Also, a 30-minute television documentary on the temple was shown on 35 television stations, including in Salt Lake City; Seattle, Washington; Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; Boston, Massachusetts; Houston, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; New Orleans, Louisiana; Topeka, Kansas; and Anchorage, Alaska.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Washington D.C. Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Washington D.C. Temple dedicatory prayer: Please forgive us our trespasses as we totally repent
- 1974 revisited: 25 noteworthy events and elements tied to the Washington Temple dedication
- Calling every temple ‘a symbol of Jesus Christ,’ President Nelson rededicates the Washington D.C. Temple
17. São Paulo Brazil
Dedicated: Oct. 30, 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Notable: The first house of the Lord both in Brazil and all of South America. … At the time of its announcement in 1975, few Brazilian Saints had been able to attend a house of the Lord, with the closest 4,700 miles away in Washington, D.C.
Announced: March 1, 1975, by President Kimball.
Groundbreaking: March 20, 1976, by Elder James E. Faust, an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Today we dedicate this holy temple unto Thee, with all that pertains unto it, that it may be a house of prayer, a house of praise and of worship; that Thy glory may rest upon it; that Thy holy presence may be continually in it; that it may be the abode of Thy Beloved Son, our Savior; that angels who stand before Thy face may be the hallowed messengers who shall visit it.”
Rededicated: Feb. 22, 2004, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Church president.
Three more notes: President Kimball announced the new temple during an area conference in São Paulo on March 1, 1975. … Church members in Brazil and throughout South America contributed to the temple efforts, selling their gold and jewelry to donate money to the temple construction and giving their time to build the house of the Lord. … At the time of its dedication, the São Paulo temple was the first temple that could review and approve genealogical records and name submissions for temple work completely in-house without asking the Church headquarters in Salt Lake City for approval.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: São Paulo Brazil Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- São Paulo Brazil Temple dedicatory prayer: We also thank Thee, our Father, for the perfect organization of Thy Church today
- Brazil in 1978: How a revelation and a temple changed everything
- Highlights of the rededication of Brazil São Paulo Temple
18. Tokyo Japan
Dedicated: Oct. 27, 1980, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in Japan and in Asia and the fifth dedicated outside North America.
Announced: Aug. 9, 1975, by President Kimball.
Groundbreaking: On April 10, 1978, construction for the Tokyo Japan Temple began, but because the site already had mission offices built, a traditional groundbreaking ceremony was not held.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our gracious Father, Thou hast permitted us to build and dedicate unto Thee for Thy glorious work of salvation for the living and the dead a score of holy temples upon the earth, among which is this wonderful, well-appointed temple in this beautiful land of Japan.”
Rededicated: July 3, 2022, by President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: The announcement of a house of the Lord in Tokyo took place during an area conference held in the Nippon Budokan Arena in Japan’s capital city, with 12,300 Tokyo Latter-day Saints present. … The Tokyo temple site was acquired in the spring of 1948 for a mission home to be built. The site is located in a neighborhood across the street from Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park. The land the park is located on had once belonged to members of Japan’s Imperial Family. … In 1965, there were 8,892 members, but very few had actually been to a temple. In 1965 and 1970, groups of Tokyo Saints traveled to Hawaii and Salt Lake City, respectively, to attend the temple.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Tokyo Japan Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Tokyo Japan Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We present to Thee this beautiful temple, provided by the sacrifice of Thy people in the Orient who love Thee and Thy Son’
- President Eyring rededicates Tokyo Japan Temple, Church’s longest-operating in Asia
- Latter-day Saints reflect on history of Tokyo Japan Temple
19. Seattle Washington
Dedicated: Nov. 17, 1980, by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Notable: The first house of the Lord built in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Announced: Nov. 15, 1975, by President Kimball and his First Presidency counselors President N. Eldon Tanner and President Marion G. Romney in a Seattle area conference.
Groundbreaking: May 27, 1978, presided over by President Romney, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Bless, we pray Thee, the presidency of this temple and the matron and all the officiators herein. Help them to create a sublime and holy atmosphere so that all ordinances may be performed with love and a sweet, spiritual tone that will cause the members to greatly desire to be here and to return again and again.”
Three more notes: During the first week of the monthlong public open house prior to the temple’s dedication, many visitors stood in line for more than two hours to see the house of the Lord. … The Tokyo and Seattle temples were dedicated just 21 days apart, the closest time between two temple dedications; before that was the 22 days between the Ogden and Provo temple dedications. … The Seattle temple’s district was initially the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska and the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Seattle Washington Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Seattle Washington Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Our Father, bless us that we may live Thy commandments and follow Thy divine plan’
- More about the Seattle Washington Temple
20. Jordan River Utah
Dedicated: Nov. 16, 1981, by President Marion G. Romney, second counselor in the First Presidency, who read the dedicatory prayer written by President Spencer W. Kimball, Church president.
Notable: The seventh temple dedicated in Utah and one of two temples in South Jordan, the first city to have two temples (with the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, dedicated in 2009).
Announced: Feb. 3, 1978, by President Kimball in a press conference at the Church Office Building.
Groundbreaking: June 9, 1979, with President N. Eldon Tanner, first counselor in the First Presidency, conducting the service and President Kimball breaking ground with a front-end loader.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May all who enter have clean hands and pure hearts, and may they participate with faith in the ordinances to be given herein, and depart with a feeling of peace, praising Thy holy name.”
Rededicated: May 20, 2018, by President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Three more notes: President Kimball was in a wheelchair and unable to speak as he attended one session each of the five days of dedication. His wife, Sister Camilla Kimball, attended with him, with the first dedication day of Nov. 16 being their 64th wedding anniversary. … The 15-acre land housing the Jordan River temple was bought in 1880 for $2.00 an acre. It remained in the possession of the buyer and his family until autumn of 1977, when Alma Holt and his family donated the land to the Church. … The temple, built in South Jordan, Utah, got its name from the Jordan River, a river in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley that runs from south to north. The river was named by Latter-day Saint pioneers in 1847.
Read more on the Church News almanac page: Jordan River Utah Temple
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Jordan River Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: May the channels of communication between Thee and us be open
- A call for unity and righteousness: President Eyring rededicates Jordan River Temple
- Welcome back to the Jordan River Utah Temple
