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 20 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated in the five and a half years between March 2013 and October 2018 included a number of noteworthy moments.
The 20 houses of the Lord included the last two dedicated by President Thomas S. Monson — the Gilbert Arizona and Phoenix Arizona temples, both in 2014 — prior to his early 2018 passing. And the last one of the 20 was the dedication of the Concepción Chile Temple by President Russell M. Nelson, the first in the first year of his tenure as president of the Church.
Temples of note include the Paris France Temple and the Provo City Center Temple, the latter rising like a phoenix from the ashes and exterior brick shell of the fire-damaged Provo Tabernacle.
Of this group of 20 temples, 13 were dedicated in the United States across nine states, including three each in Arizona and Utah. The remaining seven temples were dedicated in as many countries — in France and Japan in the Eastern Hemisphere and in Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Argentina and Chile across Latin America.
By the end of 2024, the total operating temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will go from the 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 eighth of a weekly look — 20 at a time — at the houses of the Lord worldwide.
141. Tegucigalpa Honduras
Dedication: March 17, 2013, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: First house of the Lord in Honduras. … Within the first two weeks of the open house, more than 100,000 visitors toured the temple.
Announced: June 9, 2006, by the First Presidency — President Gordon B. Hinckley and his counselors, President Thomas S. Monson and President James E. Faust — in letters to local Church leaders.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 12, 2009, a second groundbreaking for a new site for the temple was presided over by Elder Don R. Clarke, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Central America Area.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We thank Thee for the progress of Thy work in these great nations of Honduras and Nicaragua. We give thanks for those who helped build this beautiful temple and are helping to build Thy kingdom, for their work, their faith and their sacrifices. Wilt Thou continue to bless the leaders and the people of these nations for their friendliness to Thy Church.”
Three more notes: The Tegucigalpa temple was originally supposed to be built on a different site in the city, where an official groundbreaking ceremony presided over by Elder Spencer V. Jones, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Central America Area was held on June 9, 2007 — exactly one year after the temple’s announcement. … However, the site was eventually changed over; the city feared that the temple would overshadow the Our Lady of Suyapa Basilica some 2,000 feet away, and another groundbreaking ceremony was held two years after the first. … Before the Tegucigalpa temple was dedicated, Latter-day Saints in Honduras would make a 12-hour journey to the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple in order to perform sacred ordinances in a house of the Lord.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple | Church News Almanac
- Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Touch lives and hearts’ of those seeking the message of truth
142. Gilbert Arizona
Dedication: March 2, 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president.
Notable: The fourth Latter-day Saint temple in Arizona and the second in the metro Phoenix area. … The Gilbert temple was announced at the same time as The Gila Valley Arizona Temple.
Announced: April 26, 2008, by President Monson via a press release.
Groundbreaking: Nov. 13, 2010, presided over by Elder Claudio R.M. Costa of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our Beloved Eternal Father, we bow before Thee this blessed and historic day with reverence and love. Our gratitude for the completion of this sacred and holy house fills our hearts to overflowing. … This magnificent temple has come of our love for Thee and for Thy Son, that the great work of salvation may go forward, not only for the living but also for unnumbered generations of those who have gone before us, as well as for those who will come after us.”
Three more notes: More than 5,700 people attended the groundbreaking services. … Shortly after the groundbreaking, a viewing and display area for visitors was created on the construction site. Over 60,000 people visited the construction site before its completion. … More than 400,000 reservations were made online to attend the Gilbert Arizona Temple open house prior to the start date.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Gilbert Arizona Temple | Church News Almanac
- Gilbert Arizona Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘A refuge from the storms of life’
143. Fort Lauderdale Florida
Dedication: May 4, 2014, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The second house of the Lord in Florida. … Prominent languages in the temple’s area include English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
Announced: Oct. 3, 2009, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during the Saturday morning session of October 2009 general conference.
Groundbreaking: June 18, 2011, presided over by Elder Walter F. González, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “O God, our Eternal Father, our humble hearts are filled with gratitude and love for Thee on this long-awaited day of dedication. We ask for Thy Holy Spirit to attend us during the dedication of the Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple. We rejoice in this day of celebration, and our hearts are filled with praise to Thee.”
Three more notes: The Fort Lauderdale temple was the southernmost temple in the United States’ contiguous 48 states, until the dedication of the McAllen Texas Temple in 2023. … An open house was held from March 29 to April 19, 2014. Tens of thousands of visitors attended, including Florida Gov. Rick Scott. … Over 2,000 attendees witnessed one of the three Fort Lauderdale temple dedication ceremonies at the temple’s location. The dedication was also broadcast to various areas throughout Florida and Georgia.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple | Church News Almanac
- Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We rejoice in this day of celebration’
144. Phoenix Arizona
Dedication: Nov. 16, 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president.
Notable: The fifth house of the Lord in Arizona and the third in metro Phoenix. … The Phoenix temple was announced less than a month after the Gilbert Arizona Temple and The Gila Valley Arizona Temple were announced.
Announced: May 24, 2008, by President Monson via a press release.
Groundbreaking: June 4, 2011, presided over by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We are grateful for the completion of this holy house and ask that Thou wilt bless all those whose labors made possible its construction. Wilt Thou bless those faithful members here and throughout the world whose tithes contributed to this magnificent edifice for Thy name’s honor and glory and for the blessing of all who enter herein. … May Thy watchcare be over this beautiful temple, that it will be holy to all who shall enter it. May those who enter to serve here leave the world behind and reflect on the things of eternity. May no one who is unworthy cross the threshold of this, Thy house. May its sanctity never be violated by those with unclean hands or evil designs. We pray that none shall interfere in any way with the sacred work for which this structure has been erected.”
Three more notes: The Phoenix temple stands at the north edge of the 1,000-acre Thunderbird Conservation Park. … The Phoenix temple was dedicated the same year as the Gilbert Arizona Temple, which was dedicated March 2, 2014. … Three fountains are featured on the temple grounds; together they form a symbolic river bringing water, and with it life and nourishment, to the parched Arizona desert. In the gospel, the Savior and His teachings are seen as living water. “May we be grateful for the opportunity to come here and partake of God’s goodness,” President Monson said on the day of the temple’s dedication.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Phoenix Arizona Temple | Church News Almanac
- Phoenix Arizona Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘This magnificent edifice’
145. Córdoba Argentina
Dedication: May 17, 2015, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The second house of the Lord in Argentina. … It was dedicated on Ascension Day, a day celebrated by many Christians to commemorate the day that Jesus Christ ascended into heaven after His 40-day ministry.
Announced: Oct. 4, 2008, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2008 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Oct. 30, 2010, presided over by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Increase our love for Thee and Thy Son in our hearts and in our lives. May this love be expressed in our compassion one for another, by our keeping Thy commandments and honoring the covenants made in Thy holy temple.”
Three more notes: Before the temple was constructed, its site served as home to the first chapel in Córdoba and the mission home of Elder Richard G. Scott while he served three years as the president of the Argentina North Mission. … Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attended the temple dedication, with the temple grounds a site he had visited 50 years previous as a full-time missionary in Córdoba. … Almost 50,000 people attended the public open house held from April 17 through May 2, 2015.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Córdoba Argentina Temple | Church News Almanac
- Cordoba Argentina Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘A house of worship, a house of covenants, a house of faith, a house of God’
146. Payson Utah
Dedication: June 7, 2015, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The 15th house of the Lord in Utah and the third in Utah County. … Around 5,000 Church members attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
Announced: Jan. 25, 2010, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, in a news release.
Groundbreaking: Oct. 8, 2011, presided over by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this beautiful edifice which has been erected in our midst. It stands magnificent where it may be seen by all in this community and those who pass by. May it be a constant reminder to those who see it of the obligations of Thy covenant people to walk in righteousness before Thee.”
Three more notes: Two of the hymns sung at the dedication ceremony for this temple were written or composed by early Saints who had lived in Payson — “High on the Mountain Top” by Joel Hills Johnson, and “Sweet Is the Work” by John J. McClellan. … Carol F. McConkie, then first counselor in the Young Women general presidency from 2013 to 2018 and relative by affinity of James C. Pace — one of the early Saints who settled Payson and after whom the city is named — spoke at the dedication ceremony of the Payson Utah Temple. McConkie is married to Oscar W. McConkie III, the great-great-grandson of James C. Pace. … More than 400,000 visitors toured the temple during its open house, held from April 24 through May 23, 2015.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Payson Utah Temple | Church News Almanac
- Payson Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this beautiful edifice’
147. Trujillo Peru
Dedication: June 21, 2015, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The second house of the Lord in Peru. … The Trujillo temple was dedicated 29 years after the dedication of the country’s first house of the Lord, the Lima Peru Temple.
Announced: Dec. 13, 2008, by the First Presidency — President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors — President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor, and President Uchtdorf — in letters to local leaders.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 14, 2011, presided over by Elder Rafael E. Pino, a General Authority Seventy and president of the South America Northwest Area.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Now, our Beloved Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ and by authority of the everlasting priesthood, we dedicate the Trujillo Peru Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it unto Thee as Thy hallowed dwelling place. We dedicate it unto Thy Son as a house of worship, a house of covenants, a house of faith, a house of God.”
Three more notes: The Trujillo temple was originally announced to be built on the site of an existing Latter-day Saint meetinghouse but was later changed to a site next to the Parque Eterno cemetery in Trujillo. … President Uchtdorf dedicated the temple on Father’s Day. At the cornerstone ceremony before the dedication, he said, “We are here to celebrate, honor and worship our Heavenly Father — this is Father’s Day. What an honor and a wonderful privilege it is to give to our Heavenly Father this house of the Lord.” … Once dedicated, the Trujillo temple served more than 88,000 Latter-day Saints.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Trujillo Peru Temple | Church News Almanac
- Trujillo Peru Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We dedicate it unto Thee as Thy hallowed dwelling place’
148. Indianapolis Indiana
Dedication: Aug. 23, 2015, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in Indiana. … More than 90,000 visitors toured the Indianapolis temple during its three-week open house.
Announced: Oct. 2, 2010, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2010 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 29, 2012, presided over by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Wilt Thou accept it as the offering of Thy sons and daughters who love Thee and seek to accomplish Thy purposes. We dedicate unto Thee and Thy Son this beautiful temple with all its facilities, furnishings and ancillary structures. We dedicate the ground on which it stands, with the vegetation growing thereon to add such beauty to this structure.”
Three more notes: The Church had active branches in 30 counties in Indiana by the mid-1840s; however, by the late 1840s, Latter-day Saints throughout the state had moved west to Utah and left Indiana without a trace. … After the temple’s dedication, the Indianapolis temple district included more than 30,000 members in nine stakes. … The temple is located in the northern Indianapolis suburb of Carmel. Members of the Carmel Ward and other wards in the Indianapolis Indiana North Stake were challenged to index 1 million names for temple work; stake members met the goal two days before President Monson announced a temple for Indianapolis.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Indianapolis Indiana Temple | Church News Almanac
- Indianapolis Indiana Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Accept it as the offering of Thy sons and daughters who love Thee’
149. Tijuana Mexico
Dedication: Dec. 13, 2015, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The 13th house of the Lord in Mexico and the first in the state of Baja California. … The Tijuana temple is just four miles south of the Mexico-United States border and the U.S. state of California.
Announced: Oct. 2, 2010, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2010 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 18, 2012, presided over by Elder Benjamín De Hoyos, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Mexico Area presidency, with Elder Jose L. Alonso, also of the Seventy, directing.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “As we approach Thee in prayer, O God our Eternal Father, we lift our voices in thanksgiving and love on this historic day to dedicate the Tijuana Mexico Temple unto Thee. Our hearts reach out to Thee in faith and prayer. This temple is an answer to the prayers of Thy faithful people and a fulfillment of Thy promises to them. We are jubilant, and our hearts are filled with praise to Thee. Thou hast honored Thy children in directing Thy Prophet to build Thy sacred house here in Tijuana, Mexico.”
Three more notes: More than 71,000 visitors attended the two-week open house. … After touring through the temple, Brenda Ruacho de Vega — the first lady of Baja California — made a Facebook post thanking the Tijuana-area members for the visit: “I am honored to have shared this time with you and have the opportunity to learn more about your values and beliefs.” … Dominga G. Sifuentes, who was baptized in 1964, explained at the groundbreaking services: “I remember when the first chapel was built here. We had 30 members then. Now we have a temple.”
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Tijuana Mexico Temple | Church News Almanac
- Tijuana Mexico Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘This temple is an answer to the prayers of Thy faithful people’
150. Provo City Center
Dedication: March 20, 2016, by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Notable: The 16th house of the Lord in Utah, the fourth in Utah County and the second in the city of Provo. … The Provo City Center Temple was built from the remnants of the Provo Tabernacle, the interior of which was destroyed by a fire on Dec. 17, 2010.
Announced: Oct. 1, 2011, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2011 general conference.
Groundbreaking: May 12, 2012, presided over by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We pray for all who come within these walls that they may come in worthiness and participate with joy and understanding of the great teachings and ordinances and blessings of this house, which are essential to the fullness of Thy everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Three more notes: The Provo City Center Temple’s dedication fell on Palm Sunday, a day that commemorates the Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem the Sunday before His death. The dedication was also held on the first day of spring. … The Church held an open house for the temple from Jan. 15 to March 5, 2016. More than 800,000 visitors toured the temple during this time. … Construction on the Provo City Center Temple was finished Dec. 17, 2015, exactly five years — to the day — after the Provo Tabernacle was destroyed by a fire.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Provo City Center Temple | Church News Almanac
- Provo City Center Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘The extensive restoration of this honored stake tabernacle that we now present unto thee as Thy house’
151. Sapporo Japan
Dedication: Aug. 21, 2016, by President Russell M. Nelson, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Notable: The third house of the Lord in Japan. … The Sapporo temple is the northernmost temple in Japan and the first announced and dedicated in the Asian island nation in the 21st century.
Announced: Oct. 3, 2009, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2009 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Oct. 22, 2011, presided over by Elder Gary E. Stevenson, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Asia North Area.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We thank Thee for this beautiful temple. We are grateful for the artisans, craftsmen and laborers who have built it. Here, Thy children can serve their beloved ancestors who have waited long for their own temple blessings.”
Three more notes: The dedication of the Sapporo temple took place between two tropical storms that hit Japan, each of which brought severe conditions and heavy rainfall to Sapporo — Typhoon Chanthu on Aug. 17 and Tropical Storm Mindulle on Aug. 22. … Elder Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Japan in 1949 to dedicate a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse. While there, he prophesied that “temples would dot the land of Japan.” … When President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency came to dedicate an area meetinghouse in the early 1960s, he made the Latter-day Saints a simple promise. “Some of you here will see a temple in this land in the future,” he said. President Harold B. Lee, then president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, made a similar promise to the Latter-day Saints in Sapporo a decade later.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Sapporo Japan Temple | Church News Almanac
- Sapporo Japan Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘A symbol of our testimony’
152. Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Dedication: Sept. 18, 2016, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in Pennsylvania. … The 2011 groundbreaking ceremony for the Philadelphia temple was held on Sept. 17, Constitution Day, which annually celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787.
Announced: Oct. 4, 2008, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2008 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Sept. 17, 2011, presided over by President Eyring.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We thank Thee for all who have made possible this day: those who have made the decision to place a temple here, the architects and contractors, the city officials who have granted the necessary permits, the workmen and all associated with this undertaking. Bless the faithful tithe payers of the Church who have given to further the building of temples. Keep Thine promises made by the prophet Malachi to open the windows of heaven and shower blessings down upon them.”
Three more notes: After building plans went forward, the city of Philadelphia filed a legal claim to stop the temple from being constructed. Local Church leaders and Elder Dean M. Davies, then a General Authority Seventy, met with the mayor of Philadelphia to dispute the claim. Among those in attendance was Vaiangina (Vai) Sikahema, a well-known figure in Philadelphia who was a sports broadcaster and former National Football League player who later was called as a General Authority Seventy. He shared the sacrifices he and his family had made to travel from Tonga to New Zealand to attend the temple in his youth. He then told the mayor, “You need this temple. This temple will bless your city.” … President Eyring, who dedicated the temple, was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Philadelphia and was raised in nearby Princeton, New Jersey. … Some 141,000 people visited the Philadelphia temple during its open house, held Aug. 10 through Sept. 9, 2016.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple | Church News Almanac
- Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple dedicatory prayer: May ‘this historic city’ be blessed by Thy house
153. Fort Collins Colorado
Dedication: Oct. 16, 2016, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The second house of the Lord in Colorado. … During the open house, many visitors were surprised that the temple was made of multiple rooms instead of one large room.
Announced: April 2, 2011, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during April 2011 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 24, 2013, presided over by Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Bless all who attend this temple in any capacity, that Thy sacred covenants and ordinances may be deeply anchored in their minds and hearts. May they know that the service they give is service unto Thee, and may they find joy therein.”
Three more notes: At the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple, Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Temple Department, said that President Monson made the decision to build a temple in Fort Collins after hearing about how faithfully the Saints in Colorado had been filling the Denver Colorado Temple. … The first Latter-day Saint stake in Colorado was organized in 1940, and the Fort Collins Colorado Stake was created in 1968. Since then, multiple stakes had been formed in what would be the Fort Collins temple district area, which was home to thousands of Church members. … More than 105,000 visitors toured the temple during its four-week open house.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Fort Collins Colorado Temple | Church News Almanac
- Fort Collins Colorado Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Touch the lives and hearts of the people who live in this temple district’
154. Star Valley Wyoming
Dedication: Oct. 30, 2016, by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in Wyoming. … Star Valley was initially settled by Latter-day Saint pioneers in the late 1870s, filling the town with a rich history of faithful Saints.
Announced: Oct. 1, 2011, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2011 general conference.
Groundbreaking: April 25, 2015, presided over by Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We thank Thee for this beautiful building and for all who have labored to build it. We especially are grateful for the faithfulness of Thy Saints and for their tithes and offerings that have made this temple possible. Please bless them, Father, and open the windows of heaven and shower down upon them every needful gift.”
Three more notes: The Star Valley temple architecture draws inspiration from the nearby Star Valley Tabernacle, which still stands in Afton and was dedicated on Aug. 15, 1909, by Church President Joseph F. Smith. … Latter-day Saints in Star Valley had long awaited a temple since the late 1870s, when early Church Apostle Moses Thatcher looked out over the valley — which he named “the star of all valleys” — and prophesied that the spires of a temple would one day rise up under the peaks of the surrounding mountains. … Built in the town of Afton, the Star Valley temple is located about 5.6 miles from Wyoming’s western border with Idaho.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Star Valley Wyoming Temple | Church News Almanac
- Star Valley Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘Our hearts are filled with joy and thanksgiving’
155. Hartford Connecticut
Dedication: Nov. 20, 2016, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in Connecticut. … The Hartford temple groundbreaking would mark the last time a Church president broke ground for a house of the Lord until the Ephraim Utah Temple’s groundbreaking on Aug. 27, 2022.
Announced: Oct. 2, 2010, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2010 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 17, 2013, presided over by President Monson.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May the righteous example and influence of Thy Saints be felt in this place and wherever they may go across the earth. Many of those not of our faith have visited this temple prior to its dedication. May they reflect on their experience and the beauty of this house with reverence and appreciation. May they be led to know by the power of the Spirit that this is Thy house.”
Three more notes: This temple was originally announced in October 1992 general conference, but the temple couldn’t be built due to issues obtaining land in Hartford. Church President Gordon B. Hinckley apologized to the Saints in Hartford in October 1995 general conference, and plans for a house of the Lord in Hartford weren’t announced again until 2010. … In the place of the Hartford temple, the Church moved toward two other locations for houses of the Lord in the northeastern U.S. — Boston, Massachusetts, and White Plains, New York, the latter of which was also canceled in favor of building a temple in Manhattan, New York. … To the 500 people who attended the groundbreaking, President Monson said: “Today is a special and sacred day as we bring to fruition the hopes and dreams of the Church members here and break ground for the Hartford Connecticut Temple.”
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Hartford Connecticut Temple | Church News Almanac
- Hartford Connecticut Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘May this house be ever sacred to those who enter it’
156. Paris France
Dedication: May 21, 2017, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The first house of the Lord in France. … A traditional public groundbreaking ceremony was not held for the Paris temple.
Announced: Oct. 1, 2011, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2011 general conference.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Guard and fortify all who come here, and strengthen them against the forces of evil. Protect the youth, who are surrounded by temptations. Give them courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness. Give them a vision of the eternal purpose of their temple service for their ancestors, for their future families and for themselves.”
Three more notes: The Paris temple was first acknowledged on July 14, 2011, via an official Church headquarters release that stated the Church’s intent to build a temple in the outskirts of Paris. … When the city council in Le Chesnay was investigating the Church prior to allowing the temple to be built in their city, one of the city council members reported, “This is the closest church to the church of Jesus Christ that we have ever heard of.” … This temple is one of two in Europe to have visitors’ centers, along with the Rome Italy Temple. Also, it was the fourth Latter-day Saint temple without a steeple or tower, along with the early-20th-century Cardston Alberta, Laie Hawaii and Mesa Arizona temples.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Paris France Temple | Church News Almanac
- Paris France Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘The presence of this house, on the soil of this nation, is an answer to the prayers of Thy people’
157. Tucson Arizona
Dedication: Aug. 13, 2017, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The sixth house of the Lord in Arizona. … About one-third of the temple’s 7-acre grounds was kept in its natural state of desert ground and vegetation.
Announced: Oct. 6, 2012, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during the October 2012 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Oct. 17, 2015, presided over by President Uchtdorf.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “O God, our Eternal Father, our humble hearts are filled with gratitude and love for Thee on this sacred and blessed day of dedication. We ask for Thy Holy Spirit to attend us during the dedication of the Tucson Arizona Temple. We rejoice in this day of celebration, and our hearts are filled with praise to Thee. … We thank Thee for the generations of faithful Saints who have gone before in this sacred work; for their sacrifices, courage, and faith, and for all who are building Thy work and kingdom today.”
Three more notes: Ground was broken for the temple on the same day as the Concepción Chile Temple groundbreaking ceremony. … While the Tucson temple has no steeple, spire or towers, its dome “fits” in three ways. First, the style borrows from and blends with Tucson’s own historic architecture, including the Mission San Xavier del Bac and the old, historic Pima County courthouse. Second, the dome was given an elongated, octagonal shape — patterned after iconic Duomo in Florence, Italy’s Tuscany region — to give it a more ecclesiastical feel. And a dome — or cupola — is allowed by local zoning codes and ordinances, while a steeple or tower for a temple beyond 44 feet in height would have required the Church to seek a variance with the county’s Board of Adjustments and a subsequent public hearing. … The Mormon Battalion, organized with Latter-day Saint pioneers-turned-soldiers to help with the Mexican-American War, passed through the Tucson area in 1846. The battalion’s trek across Arizona eventually led to many pioneer settlements, and 33 members of the group returned to participate in the colonization of the territory.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Tucson Arizona Temple | Church News Almanac
- Tucson Arizona Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘This holy temple opens the gates to eternity’
158. Meridian Idaho
Dedication: Nov. 19, 2017, by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The fifth house of the Lord in Idaho. … The Meridian temple is 8.8 miles from the Boise Idaho Temple — the shortest distance between two temples outside of Utah when the Meridian temple was dedicated.
Announced: April 2, 2011, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during April 2011 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Aug. 23, 2014, presided over by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Wilt Thou accept this, Thy holy house, as the gift of our hearts and hands. Wilt Thou honor it with Thy presence. May Thy Holy Spirit dwell here at all times and be felt by all who come within its portals. May a mantle of holiness come upon this sacred edifice. May it stand as a beacon of everlasting truth and light and as an invitation to come unto Thee. Wilt Thou protect this temple from any harm or defilement.”
Three more notes: More than 200,000 people toured the interior and grounds of the completed Meridian Idaho Temple during a public open house held Oct. 21 through Nov. 11, 2017. … It was the first Idaho temple announced by President Monson. … Although Meridian has been on the map since the 1860s, it wasn’t until the 1920s that members of the Church moved to the area, having to travel to Boise or Nampa to attend church. In April 1932, the Church’s first organized meeting took place in Meridian, with the Meridian Branch organized in June 1934.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Meridian Idaho Temple | Church News Almanac
- Meridian Idaho Temple dedicatory prayer, additional information
159. Cedar City Utah
Dedication: Dec. 10, 2017, by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Notable: The 17th house of the Lord in Utah. … More than 187,000 visitors toured the temple during the open house.
Announced: April 6, 2013, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during April 2013 general conference.
Groundbreaking: April 8, 2015, presided over by Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May all that is done herein be done with an eye single to Thy glory and to the building of Thy kingdom. May hearts be turned to ancestors in the spirit world. May those who serve here feel the love and appreciation of those for whom they perform ordinances.”
Three more notes: At the dedication, President Eyring called the Cedar City temple a tribute to the early Latter-day Saint pioneers who, shortly after the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, were called by Church President Brigham Young to settle southern Utah. … It is one of three houses of the Lord to feature unique stained-glass windows depicting the Savior that were donated to the Church by a Latter-day Saint art collector who bought them from the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria in Queens, New York. The other windows are located in the Star Valley Wyoming Temple and the Provo City Center Temple. … For 140 years, Latter-day Saints traveled to the St. George Utah Temple, the Church’s oldest operating house of the Lord, which was dedicated in 1877. Prior to the development of roads and the highway between Cedar City and St. George in the 1930s, travel between the two cities was a two-day endeavor around the Black Ridge, with sheer vertical drops, jagged rocks and deep sand.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Cedar City Utah Temple | Church News Almanac
- Cedar City Utah Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘We pray that this beautiful temple will be a haven for all who enter’
160. Concepción Chile
Dedication: Oct 28, 2018, by President Russell M. Nelson, Church president.
Notable: The second house of the Lord in Chile. … The first temple dedicated by President Nelson as president of the Church.
Announced: Oct. 3, 2009, by President Thomas S. Monson, Church president, during October 2009 general conference.
Groundbreaking: Oct. 17, 2015, presided over by Elder Walter F. González, a General Authority Seventy and president of the South America South Area.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We acknowledge those Chilean pioneers of faith and devotion who established the foundation of Thy work in this beautiful country. May their names be remembered and their legacy revered by all succeeding generations. We pray for the families and individual members of the Church who reside in this choice land. As they are faithful and true to the covenants they have made and will make in this holy temple, wilt Thou prosper them and grant them the desires of their hearts. We pray for the youth, that they may be drawn to these sacred precincts. We pray for the children, that their hearts may be turned to their fathers. May the ordinances and covenants of salvation and exaltation be provided to all on both sides of the veil who yearn for them.”
Three more notes: When President Nelson — 17th president of the Church — was born in 1924, there were no members of the Church in South America. At the time of the Concepción temple’s dedication, South America was surpassing 4 million members and 18 dedicated temples. Today, Church membership in the continent exceeds 4.32 million, and there are 61 total temples — 28 dedicated, six under construction and 27 more announced. … Before the dedication of the Concepción temple, Latter-day Saints in the area would travel to the Santiago Chile Temple, more than 300 miles away. … The temple’s building standards exceed what is required in Chile. It is constructed on what is called a floating foundation, which would make a 10 magnitude earthquake feel like a 2 magnitude earthquake.
Additional reading from the Church News archives:
- Concepción Chile Temple | Church News Almanac
- Concepcion Chile Temple dedicatory prayer: ‘In this holy house, we bow in reverent prayer to praise and honor Thee’
Read weekly compilations about the 200
- Temples 1-20: St. George Utah to Jordan River Utah temples
- Temples 21-40: Atlanta Georgia to Denver Colorado temples
- Temples 41-60: Frankfurt Germany to Columbus Ohio temples
- Temples 61-80: Bismarck North Dakota to Memphis Tennessee temples
- Temples 81-100: Reno Nevada to Boston Massachusetts temples
- Temples 101-120: Recife Brazil to San Antonio Texas temples
- Temples 121-140: Aba Nigeria to Calgary Alberta temples
- Temples 161-180: Barranquilla Colombia to Brasília Brazil temples
- Temples 181-200: Bentonville Arkansas to Deseret Peak Utah temples
