SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras — When Christopher Columbus arrived in what is today the coast of Honduras, he so named it because “hondo” in Spanish means “deep” or “depths,” as in the deep water of the natural harbor.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the Spanish term also reflects the “deep, wholehearted” faith of the Honduran Saints.
“The testimonies of the members in Honduras run deep,” he said. “This depth of faith and faithfulness is the reason the Lord directed His Prophet to build another beautiful temple in the wonderful country of Honduras.”
Elder Renlund dedicated the San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple — the 198th operating house of the Lord of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the second in the Central American nation — in two sessions on Sunday, Oct. 13, five years after it was announced in 2019.
“It is your faith and commitment to the Lord and His work that has made this temple possible,” Elder Renlund said.
With a light rain falling, members carrying umbrellas lined up and entered the temple before the first session. Rebecca Gomez, an 8-year-old who was baptized in August, joined others in placing white shoe coverings like she did with her family during the open house.
“I love everything about serving at the temple,” she said with a big smile.
Nearby, Denis Menjivar, who works as a temple security guard, prepared to enter the temple with his wife, Leni Menjivar, and their 15-year-old niece, Naomi Menjivar.
“This is an event we have been dreaming about in our area. We already have appointments — we are going to come at least a minimum of twice a week,” he said. “The temple is a great blessing, and we are very happy.”
Leni Menjivar added, “For us, the temple is heaven on earth.”
The dedication of the San Pedro Sula temple comes 47 years after the country’s first stake was created in the same city. The new house of the Lord will serve 15 stakes and one district and is one of 13 temples in operation, under construction or announced in the Church’s Central America Area.
Elder Renlund was accompanied at the dedication by his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund; Elder Patricio M. Giuffra, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Central America Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Maria Giuffra; and Elder Craig C. Christensen, a General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Church’s Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Debbie Christensen.
Elder Renlund and the other leaders offered heartfelt greetings to members as they entered the temple before both sessions.
Both dedicatory sessions were conducted in Spanish, and speakers delivered messages in Spanish and English, with translations offered. Elder Renlund delivered his talks and the dedicatory prayer in Spanish.
This was Elder Renlund’s third visit to Honduras. He first visited Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela in June 2017. His second visit came in San Pedro Sula as he ministered to members in five Central American countries in February 2023.
A ‘sacred’ experience
Following the dedication, Sarah Antunec used her white handkerchief to dab away tears as she thought about her experience. She and her husband, Dogoberto Enrique, were married a year ago and hope to soon be sealed in the new San Pedro Sula temple. They were moved by the messages and dedicatory prayer, and the tears flowed as Sarah imagined her young daughter one day dressed all in white and attending the temple.
“The experience was very sacred,” she said. “The feeling inside the temple was like receiving a hug from the Savior.”
Andrea Lopez, 15, from nearby La Lima, Honduras, was invited to speak during the first dedicatory session. Her parents, Marlon and Mayra Lopez, also attended.
“It was really a marvelous experience, very spiritual. Listening to the choir, the music, the messages, I was filled with so much peace,” Andrea Lopez said. “It strengthened my testimony to know that this really is the house of the Lord.”
‘One by One They Did Know It Was He’
One of the original paintings inside the San Pedro Sula temple references the Book of Mormon appearance of the resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, to 2,500 people at the temple in the land of Bountiful in 3 Nephi 11. The painting, titled “One by One They Did Know It Was He,” depicts a woman kneeling at the Savior’s feet, holding His right hand and left wrist and looking up at Him with an expression of love and amazement.
Having seen and felt for herself the prints of the nails used to crucify the Son of God — signs and tokens of His Atonement — the woman and others come to know of a surety that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
“A monumental change occurs in our lives when we know for ourselves that Jesus Christ lives and that He is our Savior,” Elder Renlund said. “Assuredly, believing on the words of those who know and acting on that belief can lead to eternal life. But the Lord desires that we know it for ourselves.”
Knowing that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world is something each person can come to know individually — it is not dependent upon gender or Church calling. As an example, Elder Renlund told about his father, a faithful Latter-day Saint who never held a prominent calling. Elder Renlund was called as a General Authority Seventy in 2009 and ordained as an Apostle in 2015. Both father and son each obtained his own personal witness of the Savior.
Elder Renlund invited all to learn this spiritual truth for themselves.
“When you know for yourself that Jesus Christ lives and that He is your Savior, you are forever changed,” he said. “You, too, will then feel to shout, ‘Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!’(3 Nephi 11:17)”
Rio Cangrejal and multiple covenants
Another original painting in the San Pedro Sula temple depicts the Rio Cangrejal (Cangrejal River), which originates from many creeks and three rivers in the high elevations of the Nombre de Dios (Name of God) mountain range. Rio Cangrejal flows into a canyon before dropping down to sea level at the Caribbean Sea, making it one of the steepest rivers in Central America.
Just as the three rivers and other tributaries make Rio Cangrejal powerful, Elder Renlund said, making and keeping multiple covenants with God in the temple strengthens a person’s bond with the Lord and grants greater access to His power, which helps Saints to endure life’s hardships.
Elder Renlund was mindful that Honduras has faced its fair share of natural disasters in recent years, including hurricanes, torrential rains, landslides and floods. Elder Renlund told about the time when his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, developed ovarian cancer early in their marriage and how their family found comfort and peace through their temple covenants.
“Making multiple covenants with God enables the Savior to heal those who have been wounded, shattered or crushed by the rains, floods and winds of life,” he said. “Jesus Christ can deliver us from metaphorical torrents and whirlpools that trap us. He can heap all the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant on all who more fully take on themselves His name in the temple.”
Elder Renlund said the Savior stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, purify and sanctify Heavenly Father’s children. He encouraged members to come to the temple often “to be strengthened and reminded how much God loves you.”
“As you do, you will not experience rains, winds and floods without those challenges being swallowed up in the joy of Christ,” he said.
‘A precious gift’
More than 100,000 people visited the temple before it was dedicated during the three-week open house.
“Even before it was dedicated, visitors felt that it was a place of holiness, like what it says on the temple, ‘Holiness to the Lord, the House of the Lord.’ They felt something special, and I feel the same thing,” Elder Renlund said. “It is beautiful. It is wonderful. It depicts what is really good in Honduras — a strength and a depth of commitment to God and to God’s work on this earth.”
Jorge and Karla Interiano served as the coordinators of the San Pedro Sula temple open house.
She was a returned missionary when she met him, who was introduced to the Church as a young adult and taught by the missionaries as “a golden contact,” she said.
“What really touched my heart was the moment that the missionaries were explaining to me that families are forever,” Jorge Interiano said. “That made a lot of sense to me at the time and I wanted to know more.”
Jorge Interiano was baptized and became an active young adult, and the eventually married in the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple. Since then, the couple has served faithfully in a variety of Church callings and raised a family.
They said they witnessed many miracles during the open house. One man, a magazine photographer, had a spiritual experience during the media tour. They befriended the man and invited him to return. The man did, and was introduced to the missionaries. He accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and was invited to attend Church services. The next Sunday the man came wearing a shirt and tie and carrying his Book of Mormon. He asked the missionaries what he needed to do to receive a temple recommend, and he continues to progress toward baptism.
“That is just one example,” Jorge Interiano said. The couple reported that the missionaries have taught and baptized “several people” who visited the temple during the open house and said that many others have shared powerful spiritual experiences.
“The temple has not only been a blessing to the members, but to the whole city,” Jorge Interiano said. “We love to serve and are blessed to be tools in His hands.”
Added Karla Interiano: “This is a precious gift that the Lord has given us. Many people can come here and be spiritually recharged, empowered. … We love this gospel. I cannot imagine where my life would be without the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
2 heartfelt interviews
The day before the dedication, Elder Renlund participated in two heartfelt interviews.
The first was with Juan Antonio Bendeck, a prominent television journalist and media personality for TelePaís, a channel viewed by people across Honduras.
The Bendeck interview was the result of months of work and collaboration by Claudia Gavarrete, who serves as the communications director in the Church’s Honduras region, and Karen Rodas, director of communications for the Church’s Central America Area.
Gavarrete said she felt in her heart that an interview between Bendeck and Elder Renlund would bless the Church in her country. Bendeck previously toured the San Pedro Sula temple and dedicated an hour of his show, “En Honor a la Verdad” — “In Honor of the Truth” — to share his temple experience, which was positive.
Gavarrete said Bendeck’s interview with Elder Renlund will be highly promoted and broadcast on television and radio throughout Honduras.
After a friendly visit, Bendeck and his team filmed the interview, which included Elder Christensen and David Turner, a Latter-day Saint who served as interpreter. At the end, Bendeck invited Elder Renlund to look into the camera and share a message with Honduran viewers.
“The message that I have is that this temple is an outward expression of our inward, absolute confidence that Jesus Christ lives,” the Apostle said. “I invite anyone who is interested in learning why a temple brings such joy, peace and calm to learn more about them.”
After the interview, Elder Renlund and others presented Bendeck with some gifts. Elder Renlund also offered a prayer and blessing on Bendeck and his associates, for which Bendeck was very grateful.
The second interview was with two Latter-day Saint young adults — Roger Cuellar and Andrea Martinez — who asked Elder Renlund questions about the power of temples, making and keeping covenants, serving missions and more.
Elder Renlund said the temple is a building — “a beautiful building here in San Pedro Sula” — but what is most important is that “in the temple we can come to know Jesus Christ.”
“We can come to know better that He lives, that He is our divine, wise, heavenly friend,” Elder Renlund said. “He wants nothing more than to help us through life, and He has the power to do it because of what He did in His great atoning sacrifice. ... What a blessing is offered in the temple, and what a blessing it is to be a member of a Savior’s Church.”
San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple
Location: Blvr. Mario Catarino Rivas, 21102 San Pedro Sula, Cortés, Honduras
Announced: April 7, 2019, by President Russell M. Nelson, President of the Church
Groundbreaking: Sept. 5, 2020, presided over by Elder José Bernardo Hernández, an Area Seventy
Public open house: Sept. 12-28, 2024, excluding Sundays
Dedicated: Oct. 13, 2024, by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Property size: 9 acres
Building size: 35,818 square feet
Building height: 98.3 feet (30 meters), including the spire
