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May Auckland temple be a ‘house of joy’ and ‘beacon of light,’ says Elder Kearon in dedicatory prayer

Read the prayer offered by Elder Patrick Kearon to dedicate the Auckland New Zealand Temple

Following is the text of the prayer offered by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to dedicate the Auckland New Zealand Temple on Sunday, April 13, 2025.

Dear Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, we thank Thee for our many blessings and this wonderful day as we gather to dedicate this, the Auckland New Zealand Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We express deep gratitude to assemble in this beautiful land amongst Thy daughters and sons of such deep faith. We are thankful for the devotion of those who have helped establish Thy Church here, and so many others who have made this day possible.

We love Thee and want to express our thankfulness to Thee for Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who has atoned for our sins.

The Auckland New Zealand Temple. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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We are thankful that we are able to worship and gather freely.

We are assembled to dedicate this, Thy house, as an expression of our faith, love and gratitude to Thee.

Invoking the keys of the holy apostleship and by the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, I now dedicate to Thee and Thy Beloved Son the Auckland New Zealand Temple for its sacred purposes. We dedicate it from its spire and roof to its foundations. We dedicate the baptistry, the altars and the sacred rooms where ordinances are performed and covenants are made.

We dedicate the structure of the temple and all the supporting systems and services that control the climate, electrical, audiovisual and other systems.

Attendees leave after the Auckland New Zealand Temple dedication in Auckland, New Zealand, on Sunday, April 13, 2025. | Jeffrey D. Allred, for the Deseret News

We dedicate the ground upon which the temple and associated buildings stand.

We thank Thee for this reminder of Thy love for Thy children and ask Thee to watch over and protect this sacred building from adverse forces of nature or other harm.

We pray that all who enter here will be blessed with a deeper understanding of Thy plan of happiness. We pray that workers and patrons will feel Thy love and compassion for them. We pray that their faith will be strengthened and that they will feel Thy peace and Thy joy.

Please bless the temple presidency, the matron and her assistants, and all of those who will serve in Thy holy house. We pray that they will be bestowed with the love, wisdom and stamina to fulfill their sacred roles.

Please grant those present today and all who enter here a deeper understanding of Thy love, Thy plan of salvation and the sanctifying role of ordinances and covenants.

The Auckland New Zealand Temple at dusk
The Auckland New Zealand Temple at dusk on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Auckland, New Zealand. | Jeffrey D. Allred, for the Deseret News

We pray that our young people will rejoice in coming here, serving and being blessed with light and spiritual fortitude. We pray for a deepening of their faith as they serve.

Please bless the lonely, those who mourn, the lost and those whose hope is fading. Please help them to more fully receive Thy love and come to experience the atoning blessings of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. We pray that they will see themselves as Thy children.

We thank Thee for the restoration and for the Prophet Joseph. We give thanks for the line of prophets who have succeeded him and who continue to serve Thy children.

We give joyful thanks for Thy Son and His Atonement, and that through Him we have the potential to live with Thee and our loved ones eternally.

This, Thy house, stands as a sacred symbol of Thy love for Thy children and of their love for Thee. May it be a house of joy and a beacon of light to those who enter and to all who see it.

We thank Thee for these blessings and all others that will be extended by Thee.

We express our love and gratitude to Thee and to Thy Son and offer this prayer of dedication in the sacred name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen.

A chandelier inside the Auckland New Zealand Temple is seen through a stained-glass window;
A chandelier inside the Auckland New Zealand Temple is seen through a stained-glass window on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Auckland, New Zealand. | Jeffrey D. Allred, for the Deseret News
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