ELKO, Nevada — In the evening, when the sun’s setting rays touch the Elko Nevada Temple, the golden letters light up and shine. “Holiness to the Lord” and “The house of the Lord” are written on every temple, but Erik Smith, of the Elko Nevada West Stake, sees particular meaning here.
“Northeastern Nevada has the largest gold mining operations in North America and is a major economic boon for this part of the state,” he said. “But to be able to see these letters lit up in a golden hue, I see the price above gold that temples are to us.”
This house of the Lord is set to be dedicated Sunday, Oct. 12, by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and will become the third operating temple in Nevada after Las Vegas (1989) and Reno (2000). The Lone Mountain Nevada Temple had a groundbreaking on Sept. 25.
The Elko temple district includes towns and communities in six large counties in northeastern Nevada covering almost 47% of the state, or 51,389 square miles. Four stakes and one district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in this area make up the temple district.
The history of this area — and of the Church here —is closely tied to mining but also agriculture, ranching and railroads. Many Latter-day Saints moved from Utah to Nevada in the late 1920s in search of better economic conditions. Now, nearly 183,000 Latter-day Saints — in more than 40 stakes and 362 congregations — reside in the state.
Throughout the temple, a prevalent design motif is the desert globemallow, a native flower. Geometric patterns are inspired by the cultural heritage of the Paiute and Shoshone tribes. Orange, yellow and green accent colors reflect hues in the landscapes of Elko.
“In every phase of this temple — from the groundbreaking, through construction, to the open house, and now the upcoming dedication, God has been seen in our community of Elko,” said Smith, a member of the Elko West stake high council. “There is already a different feeling in our community with it being here, and I know it will be a great blessing for the Saints in Northeastern Nevada as we continue to serve and draw closer to Christ.”
‘Truly a blessing’
The late President Russell M. Nelson announced a house of the Lord for Elko on April 4, 2021, during April 2021 general conference. Many longtime Elko residents, like Ruth Garvin of the Elko 3rd Ward, remember when President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th president of the Church, came to the area for a conference in Spring Creek and spoke about temples.
“We have been praying for years for that blessing to be given to our area,” Garvin said.
The groundbreaking was held on May 7, 2022, with Elder Paul B. Pieper presiding, who is a General Authority Seventy and then president of what was then the North America Southwest Area, now the United States Southwest Area.
Over the years, Latter-day Saints in this spread-out temple district have traveled hours to worship in temples in Utah, Idaho, California, and instate in Reno and Las Vegas.
“The closeness of the Elko Temple will be such a blessing for these Saints to not have to drive so far and participate more frequently,” Garvin said. “Our youth won’t have to wait so long for the next temple trip. They will have the option to attend on a regular basis to strengthen their faith and bless the lives of their ancestors. It truly is a blessing for all of us in so many ways.”
Winnemucca Nevada Stake President Joseph H. Wadsworth said members of his stake — particularly those living in the Battle Mountain and Winnemucca area — will be able to attend more often because of the decreased travel time. Many are now preparing to serve as ordinance workers as well.
Even before it is dedicated, the temple has been changing lives because of the open house, which ran Saturday, Aug. 30 through Saturday, Sept. 13.
“One sister who has been less active in the Church for over 30 years attended the open house and was deeply touched by what she felt there. She is now attending church regularly with the goal of being sealed to her deceased husband,” President Wadsworth said.
‘A part of the hastening of the Lord’s work’
Shawn and Beth Jones, who serve as coordinators of the Elko temple open house and dedication committee, said the Elko temple is evidence that the Lord has been hastening His work.
As they stayed open to impressions and promptings, they saw how the Lord was doing His work, Shawn Jones said.
“I think we have a deeper conviction now of the reality that we are living in a time in which the Restoration continues to unfold — in which we do get to see with our own eyes and to be a part of the hastening of the Lord’s work,” he said.
They saw His help throughout the open house — from solutions for parking difficulties to touching the hearts of those who attended.
Beth Jones was able to answer questions and speak more at length with people after their tours. One woman observed, “You go to your meetinghouses to hear His word, but you come to the temple to see Him.”
One man had been prayerfully considering returning to religion and returning to God. He started crying as soon as he entered the temple and at the end of the tour said: “I have to join this Church. What do I need? Who do I need to talk to to join this Church?”
Others attended at the invitation of their families and shared how they had felt the Spirit strongly inside and wanted to be a part of it again.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo toured the temple during the open house, as did other city, county and state officials. Around 20 religious leaders of other faiths attended as well.
As other faith leaders sat in the sealing room after the tour, Shawn Jones recalled, one spoke on behalf of the other guests and said: “We kind of like to think of this as our temple as well. We kind of like to think of this as another place of faith, of light.”
‘The Lord’s promises are sure’
Smith attended the open house every day, often taking family, friends and co-workers of other faiths. He saw how the temple’s peace and spirit reached their hearts, speaking to them in the ways they individually needed.
On the last day of the open house, he served with his wife, Celisa Smith, in the ordinance room.
“We rejoiced in being able to testify of the power and peace that God gifts us in holy temples,” Smith said. “As we walked out into the night and saw the temple again lit up, the words ‘Holiness to the Lord, The house of the Lord’ reminded us that although we walk a path through life with faith, not always seeing clearly the way ahead, there is a definite lamp unto our feet. The word of God, testified of in ordinances in the temple, helps provide that lamp for us.”
Garvin said the blessings of the temple give her courage to face her challenges and help her know that she is loved.
“The Lord’s promises are sure. He is in relentless pursuit of us,” she said. “All those that will enter the temple worthily will be blessed beyond measure.”
