Following is the text of the prayer offered by Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to dedicate the Bacolod Philippines Temple on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
O God, our Eternal Father, Thou great God of the universe, in reverence and love, and in the name of Thy Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we come unto Thee to dedicate this holy and sacred house, the Bacolod Philippines Temple.
We thank Thee, our Holy Father, for Thy love for us and for the precious gift of Thy Only Begotten Son, the Savior of the world. With all our hearts, we love and adore our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
We express our love for the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Restoration of the gospel, and for the priesthood power and blessings of heaven that have been showered upon The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and upon the whole earth. We thank Thee for President Dallin H. Oaks, Thy Prophet upon the earth today.
Today, here in Bacolod, in this, Thy house, we are especially grateful for the bestowal of the sacred priesthood keys, allowing us to be blessed by Thy power and to have in this holy place the authority to seal in heaven what is sealed here on earth.
We are thankful for this choice land of the Philippines. We are grateful for the freedom that is here to worship Thee and to construct this, Thy house. We thank Thee for the blood of Israel here in Negros Occidental and the surrounding communities, and for the thousands of Thy sons and daughters who have embraced Thy restored gospel in this beautiful land. We are humbled by the righteous Saints of Thy kingdom, here and across the world, who honor the law of tithing, allowing this sacred house to be constructed.
Now, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the authority of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood and as designated by Thy Prophet upon the earth, President Dallin H. Oaks, I hereby dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and Thy Beloved Son this holy house, the Bacolod Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that the sacred ordinances of salvation and exaltation may be performed within these walls for the blessing of individuals and families on both sides of the veil.
I dedicate this sacred structure from its footings and foundation to its majestic tower. I dedicate the beautiful rooms, the furnishings, the patron housing and adjacent facilities, and the beautiful grounds. Please, Father, protect this, Thy house from natural disasters, fire, vandalism and any evil intent to deface or defile it.
We ask Thee, Holy Father, to bless all who serve here: the temple presidency, the matron and assistants to the matron, the ordinance workers and the patrons. May their service bring peace and happiness to their own lives and to those family members beyond the veil who await these important ordinances.
Let Thy sons and daughters who enter Thy house feel an abundance of Thy love for them. Allow them to feel Thy presence and the presence of Thy holy angels. Bring Thy power and Thy comfort to these sacred rooms. We pray especially for the youth who enter these doors, that their faith in Thy Son might increase and that they will be strengthened in keeping Thy commandments.
Bless this temple that it might be a light to all of Negros Occidental. Let our friends and neighbors come to realize that it is Thy holy house that stands before them. Let the power of Thy temple bless all who reverently seek to follow Thy Son.
We cannot express fully our love for Thee and Thy Son. Bless us to be true and faithful throughout our mortal lives, that through the grace of Thy Son, we might return home to Thee, that Thou might receive us with open arms. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
