[MUSIC - "HIGH ON THE MOUNTAIN
TOP"] (SINGING) High on the mountain
top a banner is unfurled. Ye nations, now look up;
it waves to all the world. In Deseret's sweet, peaceful
land, on Zion's mount behold it stand! [ORGAN MUSIC] (SINGING) For there
we shall be taught the law that will go forth,
with truth and wisdom fraught, to govern all the earth. Forever there his
ways we'll tread, and save ourselves
with all our dead. (SINGING) High on the mountain
top a banner is unfurled. Amen. Amen. Amen. Dear brothers and
sisters, we are so happy to welcome you to the
groundbreaking of the Orem Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. [SPEAKING SPANISH]
Given the restrictions related to the current
pandemic, this event will be limited in time. And there are only a
few of us gathered here at the actual temple
site this morning. For this reason, we also want
to say again a special welcome to those participating in
this event via internet. As assigned by the First
Presidency of the Church, we are pleased to
have Elder Craig C. Christensen of the
Seventy and President of the Utah Area
presiding on this event. He is accompanied by his wife,
Sister Debbie J. Christensen. And my name is Elder
Walter F. Gonzalez of the Seventy, Second Counselor
in the Utah Area Presidency. And I've been asked to
conduct this ceremony. I am very pleased to be
accompanied by my wife, my best part, Sister Zulma Gonzalez. We also recognize
Elder Evan A. Schmutz, First Counselor in the
Utah Area Presidency, and his wife, Sister
Cindy Schmutz, and Elder William K. Jackson,
General Authority Seventy, and his wife,
Sister Anne Jackson. We are very grateful for
the government and education leaders who honor us
with their presence. We extend special recognition
to Utah governor Gary Herbert and his wife, Janet
Herbert, whose support we very much appreciate. We know that Governor
Herbert grew up in Orem. And we can only imagine the
feelings of joy and happiness that you must have
this day here today. And we are also happy that
you and your beloved wife are with us in this ceremony. We are also pleased to recognize
the following in attendance today: Utah Valley
University president Astrid Tuminez and her husband,
Jeffrey S. Tolk. Orem mayor Richard Brunst
and his wife, Tammy Brunst. Vineyard mayor Julie Fullmer
and her husband, Curtis Fullmer. And several others involved
in the design and construction of the temple, including
Brother Brent Roberts, managing director of
special projects, who is here with his wife,
Sister Ramona Roberts. As we began, you were able
to enjoy The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square singing
"High on the Mountain Top." As you heard the
music, you had a chance to watch scenes from other
temples around the world, including the Orem temple
rendering, a copy of which is seen here in front of us. We hope this video
helped you to feel a part of this sacred event. We will begin with
an invocation offered by James T. Evans, president
of the Orem Utah Heatheridge Stake, who together
with his wife, Donna, served as coordinators
of the Orem Utah Temple groundbreaking committee. We want to thank
President and Sister Evans and all those who worked
with them to prepare this wonderful event. President Evans. Dear Father in Heaven, we are
humbled and grateful to be here this morning. We feel Thy presence and
the presence of Thy Son as we have this wonderful
service in preparation of the dedicatory prayer for the
groundbreaking and construction of the Orem Utah Temple,
another one of Thy temples on the earth. Today, as we gather, we
ask Thee to humbly bless those who will share
testimony and remarks. Please bless Elder
Christensen as he offers the prayer to Thee. We love Thee and Thy Son. We love the influence of Thy Son
and the Atonement in our lives daily that allows us to
feel joy and happiness, even through hard times,
and for the wonderful Spirit we feel this day. This is a beautiful
spot, Heavenly Father, that Thou has blessed us with
to have this temple built. And as we kick off the
construction of the temple today, we ask Thee to bless and
touch the hearts of all those who live in this valley and
beyond that they will have a desire to not only come
back here to the temple when we're able but to
go to all the temples around the world because of the
covenants that we make there. Those covenants bless our lives. They bless our families. They bless our
neighbors and friends. We dedicate this
meeting unto Thee and do so in the name of
Thy Son, Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you, Brother Evans. We will now hear from
Elder William K. Jackson. Followed by Elder
Jackson's remark, Elder Evan A. Schmutz
will share his message. And it will be
then our privilege to hear a testimony from
Sister Debbie J. Christensen. And she will be followed by
Elder Craig C. Christensen, our Area President. Following his message,
Elder Christensen will offer a prayer
dedicating this site for the construction of a
sacred temple, the Orem temple. Following the prayer,
the benediction will be offered by
Sister Donna S. Evans. We ask that you please remain
seated after the benediction as we invite those on
the stand to participate in the formal groundbreaking
that will take place here. Following the formal
groundbreaking, others who have previously
been invited to do so will come forward as directed. Dear brothers and sisters
and friends, what a pleasure it is to be here with you today
at the future site of the Orem Utah Temple. Current public health conditions
limit the numbers of us present here in person. But many thousands join
with us in spirit and online to celebrate this
groundbreaking ceremony. We express our deep appreciation
for government and community leaders, for our
friends of other faiths, and for our very
own Church members, who welcome a building
to build the temple here. This will be another of the
Lord's houses, established in the tops of the mountains. It will stand as a testament
to your worthiness, to the righteous desires of
your hearts, and to the faith that Heavenly Father
has in you to help bring to pass His work and His glory. This will be a splendid house. Having other temples
in close proximity will not diminish the eternal
importance and significance of this sacred building. Just after Christmas
in Kirtland, Ohio, nearly 188 years
ago, the Lord stated: "And I give unto you, who
are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a
commandment that you assemble yourselves together,
and organize yourselves, and
prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves;
yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands
and your feet before me, that I may make you clean." "Behold, I will hasten
my work in its time." For all of us, the last laborers
in this last kingdom, the time is now. Today, the long-prophesied
gathering of Israel is in full swing. And your community will
soon be blessed with a house of the Lord right here. That blessing will come
with responsibility. Human nature has taught us that
proximity and ease sometimes lead to complacency. Well, this is something
that needs to be challenged. You will need to schedule
time to attend the temple, to write it down in
your day planners, to make it a regular
and rejuvenating ritual. It is our prayer that a great
multitude will gather here, as at the temple in the
time of the Savior's visit to the Americas, and that
great and marvelous works will occur here. For many of our brothers
and sisters who live around the world, the temple is a
once-in-a-lifetime experience, due to distance and expense. And yet I want to bear
my testimony to you that their reverence and
commitment to the temple is amazing. Though many will have just a
single opportunity to attend the temple during the
course of their life, their enthusiasm for temple work
and their longing to be there is palpable. Keeping their recommends
current and up to date and their
covenants front and center are marvelous witnesses of
the desires of their hearts, and they are to be commended
for their integrity. Likewise, I know
that we here today, and more particularly the
people of Orem and Vineyard and Provo and surroundings,
are as equally committed to this house
and to the work that will be performed here. This temple will be a place
of personal revelation and learning. It will be a refuge, a
sanctuary of peace in an often cluttered and noisy world. It will serve to mend, help,
strengthen, and encourage all who come here to
worship and to be edified. This temple will
be a place in which we will learn our purpose. We will learn who we really
are and what we are worth. It is within these
walls that we will come to understand
the purpose of life. In this temple, we will
walk upon that covenant path and undertake many of
the steps to becoming, as our Savior commanded,
complete, finished, fully developed. It will be in this temple where
we will have the opportunity to serve, to be
responsible for others, and selflessness
will be the result. We will gain a greater
love for our ancestors and heighten our
sense of belonging. Malachi's promise will be
fulfilled as we turn our hearts outward to our ancestors, for
they without us cannot be made perfect. Neither can we, without
them, be made perfect. We bless others and in
turn bless ourselves. Temple work is a refining
and transformative process. It is a labor of love to
become a Savior on Mount Zion. President Nelson
has reminded us, quote: "We can be inspired
all day long about temple and family history
experiences others have had. But we must do something to
actually experience [that] joy ourselves. ... I invite you to prayerfully
consider what kind of sacrifice--preferably a
sacrifice of time--you can make ... to do more temple and
family history work," unquote. I am confident that the
people of this temple district can catch that spirit. It is in this temple
that couples and families can receive the assurance that
they can be together always as they keep their
covenant promises. Marriages can be stronger
and more remarkable because of the
eternal commitments and bonds entered into here. It will be a holy place
and a sacred edifice, like this one, where we will
come to better understand the Savior and His glorious
mission, His plan of happiness, and His infinite Atonement. This will serve to protect
us against temptation and the influence
of the adversary. It will heighten our motivation
to change, to repent, to improve. The experiences
we will have here will quicken us along
our journey of becoming. And, brothers and sisters,
it is all about becoming. President Nelson teaches, quote:
"Obedience to temple covenants qualifies us for eternal life,
the greatest [of gifts] of God to man. Eternal life is more
than immortality. Eternal life is exaltation in
the highest [kingdom]--the kind of life that God
lives," close quote. That is the goal of all of us. And nothing would make our
Heavenly Father happier. That we might be so obedient
and enjoy the fullest blessings of this
house is my prayer in the name of
Jesus Christ, amen. Brothers and sisters, honored
guests and beloved friends, I am grateful for
this opportunity to join with you in
the groundbreaking of this beautiful
Orem Utah Temple. On this beautiful
September morning, as we gather at
this sacred site, I find myself drawn back to
memories of my own childhood. Orem is my hometown
too, Governor Herbert. I attended Sarah Park
Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Orem High School. My classmates and
friends included many that grew up in the area
surrounding this temple site. The residents of Orem
and adjacent communities in those days would
have been astonished had they been shown the
future of this vibrant city. Similarly, faithful
Latter-day Saints could not have envisioned
the construction of a temple in Orem. Yet "out of small
things proceedeth that which is great." In coming months,
the Orem Utah Temple will rise toward the heavens
from this beautiful spot of ground overlooking one of the
most heavily trafficked areas in Utah. And upon its
completion, the temple will be dedicated to the
work and glory of God: "to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of [His children]." It will act as a
beacon over time, drawing the gaze
of millions as they pass by this hallowed ground
and inviting the devoted service of hundreds of thousands of
faithful Latter-day Saints as the ordinances of
salvation are offered to the living and the dead. Upon the eastern
wall of the temple will be inscribed the words
"Holiness to the Lord. The house of the Lord." As President Thomas
S. Monson once said, quote: "In the holy temple, the
precious plan of God is taught. It is here that eternal
covenants are made. The temple lifts us. It exalts us. It stands as a beacon for all to
see and points us [toward the] celestial glory. It is the house of God. All that occurs within
the walls of the temple is uplifting and ennobling. The temple is a
place of tranquility. It is a place of kindness ... and light," end quote. In this way, the temple should
also be a symbol of our lives. As the temple lifts us,
we should lift others. As the temple stands as
a beacon for all to see, so should we be a candle set
on a hill, letting our light shine to all the world. We can do this as we live
lives of moral integrity and righteousness. As the temple points
us to celestial glory, so we should teach,
encourage, and invite others to follow the teachings and
the path of Jesus Christ, to receive glory in His kingdom. As the temple is a house within
whose walls all things are uplifting and
ennobling, we should strive to selectively
choose to bring into our homes and
our personal lives only those things that
uplift and ennoble. As the temple is a
place of kindness, let us be kind and compassionate
towards all men, women, and children. Let us be a blessing to the
communities in which we live and to the people of those
communities, our neighbors and friends. The sacred ordinances
of the temple are performed both for the
living and for the dead, who are found in the family
lines and generations of our members,
who lived and died without receiving baptism or
other necessary priesthood ordinances. We testify that the dead from
every age and dispensation will be resurrected by the power
of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And they also must
have the opportunity to be saved through the
ordinances of the house of God. Joseph Smith taught,
quote: "The main object of the gathering in
any age of the world was to build unto the
Lord an house whereby he could reveal unto his people
the ordinances of his house and glories of the kingdom
and teach the people the ways of salvation. For there are certain
ordinances and principles that, when they are
taught and practiced, must be done in a place prepared
for that purpose," end quote. In April 2010, President Nelson
invited us to attend the temple more frequently and promised
that blessings would result. He said, quote: "Our need to
be in the temple on a regular basis has never
been greater. ... If you have reasonable
access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make
an appointment regularly with the Lord--to be in His holy
house--[and] then keep that appointment with
exactness and joy. I promise you that
the Lord will bring the miracles He
knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve
and worship in His temples," end quote. We envision the time
when this temple will be dedicated and open
for the work of salvation and exaltation of
individuals and families. We pray the Lord will
bless the world and grant relief from the present
conditions that have so disrupted and destroyed our
lives and societies, that we may follow our prophet's
counsel and receive the promised blessings in our lives
from temple service. I testify of Jesus Christ, the
living Savior of all mankind. I testify that the house that
will be built on this ground will be His. I invite all who are gathered
here today to come unto Him. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen. Beloved brothers and
sisters and new friends, I liked the song that we
heard: "For God remembers still the promise[s] made of old." God loves us today. I stand as a witness of that. He loved us in the
Old Testament times. He loves us in the
New Testament times. And He loves us today. The world has always had
different kinds of commotion. But He loves us and
He keeps His promises. And this temple, from this
very dry, dusty ground, will rise up into
something beautiful, a beautiful house of the Lord. And I'm grateful
for that, because I know by its very construction
that God has not forgotten us today, that these promises
will be fulfilled. He loves us and He blesses
His children today. I stand as a witness of that. I'm grateful that--coming down
the canyon from Heber today, President Christensen and
myself had a really strong wind. And all the way
down, we were saying, "Please calm the wind that
we won't have a giant dust bowl down at the site." And look--there's
not even a gust. We prayed there was
because of the heat, but I'm grateful for a
God that loves us today, that cares about each one
of us in this time where there's unrest all over the
world and there's a pandemic. I stand as a witness, and
I know, that God loves us. I'm grateful for a Savior
that considered us worthy that He would die on the cross,
that we could say we were sorry and start again through
applying His holy Atonement. I'm grateful for a living
prophet today, President Russell Nelson. I'm grateful for the
opportunity to serve and to bear witness of these things. I'm grateful that temple
work goes forward. I'm grateful that we get
to be a part of fulfilling all of those promises
that were made of old. And we fulfill them today
as part of the gathering. I bear witness of these things. And I'm grateful for all of you. God loves us. I stand as a witness of that. In the name of
Jesus Christ, amen. Dear brothers and sisters
and friends, what a privilege it is for Debbie and me
and for my counselors here in the Utah area
to be here this morning and to be with each one
of you, especially those viewing this via the internet. If you're paying
close attention, since President
Nelson was installed as the President
of the Church, he's announced seven temples in Utah,
notwithstanding the remodeling of some of the historic
temples, including our hallmark temple in downtown Salt Lake. It's a busy time, especially
for some of you gathered here. Brother Roberts
and his team, who, after we have the privilege
of the ceremonial shovel, they have to go to
work and [INAUDIBLE] and create this temple
in about 22 to 24 months, is what I'm told. So this is an amazing work. It's a hastening work. And we're grateful to
be with each one of you and participate in it. I'm told right
here in the middle of where we'll take
the first shovel is the center of the celestial room
when this building is erected. And it'll face to the west. So people come in
off Geneva Road, and they see this beautiful
backdrop of Timpanogos and the mountains that have
been hallmarks in Utah County from the very beginning of time. It's a privilege for
us to be with you. In my mind's eye, I
can envision a scene that's becoming very
familiar to all of us over the past six months. Families gathered together
in homes across this valley, witnessing these events in a
home-centered gospel worship experience. I pray that those of us that are
permitted to safely gather here can describe in words
the magnificence of the feelings we have to be
here on this particular site. I also wish we could
see into the future and see what this temple
will bring to this valley. As Elder Schmutz
mentioned, the traffic that passes here
or on Geneva Road see this beautiful sight as
they go each and every day back and forth to work. And we hope that as they
plan, as been mentioned, to visit this house
of the Lord often. Somewhat like Governor
Herbert and Sister Herbert and the Schmutzes, we've
been connected to Utah County for many, many years. To be off of Geneva Road,
for me, is astonishing. And as I drove
here and see what's happening around this part of
Orem, Vineyard across the way, it's amazing to see
what's happening in this part of our valley. This temple will be a
hallmark to this community. All of us, including those
viewing this proceeding by the internet, should
recognize the hand of the Lord in preparing every
detail for the coming forth of another sacred temple
and for the prophetic vision of President Russell M.
Nelson, who announced this temple on October 5, 2019. The President of the
Church is involved in every site selection. And I'm grateful that this is
the place that President Nelson chose that this should happen. My observation is the
temple typically defines the entire community. I remember living in Mexico
City, a city of well over 15 million people, where most
everyone would navigate the city in relationship to what
they referred to as the Mormon temple. Any taxi driver, any driver, you
say, "Where do you need to go?" And they'd say, "Well, how
far from the Mormon temple is that?" So it just changes
the landscape. It changes the conversation. Because of that, we express
our deep appreciation for government and
community leaders, for friends of other faiths, and
for our many Church members who have warmly welcomed the
building of another holy temple here in Orem. As this temple takes shape, it
will become a beacon that will draw everyone--not just
our members but this entire community--to admire its
grandeur and its beauty. The Orem temple will be a
large and stunning building, approximately
70,000 square feet. Like every temple, it will
stand as a manifestation of the faith of the
Latter-day Saints who live in this area, as
well as all around the world. It reflects our faith in
Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness and in His Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ, including in His
atoning sacrifice. The purpose of the
temple is to bring joy, or, to quote President
Nelson, enduring joy, and the possibility
of eternal life to all of Heavenly
Father's children. It demonstrates our faith
in the eternal nature of families and
our understanding that God's work and
glory is "to bring to pass the immortality
and [the] eternal life" of all of His children. Thus the construction of a
temple is an act of faith by all who are faithful and
by all who are faith filled. President Russell M. Nelson has
promised "that the Lord will bring the miracles He
knows you need as you ... serve and worship
in His [temple]." Earlier this year,
President Nelson reiterated that every minute
that we spend in temples will bless us and our
families and that there is nothing else that can
bless us like a temple can. Having another temple
close, literally right across the street
or right next door, will allow us all to spend more
time worshipping in the temple and being blessed and bring
blessings to our lives. In recent months, we've
experienced what the scriptures refer to as "an
overflowing scourge," or a "desolating sickness
[that] shall cover the land." Many have had the
opportunity to set aside many of our normal
activities and demands and have drawn closer to
our individual families. That same section in the
Doctrine of Covenants promises that notwithstanding
the commotion and the events that happen all
around us, the Lord said, "My disciples shall
stand in holy places, and shall not be moved." We've come to recognize,
more than ever before, that these holy places include
our homes, our dedicated meetinghouses, and,
most importantly, our sacred temples. Again, quoting from
President Nelson, who taught, "Despite [the]
contention all around us, one's home can become
a heavenly place, where study, prayer, and
faith can [merge] with love." President Nelson's
promised that as we work to become true
disciples of Jesus Christ, God's objectives
become our objectives. He emphasized that God
wants all of His children to choose to return to
Him prepared, qualified, endowed, sealed, and faithfully
living to the covenants they make in the temple. Today is a perfect
time for all of us to look to the future
with hope and gladness as we prepare to
worship, to serve, and to receive ordinances
in the new Orem Utah Temple. Because of the restrictions, as
has been mentioned, few of us are gathered here. But we invite all of you that
are watching to not only watch us turn the soil but commit
with us to unitedly turn our hearts to Heavenly Father
and to His Son, Jesus Christ, in gratitude and in preparing
to be worthy to enter into this wonderful temple. I know and bear witness that
we're all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. I testify that through the
infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ and by making and
keeping sacred covenants in the house of the Lord,
we can find peace and joy in this life and eternal
happiness in the life to come. With you I rejoice in this
day, in this beginning of another holy temple, in
this part of Utah Valley, and express my
witness and the joy I feel to be part of
these proceedings. I express my testimony
in these words in the sacred name of the
Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. Now, for those of you
that are with us here and all those that
are at home, I would ask you to
bow your head as I offer the dedicatory prayer of
the groundbreaking for the Orem Utah Temple. Our beloved Heavenly
Father, we express our love to Thee, Heavenly
Father, and to Thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. With grateful hearts
and as directed by our dear prophet,
President Russell M. Nelson, we bow our heads in reverence
to dedicate and consecrate this beautiful site
for the construction of a sacred house of God,
to be known hereafter as the Orem Utah Temple. We thank thee, Heavenly Father,
for the glorious Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ
through the Prophet Joseph Smith in these last days. We recognize, as we commemorate
the 200th anniversary of the First Vision, the
knowledge, power, and authority that Thou hast restored
to the earth through him. We acknowledge this day the
keys of the holy priesthood. And we are profoundly grateful
that Thou hast inspired thy chosen prophet to identify
this site as a worthy place for a holy temple. We acknowledge, dear Father,
the great legacy of faith that exists among the Saints
who live in this part of Thy vineyard, and the
rich heritage that has prepared the way for
the construction of yet another temple in
this beautiful valley. We rejoice in the
opportunity to be witnesses of these sacred events and
in the many blessings that will be poured out
upon Thy people as a result of these efforts. We pray for Thy blessings
upon this site, the elements, and upon all who will labor in
the construction of the Orem Utah Temple. May they be kept safe
from harm or injury and from the effects of
the current pandemic that covers the earth. May their unique
contributions and talents be elevated in every way. And may their
efforts be consistent with the sacred nature of the
building that will eventually occupy this special site. May this be a sacred
and successful endeavor in every way. And may Thou continually bless
this community and Thy people for the many years to come. We are eternally
grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of
participating in Thy holy work. As this sacred building is
constructed and dedicated unto Thee, we pray that we might
also build and strengthen our own lives and deepen our
conviction and our conversion to serve and honor Thee
and Thy Only Begotten Son. Please bless each of us
with an increased desire to be worthy of the ordinances
performed in temples and to work
diligently to prepare the records of our ancestors
so that this temple, like many others, will
continue to bless Thy children on both sides of the veil. Bless us, dear Father,
that through these efforts we will become
closer to our Savior, receive all the blessings of
the temple, find enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life. Our hearts, Heavenly Father, are
filled with gratitude this day as we recognize Thy
hand in this work and the bounteous
blessings we enjoy. We are grateful for
temple covenants, which allow us to return to
Thy presence and provide that our families may be
sealed together forever. Now, as we dedicate this
site for the construction of the Orem Utah Temple,
we pray that Thou would bless and prosper
this sacred cause and hasten our
efforts in every way. We express our
heartfelt gratitude unto Thee, Heavenly Father, for Thy
tender mercies in the lives and for the many
blessings that we receive. We continually
express this gratitude as we humbly dedicate this
site and our lives unto Thee and do so in the sacred
name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you, brothers and sisters. We'll have Sister Evans come up
and offer the closing prayer. Our kind and gracious
Father in Heaven, we feel so blessed
today and so grateful to be able to break ground
for another house of the Lord, the Orem Utah Temple. We feel so blessed to have it be
a beacon to us in this valley, and those who pass
through this valley, to exemplify our love for
Thee and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our
families, especially those who have gone before us. We ask that it can be a
beacon to, especially, the young people of this
valley, the children growing up and the students who attend
school in universities here, that they
will have the desire to come often and even
especially to be ordinance workers and bless their lives. Heavenly Father, we
are grateful for all of those who have made
this groundbreaking service possible, for all their
consecration of time and also those who will continue
to consecrate their time. We ask Thee to bless them. And bless us that we may
be able to soon return to service in our temples
that we desire so much. And we ask these things in the
name of Jesus Christ, amen. Amen. We invite Elder and
Sister Christensen to come and get their
shovels and take their place. Elder and Sister Schmutz. Elder and Sister Gonzalez. Elder and Sister Jackson. Elder Christensen
has invited a couple of families, the children of
some families, to come forward. So I invite the Puertas
family--Puertas family to come forward and join us. And the Welsh family. OK. Everybody in place? OK. Two takes. Ready? 1, 2, 3. Hold. Keep holding. [INAUDIBLE] We're going to do
it one more time. You ready, kids? 1, 2, 3. Hold. Now we're done. [INAUDIBLE] [ORGAN MUSIC]
