Temples Now Dot The Land

holy structures that symbolize eternity and in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this is an unprecedented moment of temple building you do get a sense of urgency you get a sense of uh of a dynamic movement in Utah from north to south from east to west and in many locations through the center of the state as you drive through Utah you see those spires that say we believe in God we are going to act in a way that says we believe in him Utah will soon have 28 temples they represent a visual statement of faith and commitment and a desire of Latter-day Saints to draw closer to Jesus Christ their covenants and their ancestors carries that kind of meaning of uh dedication sacrifice for some something bigger than yourself that points heavenward it is a remarkable moment for everyone involved in construction groundbreaking the open houses and service when they are completed we build temples because of Jesus Christ everything about the temple is about the Savior a temple a house of the Lord is where we can draw closer to him and become like him in a really profound way join us as we document prophecy full fulfilled temples now dot the land let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now he is making his temples more accessible he is accelerating the pace which we are building temples this is an historic moment for temple building and renovation in our state in just a few years there will be 28 operating temples in Utah we begin with the first the St George Utah Temple located in the city's historic district the blue skies the Red Rocks the gleaming white edifice all combined for the exciting rededication of the St George Utah temple following a 4-year renovation thousands of Latter-day Saints gathered on December 10th 2023 the Shakespeare family among them it was amazing it it was just a wonderful experience it felt super spiritual and you're just able to feel the um like the happiness this Temple is so much a part of the landscape to so many I think it's the most Exquisite Temple experience I've ever had and maybe the most Exquisite building president Jeffrey R Holland came home to lead the dedication I was baptized here at 8 was sealed here to my beautiful wife and endowed as I prepared to go on my mission so all of those experiences come together for me in my feelings today when the Temple was first dedicated in 1877 the first in the west it represented permanence to those Latter-Day Saints the first one they got to keep after leaving temples in Ohio and Illinois it was also the first temple in which the Saints performed ordinances for their ancestors going back hundreds of years a Pioneer Temple renewed for generations to come the Cedar City Utah temple is a striking Landmark on a bluff above the [Music] city it was a bright December morning in 2017 for the dedication by president Henry B iring the temple has a Pioneer era design a fitting tribute to the settlers who struggled to establish this community in the early 1850s Cedar City then grew into the largest city in Iron [Music] County the montelo Utah Temple located in the Southeastern part of the state has a unique history this Temple was the first of a series of new smaller temples envisioned by President Gordon B hinley here is his sketch from 1997 he felt Saints in outlying areas needed to have temples closer to them construction on the montelo Temple was completed in a little over 8 months then it was the fastest Temple completion in church history president Hinckley dedicated it in July of 1998 the montelo Utah temple was enlarged and rededicated in 2002 the red Cliff's Utah temple is the second built in St George the temple District reaches to the north rim of the Grand Canyon the population growth and increase in Temple attendance caught the attention of church leaders when the worthiness increases and there are enough patrons that attended Temple the first prescy notices that and realizes there's there's greater need Michael and Deborah celiberti relocated from California to St George in June of 2021 neighbors introduced them to the missionaries each one had a spiritual confirmation that what they had learned is true Deborah's came first it was just an amazing feeling it was beautiful just beautiful and then I told him the next morning Michael believes divine intervention saved them from a car accident and then studied the church more intently and with my prayers and uh taking a good look at this I too felt that the Book of Mormon is true and the Church of Jesus Christ is the restoration of the gospel and I requested baptism their new Temple has simply added to their faith and given them hope for the future a brand new converts and brand new Temple it's just gorgeous and it has renewed my faith that everything will be all right president Henry B iring dedicated this temple on March 24th 2024 remarking on the faith of Latter-day Saints in the area that brought a second temple to St George and the unique colors and designs used in the decor which will feel to patrons like [Music] home the Manti Utah temple stands on what is known as Temple Hill a prominent location in San Pete County Brigham Young announced this Temple and then led the groundbreaking in 1877 Lorenzo Snow dedicated it in 1888 president Gordon B hinley rededicated it in 1985 after a renovation then on May 1st 2021 president Nelson announced the closure of the Manti Temple for renovation once again with a promise so that the Pioneer craftsmanship artwork and character will be preserved including the painted murals loved by so many we will leave those murals where they are located now Jane braithway is nearly 94 her great-grandfather Lewis Anderson helped to build the Manti Temple and served as Temple president her grandfather Lewis Robert Anderson was also the temple president there is a spirit and a a a warmth and a power that emanates from that Temple and and we feel it those sent by bramy Young to settle Manti built structures into the hillside to survive that first winter many of them like Jane's ancestors having crossed the Atlantic Ocean and then the plains because of their faith they loved God and and above all they knew he was a god of Miracles because they have they had experienced it over and over again Jane is the living history of Manti and its temple in fact being there is one of her earliest memories I was near the last that we baptized in the Temple and so that was was a great privilege yes I do remember that I cannot never could forget that now she is Overjoyed that her temp will soon be rededicated there's just a feeling of Peace which brings us to Christ peace can't say anything adequate of how much that Temple means to us it it it is truly a beacon the open house took place in March and beginning of April the Manti Utah temple rededication will take place on April 2st 2024 the Ephraim Utah temple stands on 9 acres in the city and will become the prominent Landmark there I am pleased to announce that we have been impressed to build a new Temple in Ephraim Utah my grandmother's mother and father right here yeah in 2013 then Elder and sister Nelson visited the Ephraim Pioneer Cemetery during Memorial Day weekend his ancestors were early converts to the church who immigrated to America and made the Trek to Utah I had eight great-grandparents joined the church in the populous nations of Northern Europe Norway Sweden Denmark and England and all eight of them ended up in Ephraim Utah and president Nelson returned to Ephraim to lead the groundbreaking ceremony on August 27th of 2022 he is so pleased for the thousands of Latter-day Saints in the area to have an accessible Temple and for the students at Snow College the olssen family of Ephraim considers their new Temple an answer to prayers for those young people Perry and Judith served at The Institute there are so many students at Snow College that don't have transportation I just just wish there was a temple in Ephraim well it it came to be and we're thrilled about it workers were applying the stone on the temple the day we visited that reminded Perry of his great-grandfather Edward Lloyd Perry a stonemason who worked on the St George temple and the Salt Lake Temple briam young brought him to Manti so he brought Edward to Manti and told the Saints here this is the man he's going to be in charge of the rock work on the Manti Temple and so we 11 years later the Manti Temple was dedicated in 1888 and that's how how I came to be here And Judith's great great grandfather also contributed to the building of the Manti Temple he was a Craftsman of door hinges and door knobs he was a Master Mason in Ireland symbolism was very important to him so those door hinges and door knobs are very minute detailed with symbolism the Ephraim Utah temple has a projected completion date in 2025 in neighboring communities the Pioneer Temple and the modern Temple both houses of the Lord now ushering in a new [Music] era the Logan Utah temple is a prominent landmark in cash County dur during October 1876 General Conference president Brigham Young announced a temple would be built in the Cash Valley it was first dedicated on May 17th 1884 by President John Taylor making it the second temple in the territory on May 21st Ebenezer y Taylor and Maria Anne Jones became the first couple sealed in that Temple following extensive renovation president Spencer W Kimble rededicated ated it in 1979 some 5,000 residents of the Brigham City area gathered on a blustery July 12th 2011 to watch construction workers place an angel Moroni statue at top the nearly completed Brigham City Utah temple weather delayed the event but did not hinder the enthusiasm president boydd K Packer whose Elementary School stood on the site where the temple is now dedicated it he and sister Packer had come home Darren Perry believed he represented his ancestors on that day I'm the sixth generation of Temple goers actually my great great great-grandfather sagt was one of the first lamanites to go through the endowment house in Salt Lake in 1875 hundreds of thousands of visitors toured during the open house and saw the beautiful decor with Peach Blossom Motif bringham city is famous for its Peach day's celebration and this striking Landmark [Music] Temple the Smithfield Utah temple was announced at the April 2021 General Conference and is the northern most Temple the second in cash County hundreds gathered for the groundbreaking on June 18th 2023 we think it's no coincidence that Elder cook and I are both Cash Valley boys and have this assignment today Elders Quintel cook and Gary e Stevenson of the Quorum of the TW Apostles led the groundbreaking service Lamont and Connie pson were the coordinating couple for that ceremony for a very important reason Henry and Eliza Watts Lamont's great great grandparents became Latter-Day Saints in England and through the per petual immigration fund came to America they traveled West by hand card and then in 1860 bramy young sent them to settle what became Smithfield their property passed to Joseph Watts Joseph Henry Watts then arll Watts pson inherited the land that her grandson Lamont has worked all his life there's a lot of improvements that we've put into it over the years but I can't even comprehend how they did it 13 acres of their land are now the site of the new Temple I know for myself who decides where temples go and we're told through the prophet just surprise and joy and peace and all the emotions that would have come with it from their front porch across the street from the temple they have watched the constru ruction process I really Rejoice today I could walk for us it is a it's a what a bless sweet blessing a beautiful reminder of ancestors who gave up everything for their faith to have this Monument if you want to call it but holy house to our Savior on that ground the Syracuse Utah temple is under construction on 12 acres of Farmland in that Community it will be the third temple in Davis County it was announced by President Nelson during April 2020 General Conference the Briggs family heard the news with particular excitement afterwards I remember thinking it was really cool when we found out that it was on our grandparents land for five generations the Briggs family has farmed this land I've always told my family if the Lord ever needed land for a temple I would not uh say no their son Aaron died about a year before the temple was announced Dan Briggs says he can feel his brother's Joy from the other side I think he had a hand in in getting that site selected um cuz because he was just so close to us and so close we we knew about his love for the Lord and our heavenly father is mercifully arranging for us to all find joy in in the Hereafter together what is happening with the Syracuse Temple is a sign of the faith and dedication of particularly the young men and young women of the church in Utah and these are some of the most highly utilized temples in the world the youth are astounding in every way and they love temples a few of those will have double baptisteries which is a tremendous blessing for the Youth two baptismal fonts to accommodate so many when like a high schooler wants to like get a group of people together to go to the temple they get like a huge group of people and and they just go with all their friends it's it's just a thing that people do it's trending I guess well I I serve in the temple twice a week and it's a really good experience and I just really get a lot of the peace that comes from the temple there and I and I'm seeing a lot of the youth come older age was like me and my friends and just other people at school like everyone knows it's just such an awesome thing everyone's excited groundbreaking took place on June 12th 2021 during the pandemic we need to be there even more with the blessing of having one so close the temple is expected to be completed in late 2024 or early [Music] 2025 the Bountiful Utah temple stands prominently on the city's East bench and can be seen for Miles along Interstate 15 it was the first built in Davis County on the mountain is the sun had not yet risen when the choir began to sing outside the Bountiful Utah temple on January 8th 1995 president Howard W Hunter led the Cornerstone ceiling Ceremony this was one of only two temples he dedicated hundreds of Latter-day Saints participated inside the temple others watched the services from the Salt Lake Tabernacle [Music] the Octan Utah temple stands as a central Landmark on a city block along the main thoroughfare Washington Boulevard originally dedicated in 1972 with a unique design it was the first one dedicated in the state of Utah the others were dedicated in the Utah territory then in April of 2011 a major renovation be began and in September of 2014 church leaders and Latter-Day Saints gathered for a rededication of a completely new Temple except for the original Foundation president Thomas S Monson presided over the first rededication [Music] service the Leighton Utah temple is located on nearly 12 acres of a pasture on the Southeast side of the city the property belonged to the Morgan Family for Generations these five siblings Janine Carrie Todd Marsha and Jane and their sister Julia who passed away a few years ago represent the thousands of descendants of Joseph and Hannah Morgan converts from England their great great grandparents and when they came to the Leighton area in 1853 they lived in a Dugout in this hill now marked by a monument his history records the story about them planting their the crops and they had the infestation of the Crickets and then the seagulls came you know and all that that's part of his history the Morgan children grew up on this land in this beautiful home with faithful parents who served four missions they have fond memories I used to ride the horse over to the leevy there are a lot of things that I used to do in this on this land in snowmobiling remember building pigeon pens and just whatever kids do you know we just had one of those childhoods that was magical even as a child growing up I knew this property was special I always knew that something wonderful would be on this property the Morgans understand what happened when a prophet was looking for temple property in Leighton and then when they pulled in here president Monson says we don't need to look any further this is where it's going to be the groundbreaking took place on May 23rd 2020 during the pandemic the Morgans were there their beloved family home would come down replaced by a temple there couldn't be anything better on that spot an open house will take place in April and May and the Leighton Utah temple will be dedicated on June 16th 20124 [Music] the Taylorville Utah temple is an eye-catching structure located just off the I 215 Beltway on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley for a lot of people Carol it's had the feeling of sacred ground long before there was ever any announcement of a temple happening there 1957 my dad was called as uh young Bishop of the tville second ward and a few weeks after his call he conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for the building that stood where the temple now stands that church meeting house was dedicated by an apostle Elder Richard L Evans it rose out of farmland and was built by volunteers through the donations of the people who had little to give and remained a beloved house of worship for decades then came the announcement in General Conference October 2019 of a temple in Taylorville and it was within a minute phone rings is my mother she's 90 and she was just over the moon she was just ecstatic you know and then later when they announced the specific location in tville I mean it was a lump in the throat moment for so many of us because that was our sacred place already that groundbreaking took place during the pandemic in 2020 Elder Garrett W gong and his wife Susan who is Bruce's sister led the ceremony Bruce helped his mother Maran Banger Lindsay shovel some of that sacred soil it's changing the lives of people and how they think about their faith how they think about their relationship with the Savior and how they think about their very the very communities that they live in the Jordan River temple is located just west of Interstate 15 in the southern part of the Salt Lake Valley president Spencer W Kimble led the groundbreaking in June of 1979 by hopping into the cab of a tractor and scooping large amounts of dirt president Kimble was not expected to attend the dedication in September of 1981 because he was recovering from surgery but he did in May of 2018 president Henry be iring and Elder Quenton El cook took a moment for a photograph before the rededication the ochre Mountain Utah temple is located at the foot of the ochre mountains just west of Banger Highway when it was built South Jordan became the first city in the world with two temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Jordan River Utah Temple is the other one there missionary president Thomas S Monson arrived for the dedication on August 21st 2009 and then the crowd surprised him it was his 82nd birthdayy birthday to you and many more that's what I'm listening to here the Draper Utah Temple is situated high in Corner Canyon with a stunning view of the Salt Lake Valley president Monson sealed the Cornerstone before the first dedicatory service on March 20th 2009 the more than 900,000 visitors who toured the temple saw the beautiful murals that Linda Curley Christensen painted the scripture from Isaiah get the up into a high mountain is what inspired the murals but the Lord has declared his Temple as a high place and it's where Heaven meets Earth William Draper witnessed the historic dedication of the Kirtland Temple and then gave his name to an area of the Salt Lake Valley which now has a temple also bearing his name the Deseret Peak Utah temple is located in tuilla I can remember when it was announced in confer I just couldn't help all the tears falling down the owners and managers of RF engraving had a key role in that ceremony Brett and Savannah Broadbent received the request to engrave 50 shovels we had to kind of figure out a way because putting a shovel in that size of an engraver wasn't going to work so we actually had to hold each one um while we engraved it the broadbands engrave missionary plaques trophies and awards of all kinds however engraving the shovels was a new experience I think the Lord was with our hands that night because we didn't make one mistake so that's a that's a rarity in the engraving world and for their faith they say they have been blessed I just am so positive that the Lord knows us um and knows this little shop in Podunk Grantsville Utah and and he hears our prayers Savannah and Brett were invited to the groundbreaking always wanted a temple in twia and having the opportunity to have it there and then being actually asked to attend the groundbreaking ceremony was just incredible feeling for me both the broadbands come from some of the original settlers of Grantsville with their contribution to the temple site they feel a connection to those pioneers and they hope they are adding to their legacy I try really hard in everything that I do um to earn each day here on Earth um and be a good representative of what they would want me to be and what this Grandville Community would be proud [Music] [Music] of the Saratoga Springs Utah temple stands on 22 Acres close to the western shore of Utah Lake part of our decision to move to Sera Springs was because a temple was coming when we heard uh president Monson announce the temple and um there was just something special about that announcement the Shaws have four children Jonathan grew up in the midwest many hours from a temple the same for Jackie born and raised outside Bogata Colombia I always had my dream to have a temple close by at the groundbreaking then area president Craig Christensen asked Jackie to offer the opening Prayer in Spanish and I felt so strong that even though I I grew up in a different country God has G at that time he was giving me the opportunity to come and share my testimony Benjamin and Samuel have come to depend on the temple as a refuge from the challenges of high school and sports it's just basically an escape from the world right you can just forget about everything for for a second Focus On Christ in the gospel it's such a holy and sacred place where no darkness no distractions nothing can come in and you're just one with the spirit tens of thousands of local church members volunteered at the open house 13-year-old Joseph Shaw was an usher when they came out I could just like the people I could just see the happiness on their face and they were filled with joy I got the chance to go to the open house with all my family and I feel like that was a very special experience Brigham Young uh prophesied that the temples would dot the Earth and they're dotting Utah and we're seeing the Fulfillment of that now president Henry B iring dedicated the Saratoga Springs Utah temple on August 13th [Music] 2023 the PAC Utah temple is located in the southwestern part of that City not far from I15 pacin is one of the smaller communities in Utah County however the temple is one of the larger in the state pretty nice isn't it as church leaders arrived on June 8th 2015 they greeted Latter-Day Saints gathered for the dedication president Henry B iring presided over the three services it's one of the most special days in our life to stand here at the temple and look over across the street and see our home it's it's [Music] unbelievable the mount tonoga Utah temple in American Fork stands below beautiful Mount toogas and was built on a church welfare Farm the crowd sang as the sun rose over mount timpanogas on the morning of October 13th 1996 president Gordon B hinley led the Cornerstone ceremony and the [Music] dedication the Provo City Center Temple Temple is located in the Heart of the City on University Avenue the temple was originally the Provo Tabernacle dedicated in 1885 a four alarm fire ravaged the building's interior in December of 2010 in less than a year president Monson announced it would become a temple and on March 21st 2016 the light of the morning sun rose on the new Provo City Center Temple Elder D H Oaks presided over the dedicatory service workers preserved the empty brick shell of the Tabernacle and built a modern Temple within designed to reflect the Pioneer Heritage of the original structure it's amazing it's beautiful it truly is a Phoenix rising out of the [Music] ashes the newly named Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple has closed for reconstruction it is located just east of the Missionary Training Center this is what the final redesign will look like similar to its sister temple in Ogden originally completed in the early 1970s it was the first temple in Utah County the idea for this Temple and for Ogden was to streamline Temple work every temple in the church built after the Provo Temple has Provo to think for the way it does Temple work over the decades the Provo Temple has become a beloved house of the Lord for missionaries preparing to serve tuu inoway served in Panama and is now a temple worker I decided on my mission that I really wanted to work in the temple because I was like as a missionary you fill the spirit every day and my goal too coming home was I want to be in a holy place every week Susie Foo served in Baton Rouge Louisiana and also attends the temple every week I live in Utah there's so many temples everywhere like I really need to take advantage of it when I'm home each young woman has a favorite place inside the temple for Susie it's the baptistry that's where my testimony of the temple really started to grow that place has a very special place in my heart fix it's where it all begins so just right when you walk into those doors it's just like father's got you wrapped in his arms and so that's probably my favorite part of the temple those front doors the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple has a projected completion date of 2027 the lyen Utah temple is located at one of the main intersections of this relatively small community in Utah County it was announced in October of 2020 by president Russell M Nelson for stained glass artist Tom Holdman who has worked on 23 of Utah's soon Tobe 28 temples the house of the Lord in Lyon brings a personal connection when I first started my career I had received inspiration that this is what I should do I should be a stain glass artist and I asked uh my parents to turn their uh two-car garage into a studio that garage is only a few houses away from where the Lyon Temple is now so for me the lyen temple comes like full circle to though do that glass from when I cut my first piece of glass ever that is a wonderful Journey as the temple construction continues Tom and his team work on the art glass for that Temple believing what they create is made to uplift each Patron my job is to take that light from the outside and enhance that light in a way of staying glass and so you could feel that light and then you go and share that light with others that's that's the core of what I do this remarkable time of temple building he says comes down to the faith of the Saints they are helping Make It Happen by their inspiration of how they are living the Gospel of Jesus [Music] Christ the Oram mutah Temple stands on on 16 Acres near Interstate 15 and across that freeway from Utah Valley University the students feel a sense of ownership this Temple they say is theirs that's something that like made me ecstatic when I found out that I was going to live so close to a temple like literally in walking distance I can leave my house first thing I see in the morning is a temple I'm doing my homework and I'm stressed and I'm scared about internships and I'm in meetings and I'm going from place to place and I get take a second and look at the temple and it really has become a pillar for me to keep me stable Zack Whitlock is UVU student body president and was interviewed by reporters during media day for the open house but his most memorable moment that day was helping someone who uses a wheelchair that's what it's all about it's a beautiful Temple it's a beautiful building but what is so important is that we are serving we're we are becoming more like Christ Kaye Burger and fellow classmates at UVU also volunteered during the open house she is a convert who became a Latter-Day Saint in December of 2022 while a student at Penn State University I lived across the street from the church like my apartment literally faced the church and I was able to um you know fill out an online application to meet with missionaries and I went to my first lesson and I was baptized like a month later she is very grateful to have found the faith on her own the fact that God trusted me enough to you know seek out the truth was just something that really shaped my testimony Elder DDD Christopherson dedicated the orm Utah temple on January 21st 2024 accompanied by Elder Patrick Kieran the apostles came into the rooms and they visited every single person and they got to we got to be there and hear the prayer and feel the spirit just absolutely overwhelming power that came when it was dedicated those covenants those promises the Lord's vision and understanding sinks deeper and deeper into our [Music] hearts the Vernal Utah temple can best be described as a part of the culture and Landscape of the Town first dedicated in 1907 as the uent stake Tabernacle it was the place for graduations funerals and Community gatherings for decades I'm so grateful that president hinley said let's let's give it a a bit of a Holier purpose let's take this little existing building and keep it to the heart of town but turn it into a temple a crowd gathered in November of 1997 some sitting on rooftops for the Cornerstone ceremony led by President Hinckley this is the site of the Heber Valley Utah temple the 18 Acres location is in the Southeastern part of this beautiful mountain valley it will be the first temple in wasach County getting that news it was it was extremely exciting and it kind of just solidified that we knew that we were supposed to be here the Richardson family moved from Salt Lake to Heber in 2021 president Nelson led the groundbreaking ceremony in October of 2022 this is the rendering for the new Temple neighborhood concerns about evening lighting have held up construction but that has not dampened enthusiasm for the Richardson family for Lance it's a blessing to eventually have a temple near where he grew up but it's also been a continuation of a family commitment to the temple his great-grandfather Edward kle donated the land in aahu Hawaii for the temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center his View was anything that I am blessed with is already the Lord's and so by giving it back to the church and providing an opportunity to house the Polynesian Cultural Center and have space for the temple and all those things was something that he felt very passionate about their future Temple has also helped the Richardsons and their children explain their faith to neighbors who have moved in from out of state it's been a a wonderful opportunity to basically kind of open up a conversation with people about who we are and where we come from and the principles the valley was based on and built with and there's still so much uh centered around God and good and it just kind of keeps you going and it keeps you feeling positive for the [Music] future and we end where it really began when the saints first entered the Salt Lake Valley within days of arriving in the Salt Lake Valley briam Yan selects the place where the temple will be built the Salt Lake Temple was the first built in the Salt Lake Valley the fourth in the Utah territory and dedicated in 1893 by Wilford Woodruff president Nelson announced its closure for renovation and Restoration in December of 2019 and on April 2nd 2024 a crowning achievement with the return of the Angel Moroni statue you God speaks to his children the angel at top the temple reminds us that the heavens are open and we can return to him renovation of the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square is scheduled for completion in 2026 So within a few years 28 operating temples in Utah signifying a remarkable time in church history a faith that has seen prophecy fulfilled these temples are being built for very large numbers of people to be having their Temple experiences and making those covenants and uh and changing the history of the world that's what we're to do uh prepare it for the return of the [Music] savior [Music] oh

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Length: 44min 56sec (2696 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 07 2024