August 2009 President Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple today. Prior to the first dedicatory session, President Monson joined hundreds outside the temple for the traditional cornerstone ceremony.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy and Alan S. Layton, temple president, participated in the cornerstone ceremony as well as the dedication. President Boyd K. Packer, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, also participated in the temple dedication.
During the cornerstone ceremony as President Monson was placing mortar to secure the cornerstone slab on the temple, he told the crowd, “I'm not a professional, and to prove it to you, just look at my work.” He said the professionals will return and complete the job later.
President Monson began the first of nine dedicatory sessions for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple following the cornerstone ceremony. Nearly 2,000 attendees are expected to attend each session over the next three days. On Sunday, 23 August, two dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to selected Church meetinghouses throughout Utah.
Latter-day Saints at the ceremony were excited to see President Monson and to have a temple so close to where they live.
Rosanne Christiansen of
South Jordan and her family were among the many who helped during
the open house. She said, “The temple means our family can be
together forever. That’s what’s important.” (See video:
“Why Mormons Build
Temples.”)
“It was a very spiritual and uplifting experience,” said Riverton Latter-day Saint Robert Hardy, a member of the choir that sang during the cornerstone ceremony. “The temple provides an opportunity to come closer to God.”
Melanie Kieffer of Midvale said, “The temple is a refuge; it’s a place of peace and joy and a place where we can feel close to God and feel the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Nearly 600,000 visitors toured the building during the two-month public open house, which ended 1 August.
Formal temple work will commence at the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on Tuesday, 25 August 2009.
The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple is the 130th temple in the world and the 13th in Utah.