President Boyd K. Packer, of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for the Brigham City Utah Temple. President Packer and his wife, Sister Donna Packer, are natives of Brigham City.
“I am home,” opened President Packer, who attended elementary school 80 years ago at this same spot. “I can see in my mind’s eye a temple sitting here in about two years time. It will be gorgeous; it will be white. You will see in the design of it reflections of previous temples that have been built, particularly the Salt Lake Temple. It will be a beacon from all over the valley.”
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Other Church leaders in attendance included Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Elder William R. Walker, Executive Director of the Church’s Temple Department, Elder Steven E. Snow, of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder Allan F. Packer, of the First Quorum of Seventy. Sister Packer also spoke at the service.
President Thomas S. Monson announced the new temple during the Saturday morning session of the 179th Semiannual General Conference. The temple site is located at 250 South Main Street, directly across the street from the historic tabernacle.
The Brigham City Utah Temple will be the Church’s 14th temple in Utah. The Church currently has 133 operating temples across the globe with another 19 announced or under construction.
The temple will serve over 40,000 Church members who live in 12 stakes in northern Utah and southeastern Idaho.
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Christ's teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and strengthen their commitment to serve Jesus Christ and those around them.