LDS Temple Winter Quarters Nebraska

"For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house."

—D&C 110:7

Temple Facts

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple was the first temple built in Nebraska.
The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is a sister building to the Snowflake Arizona Temple.
The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is one of three temples built in locations of historic significance for the early Church. (The other two temples are the Palmyra New York Temple and the Nauvoo Illinois Temple.)
The dedicatory services of the Winter Quarter Nebraska Temple were broadcast over the Church's encrypted satellite system to stake centers and Church facilities throughout North America.

Temple History

Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy and president of the North America Central Area presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple held at the temple site adjacent to a Church-owned pioneer cemetery in Historic Winter Quarters in Florence, a district of Omaha. Nearby is the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters, dedicated in 1997 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. Addressing the congregation prior to giving the dedicatory prayer, Elder Pinnock mused: "It would be impossible to discuss the Winter Quarters groundbreaking and the future temple to be located here without discussing Council Bluffs [Iowa] just across the [Missouri] river, the Mormon Battalion that was mustered there and that departed from that place. And yet, it's difficult talking about Council Bluffs without acknowledging Mt. Pisgah and Garden Grove, Iowa, which also provided temporary places of rest and consolidation for the saints as they left Nauvoo, [Illinois] and as we focus momentarily upon the many pathetic, painful problems the saints had encountered in Nauvoo which led to their expulsion.
We also see, in our mind's eye, the beautiful temple which stood there in Nauvoo and which is now being reconstructed. Or what about the glorious revelations and visitations that occurred in the temple at Kirtland [Ohio], where the Savior appeared along with Moses, Elijah and Elias? Or back still further to Palmyra [New York], where a young Joseph Smith knelt in a grove of trees and there communicated with the Father and the Son and, a little later, Moroni, and from that experience we have the remarkable Book of Mormon." In fact, Elder Pinnock said, the temple groundbreaking at Winter Quarters is in some ways a culmination of a broader chain of events that commenced with the recent temple groundbreaking in Palmyra and continued with the one in Nauvoo in October. "And now, here in Winter Quarters is the third historic site where a temple will be erected in these latter days, where members and non-members will be blessed to have a glorious temple erected on the very spot where we are today."

Elder Truman F. Clawson, visitors center director, who conducted the services, referred to the bronze statue of a father and mother burying their child at Winter Quarters. "Now today," he said, "on this end of the hill, we will take shovels in our hands to dig not a grave but the foundation of a special building, a temple, to be built for the blessing of all who choose to enter that they may also bind together forever their families. And so, the magnificent view from here allows us to contemplate both the past with its dead and the future represented by the beautiful new temple which begins today."
Omaha Mayor Hal Daub also referred to the site. "I hope you felt as my wife, Mary, and I did as we approached this special place, that we indeed are gathered on a promontory, a prominent place, a hillside with its special history and its most significant view, a quiet place, indeed, a historic place," he said. "This promontory has a special significance to this church. It has a special significance to the city of Omaha. And so, on behalf of all the citizens of our community, I want you all to know how delighted we are, how excited we are about the progress that is being made here by the people of this church." He said it is a church "that is growing, that is full of life and vitality and holds hope and promise for the families and for the future of the Church's membership. The Church itself is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that destination for those who here traveled in 1846 and spent that terrible winter, [and the next year] traveled to that place that became the Church's city promised by God, leaving behind this place, now with the cemetery that is owned by the Church, a beautiful historical center that has been completed, and now the Winter Quarters Temple. So as historic as is this place, it will now become even more historic. And it is for that that those of us who are not members of the Church have great respect and admiration for the endeavors that have occurred and that are now about to occur. Florence is a beautiful place. This high promontory, as it sees the rolling river pass by it, bears the misery and the memory of so many who have been here and who are interred here. Let us always revere, let us always remember and let us recognize this temple will stand as a monument and testament to the good will of God and the peace and harmony of all mankind" (4 December 1999, Church News).

Announcement:  14 June 1999
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:  28 November 1999 by Hugh W. Pinnock
Public Open House:  30 March–14 April 2001
Dedication:  22 April 2001 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Site:  1.92 acres.
Exterior Finish:  Bethel white granite.
Number of Rooms:  Two ordinance rooms and two sealing.
Total Floor Area:  16,000 square feet.

Dedicated 22 April 2001
by Gordon B. Hinckley

O God our Eternal Father, Thou Great Elohim, we bow before Thee in humility and with gratitude to dedicate this Thy holy house. The ground on which this sacred structure stands was hallowed a century and a half ago by the suffering of Thy Saints. Here they stopped temporarily, hundreds and thousands of them on both sides of the Missouri River, while moving westward from their homes in Nauvoo, or from the British Isles and Europe to the valley of the Great Salt Lake. Many of them died here and are buried in the cemetery adjacent to this holy house. Great were their trials. Tremendous their sacrifice.
As we meet together, we envision the wagons and the boats pulling in from the East and the South, while others were leaving these grounds to make the long march up the Elk Horn, along the waters of the Platte, up the valley of the Sweet Water, over the Continental Divide, and finally to the valley of the Great Salt Lake. All of this area, including Council Bluffs across the river and Florence on this side, was once a place of great industry. Here wagons and handcarts were built. Here oxen, cows, and other animals, seeds and plants were gathered together to move to the West. There was, at times, much of levity here. There was also much of sorrow.
Now the generations have come and gone. Our people left here. Then for reasons of employment they slowly returned. Today we have stakes and wards with large congregations. Songs of thanksgiving fill our hearts. Crowning all is the presence of a temple on this hallowed ground.
Acting in the authority of the holy priesthood in us vested and in the name of Jesus Christ, we dedicate this the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it unto Thee and unto Thy Son as Thy holy house for the accomplishment of Thy work. We dedicate the ground on which it stands, ground which has already been made holy by those who long ago were buried here. We make the cemetery a part of these grounds, together with all of the vegetation growing thereon. We dedicate the temple from the footings to the top of the steeple with its figure of Moroni.
We dedicate the walls and roof and pray that they may be strong and firm against the storms of nature.
We dedicate the interior of the building, the beautiful baptistry, the endowment rooms, the Celestial Room, and the sealing rooms with their sacred altars. We dedicate all of the halls and spaces and offices within this sacred structure. We pray that Thou wilt accept of them and that Thou wilt visit them with Thy holy presence. Let Thy Spirit dwell here and touch the hearts of all who enter these portals. Save this building from the hands of any disposed to mar or destroy. May it stand through the years as a place of holiness, a house sanctified unto Thee, a place of eternal ordinances.
We pray for all who will serve here, whether they be workers or patrons. May the hearts of all who live within this temple district turn to this sacred structure. May Thy people so live as to be worthy to labor here. We pray for those who will serve in the presidency of the temple and those in the office of matron and assistants to the matron. We pray for all who serve here in any capacity and ask that Thou wilt touch the hearts of Thy people with a great desire to come frequently to Thy holy house.
We thank Thee for faithful tithe payers throughout the world, whose contributions have made possible the construction of this and the many other temples now enjoyed by Thy people. Pour out Thy blessings upon the faithful Latter-day Saints wherever they may be. May blessings come down from heaven upon them. May their lives be enriched. May they be prospered in their affairs. May they be cradled in Thy strong arms as they walk in faith before Thee.
We thank Thee for the Prophet Joseph Smith to whom the temple ordinances were revealed. Let Thy blessings rest upon the Presidency of Thy Church, the Quorum of the Twelve, the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, and all who serve in any capacity whatever throughout the world.

Bless the officials of the City of Omaha, who have worked cooperatively with us in this sacred undertaking. Bless all of the citizens of the States of Nebraska and Iowa. Bless this nation of which we are a part that it shall remain ever free and that its people may always be blessed with liberty to worship according to the dictates of conscience.
Dear Father, accept of our thanks for every blessing. On this sacred and historic day, we resolve within our hearts to serve Thee with greater dedication. We ask it as Thy humble children with thanksgiving and gratitude in the name of Thy Beloved Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, amen.

LDS Temple Aba Nigeria

"I urge all who have not yet received these greatest of all blessings within the walls of the temple to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive them."

—James E. Faust

Temple Locale

The highly visible site of the Aba Nigeria Temple is situated on the outskirts of Aba, north of the Ogbor River. A concrete bridge—constructed by the Church—spans the river, granting access to the temple complex, which includes a stake center and an administration office building with guest rooms.

Temple Facts

The Aba Nigeria Temple was the first temple built in Nigeria and the third built in Africa, following the Johannesburg South Africa Temple (1985) and Accra Ghana Temple (2004).
Elder Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Aba Nigeria Temple during a worldwide tour that included visits to Anchorage, Alaska; Vladivostok, Russia; Seoul, South Korea; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong, China; New Delhi, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and finally Aba, Nigeria. His first view of the temple was from a helicopter in a flyover of the site.

Announcement:  2 April 2000
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:  23 February 2002 by H. Bruce Stucki
Public Open House:  18 June–2 July 2005
Dedication:  7 August 2005 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Site:  6.3 acres.
Exterior Finish:  Namibian pearl granite.
Number of Rooms:  Two ordinance rooms and two sealing.
Total Floor Area:  11,500 square feet.

Dedicated 7 August 2005
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Almighty Father, to whom we bow with reverence and love, hear our prayer of dedication on this historic day. We are gathered together in a solemn assembly. Our hearts are filled with thanksgiving for this day when Thy holy house is completed.
We thank Thee for all that has gone before to make this day possible. We thank Thee for Thine ordained Prophet, Joseph Smith, who called upon Thee in prayer, and for Thine appearance, and the appearance of Thy Beloved Son and for the coming forth of Thy works that followed—the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, the restoration of the priesthood under the hands of those who held it anciently, the keys brought by Moses, Elias, and Elijah.
We thank Thee for the faith of Thy people through all of the many years since the Church was organized. At one time, they were driven and pursued, persecuted and murdered. Their love for the eternal gospel was stronger than their love of life. We thank Thee for this time when Thy Church is increasingly admired and respected.
We thank Thee for the revelation under which the priesthood has been made available to all worthy men, regardless of where they might live or any circumstances of their lives.
Now, acting in the authority of the holy Melchizedek priesthood in us vested, and in the name of our divine Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and Thy Beloved Son this the Aba Nigeria Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate the ground on which it stands with its vegetation which gives beauty and harmony to this and surrounding structures. We dedicate this magnificent temple itself, with all its parts, fixtures and appurtenances. We dedicate the footings, the foundation, and every part of the superstructure. We dedicate the walls, windows and doors, the roof, and the steeple with the shining figure of Moroni.
We dedicate all of the interior features, the baptistry, the various rooms and facilities for instruction and the administration of sacred ordinances, the magnificent celestial room, and the sealing rooms with their sacred altars. We dedicate the offices, halls, and other facilities that all may accommodate the needs of those who will here serve.
We pray, O God our Eternal Father, that Thou wilt accept this holy house as the gift of Thy faithful Saints throughout the world, whose tithes and offerings have made it possible. It stands resplendent in beauty and strength, a symbol to all of the eternal nature of man. Wilt Thou deign to visit it and glorify it with Thy presence. Cause that Thy Holy Spirit may dwell here at all times, that it may be sacred unto Thy people and magnificent in its purpose and design.




May all who look upon it do so with reverence and respect. May no unhallowed hand vandalize it in any way. May it always be sacred to those who are eligible to come within its walls. Save it from storm and tempest. We pray likewise for the associated structures, that all may stand together to serve Thy purposes.
In the spread of Thy work over the earth, we have in this good land and in other nations of Africa, strong stakes of Zion with disciples of great faith, obedient to Thee, and with a desire to carry eternal truth to many more.
Bless this nation that it may rise in strength and freedom among the nations of Africa. Bless its leaders that they may look with favor upon Thy Saints and safeguard their rights, property, and privileges.
Bless Thy faithful people and keep them from disease and pestilence, from poverty and want, from conflict of any kind, and from political oppression.
Dear Father, we pray for all who shall serve here, whether as workers or patrons. May they be worthy in every way. May no unworthy individual enter these sacred portals.
We ask that Thy special blessings may rest upon the temple president and his counselors, and upon the temple matron and her assistants. Grant them strength and energy to carry forward their arduous responsibilities, and may they find unmeasured joy in this consecrated service.

We also dedicate the beautiful new stake center. May it serve Thy people well. May it be respected as a sacred house of worship. May Thine eternal truth be spoken from its pulpit. May the precious privilege of partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper be here enjoyed. May the classrooms be consecrated places of learning of Thee and Thy kingdom. May the recreation hall be a place of sociality and the building of friendship.
We likewise dedicate the structure which will accommodate the housing of temple patrons, together with all other facilities of this beautiful campus designed to bless Thy people in this good land.
We pray for Thy work throughout the earth and for all engaged in Thy service. We pray for Thy servant who is here today and is old in years. Give him strength according to his needs. Bless all of the general officers of Thy kingdom wherever they may serve. Inspire and magnify them in their responsibilities.
Now, Thou Great Elohim, again we express our thanks and our love. Again, we pray for Thy blessings, those requested and those unmentioned of which we stand in need. We bear witness and testimony to all the world of Thy living reality, our Father and our God; of the living reality of Thy Beloved Son, our Lord and Redeemer; and that Thou hast restored Thy Church and kingdom in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. We so testify and pray unto Thee in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

LDS Temple Mount Timpanogos Utah

"What a glorious thing it is for us to have the privilege of going to the temple for our own blessings. Then after going to the temple for our own blessings, what a glorious privilege to do the work for those who have gone on before us."

—Howard W. Hunter

Temple Locale

Located in northeast American Fork, the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple stands west of the majestic 11,750-foot Mount Timpanogos, providing the aptly named temple its stunning backdrop. A meetinghouse shares the temple site, which features beautiful grounds open to visitors, who are welcome to take in the colorful foliage, stroll its winding walkways, and feel the spirit of holiness surrounding this magnificent House of the Lord.

Temple Facts

The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple was the ninth temple built in Utah and the second temple built in Utah County, following the Provo Utah Temple (1972).
No location was specified when the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple was announced in General Conference as a temple for "Utah County." The location was revealed six months later, at the following Conference, as a former Church welfare farm in American Fork.
When the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple was announced, President Gordon B. Hinckley explained that it would relieve demands placed on the Provo Utah Temple, which "is operating far beyond its designed capacity."

 The floor plan of the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple is an adaption of the floor plan created for the Bountiful Utah Temple.
Ground was broken for the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple a year after its announcement. Approximately 12,000 people gathered on the temple site for the ceremony. During the services, the location of the Madrid Spain Temple was announced.
On July 17, 1995, a 13-foot-3-inch gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni was set atop the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple to an audience of an estimated 20,000, who literally clogged the surrounding streets. Once the statue was in place, the throngs of visitors broke into applause and then spontaneously began to sing The Spirit of God.
A total of 679,217 people toured the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple during the six weeks of its public open house.
The dedication of the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple lasted an entire week with three sessions on Sunday and four on each of the following days for a total of 27 dedicatory sessions.

 Announcement:  3 October 1992
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication:  9 October 1993 by Gordon B. Hinckley
Public Open House:  6 August–21 September 1996
Dedication:  13–19 October 1996 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Site:  16.7 acres; part of a larger parcel of land that was once a welfare farm.
Exterior Finish:  Sierra white granite clad temple with art glass windows and bronze doors.
Number of Rooms:  Four ordinance rooms and eight sealing.
Total Floor Area:  107,240 square feet.

Dedicated 13–19 October 1996
by Gordon B. Hinckley

O God our Eternal Father, thanks be to Thee, Thou great Elohim, in whose service we are honored to labor.
In these sacred precincts we bow before Thee in humble prayer to present unto Thee the gift of Thy people whose consecrated tithes and offerings have made possible the erection of this beautiful house.
Thou hast conferred upon us Thy Holy Priesthood. In that authority, and in the name of Thy Beloved Son, our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate this, the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple, and consecrate it unto Thee and unto Thy Son as Thy holy house, praying that Thou wilt accept it and honor it with Thy presence.
We dedicate the ground on which it stands with its trees, lawns, shrubbery, and flowers. We dedicate the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate all of the rooms and facilities found herein, and in a particular way those rooms which will be used for the administration of sacred ordinances which Thou hast revealed unto Thy people.Here, in the beautiful font, baptisms will be performed by living proxies in behalf of the dead. Here with repentant hearts we will be made clean before Thee and stand clothed in robes of spotless white.
Here we will be instructed in the things of eternity and enter into solemn covenants with Thee. Here at sacred altars we will be joined as husband and wife, as parents and children under the authority of the eternal Priesthood, in bonds and covenants that will endure forever.
We acknowledge with thanksgiving the marvelous blessings here to be gained and pray that all who enter the portals of this Thy house may do so with clean hands and pure hearts, with love for Thee and Thy Son, and with faith in Thine everlasting promises made unto us.
May this in very deed be "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 88:119).

May its beauty never be marred by evil hands. May it stand strong against the winds and storms that will beat upon it. May it be a beacon of peace and a refuge to the troubled. May it be an holy sanctuary to those whose burdens are heavy and who seek Thy consoling comfort.We thank Thee for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, that in this the dispensation of the fulness of times Thou didst appear with Thy Beloved Son to the boy Joseph Smith. We thank Thee that following that glorious manifestation Thou didst send Moroni with the Book of Mormon as another testament of the Lord Jesus Christ; that Thou didst send John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John to restore the authority of Thy Holy Priesthood; that Thou didst send Moses, Elias, and Elijah to bring again to earth those grand keys which unlock the door of eternal life to all who shall become partakers of Thy promised blessings.
Dear Father, please forgive our sins and remember them no more against us. Give us strength and discipline to walk above our weaknesses. Grant us the companionship of Thy Holy Spirit and the directing power of the Holy Ghost in our lives at all times and under all circumstances, that we may serve Thee faithfully and well in Thy great work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of Thy sons and daughters.
We thank Thee for this favored season in the history of Thy work. Renew our appreciation for our faithful forebears, who were driven from their homes and came with trust in Thee to these mountain valleys. These desert lands have become fruitful and have blossomed as the rose, in fulfillment of prophecy.
Thy people have been gathered from over the earth, and they and their posterity continue to walk in faith before Thee. Please accept of their consecrations, and open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon the faithful as Thou hast promised.
Touch the hearts of Thy Saints that they may work with outreaching love in this holy edifice in behalf of their forebears.
May they seek after their kindred dead, and do for them what must be done if they are to be released from the bondage in which they have been kept for so long. Touch the hearts of Thy people with the spirit of the Prophet Elijah, that the hearts of the fathers may be turned to the children and the hearts of the children may be turned to the fathers, that the purposes of the earth may not be frustrated, but may all be fulfilled.
Father, we plead with Thee that Thou wilt overrule among the nations that doors may be opened for the preaching of Thine eternal word. Wilt Thou touch the hearts of rulers, and men and women of government, that they may unlock the gates of those lands which have been previously closed to Thy faithful servants. Bless in a special way Thy messengers who go forth as missionaries to the people of the earth that they may do so with power "to reprove the world of all their unrighteous deeds and…teach them of a judgment which is to come" (D&C 84:87). Let Thy Spirit go before them. May Thy watch care be over them. May they be magnified and led to those who will hear the glad tidings of salvation as they have been restored in this dispensation.

Bless Thy Church and kingdom, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that it shall "come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (D&C 109:73).
Bless Thy servants whom Thou hast called and ordained to stand as leaders in Thy Church in these days of great opportunity. Sustain them, give them strength, speak through them according to Thy divine will, and uphold them before the people. Bless all who serve in this temple and throughout Thy Church, that each may be faithful and that each may be possessed of a great desire to strengthen Thy work and build testimony in the hearts of others.
Father, we invoke Thy blessings upon this nation, the United States of America, where Thy work was restored in this dispensation. May those who stand in places of leadership look to Thee and be guided by Thee that liberty and freedom may be preserved and enhanced, and that because of the strength and goodness of the people of this nation, Thy work may be assisted as it moves across the earth.
Now, our Beloved Father and our God, we bow in reverence before Thee. We worship Thee in spirit and in truth. We love Thee. We love Thy gracious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We love Thy work. Help us to live with respect and kindness one toward another as should all of those who are partakers of Thy bounteous goodness.
May we on this day of dedication, rededicate ourselves and reconsecrate our talents and our means to Thy service and to the blessing of Thy sons and daughters everywhere and through all generations, we humbly pray in the name of our great Redeemer, the Lord Omnipotent, even Jesus Christ, amen.