Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple is the 23rd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The first missionaries arrived in Tonga in 1891. Missionary work in the area was steady but in 1922 a law was passed restricting the number of North Americans who could get visas to Tonga. Because of this law, Church leaders began calling missionaries in Tonga to serve in their own country. This was very beneficial to the Church in Tonga because when World War II started in 1940 and outside leadership had to return to the U.S., there was a strong base of leaders and Priesthood holders among the local members of the Church. On 7 June 1946, the Book of Mormon was published in Tongan, which greatly increased missionary work, and in 1954 the Church began publishing a Church magazine in Tongan.

The first stake was organized in 1968; at the time there were just over 10,000 members in Tonga. There are numerous Latter-day Saint schools in Tonga and they have helped the Church grow in the area even when proselyting was restricted or when other missionary work was slow. Now the Tongan monarchy fully supports the Church. The king of Tonga encourages his people to keep the Sabbath day holy, and businesses are closed on Sunday. Tongan tradition supports the idea that family comes first, making the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ inviting to many people of Tonga. Today Tonga has more Latter-day Saints per capita than any other nation in the world. Sixty-four percent of the population are members of the Church.[1]

Temple Announcement, Groundbreaking Ceremony, and Open House

On 2 April 1980 the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that a temple would be built in Nuku'alofa Tonga. A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on 18 February 1981. The president of the Church at the time, Spencer W. Kimball, presided at the ceremony and gave the dedicatory prayer. Tonga's king, Tauga'ahau Tupou IV attended the ceremony. Labor missionaries who volunteered their time from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands did most of the construction of the temple.

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was open to the public for tours 19 July 1983 through the 30 July 1983. Those who toured the 14,572 square foot temple were able to see the exterior, walk the grounds of the five acre temple site, and see the interior which includes two ordinance rooms, three sealing rooms, the celestial room, and baptistry, as well as other facilities needed to carry out ordinances according to Latter-day Saint beliefs. The temple is located on the grounds of the Liahona College, on Tonga's main island Tongatapu, the school is the largest Latter-day Saint school in the country.

The Nuku'alofa Temple Is Dedicated

Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple in multiple sessions held during 9-11 August 1983. At the time of its dedication, the Nuku'alofa temple served more than 45,000 Latter-day Saint members in the Tongan islands. The Tonga temple is very busy, staying open six days a week and even all night on the last Friday of every month so that all who want to attend have the opportunity. This is in part because of the Tongan people's respect for their ancestors and interest in family history work.

Renovation and Rededication

In June 2006, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple closed for an extensive expansion and remodeling project. The temple reopened the next year with over 5,000 additional square feet and a breathtaking new interior. An open house was held from 29 September 2007 through 20 October 2007 and more than 40,000 visitors attended. More than 2,400 youth from the temple district performed musical numbers in a cultural celebration, titled “A Treasure That Lasts,” in honor of the temple on November 3, 2007. Tonga’s king, George Tupou V attended. President Russell M. Nelson rededicated the temple on November 4, 2007.[2]