Draper Utah Temple

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Draper, Utah Mormon Temple

The Draper Utah Temple is the 129th announced temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On October 2, 2004, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced plans to build a temple in Draper, Utah. The Draper temple is the third Mormon temple in the Salt Lake Valley and the twelfth temple in Utah. Another temple, the Oquirrh (pronounced 'O-ker') Mountain Utah Temple, is also about to be constructed in the Salt Lake Valley overlooking Bangerter Highway in the Daybreak development. The site for the Draper temple is 2000 East 14000 South and is 12 acres. Construction is underway, and the temple is expected to be completed in 2008. The temple site will also include a meetinghouse.

The Draper planning commission approved the plans for the temple on May 18, 2006. The new temple will be 57,000 square feet and 166 feet tall. The design is similar to the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, with white walls, a central spire and a stair step design. Included in the construction will be a parking lot that can hold 492 cars. Like many Mormon temples the temple site is on a hill.

On August 5, 2006, President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, presided over a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication. At the ceremony President Hinckley commented that it was the faithfulness of the members in attending the temple that made the need for another temple in the Utah area. In 2004 the Church recorded more than 32 million temple ceremonies performed by Church members, and temple attendance has been increasing, especially since many members now have access to temples that are much closer. This is due to the current President's zeal to build temples throughout the world. In the eleven years that President Gordon B. Hinckley has presided over the Church, more than 70 temples have been built. At the groundbreaking ceremony President Hinckley stated, "We must build temples where people can get to them, the church is now worldwide which means that temples must be built all over the world. Fortunately, because of the faithful, tithe-paying Saints, we have the means to do so."

External links

Temples in Utah