St. Paul Minnesota Temple

The St. Paul Minnesota Temple is the 69th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located in Oakdale, Minnesota, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. The new LDS temple surrounded by oak trees stands as a symbol of the faithfulness of the Minnesota Latter-day Saints both those first Saints who joined the Church and came to Minnesota in 1847 and all those who have come after. Before the completion of the temple, members had to drive up to fourteen hours to the Chicago Temple. But now the 25,000 members in the area are grateful to have a temple of their own.

The site of the St. Paul Minnesota Temple is also the site of a Stake Center, a larger meetinghouse for the members of the LDS Church. The temple is situated on a wooded 7.5-acre site. The building itself features a single spire and is covered with a light gray granite veneer.

The St. Paul Minnesota Temple was the first temple built in Minnesota. The temple was announced on 29 July 1998. Then Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, dedicated the St. Paul Minnesota Temple on 9 January 2000. The temple has a total of 10,700 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.

The temple received minor damage on September 10, 2008, in a fire that inspectors believe was arson.

At the groundbreaking ceremony Elder Pinnock told officials, "We promise you a beautiful edifice will be raised on this site. You will be pleased with what you and others will see built in this community." [1] Truly the wooded 7.5-acre site with the single-spire temple covered with a light gray granite veneer is a beautiful sight.

During the dedicatory prayer on January 9, 2000, President Hinckley asked, “May all who serve herein do so with singleness of purpose, with love for Thee and for Thy Beloved Son, and for the accomplishment of the work of eternity for which it has been built.” [2]

Notes

1. Church News, 3 October 1998.
2. News of the Church,” Ensign, Apr. 2000, 74

See also

• Inside Mormon Temples
• Mormon Temples
• The Temple Endowment
• Mormon Undergarments
• LDS Weddings

External links

• Official LDS St. Paul Minnesota Temple page
• St. Paul Minnesota Temple page
• Unofficial LDS Temples Site
• Mormon Temple Worship - BBC Religion & Ethics
• Mormon Temple Ordinances - ReligionFacts
• Mormon Temples - Lightplanet
• Mormon Temples - Wikipedia
• Temples and Mormon Temples - Answers.com
• Resources about the History and Symbolism of Mormon Temples
• Mormon Temples and Secrecy
• History of Mormon Temples - Lightplanet
• Mormons Open Temple Doors to Share Beliefs - USAToday
• A video about the St. Paul Minnesota Temple