Smithfield Utah Temple

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Smithfield Utah Temple rendering. ©2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Smithfield Utah Temple was one of 20 temples announced by President Russell M. Nelson at the end of the 191st Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 4 April 2021.

The temple, which will be built on a 13.3-acre site at the intersection of N 800 West and W 100 North, will be the second Church temple constructed in Cache Valley and the 26th in Utah. It is projected to have 81,000 square feet and stand three stories tall. Plans include four instruction rooms, four sealing rooms, and two baptistries.

An exterior rendering of the Smithfield Utah Temple was released on Wednesday, 24 November 2021, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

According to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Smithfield's population is 12,025 people. It is the second largest city in Cache County. As the Church's world headquarters, Utah has 2.1 million Church members (as of April 2022), which is roughly two-thirds of the state's population of 3.3 million residents.

The Logan Utah Temple was the second pioneer-era temple to be dedicated (1884) in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Russell M. Nelson announced in April 2019 that the Church would renovate all of its pioneer-era temples. The church has completed the renovation of two pioneer-era temples: the St. George Utah Temple, and the Manti Utah Temple. The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple is expected to be completed in 2026.


Groundbreaking Ceremony Is Held for the Smithfield Utah Temple

Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Gary E. Stevenson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and their wives, Sister Lesa Stevenson and Sister Mary Cook, attend the groundbreaking for the Smithfield Utah Temple. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

On Saturday, 18 June 2022, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the site of the Smithfield Utah temple — which he prayed would be "a beacon light for the communities it serves."

Elder Cook was joined by his wife, Sister Mary Cook, and Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson. Elder Cook and Elder Stevenson, along with their wives, all grew up in Cache Valley and are graduates of Utah State University.

Before breaking ground for the Smithfield Utah Temple, Elder Cook and Elder Stevenson reflected on Northern Utah's pioneer heritage, their roots in the area, and the strength of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cache Valley.

Elder Cook, said, "I love this beautiful valley. I have seen much of the world, but this peaceful valley surrounded by these majestic mountains always feels like home to me. It is among the most beautiful places on earth."

Elder Stevenson shared the reaction of Mary Ann Maughan — sent by Brigham Young to the Valley in 1855. "Oh! What a beautiful valley," she explained when she first glimpsed the area. He added, "We, of course, relate to the scene which caused exclamation from her. In fact, we see it over and over, and never tire of it, as we round the last curve of the highway coming out of Sardine Canyon, welcomed by this familiar vista."

Some 600 people gathered on the site on a windy morning for the groundbreaking ceremony; thousands more from 13 stakes in the temple district watched the program remotely.

Elder Cook said that the 2020 U.S. Census of American Religion found that 64 percent of those who live in Cache County are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Only one county in Utah and one county in Idaho exceeded this concentration of members. He said, "It is not surprising that the Lord would want an additional temple to serve the faithful members in their efforts to provide sacred ordinances for deceased ancestors." He further stated, "We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before. We honor them and their legacy and express gratitude for what they accomplished. It is in the Lord's temples where sacred ordinances are performed, not only for us but for those who have gone before that we express our gratitude in an eternally significant way."

The estimated completion date of the Smithfield Utah Temple is late-2025.

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Temples in Utah

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