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. Plans to construct the temple were announced 29 July 1998, Church leaders broke ground 26 September 1998, and Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 to 2008, dedicated the St. Paul Minnesota Temple on 9 January 2000. The temple serves Latter-day Saints in nine stakes in Minnesota, parts of Wisconsin and Manitoba, Canada. The temple has a total of 10,700 square feet, Celestial room, baptistry, two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms.
Contents
Groundbreaking and Site Dedication
The groundbreaking and site dedication took place on 26 September 1998. Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy and President of the North America Central Area presided. 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." Later in his remarks, he stated that the temple "will stand as a remarkable symbol of God's love of our ancestors. Let us pray that not only the building will be constructed well, but also our own lives will be constructed well. You have prayed for this day for so long." He further exhorted the members in attendance:
- Your temple recommend is the most valuable piece of paper you have; we can't help but be thankful for other blessings a temple brings; our children will grow in righteousness; we become a little more like the Father and His Son Jesus Christ because of the temple. Temples are great equalizers. We are [all] asked the same questions, as men and women we participate in the same ordinances, make the same covenants and we all dress in white in our beautiful temples. We will be together forever as families if we live as we should here on earth. I testify to you that we are led by a living Prophet of God. In his musings today, he is aware of this event and the Saints gathering here today. This very day has been scheduled because of your dedication.
Fire Damages St. Paul Minnesota Temple
The temple received minor damage on September 10, 2008, in a fire that inspectors believe was arson.
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
- Church News, 3 October 1998.
- News of the Church,” Ensign, Apr. 2000, 74
See also
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
