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Church President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Gilbert Arizona Temple on March 2, 2014, alternating who said the dedicatory prayer at the ceremony’s three sessions with his first counselor, President Henry B. Eyring, who has family ties to the Gilbert, Arizona, area.
“Let us open our hearts and open our minds and open our souls to the Spirit here today,” President Monson said at the ceremony. “I would hope that we would all remember not just what is said, but also, and perhaps more importantly, let us remember how we feel. I think it important that we feel close to our Heavenly Father on this special day.”
President Eyring also added his sentiments: “When the decision was made to build those temples [in Arizona], I had a feeling of gratitude for the righteous people, the wonderful pioneers of the Church in this area.”
A local member, Willa Dean Lamb, had been serving in the Mesa Arizona Temple prior to the dedication of the Gilbert temple. “I’m 84,” she said. “I thought they would turn me out to pasture, that they would want younger people to serve in the new temple. I was thrilled to receive the call to serve here.” Her late husband, John Clyde Lamb, was a descendant of the pioneers who colonized Mesa. “I am so grateful for those pioneers,” Lamb said of her husband’s ancestors. “I’m sure they are rejoicing today.”
Also in attendance at the dedication were Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Temple Department; Elder Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Kent F. Richards, a General Authority Seventy; and the then-newly called Gilbert Arizona Temple presidency — President David E. LeSueur, President Robert H Hicken and President Darl J. Andersen.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our Beloved Eternal Father, we bow before Thee this blessed and historic day with reverence and love. Our gratitude for the completion of this sacred and holy house fills our hearts to overflowing. ... This magnificent temple has come of our love for Thee and for Thy Son, that the great work of salvation may go forward, not only for the living but also for unnumbered generations of those who have gone before us, as well as for those who will come after us.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Gilbert Arizona Temple here.
The Gilbert Arizona Temple was announced on April 26, 2008, by President Thomas S. Monson via a press release. It was announced alongside a temple for The Gila Valley, Arizona.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was held Nov. 13, 2010, where more than 5,700 attendees came. Elder Claudio R.M. Costa of the Presidency of the Seventy presided over the event. Shortly after the ceremony, a viewing and display area for visitors was created on the construction site. Over 60,000 people visited the construction site before its completion.
An open house was held from Jan. 18 through Feb. 15, 2014. Approximately 407,020 people toured the building during this time.
A cultural celebration was held at Discovery Park, located near the temple site, on March 1, 2014. Roughly 12,000 youth participated in the celebration, themed “Live True to the Faith.” The performance included depictions of stories from the Old Testament, the Book of Mormon and Latter-day Saint history in Arizona.
The temple was dedicated in three sessions on March 2, 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson. His first counselor, President Henry B. Eyring, was also in attendance.
President Thomas S. Monson announced a temple for Gilbert, Arizona, on April 26, 2008. Just over two and a half years later, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the temple on Nov. 13, 2010, and Elder Claudio R.M. Costa of the Presidency of the Seventy presided over the ceremony. An open house was held just over three years later, from Jan. 18 to Feb. 15, 2014.
Prior to the temple’s dedication, a cultural celebration was held at a nearby park. President Monson dedicated the new Gilbert Arizona Temple on March 2, 2014.
The Gilbert Arizona Temple is located in the East Valley of Arizona, near Phoenix. Built at 85,326 square feet, it stands on 15.4 acres with a 2,820-square-foot ancillary building also on site. The temple’s exterior was made with precast concrete and white quartz, giving it a light exterior.
Motifs of the agave plant and its flower, native to the southwestern United States, are found throughout the temple. Some local leaders say that the way the interlinked agave leaf patterned motifs could represent the eternal nature of marriage and family.
A blue, green and earth-tone color scheme is used through the temple’s interior. Stone used within the temple includes honey gold light limestone and tiberias gold limestone; types of wood found in the temple include eucalyptus and white oak.
26 April 2008
2 March 2014
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This was the fourth Latter-day Saint temple in Arizona.
Within an hour before the temple’s cultural celebration began, a downpour of rain drenched the youth performers and the ground beneath them. Then, as President Monson arrived at the pulpit, the rain slowed to only a drizzle.
More than 400,000 reservations were made online to attend the Gilbert Arizona Temple open house prior to the start date.
During the temple’s open house period, one news outlet ran a 30-minute special covering the event.
When the Gilbert Arizona Temple was dedicated, its district encompassed 26 stakes in Arizona — including stakes in Gilbert, Tempe, Chandler, Queen Creek, Florence, Globe and Maricopa.
At the time of its dedication, the Gilbert temple was the largest temple built in around 17 years.
The temple reaches 195 feet, which, at the time of its dedication, made it the tallest building in Gilbert and one of the tallest structures east of Phoenix.
This was the fourth Latter-day Saint temple in Arizona.
Within an hour before the temple’s cultural celebration began, a downpour of rain drenched the youth performers and the ground beneath them. Then, as President Monson arrived at the pulpit, the rain slowed to only a drizzle.
More than 400,000 reservations were made online to attend the Gilbert Arizona Temple open house prior to the start date.
During the temple’s open house period, one news outlet ran a 30-minute special covering the event.
When the Gilbert Arizona Temple was dedicated, its district encompassed 26 stakes in Arizona — including stakes in Gilbert, Tempe, Chandler, Queen Creek, Florence, Globe and Maricopa.
At the time of its dedication, the Gilbert temple was the largest temple built in around 17 years.
The temple reaches 195 feet, which, at the time of its dedication, made it the tallest building in Gilbert and one of the tallest structures east of Phoenix.
