Description

The Concepción Chile Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints currently under construction in Concepción, Chile. It will be the second temple constructed in Chile, the first being the Santiago Chile Temple which was dedicated in 1983.

History

In 1956, the first Missionaries came to Chile to share the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The first members of the Church in Chile were baptized on November 25, 1956, and from there, the Church continued to grow. In the 1960s and 1970s, chapels for Sunday worship services were built, and religious education programs were established in Chile. The first Chilean Temple, in Santiago, was dedicated in 1983. The temple in Santiago was the second to be constructed in South America and the first in a Spanish-speaking nation.

Announcement

The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 3, 2009, during the church’s semi-annual general conference.^[1]”President Thomas S. Monson: ‘Welcome to Conference’“, Deseret News, 3 October 2009. accessed 3 October 2009.^[2] Taylor, Scott (2009-10-03). “Brigham City among five new locales for LDS temples”. Deseret News. Accessed 3 October 2009.

President Monson said during the announcement, “We desire that as many members as possible have an opportunity to attend the temple without having to travel inordinate distances. Worldwide, 83 percent of our members live within 200 miles (320 km) of a temple. That percentage will continue to increase as we construct new temples around the world.”^[3]Thomas S. Monson, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 4.

The temple was announced concurrently with the Brigham City Utah, Fort Lauderdale Florida, Fortaleza Brazil and Sapporo Japan temples; at the time, the announcement brought the total number of temples worldwide to 151.

Chilean Saints could not hold back their tears, cheers, and hugs of gratitude when President Thomas S. Monson announced the Concepción Chile Temple during the Saturday morning session of General Conference on October 3, 2009.

The Chilean news publication El Sur first broke news of the location for the Concepción Chile Temple on December 16, 2009, when it reported that a 2.5-acre site in Quinta Junge had been acquired by the Church as a portion of the property intended for the temple. A major apartment complex was already under construction on site with 40 percent of the apartments sold. As a result of the purchase, the housing contracts were cancelled and the partially constructed buildings were removed, leaving an empty field for several years until construction of the temple began.

A building permit was issued for the temple and its associated structures on January 25, 2013. Several lots had been combined to form the parcel for the temple complex. Later that year, another single-family home was acquired, which was razed in January 2015. The lot made the final addition to the temple property.

The official rendering for the Concepción Chile Temple was first publicly presented at priesthood leadership meetings held in the Concepción region in 2013. A member of the First Quorum of the Seventy revealed the rendering on April 17, 2013. And on November 10, 2013, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presented both the exterior rendering and renderings of the interior, showing the artwork that was inspired by the Chilean landscape.

For several months prior to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Concepción Chile Temple, members organized service projects at the temple site to clear and prepare the land. The groundbreaking was held on Saturday, October 17, 2015, with Elder Walter F. González, president of the South America South Area, presiding. The proceedings were broadcast live to area meetinghouses.

Groundbreaking

On October 17, 2015, Walter F. González presided at a groundbreaking to signify beginning of construction.^[4]“Ground Broken for Temples in Chile and the U.S.”. Newsroom. LDS Church. 17 October 2015.^[5] Swensen, Jason,“Ground broken for future temple in Concepcion”. Church New, 17 October 2015.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Concepción Chile Temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tucson Arizona Temple.

Construction

On February 27, 2010, a massive 8.8 earthquake struck off the nation’s coast just 62 miles north of Concepción, producing a a tsunami and a blackout that impacted 93 percent of the nation’s population. In consideration of the high risk of seismic activity, the Concepción Chile Temple was constructed on a floating foundation. Such a foundation would make a 10-magnitude earthquake feel like a 2-magnitude earthquake to someone inside the temple.

Open House

On 18 February 2018 The Church announced that an open house for the Concepción Chile Temple would begin Saturday, September 15, and conclude on Saturday, October 13, 2018. No tours would be available September 16, 23, 30 and October 7.

During the month-long public open house of the Concepción Chile Temple, more than 83,500 guests were received, as noted by Mayor Alvaro Ortiz, who praised the Church as a good member of the community. “It extends its arms into places the state can’t go…and totally makes a difference in neighborhoods that need it most.” Regarding the temple, he said: “This temple is significant for the church and for Concepción, the most important city in southern Chile. It’s important to us to have it here.”

Youth Devotional

At the same time that the Open House and dedication were announced, it was also announced that a Youth Devotional would be held the night prior to the dedication, on 27 October 2018. This devotional would take the place of the Cultural Celebrations that had taken place before every temple dedication since Aba Nigeria Temple in 2005.

That evening, President Nelson spoke to a gathering of 1,500 young men and young women at a youth devotional, which was broadcast to 28,000 youth in the temple district.

Dedication

The February 18 2018 press release also announced the pending dedication of the Concepción Chile Temple on 28 October 2018

The day before the dedication of the Concepción Chile Temple, President Russell M. Nelson met with more than a dozen local community leaders at the temple site to express his gratitude. Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe, a former mayor of the city, said: “It’s an enormous honor to have this temple in our city.” She added: “I have found that members of the Church are always willing to come forward and serve other people. The beauty of this temple represents the beauty of the souls of the Church’s members.”

President Russell M. Nelson dedicated the Concepción Chile Temple on Sunday, October 28, 2018, as the 160th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was accompanied by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “Today just felt absolutely heavenly,” said Elder Stevenson in an interview following the dedication. “It was punctuated by the spirit and the people and their preparation spiritually.”^[6]Sarah Jane Weaver, “President Nelson calls Chile temple dedication ‘heavenly crescendo’ for 5-nation tour,” Church News 28 Oct. 2018, 26 Mar. 2019 .

Dedication Order

The Concepcion Chile Temple is the 160th temple to be dedicated in the Church, the Second in Chile after the Santiago Chile Temple.

Presidents

Temple President	Years Served
Joe Neil Swenson	2019–2019

Details

Location

The Concepción Chile Temple is located in the residential development of Quinta Junge in a beautifully forested area next to the Biobío River. The temple is a breathtaking landmark, especially at night, on Avenida Pedro de Valdivia—the major thoroughfare that carries traffic through the south side of the city toward Southern Chile. An on-site patron housing facility provides a place for long-distance travelers to sleep during their stay. The lush, leafy grounds feature numerous palm trees and colorful flower gardens.

Exterior

Cladding

Windows

The main window in the Celestial Room aligns with the setting sun as it drops behind the Biobío River, creating a heavenly atmosphere from late evening until sunset. As patrons are bathed in the natural light, the symbolism of the Celestial Kingdom, which is compared to the glory of the sun, feels even more real.

Symbolism

Inscriptions

Cornerstone

Spires and Moroni

Spire

Moroni

Individuals and Contractos

Project Manager
General Contractor
Woodworking	Indelama SRL

Sources and Links

External links

• LDS.org(official)
• MormonTemples.org (official)
• MormonNewsroom.org (official)
• LDSChurchTemples.com
• LDSChurchNewsArchive.com
• Wikipedia

Additional Articles

Sources