Johannesburg South Africa Temple Wiki

Description

South Africa includes many people who come from different ethnicities and cultures, which oftentimes presents challenges because of the great diversity of traditions and customs. However, the Johannesburg South Africa Temple seems to have brought these people closer together. Charles Canfield, who was previously the temple’s president, related this experience: “One day I heard a commotion in the temple and went back to restore some reverence. It so happened that a number of [ethnic] groups from all over South Africa had come that day. What I saw when I entered the room was friends greeting each other. . . . Where else but in the temple would you find that kind of natural outpouring of love?”^[1]R. Val Johnson, “South Africa: Land of Good Hope,” Ensign, Feb. 1993, https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/02/south-africa-land-of-good-hope?lang=eng&query=johannesburg+temple.

History

On the twenty-third day of May in 1853, Jesse Haven stood on the slopes of Lion’s Head overlooking southern Africa’s Cape Town, already an historic city, and there prophesied that many of the honest in heart of that land would come to rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesse Haven, William H. Walker, and Leonard I. Smith were there to organize The Church of Jesus Christ and to dedicate the land for missionary work.

The first convert in South Africa, Henry Stringer, was baptized on June 15, 1853. However, the exodus of the Saints to Utah and government-imposed restrictions on the number of missionaries who could serve greatly hindered the work.

In 1865, the missionaries were pulled out of South Africa and were not sent back in until 38 years later in 1903. During that time, Church members found ways to support each other in the faith. Years later, in 1940, missionaries were again taken out because of the outbreak of World War II. When the war was over, the missionaries were allowed to return. Missionary work was hindered greatly until the 1980s.

The announcement of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple came less than three years after the June 1978 revelation, announced by President Spencer W. Kimball, extending the priesthood and temple blessings to all worthy men regardless of race or color.

Announced

On 1 April 1981, LDS Church leaders announced the building of a temple in Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa during the opening session of the 151st Annual General Conference of the Church.

Groundbreaking

On 27 November 1982, the temple site was dedicated by Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a groundbreaking ceremony was held.

Open House

The nearly two-week public open house of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple attracted more than 19,000 visitors including civic and business leaders and government representatives.

Dedication

The Johannesburg South Africa Temple was dedicated as a House of God on 24-25 August 1985. President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was at that time a counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, led the first of four dedicatory sessions. As people entered the celestial room for the service, President Hinckley welcomed them and noted that, with the construction of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple, a temple had been built on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. Nearly 3,500 of the 12,000 members of the extensive temple district attended the dedicatory services.

In the dedicatory prayer, President Hinckley emphasized the peace that can come to those who worship in the temple as he petitioned the Lord to “whisper peace to thy people by the power of thy Spirit when they come here with burdened hearts to seek direction in their perplexities. Wilt thou comfort and sustain them when they come in times of sorrow. Wilt thou give them courage, faith, and direction when they gather, as to a refuge, from the turmoil of the world.”^[2]“A complete list of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”, Deseret News, 15 December 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.

President Hinckley also pleaded with the Lord to bless South Africa with peace and asked that the presence of the temple would bring blessings to the entire nation.

Dedication Order

The Johannesburg South Africa Temple is the 36th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Johannesburg South Africa Temple was the first temple built in Africa (and in South Africa).

The dedication of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple brought a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to every habitable continent of the world.

Presidents and Matrons

Details

Location

Rising above a stand of enchanting Jacaranda trees on Parktown Ridge, the six white-tipped spires of the Johannesburg South Africa Temple capture the attention of travelers on the M1 highway north of Johannesburg’s city center. Located on Jubilee Road, the temple shares its grounds with area offices including family history, employment, and distribution services. Visitors are welcome to learn more about the temple at the public visitors’ center.

Once the site of estates built by nineteenth-century mining magnates and financiers, the area around the temple now features hospitals, office buildings, and schools, many of which are housed in mansions from the Victorian era.

Exterior

The temple is visible from many parts of the city with its six spires reaching into the sky. The temple’s masonry exterior consists of a light brown brickwork that contrasts with the dark gray roof.^[3]Davie, Lucille (July 2004). The Church Commissioned by God. Johannesburg News Agency. Small archways line the sides of the building. Indigenous quartzite for the temple’s perimeter walls and entrance archways are designed to fit in with the historic buildings nearby.

At the top of the front spire, at an elevation of 112 feet, stands the statue of the angel Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet, holding a trumpet that symbolizes the restored gospel spreading across the globe and heralds the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Interior

The temple has a total floor area of 19,184 square feet (1,782.3 m²), a baptistry, 4 ordinance rooms, and 3 sealing rooms.