Melbourne Australia Temple Wiki

Description

Before the Melbourne Australia Temple was built, Melbourne-area members took 12-hour bus trips to and from the Sydney Australia Temple to participate in temple ceremonies.

History

The first Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived in Australia in 1840, but found few who were ready to hear the gospel. Those who did join during those early years of the Church in Australia for the most part decided to immigrate to the United States to be closer to the main body of the Church; a common practice in early Latter-day Saint history. Missionary work continued to be slow until the 1950s when the number of people joining the Church suddenly exploded. In 1955 there were 3,000 members in Australia, just five short years later there were almost 10,000. By 1970 the number of members more than tripled to 32,000. In 1980 it had jumped to 50,000. Today there are more than 155,000 members in Australia, making the Church of Jesus Christ the fastest growing Christian church in the country.

Announcements

The Melbourne Australia Temple was announced by a letter from the First Presidency to local priesthood leaders dated October 30, 1998. A letter was sent the same day to priesthood leaders in Mexico announcing the Villahermosa Mexico Temple.^[1]“3 more temples announced, total now 98”, Church News, 7 November 1998

Groundbreaking

Elder P. Bruce Mitchell, second counselor in the Australia/New Zealand Area presidency, presided at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Melbourne Australia Temple. In his remarks, he quoted Elder John A. Widstoe of the Quorum of the Twelve: “‘When we go through the temple for other people we taste the sweet joy of saviorhood and our stature becomes more like the Savior Jesus Christ who died to save us all.'” He asked that members pray daily during the construction of the temple that there would be no mishaps or undue delays.^[2]Lindsay J. Sanders, “Ground is broken for Melbourne temple,” Church News 5 Apr. 1999, 29 Mar. 1999 <https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/1999-04-03/ground-is-broken-for-melbourne-temple-15399>.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Melbourne Australia Temple was held on the same day as the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Fresno California Temple, Fukuoka Japan Temple, and Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple.

Open House

During the week-long open house for the Melbourne Australia Temple, more than 28,000 guests toured the building including approximately 250 business, community, civic, and interfaith leaders; and 150 neighbors and subcontractors. The governor of Victoria, His Excellency the Honourable Sir James Gobbo AC, was among the notable guests who visited the temple and was deeply impressed by its beauty and spirit.

Dedication

The Melbourne Australia Temple was dedicated one day after the Adelaide Australia Temple by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of an 11-day trip to Asia and the Pacific where he dedicated four temples. The other two temples dedicated were the Fukuoka Japan Temple and Suva Fiji Temple. Four dedicatory services were held to accommodate all the members that wanted to attend. Over 5,000 Church members attended the temple’s dedication.

At the dedication of the Melbourne Australia Temple, stake president Murray Lobley said: “For 16 years we have traveled the 1,500 miles round trip to the Sydney temple and before that many members of the Church here had to sacrifice—sometimes their house, car and other possessions—so they could afford to make the journey to the New Zealand Temple.” He continued: “We are now no longer enslaved by the tyranny of distance—we have been truly blessed to have a temple built in Melbourne.”^[3]”‘Spiritual sanctuaries’ for faithful Adelaide, Melbourne members,” Church News 23 Jun. 2000, 29 Mar. 2019 <https://www.thechurchnews.com/archive/2000-06-24/spiritual-sanctuaries-for-faithful-adelaide-melbourne-members-17887>.

ruce C. Hafen, a leader of the Church in Australia and New Zealand, also commented on the blessings of the temple, saying, “Where previously a temple visit was just an occasional encounter, now the Saints throughout Australia will have an opportunity for a lifetime of temple experiences.”^[4]“Spiritual Sanctuaries,” http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/38007/Spiritual-sanctuaries-for-faithful-Adelaide-Melbourne-members.html

President Hinckley began the dedicatory prayer by expressing gratitude to the Lord and praising Him. He then asked the Lord for His blessing on the temple: “We have built this sacred edifice as a gift to Thee. Wilt Thou accept it, Father, and bless it. Wilt Thou honor it with Thy presence, and cause that Thy Holy Spirit may dwell here.”^[5]Melbourne Australia Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, June 24, 2000, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/38042/MELBOURNE-AUSTRALIA-A-peculiar-and-wonderful-sanctity.html.

President Hinckley continued by dedicating the temple, its grounds, and the surrounding area to the Lord. He also prayed for the people who would help in the temple, asked for a blessing upon all those who made its construction possible, and expressed thanks for the country of Australia and asked for a blessing upon it: “We are grateful for this nation of Australia, where we may worship Thee in peace, without molestation or fear or threat. Bless this land that [it] may remain ever strong, a nation of peace and progress among the nations of the earth.”^[6]Melbourne Australia Temple dedicatory prayer, in Church News, June 24, 2000, http://www.ldschurchnewsarchive.com/articles/38042/MELBOURNE-AUSTRALIA-A-peculiar-and-wonderful-sanctity.html.

Dedication Order

The Melbourne Australia Temple is the 90th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day. It was the third temple built in Australia, following the Sydney Australia Temple (1984) and Adelaide Australia Temple (2000).

Presidents and Matrons

Details

Local

The Melbourne Australia Temple sits on a gently rising slope above the M3 freeway in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, about 15 miles from the city center. The granite temple was constructed on the site of the stake center for the Melbourne Australia Maroondah Stake in the residential neighborhood of Wantirna South. The grounds are filled with trees and feature a beautiful semi-circular gathering plaza on the south side of the temple.

The site for the temple is 5.98 acres (24,200 m²) and is also the site of a meetinghouse.

Exterior

Snow-white granite finishes the exterior of this elegant temple.

The Melbourne Australia Temple incorporates a traditional design similar to numerous other temples around the world, such as the Nashville Tennessee Temple and the Monticello Utah Temple.

Interior