Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple Wiki

Description

History

When the Latter-day Saint pioneers first came to the Salt Lake Valley in the mid-1800s, Church President Brigham Young sent a group of Saints to settle the area west of the Jordan River in Utah. This area grew with time, and the Jordan River Utah Temple was built in South Jordan, Utah, in 1981 to accommodate the Saints who lived west of the Jordan River.

As the area continued to grow into the 21st century, history would be made — South Jordan would be the first city to have two temples built within its borders.

Announcement

In his opening remarks of General Conference, held October 1, 2005, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, the fourth in the Salt Lake Valley. He also noted that a site had been acquired for a fifth Salt-Lake-area temple in the southwest part of the valley, which has been set aside for a future announcement.^[1]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “New Salt Lake Valley Temple Announced,” 1 Oct. 2005.; Hinckley, Gordon B. (November 2005), https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/new-salt-lake-valley-temple-announced. “Opening Remarks”. Ensign. Retrieved October 15, 2012, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2005/11/opening-remarks?lang=eng.

On Tuesday, November 28, 2006, the South Jordan Planning Commission wholeheartly approved plans for the temple, which drew rave reviews from city staff and zero public comment. Plans called for a 60,000-square-foot building with 63-foot high walls and a single spire reaching 193 feet heavenward, topped by the traditional gold-leafed angel Moroni statue.^[2]Jared Page and Carrie Moore, “S. Jordan planners OK temple,” Deseret News 1 Dec. 2006.

Groundbreaking

Ground was broken for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on Saturday morning, December 16, 2006, by President Hinckley in a service attended by hundreds of members. The service was by invitation only.

Until the groundbreaking ceremony, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple had been unofficially named the South Jordan Utah Temple. However, to avoid confusion with the Jordan River Utah Temple, the official name was chosen to reflect the Oquirrh Mountain range.^[3]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints News Release, “Groundbreaking Held for Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple,” 16 Dec. 2006.

Oquirrh (pronounced “oh-ker”) is a Goshute Indian word meaning “shining mountains,” a fitting allusion to a temple, which is also known as the “Mountain of the Lord.” The building is faced with light beige granite quarried and milled in China.

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, President Gordon B. Hinckley announced plans to construct the Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple.

The spire of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was installed atop the temple on July 11, 2008, immediately followed by installation of a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni.

Open House

The public was invited to tour the new temple during an open house from June 1, 2009, to August 1, 2009.^[4]”Open House and Dedication Dates Announced for Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple”. Newsroom. LDS Church. January 31, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2019, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/open-house-and-dedication-dates-announced-for-oquirrh-mountain-utah-temple. almost 600,000 people visited the building during its open house from June 1 through Aug. 1, 2009

Lightning

Lightning struck the angel Moroni statue atop the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on Saturday afternoon, June 13, 2009, during the public open house. The powerful bolt of lightning blackened Moroni’s trumpet, arm, and face. A replacement statue was installed on August 11, 2009, just 10 days before the dedicatory services began.^[5]Taylor, Scott (August 11, 2009). “Moroni statue replaced at Oquirrh Mountain Temple”. Deseret News. Retrieved August 18, 2019. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705322723/Moroni-statue-replaced-at-Oquirrh-Mountain-Temple.html.; “New Moroni statue placed atop Oquirrh Mountain Temple”. KSL.com. August 11, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2012, http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=7501114.

Dedication

President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on his 82nd birthday. The crowd gathered for the cornerstone ceremony spontaneously sang him a birthday song.

Twelve dedicatory sessions were held from August 21–23, 2009, and were presided over by President Thomas S. Monson. The temple is the 130th operating temple in the world. Eight of the sessions were presided over by Church President Thomas S. Monson, who became 16th President of the Church a year and a half before. President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, read President Monson’s dedicatory prayer in the last session.

For the first time in Utah’s history, church was cancelled statewide on August 23, 2009, to allow members to attend the dedication of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple without conflict.

Dedication Order

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was the thirteenth temple built in Utah and the fourth built in the Salt Lake Valley, following the Salt Lake Temple (1893), the Jordan River Utah Temple (1981), and the Draper Utah Temple (2009).

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was the first temple built in the same city as another operating temple, the Jordan River Utah Temple (1981), making South Jordan, Utah, the first city in the world to have more than one temple

Presidents and Matrons

Details

Location

Standing on a beautiful bluff just west of highly traveled Bangerter Highway, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple sits at the foot of the Oquirrh Mountains, facing east toward a panoramic view of the Wasatch Mountains and the valley’s other three temples: the Salt Lake Temple, Jordan River Utah Temple, and Draper Utah Temple.

The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple was built on a bluff on the edge of the Daybreak Community;^[6]Hinckley, Gordon B. (November 2005). “Opening Remarks”. Ensign. Retrieved October 15, 2012.^[7]”New Salt Lake Valley Temple Announced”. Newsroom. LDS Church. October 1, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2019. The property was donated to the church by Kennecott Land, a portion of a company that mines copper and precious minerals from the Oquirrh Mountains, just a few miles west of the temple.

Grounds

Lined with walkways, the picturesque temple grounds are open to the public for strolls around this magnificent House of the Lord. An adjacent meetinghouse welcomes visitors for worship services on Sundays. The temple grounds are decorated with flower gardens, a large fountain and grass fields.

Exterior

The building is faced with light beige granite quarried and milled in China.

Interior

The temple is a 60,000 square-foot edifice. On the interior, the temple features four ordinance rooms, in 2 sets of 2 stage progressive rooms, six sealing rooms, one baptistry and a celestial room.

Materials for the temple included limestone for the walls and floors, from Morocco and Egypt; white oak wood used throughout the temple, from Indiana and Kentucky; and white oak doors and sycamore, from the German Alps.

The ordinance room murals in the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple were painted by artists who were called as “art missionaries” for the Church.

References