1984 Dedication of the Boise Idaho Temple
Joseph John Bellante, a nonmember, drove past the Boise Idaho Temple during the open house and felt drawn to see the building. “The car seemed to drive itself into the parking lot,” Joseph recounted. “As long as I am here, I might as well go see what it is all about,” he figured. As he entered the temple, his intrigue continued to grow. Three weeks later, his intrigue turned to action as he entered a baptismal font and entered into covenants with God.
Elder John K. Carmack of the First Quorum of the Seventy, president of the Idaho Boise Mission at the time of the open house, said that the new temple was “the best missionary we’ve ever had. There has been a dramatic shift in the climate in which missionary work will be done.”
Many visitors to the Boise community attended the tours, including state and religious leaders. A total of 264 ministers of other faiths and their spouses attended the temple open house. From the state government, the then-governor of Idaho, John Evans, attended with other state officials.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency who dedicated the temple, implored in his remarks during the dedicatory service to the members in Boise, “Let us be a thankful people, and once the temple is dedicated, let us use it.”
President Ezra Taft Benson, then president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles who had lived in the Boise area earlier in his life, spoke of his experience of the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple being dedicated. He mentioned a promise made by President Heber J. Grant — who announced the Idaho Falls temple as President of the Church — that as the members brought others to the gospel, a temple would be built in the Boise Valley.
“Since that time, I have watched with interest and assurance the growth of the Church in Boise, and today we are witnessing the fulfillment of that prophecy made over 45 years ago,” President Benson said.
The temple was dedicated in 24 sessions over six days. In the first session, 30 general authorities attended, including President Benson, Elders Howard W. Hunter and David B. Haight of the Council of the Twelve, and all members of the First Quorum of the Seventy, among others. Attendance at the temple dedications totaled approximately 29,000.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “May it be a place of holiness to all who come here. May no profane act occur herein. May no unhallowed word be spoken. May Thy faithful Saints of this and future generations look to this beautiful structure as a house to which they will be made welcome for their washings and anointings, for endowments and sealings, for instruction, for meditation, for worship, for the making of eternal covenants with Thee, for inspiration and sanctification, as they serve unselfishly in assisting Thee in bringing to pass Thine eternal purposes for the salvation and exaltation of Thy sons and daughters.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Boise Idaho Temple here.
1987 Rededication of the Boise Idaho Temple
Due to the unexpected amount of attendance, an addition was made to the Boise Idaho Temple only a couple of years after the original dedication. The remodeling began in June of 1986, and the temple closed in October. The project included the construction of a large sealing room, a chapel, and other offices and maintenance rooms. An annex was also created for waiting rooms and a nursery.
Elder James E. Faust of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the remodeled facilities on Feb. 14, 1987, though the baptistry wasn’t reopened until June 2, 1987. President Faust emphasized the youth in the dedicatory prayer.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Father, we see in our mind's eye the children who come to participate in this holy ordinance. We ask You to bless them, that they will come with humility of heart, and with gratitude, that they will partake of the spirit that is within this house, that it may plant within their hearts the desire to return when they receive more maturity, more years, to receive their own endowments.”
Read the 1987 rededication prayer of the Boise Idaho Temple here.
2012 Rededication of the Boise Idaho Temple
The open house for the rededicated house of the Lord was attended by over 11,000 people on the first day, with almost 170,000 attendees in total.
The night before the Boise Idaho Temple rededication, President Thomas S. Monson presided at a youth cultural celebration. The celebration was attended by 9,200 people, the vast majority of which were youth. Various performances by the youth made up the program, and President Monson spoke.
The planning of the celebration was done mainly by the youth of the temple district. Two youth representatives were called from each of the stakes in the temple district for a total of 60 youth involved with deciding the theme of the program. The running theme of the program was “Treasure the Light,” a nod to the light of Jesus Christ, shown by yellow throughout the night in the form of flags and banners.
President Monson was accompanied to the rededication by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Bednar described the opportunity as a “homecoming,” as his family lived in Idaho for close to eight years. He said there was enough energy during the youth cultural celebration “to power every home in the United States for six months.”
The temple was rededicated in three sessions by President Monson on Nov. 18, 2012. The temple at the time of rededication served approximately 100,000 members from 31 stakes.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our Father, strengthen the youth who walk in a world saturated with the sophistries of Satan. Give them the courage to stand firm for truth. Bless them with a lengthened view of their eternal possibilities. ... Father, as we rededicate this sacred edifice, we rededicate our very lives to Thee and to Thy work. May we leave Thy house this day with a renewal of faith and with an added spirit of dedication to Thy work and that of Thy Son.”
Read the 2012 rededication prayer of the Boise Idaho Temple here.
Timeline of the Boise Idaho Temple
The Boise Idaho Temple was first announced on March 31, 1982, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, with the groundbreaking happening on Dec. 18, 1982. The open house went from May 1 to May 19, 1984. The temple was dedicated from May 25 to May 30, 1984, by President Hinckley.
The temple was closed briefly for additions in October 1986, and the additions were dedicated on Feb. 14, 1987. In July 2011, the temple was again closed for renovations. The open house for the renovated temple went from Oct. 13 to Nov. 10, 2012, with a youth cultural celebration on Nov. 17, 2012. President Thomas S. Monson rededicated the temple on Nov. 18, 2012.
Architecture and Design of the Boise Idaho Temple
The six-spired house of the Lord rises prominently on the 4.83-acre property near a highway. During the 2012 renovations, a new angel Moroni statue was placed on the temple, causing the temple to stand at 112 feet on the east tower.
The original multicolored marble tiles on the exterior of the temple were replaced during the 2012 renovations with the more traditional “temple white” granite. A large fountain accents the property, along with numerous trees and grass.
The interior of the temple features blue, green and earth tones. A major design element is the focus on the state flower of Idaho — the syringa. A 1,700-pound lead crystal chandelier brings the attention of temple attendees with 15,000 points for the surrounding light to reflect off of.
The temple is 35,868 square feet after the 1987 addition, with a 6,000-square-foot mechanical shop on the property. There are four ordinance rooms and three sealing rooms in the temple, with the baptistry and celestial room.
Interior Photos of the Boise Idaho Temple
