Dedication of the Kansas City Missouri Temple
On the day of the dedication of the Kansas City Missouri Temple, President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of the Church, noted that the area was “where the Prophet Joseph Smith walked and where significant events took place in the early days following the Restoration of the gospel.”
And according to Missouri’s Gov. Jay Nixon, who attended the open house, the dedication of the Kansas City temple was “a time of healing.”
This healing reflects an overcoming of adversity and the product of sacrifices from early Latter-day Saints. The historical reminders make the dedication of the Kansas City Missouri Temple akin to the importance of the dedication of 21st-century temples in Nauvoo, Illinois; and Winter Quarters, Nebraska.
“We are all aware of the history of the early Saints in Missouri and particularly in areas not far distant from where [the Kansas City Missouri Temple] stands. Over 170 years have passed since those difficult days,” said President Monson after arriving in Kansas City for the dedication. The Prophet, who dedicated the temple on May 6, 2012, added: “Feelings have softened.”
With President Monson at the dedication were Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy, and Elder William R. Walker, executive director of the Church’s Temple Department.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We are assembled to dedicate this, Thy holy house. It is a special occasion, for this temple stands on ground hallowed by the sacrifice and suffering of stalwart Saints who walked here long years ago. Today, Thy Church shines forth in the sunlight of good will. During the weeks preceding this dedication, thousands of visitors came to see this sacred edifice. They departed with feelings of respect and a sense of appreciation. May Thy blessings attend all who felt the spirit of this holy house. May that spirit continue with them.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Kansas City Missouri Temple here.
Timeline of the Kansas City Missouri Temple
A second temple for Missouri was announced Oct. 4, 2008. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 8, 2010, presided over by Elder Ronald A. Rasband. Just three and a half years after its announcement, an open house for the Kansas City Missouri Temple was held from April 7 to April 28, 2012, followed by a cultural celebration on May 5, 2012. President Thomas S. Monson dedicated the house of the Lord on May 6, 2012.
Architecture and Design of the Kansas City Missouri Temple
The Kansas City Missouri Temple was built with a two-tower design similar to temples in Logan, Utah; Manti, Utah; Rome, Italy; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The temple stands on 8.05 acres and is approximately 32,000 square feet. The exterior was made with precast concrete, and the grounds are filled with acres of grass and walkways that wrap around the structure. A fountain is featured at the front of the temple, near the entry doors, and the borders of the grounds are lined with tall, luscious trees.
Interior Photos of the Kansas City Missouri Temple
