Dedication of the Payson Utah Temple
The Payson Utah Temple was announced by President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Jan. 25, 2010. At the groundbreaking, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of Jesus Christ and that temples are houses of the Lord. “This temple will be His house,” he said. “Here will be exercised the ordinances of His holy priesthood. This is His work, His plan. This is His Church. The ultimate purpose of this temple is the exaltation of the children of God.”
Elder William R. Walker, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department, said the Church is very strong in the temple district. “The Prophet knew this when he decided to build a temple for you here. Eighty-nine thousand members of the Church live in the 26 stakes represented here today, ... and nearly 29,000 adults in this temple district have current temple recommends.”
At 96,630 square feet, it would be one of the largest temples built around the time, Elder Walker noted.
Five and a half years after the announcement, the temple was dedicated by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, on June 7, 2015. The house of the Lord is beautified by 19 original pieces of art throughout the temple, including a mural in the chapel.
Many Latter-day Saints and nonmembers alike celebrated this house of the Lord throughout the construction process — 5,000 Church members attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 8, 2011; more than 400,000 visitors toured the temple during its open house, ending May 23, 2015; and 60,000 people attended a cultural celebration the night before the dedication.
President Eyring presided over all three sessions of the dedication and offered prayers during the first two, then Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offered the prayer for the last session. Elder Russell M. Nelson, Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, as well as several other general authorities and general officers, were also in attendance.
One local member, Chris Shepherd, saw a positive change in Payson because of its temple. He said, “We’ve seen the softening of the hearts and seen firsthand miracles in our own community.”
His wife, Karen Shepherd, expressed gratitude that their grandchildren could be raised near a house of the Lord. “I hope they get a deep sense of love for the temple in our area,” she said. “I am so grateful Heavenly Father saw fit to put a temple in our area.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this beautiful edifice which has been erected in our midst. It stands magnificent where it may be seen by all in this community and those who pass by. May it be a constant reminder to those who see it of the obligations of Thy covenant people to walk in righteousness before Thee.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Payson Utah Temple here.
Timeline of the Payson Utah Temple
The Payson Utah Temple was announced by Church President Thomas S. Monson on Jan. 25, 2010. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Oct. 8, 2011, and was presided over by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Once the house of the Lord was built, the public toured the building during an open house from April 24 through May 23, 2015. Finally, the temple was dedicated on June 7, 2015. The dedication took place over three sessions and was presided over by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency.
Architecture and Design of the Payson Utah Temple
The Payson Utah Temple was built with an area of 96,630 square feet on a 10.63-acre site. It features the baptistry, three instruction rooms, seven sealing rooms and the celestial room.
Art in the temple is focused on the Savior and motifs unique to Payson, including the art-glass windows produced by local artist Tom Holdman that depict apple blossoms — for which Payson is well known — throughout their various stages of development. Nineteen of the art pieces in the temple are originals, and some are copied from other temples, such as a mural in the baptistry that depicts deer in a meadow, based on a work in the Calgary Alberta Temple.
Interior Photos of the Payson Utah Temple
