Dedication of the Tallahassee Florida Temple
In 1824, the city of Tallahassee was chosen as the capital of the Territory of Florida — which wouldn’t become a state in the United States for another two decades — because it was the midway point between two main cities. Two centuries later, to the year, the dedication of the Tallahassee Florida Temple on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, yet again made Tallahassee a midway point — a spiritual center, where heaven and earth meet.
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the temple — marking the 16th and last temple dedicated in 2024. This was also the first house of the Lord that Elder Kearon dedicated, having been called and set apart as a member of the Twelve just the December prior.
“Our Savior can be found everywhere in the temple,” said Elder Kearon. “In every ordinance, in every covenant, in every promised blessing and particularly in the power and grace we receive as we shed the practices and priorities of the world in favor of pursuing our relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Those who come to the Lord’s house, he said, receive solace, peace and refuge at any time, but especially when they feel lost. “We can be found here in the temple because here in the temple we find Jesus Christ.”
Elder Kearon was accompanied by his wife, Sister Jennifer Kearon; Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan; Elder Massimo De Feo, a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the North America Southeast Area presidency, and his wife, Sister Loredana De Feo; Elder Steven R. Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Sister Susan Bangerter; and Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and his wife, Sister Carol Waddell.
Tallahassee Florida Stake President Benjamin Smith said, “The acceptance of the Tallahassee Florida Temple in the community is a miracle that has occurred because of the will of the Lord and the lives that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are living.”
Bishop Todd Wahlquist of the Tallahassee YSA 5th Ward said “the public reaction here has been one of tremendous interest” as the temple has opened conversation about the Church. “It’s been the talk of Tallahassee.” He continued: “I think people still don’t quite understand that the Savior is the absolute center of everything that we do. And when they walk in [during the open house], and one of the first pictures they see is of the Savior, it’s been great for understanding and better communication with other people about the gospel and the Church.”
The bishop’s wife, Myla Wahlquist, invited friends from work to tour the temple with her. “I feel like they’ve left with a better understanding of who we are as a people,” she said. One of the friends who attended the open house signed her birthday card as, “Your sister in Christ.” Myla Wahlquist said: “She understood more that He is the central focus of our Church. And she’s of a different faith, but I know that He’s the central focus of her church too. So I think there’s a lot of connections made when people understand that.”
Dallas and Ronnell Watson, open house and dedication committee co-chairs, were thrilled to welcome a total of 40,976 people during the temple’s three-week open house last month — far surpassing the anticipated 25,000. “Those visitors not of our faith that really didn’t know anything about a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple were very respectful and appreciative about being asked to come to the open house,” said Ronnell Watson.
Dallas Watson recounted, “One protestant minister that attended during invited-guest week came out of the temple and communicated that while he had been in the celestial room with the door closed, he felt the presence of his deceased son.”
Missionaries of the Florida Tallahassee Mission assisted in what mission President Terry Trusty described as “bringing the Church out of obscurity for the people,” by the awe of the Spirit that was present. Those of other faiths were drawn to the light of the Lord’s house.
Sister Ellen Trusty, wife of President Trusty, said, “The Tallahassee temple is inspiring all of us to be better, to love more deeply and to share more boldly. We can see members and missionaries growing in their desire to make and keep sacred covenants and to love, share and invite everyone with whom we come in contact.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “We pray that all who enter here will feel of Thy love and peace, that patrons and workers will be lifted beyond their daily cares and come to a greater understanding of Thy compassionate will for them. We pray that they will feel Thy joy and be calmed and consoled.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Tallahassee Florida Temple here.
Timeline of the Tallahassee Florida Temple
The Tallahassee Florida Temple was announced April 5, 2020, by Church President Russell M. Nelson. The groundbreaking and site dedication were held on June 5, 2021, and presided over by Elder James B. Martino, North America Southeast Area president.
After a public open house from Nov. 4 to Nov. 23, 2024, the Tallahassee Florida Temple was dedicated Dec. 8, 2024, by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Architecture and Design of the Tallahassee Florida Temple
The Tallahassee Florida Temple is a single-story building of 29,255 square feet. The new temple’s design, elements and details — from the patterns in the tile and carved carpets to the styles of light fixtures — feature historic geometric tile patterns from the mid-1800s, such as leaf lattice, palm fronds and interlocking key patterns. The magnolia rosette is among the carving and decorative patterns along the walls, as well as patterns such as guilloché, bead and reel, egg and dart and dentil.
In addition to Latte marble from Turkey and Gray Cloud stone and Silver Screen vein-cut marble from China, flooring also includes broadloom carpets, carved Axminster carpets, carpet tile and hand-tufted rugs, with gold and cream the prominent colors. A highlight of the art-glass design is the arched glass transom above the main celestial room doors, with the radial pattern featuring a central magnolia flower.
The 4.97-acre temple grounds include native or historically significant plants, such as oak, magnolia, crape myrtle, bald cypress and pines. The azalea is the signature shrub, with muhly and fakahatchee among the native grasses planted. Adjacent to an existing Church meetinghouse, the temple site also includes a distribution center.
Interior Photos of the Tallahassee Florida Temple
