Dedication of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple
Elder Richard E. Turley Sr., a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Mexico South Area, presided at the groundbreaking of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple on Jan. 9, 1999. Elder Turley testified of the Church’s being led by the Savior Jesus Christ, who is the only way to receive salvation. “This is why,” Elder Turley said, “temples are, along with the Atonement, the greatest gift to mankind, as well as the greatest tool to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of the Savior.”
“This is the second-happiest day of my life,” said Rita Cardenas, a local Latter-day Saint, adding her happiest was when her husband, Demetrio, accepted the gospel and was baptized after several years of investigation. “Now he has been set apart as a temple sealer for the people of Tabasco.”
Almost 40 years before the temple dedication, Rafael Guerra accepted a missionary’s invitation to receive the gospel while living in Monterrey in northern Mexico. In order to go to the temple in those days, the closest temple was in Mesa, Arizona.
“Now the Church will grow in Villahermosa,” Guerra said. “Many nonmembers came to the temple open house, and many of them asked to hear the missionary discussions after visiting the Lord’s wonderful house.”
The Villahermosa Mexico Temple was dedicated by Church President Thomas S. Monson on May 21, 2000. President Monson came to dedicate the house of the Lord just one day after dedicating the Tampico Mexico Temple.
Outside of the temple stands a ceiba tree, a tree that symbolized to the ancient Mayans, who resided in this area of southeast Mexico, a lesson about being deeply rooted while reaching heavenward.
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Hear the prayers of Thy people whenever they plead with Thee in their troubles. Give unto them peace in their hearts and the assurance that Thou art watching over them. May they come here, dressing in white, to commune with Thee and to participate in those ordinances which will bring to them blessings for their eternal exaltation, and for the exaltation of uncounted numbers beyond the veil of death.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple here.
Timeline of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple
The Villahermosa Mexico Temple was announced on Oct. 30, 1998, and ground was broken for the temple on Jan. 9, 1999. Elder Richard E. Turley Sr. of the Seventy and first counselor in the Mexico South Area presidency presided at the groundbreaking ceremony. After the open house, which was held from May 9 to May 13, 2000, President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the house of the Lord on May 21, 2000.
Architecture and Design of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple
The Villahermosa Mexico Temple stands with a single spire topped with a statue of the angel Moroni. The house of the Lord is 10,700 square feet and is on a 1.73-acre property. The exterior of the temple is made from Blanco Guardiano white marble. The temple has a celestial room, two instruction rooms, two sealing rooms and a baptistry.