Star Valley Wyoming Temple | ||||
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Number | 154 | |||
Dedication | October 30, 2016, by David A. Bednar | |||
Site | 43.6 acres (17.6 ha) | |||
Floor area | 18,609 sq ft (1,728.8 m2) | |||
Height | 123 ft (37 m) | |||
Official website • News & images | ||||
Church chronology | ||||
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Additional information | ||||
Announced | October 1, 2011, by Thomas S. Monson [1] [2] | |||
Groundbreaking | April 25, 2015, by Craig C. Christensen | |||
Open house | Friday, September 23, 2016-Saturday, October 8, 2016 | |||
Current president | Kirk Elmo Hathaway | |||
Location | Afton, Wyoming, United States | |||
Geographic coordinates | 42°42′44″N110°55′57″W / 42.7121°N 110.9326°W | |||
Exterior finish | Precast concrete panels | |||
Baptistries | 1 | |||
Ordinance rooms | 1 (stationary) | |||
Sealing rooms | 1 | |||
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The Star Valley Wyoming Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Afton, Wyoming. [1] The intent to build the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 1, 2011. [1] The temple was announced concurrently with the Barranquilla Colombia, Durban South Africa, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Provo City Center temples. [1] When announced, the total number of temples worldwide increased to 166. When dedicated in 2016, it became the church's 154th operating temple, and the first in Wyoming.
This temple was designed using a classical architectural style. [3] A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on April 25, 2015, conducted by Craig C. Christensen, of the Presidency of the Seventy. [4]
The temple was announced by Thomas S. Monson on October 1, 2011. [5] On May 25, 2012, the church announced that the temple would be constructed in Afton, Wyoming [6] east of U.S. highway 89. [7] Craig C. Christensen presided at the temple's groundbreaking on April 25, 2015. [8] Star Valley is in Lincoln County, which has the highest percentage of Latter-day Saints in Wyoming. [9]
After construction was completed, a public open house was held from September 23 to October 8, 2016, excluding Sundays. [10] The temple was dedicated by David A. Bednar, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on October 30, 2016. [11]
In 2020, like all others in the church, the Star Valley Wyoming Temple was closed temporarily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. [12]
The building has a classical architectural style, [3] inspired by the Star Valley Tabernacle, a historic building dedicated in 1909 and still stands in Afton. [13] Designed by David Hunter, [3] the temple's architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of the Star Valley region and its spiritual significance to the church.
The temple is on a 43.6-acre plot, and its landscaping features grass, numerous trees, shrubs, and flowers. [3] These elements are designed to provide a tranquil setting that enhances the sacred atmosphere of the site.
The temple has a single attached end spire with a statue of the angel Moroni. [7] The structure was constructed with precast concrete panels. [7] The exterior has the blue spire and art glass windows depicting fireweed, a local wildflower found in the Wyoming mountains. [3]
The interior has decorative paintings which use Victorian era motifs. [3] The temple also includes a stained glass window rescued from a Presbyterian church in New York. [14] The temple has a baptistry, celestial room, and sealing room, each designed for ceremonial use.
The design uses elements representing the heritage of the Star Valley region, providing meaning to the temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is important to church members and includes the use of fireweed, a local flower found in the Wyoming mountains, in the exterior art glass windows. [3]
The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each serving for a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff. [15] The first president and matron, serving from 2016 to 2019, McKell W Allred Glenae D. Allred. [15] [16] As of 2024, the temple’s president and matron are Kirk E. Hathaway and Sheree D. Hathaway.
Following completion of construction, the church announced the public open house that was held from September 23-October 8, 2016 (excluding Sundays). [17] The temple was dedicated by David A. Bednar on October 30, 2016, in three sessions. [18]
Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship. [19] [20]
Temples in Wyoming () Temples in Wyoming |
The Toronto Ontario Temple is the 44th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The intent to build the temple was announced to local leaders on the morning of April 7, 1984, and then referenced by Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency, during the general conference session which followed. It was the second temple built in Canada, becoming the first country in the world, outside the United States, to have two temples in its borders.
The Draper Utah Temple is the 129th temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was dedicated by church president Thomas S. Monson on March 20, 2009, with additional sessions also held through March 22. The intent to build the temple was announced by church president Gordon B. Hinckley on October 2, 2004, during the church's general conference. Prior to the dedication, the temple was open to the public from January 15, 2009 through March 14, 2009.
Below is a chronological list of temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with sortable columns. In the LDS Church, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord and considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time, and then each is dedicated as a "House of the Lord," after which only members with a current temple recommend are permitted to enter. Thus, they are not churches or meetinghouses, but rather specialized places of worship. The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 202 dedicated temples, 3 scheduled for dedication, 51 under construction, 2 scheduled for groundbreaking, and 112 others announced. Within temples, members of the LDS Church make covenants, receive instructions, and perform rituals and ordinances. Additionally, members consider the temple a place to commune with God, seek God's aid, understand God's will, and receive personal revelation.
The Rexburg Idaho Temple is the 125th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The intent to build the temple was announced by the First Presidency on December 12, 2003, in a letter to local church leaders. The temple was the third in Idaho, and the first in the state in the 21st century.
The Kyiv Ukraine Temple is the 134th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The intent to build the temple was announced by the church's First Presidency on July 20, 1998. Located in Sofiivska Borshchahivka, near Kyiv, it is the LDS Church's 11th temple in Europe, the first in the territory of the former Soviet Union, and the second in the former Eastern Bloc. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify beginning of construction, was held on June 23, 2007, conducted by Paul B. Pieper.
The Gilbert Arizona Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 3301 South Greenfield Road, at the corner of East Pecos Road in Gilbert, Arizona. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 26, 2008, by church president Thomas S. Monson in a press release. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held in 2010. The temple was designed by the architectural firm Architekton. The temple was dedicated in 2014.
The Rome Italy Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Rome, Italy. The temple serves church members in Italy, as well as Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Albania, and parts of Romania. Thomas S. Monson, the LDS Church's president, announced the temple in 2008, a groundbreaking took place in 2010, and the temple opened after its dedication in 2019. The temple is the first in Italy and the 162nd worldwide.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Utah. Utah has more church members than any other U.S. state or country. The LDS Church is also the largest denomination in Utah.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Wyoming refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Wyoming. The church's first congregation in Wyoming was organized in 1877. It has since grown to 67,797 members in 172 congregations.
The Winnipeg Manitoba Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 2, 2011, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference. The temple is the ninth to be built in Canada, the first in Manitoba, and the church’s 169th overall. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on December 3, 2016, conducted by Larry Y. Wilson, a church general authority.
The Provo City Center Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, built on the site of the former Provo Tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Completed in 2016, the temple uses much of the external shell of the tabernacle that remained from the original building after a fire in December 2010. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 1, 2011, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during the church's general conference. The temple is the second in Provo, was the sixteenth in Utah, and the church's 150th worldwide. This temple has a distinctive exterior with Gothic-inspired stained glass windows. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on May 12, 2012, conducted by Jeffrey R. Holland.
The Durban South Africa Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Durban, South Africa. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on 1 October 2011. The temple was announced concurrently with the Barranquilla Colombia, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo, Star Valley Wyoming, and Provo City Center temples. When announced, this increased the total number of temples worldwide to 166 and the number in South Africa to two.
The Bangkok Thailand Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bangkok, Thailand. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 5, 2015, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference. The temple is the first in mainland southeast Asia. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on January 26, 2019, conducted by Robert C. Gay. enrichment.
The Abidjan Ivory Coast Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under construction in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on April 5, 2015, during general conference. It was announced concurrently with the Bangkok Thailand and Port-au-Prince Haiti temples. This will be the first temple in Ivory Coast and the seventh on the African continent.
The Cedar City Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cedar City, Utah, United States. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on April 6, 2013, during general conference. The temple was announced concurrently with the Rio de Janeiro Brazil Temple. At the time, this brought the total number of temples worldwide to 170. It is the 17th temple built in Utah.
The Tucson Arizona Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, just north of Tucson. The intent to construct the temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 6, 2012, during general conference. The temple is the sixth in Arizona, following those in Mesa, Snowflake, Gila Valley, Gilbert, and Phoenix.
The Quito Ecuador Temple is the 175th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in Cumbayá, Ecuador, just east of Quito. It is the church's second temple in the country, after the Guayaquil Ecuador Temple. It was both announced and dedicated on the same day as the Belém Brazil Temple, with the latter being dedicated several hours before. Prior to the announcement of this temple, Ecuador was the country with the highest number of church members with only one temple.
The Belém Brazil Temple is the 174th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is located in Belém, Brazil, and is the ninth in the country. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 3, 2016, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on August 17, 2019, conducted by Marcos A. Aidukaitis, a church general authority.
The Saratoga Springs Utah Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Saratoga Springs, Utah. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 2, 2017, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference. The temple is the 18th in Utah and the fifth in Utah County. A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on October 19, 2019, conducted by Craig C. Christensen, a church general authority.
The Brasilia Brazil Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brasilia, Brazil. The intent to build the temple was announced on April 2, 2017, by church president Thomas S. Monson, during general conference.The temple is the 10th to be built in Brazil.