Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dedicated 26–27 July 1998
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Our beloved Father in Heaven, Thou great Elohim, the Eternal God whom we love and worship, we come unto Thee in prayer as we dedicate this, Thy Holy House.

Since the beginning of Thy work in this dispensation, Thy people have been commanded to build temples. Even in seasons of great poverty, they have struggled to erect these sacred houses.

Now, Thou has made Thy will known and blessed us with the means to erect many more temples, smaller in size, but complete in their necessary appointments. These will be convenient to Thy faithful Saints and will meet the needs of Thy growing Church throughout the world. This is the first of a new generation of such structures.

To this dedicated house will come Thy people to receive their initiatory ordinances, their endowments, and their eternal sealings. These blessings will be given not only to the living, but also to the dead. Here within these walls, through a great vicarious service, those beyond the veil of death may be afforded the blessing of baptism and the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, the birth of water and of the Spirit. This will be accomplished through the consecrated service of those who will stand as living proxies for those beyond the veil.

And now, acting in the authority of the Holy Priesthood, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate this, the Monticello Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son, as Thy holy house. Wilt Thou smile with favor upon it. Wilt Thou accept it as Thy dwelling place. May Thy Holy Spirit abide here and sanctify this sacred edifice. And wilt Thou receive it as the sacred offering of Thy faithful sons and daughters.

We dedicate every part of this sacred structure, from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate the baptismal font and all appertaining thereto. We dedicate the facilities associated with the initiatory ordinances and the endowment. We dedicate the beautiful celestial room, the sealing room with its sacred altar, and every other facility in this hallowed building.

We dedicate the grounds and the surroundings, the grass, the flowers, the shrubbery, the trees, that they may all lend beauty to this Thy house.

May Thy Spirit be felt here by all who come within these walls. May they be touched in their hearts with the certain knowledge that all that will occur here pertains to the eternal plan of salvation and exaltation which Thou hast outlined for Thy sons and daughters of all generations, and which becomes possible because of the Atonement wrought by the Redeemer of the world, Thine Only Begotten Son.

Bless the Saints of this temple district that they may make themselves worthy of the great and everlasting blessings to be found herein. May they come frequently, dressing in spotless white, setting aside the stress of the world, here to enter into solemn covenants with Thee, to be instructed according to Thy pattern, and to be endowed with power from on high.

May no unclean thing pass the portals of this Thy holy house. May all who enter here be worthy of the great and singular blessings here to be had. May the hand of the vandal and the destroyer be restrained from defacing or damaging this structure in any way. May it be holy to all who look upon it, and may it be regarded with reverence and respect, even by those of other faiths.

We remember those who, in early and difficult times, came here and settled these communities. Their struggles were great, their labors unceasing. Yet, they established a Zion in this part of the earth. Here they built meetinghouses that they might worship together. Generations of faithful Latter-day Saints have now lived and died in these communities which they pioneered. Through all of these years they have traveled long distances to gain the blessings of the Lord''s House. And now this hallowed structure stands in their midst. It is a crowning jewel to all the labors of the past.

May those of this and future generations be ever grateful for it. May they respect it. May they enjoy it and derive great satisfaction and peace from their labors herein.

Wilt Thou bless the temple president and his counselors, the matron and her assistants, and all who serve here. May they do so with an eye single to Thy glory. May their burdens be light and their rewards great. May this building be kept clean and beautiful, as becomes Thine abode.

Now, dear Father, we thank Thee for the sacrifices, for the generous offering of the consecrated tithes of Thy people throughout the earth. Their faithfulness makes all of this possible. Bless them. Open the windows of heaven and pour down Thy favors upon them. Strike down the destroyer for their sakes. Bless the fathers and the mothers that they may rear their children in righteousness. Bless the children that there may grow in their hearts a desire to serve Thee all the days of their lives. May the hearts of the children be turned to the fathers, that Thine eternal work may be accomplished.

We remember before Thee in a special way the sons and daughters of Father Lehi. May they rise to new levels of growth and prosperity as they embrace and follow the gospel of Thy Son. May they be magnified and enlarged in knowledge and testimony as they come to this sacred temple and receive the blessings to be had within these consecrated walls. May peace and love exist among all who live in this area.

Wilt Thou bless those who come here to be endowed before going into the world as messengers of eternal truth, that they may feel of Thy power, and may be virtue of Thine anointing be upon them. Wilt Thou seal up the law and bind up the testimony of all who declare the divinity of Thy Holy work.

Bless all who stand in positions of leadership in Thy Church and kingdom that they may be granted strength and vitality, and that their lives may be extended for the accomplishment of Thy divine purposes.

Now, our Beloved Father in Heaven, we express unto Thee and to Thy Son, our deep and abiding love. We know likewise that Thou dost love us and that Thou hast made Thy love manifest through the love of Thy Son, our Savior and our Redeemer.

Accept of our gratitude. Hear our prayer. Bring into our hearts the sanctifying spirit of peace which emanates from this, Thine abode, we humbly pray as we rededicate ourselves to Thee and to Thy work, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.

Rededicated 17 November 2002
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Almighty God, God of our fathers, in the name of Thy Beloved Son, our Redeemer, we come unto Thee in prayer.

We have gathered, as Thy children, to dedicate and rededicate this hallowed house.

Four years ago we offered our prayer of thanksgiving and dedication consecrating this house unto Thee. It was then the first of a new generation of sacred temples. Great is the work which has here been accomplished. It has served Thy people in a wonderful manner. They have gathered here to do Thy holy work. They have knelt at the altars of this house and under the authority of the holy priesthood have been sealed in matrimony for time and for all eternity. Wives have been sealed to husbands, children to parents, families have been bound together under an everlasting covenant.

A great work in behalf of the dead has been carried forward. Vicarious baptisms have been performed in behalf of many thousands. Initiatory ordinances have been enacted. The endowment has been given. Covenants with Thee have been made. And again, in behalf of those beyond the veil of death, families have been bound together for all eternity. What a glorious work has been accomplished in this Thy house.

Thy faithful servants, the men of the temple presidency, have labored night and day, faithfully and well, as have the matron and assistants to the matron. Those who have worked with them have done so with a spirit of love and dedication in assisting Thy Saints who have come as patrons.

The virtue and value of these smaller temples have been demonstrated to the degree that others of a similar kind have been constructed and dedicated and are now in service throughout the world.

Because of the volume of work here accomplished it has become necessary to add to this structure, as well as to refine it in other ways. This is now complete. And today, acting in the authority of that divine priesthood which comes from Thee, we rededicate the older structure and dedicate the new additions to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son. Wilt Thou accept this holy house, the Monticello Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the gift of Thy children who love Thee and who seek to do Thy will. We reconsecrate it to Thy holy purposes. Wilt Thou accept that which has been added as Thou hast accepted and blessed the original structure.

Dear Father, bless Thy great work in all the earth. Bless Thy Church and kingdom in all of its programs and properties, in all of the areas where it is established, and open the way that it may yet spread to other nations and to other peoples.

We again pray for Thy servants who are sent forth as harvesters among the peoples of the earth. Endow them in Thy holy house, and place upon them the seal of the covenant of Thy work. May their understanding of Thy divine plan be enlarged. May an added spirit of consecration come into their hearts and motivate their lives. May they be effective servants unto Thee, and may they retain always the testimony of this work which they will declare wherever they are sent.

Open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon those of the communities which this temple serves. May rains come upon the thirsty land that there may be sufficient water. May their plantings be dedicated unto Thee, and may their harvests be garnered with thanksgiving.

Bless the homes of Thy people that there may be peace and love and respect for one another. Smile with favor upon them.

Grant unto the fathers and the mothers inspired wisdom that they may nurture and teach their children of Thy ways and of Thine eternal truths.

Holy Father, bless the youth of Thy Church that they may grow in righteousness, that they may shun evil, that they may come to know Thy great plan of happiness and live accordingly. May they mature in faith, may they long for learning, and may they take their places with honor as men and women of great integrity and capacity.

As we prayed at the time of the original dedication:

"We remember before Thee in a special way the sons and daughters of Father Lehi. May they rise to new levels of growth and prosperity as they embrace and follow the gospel of Thy Son. May they be magnified and enlarged in knowledge and testimony as they come to this sacred temple and receive the blessings to be had within these consecrated walls. May peace and love exist among all who live in this area."

Our Beloved Father, how grateful we are for the Prophet Joseph Smith, Thine instrument in bringing to pass the restoration of the gospel in this the dispensation of the fulness of times. How thankful we are to all who have gone before us and served Thee faithfully and diligently. How thankful we are for the strength and breadth of Thy kingdom and the progress of Thy work as it is found today among the nations. May Thy strong arm be felt against any who oppose it, and may Thy blessing attend all who assist in its spread.

Bless the leaders of Thy Church. Give them strength and vitality to do that which is expected of them. Magnify them for good in the eyes of the people. Accept of their consecrated labors.

We thank Thee for Zion, the pure in heart among the peoples of the earth. Bless them, prosper them, magnify them, give them joy in their hearts and peace in their lives.

We pledge to Thee our love, our service, our faith. Please bless us and magnify us as we seek to live the principles taught by our Redeemer who gave His life for us Thy children. For these blessings we humbly pray, as again we dedicate our service unto Thee, in the holy name of our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.