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

St. Louis Missouri Temple

Dedicatory Prayer

Dedicated 1–5 June 1997
by Gordon B. Hinckley

O God, our Eternal Father, we bow before Thee in reverence and love. We worship Thee as the Almighty who is above all, the great Elohim. We love Thee as our Father. With thanksgiving we come unto Thee in this Thy holy house to dedicate it to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son, our Divine Redeemer.

We thank Thee for the great prophet of this dispensation, even the Prophet Joseph Smith. We thank Thee for the wondrous power, authority, and gifts restored through him, including the grand keys for the redemption of the dead.

We are reminded that this temple stands on the soil of the state of Missouri where the Prophet and his associates suffered so much, and were finally banished by a cruel and illegal order of extermination. Terrible were their losses, terrible their suffering. We are grateful that the extermination order has been revoked and the persecution is long since gone. Today Thy Church basks in the sunlight of good will. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have come to view this Thy holy house. They have left with respect and appreciation.

This beautiful structure stands as a testimony of the strength and resiliency of Thy people. Thy Church has become a mighty congregation, ten million strong, spread among the nations. The little stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands is rolling forth to fill the whole earth. May it grow and enlarge until it has fulfilled its divine destiny.

"And we ask Thee, Holy Father, that Thy servants [the missionaries] may go forth from this house armed with Thy power, and that Thy name may be upon them, and Thy glory be round about them, and Thine angels have charge over them" (D&C 109:22).

May all who enter the portals of this Thy holy house be clean before Thee. May their minds be filled with the "solemnities of eternity" (D&C 43:34). May they draw near unto Thee as they reflect upon the wonders of Thy glorious plan of redemption. May a knowledge of the blessings of the Atonement of Thy Beloved Son distill upon them and cause them to praise His holy name.

May all who come to be baptized for the dead receive understanding of Thy divine plan for Thy sons and daughters of all generations. May those who are endowed recognize the gravity of the covenants which they make with Thee. May their minds be touched with appreciation for the eternal nature of the promises they make and the blessings they receive.

May those who kneel at the altars in this Thy house sense the wonder and the glory of the everlasting blessings sealed upon them. May they henceforth live with love and respect one for another. May all who serve as proxies for the dead be aware of Thy great mercy in behalf of Thy children for whom a marvelous work is going forward on the other side of the veil. May both the living and the dead rejoice at the opening of this new and dedicated temple.

And now, Father, acting in the authority of the holy priesthood which Thou hast bestowed upon us and in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ, we dedicate this the St. Louis Missouri Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it to Thee and to Thy Divine Son as the House of the Lord. Wilt Thou accept it as the offering of Thy faithful people. Wilt Thou be pleased to honor it with Thy presence and let Thy Spirit dwell here at all times.

We dedicate the grounds on which it stands with their lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers. We pray that all who pass this way may look upon it with reverence and respect, and feel constrained in their hearts to learn more concerning Thy work.

We dedicate the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate all of the features and furnishings—the baptistry, the facilities for the various ordinances, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, the offices and all associated facilities, and every other feature and ornamentation of this unique and wonderful House of the Lord.

May Thy watchful and protecting care be over it, that it may be preserved from the evil hand of the unrighteous, that none shall defile it in any way. May it be preserved by Thy power against the elements, the storm and the tempest, and the tremblings of the earth.

We pray that it may be a place of peace and security and that all who enter it may do so with the realization that they come as Thy guests to Thy house. We pray for those who shall preside here and for all who shall serve here in any capacity. We pray for those who will come as patrons, some from great distances. May all find this to be a place of refuge from the noise and unrest of the world.

Now, beloved Father, please bless Thy work and Thy people wherever they may be found. We remember before Thee those of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles, and all of the General and Area Authorities and the general officers of the Church. We pray for those who serve in stake presidencies and bishoprics that they may stand as benevolent shepherds to their people.

Open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon the faithful who consecrate of their substance to the advancement of Thy work. May they be blessed in their basket and in their store.

Accept of our thanks, dear Father, and of our prayer of dedication of this the fiftieth temple serving Thy people. Bless us as Thy servants to carry on Thy work in a manner pleasing unto Thee. We pray that we may be faithful in seeking and receiving our own temple ordinances, and that the blessings offered in this holy house may be extended to uncounted numbers of Thy departed children. Through the ordinances herein performed may those who have passed through the veil of death be enabled to move forward on their eternal journey.

Now, as we dedicate this Thy holy house, we rededicate ourselves to Thy service in building Thy kingdom. With solemnity of spirit, with love and gratitude, with hope and charity and faith, we consecrate it to Thy divine purposes and do it as Thy loving sons and daughters in the name of the Redeemer of the world, Thy Beloved Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.