Following is the text of the dedicatory prayer of the Cedar City Utah Temple offered by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, on Sunday, Dec. 10.
O God, our Eternal Father, we come unto Thee in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Our hearts are filled with gratitude on this historic day.
We come unto Thee with thankfulness for Thy generous blessings. Father, we thank Thee for this remarkable time, when Thou hast parted the veil and revealed Thyself and Thy Son to open the dispensation of the fulness of times.
We are grateful for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon as another witness of Thy Son. We thank Thee for the restoration of the holy priesthood, with authority, power, and keys that will be exercised in this holy house.
We are grateful for Thy kindness and blessing in granting the sealing power to Joseph Smith, a power passed through succeeding prophets to our day. Because of that power, Thy faithful Saints may be endowed from on high and live with Thee in glorified families forever.
We thank Thee for the mighty faith and marvelous works of the pioneers who preceded us in building Thy kingdom in this area. Help us to be worthy of their heritage.
We are profoundly grateful for the laws of this land. Preserve them through the generations to come that Thy children may worship Thee in freedom and attend this house in safety. Bless those who govern in this nation that they may be inspired to do that which will ensure peace and freedom. Bless leaders in all nations, where Thy children dwell.
The presence of this house is an answer to the prayers of Thy people. We thank Thee for it and ask for Thy Spirit to dwell continuously within its walls. We pray that this beautiful temple will be a haven for all who enter.
We thank Thee for the beauty of this structure and for all who have labored to build it. We are grateful for the consecration of Thy faithful Saints throughout the world who have imparted of their tithes with generous hearts and with love for Thee. Bless them Father, and open the windows of heaven to shower upon them every needful gift. May the example of their lives lead others to seek Thine everlasting truth. Praise be to Thy wondrous ways, dear Father.
Now, we consecrate the ground on which this temple stands. We dedicate the structure with all of the components appertaining thereto. It is our gift to Thee, dear Father, given in acknowledgement of Thy great gifts to us, most notably the gift of Thy Beloved Son.
We dedicate this beautiful temple with all of its facilities and furnishings. We dedicate the surrounding trees, flowers, and lawns that add beauty to this structure. We dedicate the temple from its foundation to the figure of Moroni crowning its steeple. We dedicate the baptistry, the initiatory ordinance facilities, the endowment rooms, the celestial room, the sealing rooms and their altars, and every part of this sacred house. May it be safeguarded from any untoward event. May no unclean thing enter the portals of this, Thy holy house.
Father, bless Thy worthy Saints who come here that they may grow in faith and testimony concerning Thy Beloved Son. May they grow also in understanding of Thine eternal purpose to bring to pass their immortality and eternal life. May Thy Holy Spirit bear witness of these truths and bring them to their remembrance. Bless the temple presidency and matrons, ordinance workers, volunteers, and patrons. We pray for Thy blessings upon those who go out from this place to serve as missionaries throughout the world. Sustain them, inspire them, and lead them to those who prayerfully look for eternal truth.
Guard and fortify and strengthen all who come here against the forces of evil. Bless the marriages that are sealed in this temple. May the peace, harmony, and kindness felt here permeate into families and homes.
Please strengthen the youth, who are surrounded by temptations. Give them the courage to seek for truth and righteousness. Bless them with a vision of their eternal purpose.
We seek Thy favor, our Father in Heaven, upon all those who reside in the temple district and all who visit here. Bless the students and their families who gather here. Prosper them as they honor Thee and Thy Son. Forbid the adversary from having power or influence over them.
May all that is done herein be done with an eye single to Thy glory and to the building of Thy kingdom. May hearts be turned to ancestors in the spirit world. May those who serve here feel the love and appreciation of those for whom they perform ordinances.
May all people who enter upon the threshold of this house feel Thy power and feel constrained to acknowledge that Thou hast sanctified this temple as Thy house, a place of Thy holiness.
Now, acting in the authority of the holy priesthood, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee this sacred structure as the house of the Lord, a prophesied place of rest for Thy Son (see Acts 7:49), and a house of holy ordinances where Thine eternal work may be carried forward.
Father in Heaven, please look down upon us this day with favor and mercy. Please accept of our offering. In deep gratitude, we offer this, the Cedar City Utah Temple, to Thee and to Thy Son and ask for these blessings in the sacred name of Him whose redemption has opened the way into eternity for Thy sons and daughters. In the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
Temple information box
Location: 280 South Cove Dr., Cedar City, UT 84720
Announced: April 6, 2013
Groundbreaking: Aug. 8, 2015
Public open house: Oct. 27-Nov. 18, 2017
Dedication: Dec. 10, 2017
Property size: 8.51 acres
Building size: 39,802 square feet
Building height: 260 feet, 6 inches
Architect: Architectural Nexus, Salt Lake City, Utah
Contractor: Zwick Construction Company, Midvale, Utah
Exterior: Primarily precast concrete panels with sections of gypsum fiber reinforced concrete.
Exterior art glass: The design of the glass reflects local flora in a traditional style and was used in all windows, including those in the tower and exterior doors.
Millwork: Patterns on the millwork represent the flora of the area and are of the traditional Sheraton style. In the celestial and sealing rooms millwork is highlighted with gold leaf.
