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32nd temple dedicated
Tom Smart, Deseret News
Dedication of the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
Among the 9,100 Latter-day Saints attending the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple dedication were 75 members of the Kekchi indigenous people, natives of Guatemala. The Church members traveled by foot, paddle boat and bus for two days to reach the temple dedication.Ramon Chocooj, one of the Kekchi who made the trip and president of the El Estor Branch in Guatemala, said, “It was the longest trip of my life, but now we have come to know for ourselves what the temple is like. We are very happy.”
Many other thousands of faithful Saints in Guatemala watched as President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the country’s first house of the Lord on Dec. 14, 1984.
“This is as tremendous a development as the coming of morning after night,” President Hinckley said at the dedication. “It is a miracle.”
Dedicatory prayer excerpt: “Please accept this house as the gift of Thy children. We have built it according to Thy will, that Thou, our Father, and Thy Son, our resurrected Lord, might have a place to manifest Thyself to Thy people. We consecrate it with love. Let Thy mighty blessings rest upon it and Thy Holy Spirit sanctify it.”
Read the dedicatory prayer of the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple here.
Timeline of the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
April
01
1981
Announced
Church President Spencer W. Kimball announced a temple for Guatemala City, Guatemala, in a press conference on April 1, 1981, three days before April 1981 general conference.
September
12
1982
Groundbreaking
Around 4,000 Church members attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple on Sept. 12, 1982. Elder Richard G. Scott, a General Authority Seventy, presided over the event.
November
27
1984
Open house
The public was invited to tour the completed house of the Lord from Nov. 27 through Dec. 10, 1984. More than 8,200 visitors toured the temple during its open house.
December
14
1984
Dedicated
The Guatemala City Guatemala Temple was dedicated throughout 10 sessions on Dec. 14 to Dec. 16, 1984, by President Gordon B. Hinckley, second counselor in the First Presidency. A total of approximately 9,100 Church members from the temple district attended the dedication sessions.
A temple for Guatemala City, Guatemala, was first announced April 1, 1981. The groundbreaking ceremony for the temple was held Sept. 12, 1982.
More than 8,200 visitors toured the completed house of the Lord from Nov. 27 through Dec. 10, 1984. The Guatemala City Guatemala Temple was dedicated Dec. 14 to Dec. 16, 1984.
The temple, with six detached spires around the edifice, includes four instruction rooms and three sealing rooms.
More than 8,200 visitors toured the completed house of the Lord from Nov. 27 through Dec. 10, 1984. The Guatemala City Guatemala Temple was dedicated Dec. 14 to Dec. 16, 1984.
Architecture and Design of the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple
The 17,609-square-foot Guatemala City Guatemala Temple was built on 1.43 acres of land near the border of mountain ranges and the buildings of Guatemala City. Trees and grass areas fill the temple grounds, and the exterior finish consists of Guatemala marble.The temple, with six detached spires around the edifice, includes four instruction rooms and three sealing rooms.
Quick Facts
Announced
1 April 1981
Dedicated
14 December 1984
Dedicated by
Current President and Matron
Location
24 Avenida 2-20, Zona 15
Vista Hermosa 1
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Guatemala
Appointments
View schedule and book online
(502) 2329-8300
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Guatemala.
Fact #2
Approximately 20 years before the groundbreaking ceremony, the land for the Guatemala City temple was purchased by a mission president in the country for a temple to be built there in the future.
Fact #3
It was dedicated the month after the Taipei Taiwan Temple was dedicated. Like the Guatemala City temple, the Taipei temple was the first in its country and has six detached spires around the building.
Fact #4
Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was originally assigned to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple, but his flight to Guatemala was delayed due to a mechanical malfunction with the plane.
Additional Facts
Fact #1
This was the first Latter-day Saint temple in Guatemala.
Fact #2
Approximately 20 years before the groundbreaking ceremony, the land for the Guatemala City temple was purchased by a mission president in the country for a temple to be built there in the future.
Fact #3
It was dedicated the month after the Taipei Taiwan Temple was dedicated. Like the Guatemala City temple, the Taipei temple was the first in its country and has six detached spires around the building.
Fact #4
Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was originally assigned to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple, but his flight to Guatemala was delayed due to a mechanical malfunction with the plane.