Following is an English translation of the prayer offered in Spanish by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to dedicate the Salta Argentina Temple on Sunday, June 16, 2024.
O God, our Eternal Father, we present ourselves before Thee on this special day, the Lord’s day, with deep humility and gratitude. We acknowledge Thy constant blessings upon us, and we are grateful to be able to call upon Thee in the name of Thy Holy Son, Jesus Christ.
We thank Thee, our Father, for the great plan of redemption and happiness that Thou hast instituted for the immortality and eternal life of Thy children. We thank Thee for Thine Only Begotten Son, whom Thou didst send to redeem us according to Thy plan. In reverence, we acknowledge our Savior, His sinless life, His willingness to suffer and die to atone for our sins, and His Resurrection. And we thank Thee for the gift of the Holy Ghost, Thy Spirit, to be with and guide us.
We thank Thee for the Restoration of the gospel, the priesthood and the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. We are grateful to live in a time and place where we may enjoy the fruits of the Restoration, including the plain and precious scriptures translated and revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his successors. We thank Thee for the keys of the priesthood and for the ordinances and covenants of the priesthood. Bless the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as they lead the Church. “May the kingdom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so on earth, that thine enemies may be subdued; for thine is the honor, power and glory, forever and ever” (Doctrine and Covenants 65:6).
Now, on this holy day, in a spirit of rejoicing, we present unto Thee and Thy Son our offering — this temple that we have built to Thy name. As authorized by President Russell M. Nelson, who holds and exercises all the priesthood keys restored in this dispensation, and acting in the name of Jesus Christ and by the authority of His holy priesthood, we dedicate to Thee and Thy Son this, the Salta Argentina Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate all the elements and furnishings of the temple for their intended purpose to endow Thy covenant people with power from on high and to open the way to salvation and exaltation for both the living and the dead.
Holy Father, we pray that Thou wilt accept this offering and make this temple truly the house of the Lord. We ask that Thou wilt make it a place of holiness. We ask Thee that Thou wilt bless and sanctify all who enter here. We pray also that the youth and all others who come to be baptized for the dead will be blessed with Thy Spirit and armed with righteousness.
We plead with Thee, our God, to protect this temple and its grounds from the ravages of storms and natural forces, that it may continue to stand. We pray that Thou wilt protect it from any evil-disposed persons who might seek to profane or damage it. We pray that Thou wilt bless and preserve this temple through generations. May it ever remain a place of solitude and peace, a place of holiness and joy, a place of revelation and renewal, and as Thou hast said: a house of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory and order — a house of God (see Doctrine and Covenants 109:8).
We pray, Holy Father, that Thou wilt bless this nation and all its people. As the seed of Abraham, we aspire to extend Thy blessings to all the kindreds of the earth (see 1 Nephi 15:18). Help and empower us so to do. Remember the poor and the afflicted, the sick and the oppressed. Remember Thy Saints who suffer in any way. Magnify us as we minister to one another. O Holy Father, hear our prayers this day and always. We affirm this dedication and express to Thee our love, loyalty and gratitude in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
