Following is the text of the prayer offered by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to dedicate the Helena Montana Temple on Sunday, June 18, 2023.
Our beloved Father in Heaven, we bow our heads before Thee in reverence and humility to dedicate this holy house unto Thee, for its sacred work of salvation and exaltation. Gathered as members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our hearts are full of gratitude and awe to participate in the dedication of the Helena Montana Temple.
How joyful we are to inhabit the earth in the dispensation of the fullness of times with all its attendant blessings. We are thankful for the divine visitation of Thee and Thy Son, Jesus Christ, to Joseph Smith in a sacred grove, followed by Moroni, leading to the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. We thank Thee for additional heavenly messengers, John the Baptist and Peter, James and John, who respectively restored the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods. And we thank Thee for Moses, Elias and Elijah, who restored priesthood keys to commence the gathering of Israel, to renew Thy covenant made with Abraham and to restore the sealing keys that bind us to both our kindred dead and our posterity for generations to come.
We are grateful for each latter-day prophet from Joseph Smith to our dear Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, whom we love, honor and sustain, and under whose direction the dedication of this holy temple takes place. We ask Thee to bless him.
The early Church pioneers who established Thy kingdom in this rugged and beautiful place that is now Montana did so with great labor and devotion. As we observe the hastening of the work that is taking place here now, our hearts are filled with gratitude acknowledging their broad shoulders of sacrifice upon which we stand. May we always remember and honor them.
We are mindful of and thankful for the generous endowment of resources allowing the construction of this temple. We express gratitude for Latter-day Saints who faithfully contribute tithes and offerings enabling the construction of this temple and others throughout the world so they may be dedicated unto Thee.
We pray that the close proximity of this temple will be a blessing to those who reside in the stakes of this temple district, and that Thou wilt bless these individuals and families, including the rising generation, as they worship here often. We pray that they will be led down the covenant path to this, Thy holy house. We pray that as they participate in Thy ordinances, the power of godliness will be manifest unto them. (See Doctrine and Covenants 84:21.)
Please bless the members of the Church who reside here to find joy in living the gospel of Jesus Christ, instilling in them a desire to “love, share and invite” friends in their neighborhoods and communities, that Thy work may spread throughout this land. May those many family, friends and neighbors who visited the temple open house maintain a remembrance of what they saw and how they felt. May the Spirit instill in their hearts a desire to return to this, Thy holy house.
Dear Father, bless those who enter this temple, that their selfless patronage be consecrated for their gain, strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and affirm their knowledge that this is Thy work and this is Thy house. We ask Thee to bless the president and matron of this temple, the counselors, and assistants to the matron, and all those who will serve in these roles in the future. Bless the temple workers in their sacred duties, which lead to the gathering of Israel on both sides of the veil.
Now, our beloved Father, as Thy servants, in the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood and in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and Thy holy Son this, the Helena Montana Temple. We dedicate every element and detail of its structure from its spire above to its footing and foundation below and the space around it. We dedicate each room for its respective sacred purpose: the baptistry, the instruction room, the celestial room, and the sealing room and its sacred altar. We dedicate the furnishings and fixtures of this holy house. We dedicate the grounds upon which this temple stands, and the recently constructed adjacent meetinghouse. May it be a center of worship and gathering of Latter-day Saints and friends in accomplishing the two great commandments of loving the Lord and loving our neighbors. Bless every element of the landscaping of this site, including the trees and flowers, grass and shrubs. We ask Thee to bless that these premises be protected from ravages of nature, time and the hands of those who would do it harm. We dedicate all that occupies this sacred place to become as is engraved on the transom above its entrance, the house of the Lord, with holiness to the Lord.
We dedicate ourselves to more fully strive to fulfill divinely appointed responsibilities to live and share the gospel of Jesus Christ, to unite our families for eternity and to care for those in need.
We close with an expression of our love, gratitude and devotion to Thee, as we dedicate this, the Helena Montana Temple, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
