Church leaders in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, gathered to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of the San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple, which will become the second sacred building of its kind for Latter-day Saints in the Central American country.
José Bernardo Hernández, an Area Seventy, presided over the event to commemorate the beginning of the sacred building’s construction. A limited number of local Church leaders attended, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- San Pedro Sula 1
- San Pedro Sula 2
- San Pedro Sula 8
- San Pedro de Sula 3
- San Pedro de Sula 4
- San Pedro de Sula 6
- San Pedro de Sula 5
- San Pedro Sula 8
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Elder Hernández, originally from San Pedro Sula, spoke with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who tuned in to the livestreamed broadcast of the event.
He said Honduran Latter-day Saints will benefit from the planned temple, and he encouraged parents to teach their children the importance of following God’s commandments.
Elder Hernández also expressed that youth should attend the temple often to participate in ordinances (sacred ceremonies) and invited children to keep their sights on and always qualify to enter what members of the global faith refer to as “the House of the Lord.”
“Personal preparation [to go to the temple] will bring to our lives many unimaginable blessings, such as eternal life and uniting the family for eternity,” said Elder Hernández.
He shared that, in addition to the Lord’s house, every home can be filled with faith, prayer and peace. Elder Hernández’ wife, Mercedes, shared a message during the broadcast and talked about the happiness she feels because of the new temple’s construction.
President Russell M. Nelson announced plans to build the San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple during the April 2019 General Conference.
The San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple will serve Latter-day Saints in Honduran subdivisions including Atlántida, Bay Islands, Colón, Copán, Cortés, Lempira, Ocotepeque and Santa Bárbara.
Upon its completion and prior to its dedication, a public open house will be scheduled. Details for the open house and temple dedication will be announced at a future date.
The number of Latter-day Saints in Honduras has greatly increased over the years. In 1980, the membership of the Church in Honduras was 6,300. Currently, there are more than 180,000 members in the country.