Ground Broken for the Torreón Mexico Temple

Ground was broken in Durango, Mexico on Saturday, December 10, for the Torreón Mexico Temple. Elder Hugo Montoya, president of the Mexico Area, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony.

The event was attended by representatives of municipal, local and state governments; special guests, such as the organization Mujeres Salvando Mujeres; members of the media and Latter-day Saints.

In his dedicatory remarks, Elder Montoya said, “This building, as you can see, will be beautiful. [It will be] made with high-quality materials and built with the highest standards. However, it is not the building itself that allows us to feel joy but what takes place inside the building, which are ordinances and covenants.”

Josué García Castañeda, a young local Latter-day Saint, has ancestors who were pioneers of the Church in the area. He shared his gratitude for the construction of the temple.

“As I prepare to enter the temple, I remember that God desires me to be near Him and he has placed His temple as a special place for me to draw closer to Him,” said Castañeda. “What a grand blessing that the construction of this holy place is starting because I will be able to be closer to my Heavenly Father in my youth.”

Elder Montoya and several invited guests participated in the ceremonial turning of the dirt, formally marking the beginning of the temple’s construction.

The Torreón Mexico Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson at the April 2021 general conference. Along with the Puebla Mexico Temple, this will be the second temple under construction in the country and one of 23 temples in operation or announced in Mexico.

The Torreón Mexico Temple will serve a city that is home to about 1.5 million people and among the 10 largest metropolitan areas in Durango, Mexico, made up of the cities of Torreón; Coahuila; Gómez Palacio, where the temple will be located; and Lerdo.

This article was originally published on Spanish Newsroom.