Houston Texas Temple Reopens After Rededication

President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, rededicated the Houston Texas Temple Sunday, April 22, 2018.

The temple closed and had to be repaired due to flood damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in late August 2017. The temple was breached by a nearby river, which overflowed its banks August 26 and flooded the temple annex building, the temple basement and the main floor, with water rising to more than a foot. The second floor was not flooded or damaged.

Reflecting on the flooding, President Ballard said, “What we saw when we came here (August 2017) was a tribute to the people of Houston, the Church and other churches who volunteered so much of their time to help clean up this mess.”

Assisting President Ballard at the sacred service were Elder Larry Y. Wilson and Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy and Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of the Church.

Elder Nielsen, a 35-year resident of Houston, commented on the tremendous volunteerism that played a major part in the recovery following Hurricane Harvey. “This is the spirit of Texas in action,” he remarked.

Bishop Waddell commented on how quickly the repairs were made. He said that completing the renovation in seven months “is nothing short of a miracle.” It was done in almost half the time and under budget. Included in the temple are 54 new pieces of artwork. Elder Wilson said the temple is just like new.

The Houston Texas Temple stands nestled among trees, its copper steeple rising over a quiet suburb located approximately 25 miles from the heart of Houston. This temple is the 97th operating temple of the Church and the second of four temples built in Texas. Church members who belong to southeastern Texas congregations attend this temple. The other temples in the Lonestar state are located in Dallas, Lubbock and San Antonio.

Dedicated in 2000, the Houston Texas Temple was built using a contemporary, single-spire design commonly used for Mormon temples in recent decades. Unlike many of its contemporaries, however, the temple includes buttresses on its façade, creating an elaborate castle-like appearance reminiscent of temples built in the 19th century. Its exterior is finished with elegant Luna Pearl granite. The temple is 33,970 square feet in size.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man.