Ogden Utah Temple Rededicated by President Thomas S. Monson 

The Ogden Utah Temple was rededicated Sunday, 21 September 2014, by President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after undergoing extensive renovation. The temple’s entire exterior was reshaped and new stone and art glass were added.

Downloadable HD 1080p SOTs & B-roll on Ogden Utah Temple Rededication

Downloadable B-roll of the Ogden Utah Temple

The president of the more than 15 million-member church was greeted by Latter-day Saints eager to have the temple back in service since its closure in April 2011 for renovation of the interior, exterior and grounds. President Monson was joined for the morning session of rededication by President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency; Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Elder L. Whitney Clayton  of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Kent F. Richards, a member of the Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Temple Department; and Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, general president of the Primary. Also attending were members of the temple presidency and the temple matron and her assistants.

“The Ogden Temple is a center point of the whole community of Ogden,” said Elder Richards, who offered remarks at the temple grounds prior to the dedicatory sessions on Sunday. “Of course, for the members, the Saints who will come here to worship, it has a very high purpose. But even for community members who are not members of the Church, it’s a place to come and feel the Spirit of the Lord, feel the serenity and beauty.”

Elder Richards explained that a cornerstone ceremony was not held for the rededication because cornerstone ceremonies were done when the temple was initially dedicated more than 40 years ago. “The cornerstone contents are still in the cornerstone box, and there’s no need to replace it,” he added.

Three dedicatory sessions were broadcast to Latter-day Saint meetinghouses throughout Utah and in areas of Wyoming and Idaho within the temple’s district. President Henry B. Eyring presided over and offered the dedicatory prayer at the two afternoon sessions.

Choirs comprised of Latter-day Saints from throughout the temple district provided music for the dedication.

"It's a really nice place," said Vino Ramiah from Sri Lanka, who came for the Sunday morning session. "I feel the Spirit even outside. The atmosphere is really good, and they have done a really great job."

Another man came to the morning session with his family. "It's just great to have them able to grow up right next to the temple and be able to teach them."

"I just love the temple," said Diana Ordonez, who attended the temple rededication. "Just knowing that this is the Lord's house, I love coming here and feel the nice spirit that is there."

Two cultural celebrations with more than 16,000 Mormon youth participants (between the ages of 12 and 18) featuring music and dance were held at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on Saturday, 20 September, prior to the rededication. The theme was Shine the Light, and the program featured youth from northern Utah and parts of Wyoming. The program highlighted the history of Ogden, including its early settlers and the arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Welcoming the youth to the event was Elder Holland, who spoke on behalf of President Monson. “Your collective light can change a darkened world,” said Elder Holland. President Monson attended the afternoon celebration. He waved at the youth and shook hands with a handful of the participants as he departed.

“You will never forget this night,” President Eyring of the First Presidency told the young men and women as he greeted them during the evening performance. “Years from now, you will bring your children back to this spot. You will tell them how you felt as you participated in this great cultural event and this celebration before the rededication of a beautiful temple of God.”

More than 500,000 people toured the temple during a public open house in August and early September, which was hosted by thousands of Church volunteers.

The Ogden Utah Temple is one of 143 operating temples of the Church worldwide and serves more than 200,000 Latter-day Saints living in northern Utah and parts of Wyoming and Idaho.

The Ogden Utah Temple is located at 350 22nd Street in Ogden, Utah. The temple’s main entrance was moved from the west side to the east side, where it faces Washington Boulevard, one of the city’s main streets.

The renovation of the temple includes reconfigured rooms and new energy-saving electrical, heating, and plumbing systems. Other notable improvements include additional underground parking, new landscaping of the temple block and the addition of a major water feature.

The Ogden Utah Temple was originally dedicated in January 1972 by President Joseph Fielding Smith as the 14th operating temple of the Church and the 5th in Utah. Additional temples have been announced or are under construction in the Utah cities of Provo, Payson and Cedar City as well as a dozen more in other cities throughout the world.

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.