With the first rays of dawn shining over the nearby mountain peaks, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sealed the cornerstone of the new Bountiful Utah Temple early Sunday.
President Howard W. Hunter presided at the ceremony, which was followed by the first of 28 dedicatory sessions that are expected to involve as many as 250,000 church members this week.Located on Bountiful's east bench, it is the church's 47th temple worldwide and the eighth in Utah. Five other temples are under construction worldwide, including two in Utah - the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork and one in Vernal.
The Bountiful Temple has attracted extraordinary attention since its completion last fall, drawing more than 870,000 visitors during its open house Nov. 5 to Dec. 17. That attention continued Sunday, with 2,000 church members attending the first session in the temple and 6,000 more participating at five other locations.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Elder John E. Fowler of the Seventy described the services as "joyful but subdued," saying those attending were clearly moved by the words of the church leaders and the hymns of the choir.
The services were also viewed by church members via closed circuit broadcast to the Salt Lake Tabernacle, Bountiful Regional Center, Ogden Tabernacle and Brigham City Tabernacle and on a delayed basis in Logan.
The activities began at 7 a.m. Sunday with church leaders sealing the cornerstone at the southeast corner of the temple. According to Elder Fowler, a set of scriptures, contemporary mementos and papers that "identify us in our society" were placed inside the cornerstone.
Elder Fowler, who is president of the church's Utah North Area, said the cornerstone ceremony is significant in that it serves to remind the faithful "that the Savior is the chief cornerstone of the church that bears his name."
At the dedicatory session that followed, church members were addressed by President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency; and President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency; and President Boyd K. Packer, acting president of the Council of the Twelve.
Elder Fowler said church leaders directed their remarks toward the topic of temple worship and construction and also presented a historical perspective of Bountiful.
President Hunter then spoke briefly and offered the dedicatory prayer, Elder Fowler said, adding, "It was a remarkable meeting."
The dedication of the Bountiful Temple is the culmination of years of work that began with the selection of the site by the late President Ezra Taft Benson. Though in frail health, the 92-year-old church leader personally turned over a shovelful of earth at the temple's groundbreaking ceremony on May 2, 1992.
Constructed of white stone, the gleaming new temple is about 100,000 square feet in size.
Once dedicated, LDS temples are open only to church members in good standing, but the general public was offered a rare glimpse of the Bountiful Temple during a six-week open house. The response was overwhelming, with an average of 25,000 people per day touring the edifice.
Elder Fowler said the people of Bountiful, city officials and the temple's residential neighbors deserve gratitude for their cooperation and patience. "I can't say enough about the community support we have received," he said.
After the temple was closed to the public Dec. 17, construction crews and church personnel went to work putting on the finishing touches and preparing it for Sunday's dedication ceremonies.
"It was scrubbed from ceiling to carpet and made absolutely spotless to be presented to the Lord," Elder Fowler said.
The services also provided church members with an opportunity to rededicate themselves to the Lord's work, he added.