A Monday morning groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of the LDS Church's newest temple building program.
Elder Ben B. Banks of the Quorum of the Seventy, who presided at the groundbreaking, prayed that the "turning of the ground and commencement of construction would signal a rededication of faithfulness and commitment and excitement" for those living in the area the new temple will serve.A crowd of 2,550 at the groundbreaking where only 1,000 were expected showed the enthusiasm Elder Banks prayed for had a head start.
Construction equipment is already on site. Elder Banks said contractors are ready to begin work immediately and should have the project finished next summer.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced Oct. 4 the church would begin building small temples in smaller communities in addition to typically much larger temples in other areas. Small temples similar to the one in Monticello will also be built in northern Mexico and in Anchorage, he said.
In the announcement, President Hinckley said he expected many local church leaders would want to see one of the small temples built in their areas. Church spokesman Dan Rascone said Friday the church has received a number of requests for temples in the month since that announcement.
The quick turnaround between announcement and groundbreaking came as a surprise. "I was shocked and surprised when President Hinckley said they were ready to start right away," said Elder Banks, of the First Quorum of the Seventy and president of the church's Utah South Area.
At less than 7,000 square feet, Monticello's "small" temple and others built to the same design will be one-tenth the average size of the church's 51 other operating temples. The smallest operating temple, which is in Freiberg, Germany, has 7,840 square feet. The Salt Lake Temple is the largest at 253,015 square feet.
The Monticello Temple was originally planned for construction next to a stake center on Main Street. But that plan changed.
A father-and-son developing team offered to donate land to the church next to a new chapel in the northwest part of town. "When President Hinckley went down (to Monticello), he felt inspired and impressed that is where it should go," Elder Banks said.