This weekend, the Gila Valley Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was dedicated by President Thomas S. Monson. The building and dedication of this temple fulfills a prophecy historians say was made in 1882. For more information about the history of this temple, this article includes an impressive compilation of links.
If you are wondering what a temple dedication is like, this personal account about the Gila Valley Arizona Temple dedication is a moving summary of what temple dedications mean to Mormons, and what it’s like to attend a dedication.
You can also read this Mormon Women article for more information: What happens at a Mormon temple dedication?
Prior to the dedication, an open house was held, where the public was able to walk through the temple and learn more about what temples mean to Mormons. (For more information on this topic, see our index entry on Mormon temples.)
The following video was from a press tour of the temple in April and includes photos from the inside of the temple. It also includes a brief interview with Elder William R. Walker of the Church’s First Quorum of the Seventy.
The youth in the area also held a cultural celebration with dance and music.
For a series of photos of the event, see this LDS Church News article:
Youth celebration depicts cultural history of Eastern Arizona
More about the youth celebration:
Youths Celebrate Gila Valley Temple in Arizona
More photos of the temple can be found in the following video:
Read more about Mormon temples in the following Mormon Women articles:
Chapels and Temples: Glimpses inside each and how they differ
What does the inside of the Oquirrh Mountain temple look like?
What the temple means to Mormons?
What does the inside of a Mormon temple look like?
The connection between LDS temple worship and ancient (Old Testament) ordinances
What can you tell me about Mormon temples?
