The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple is the 49th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in American Fork, Utah and is the second temple built in Utah County and the ninth in Utah. The intent to build the temple was announced on October 3, 1992, by Gordon B. Hinckley during the church's general conference.[1]
The temple has a traditional single-spire design, and was designed by Allen Erekson, Keith Stepan, and church architectural staff. [2] A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify the beginning of construction, was held on October 9, 1993, with Hinckley presiding.
The temple was announced by Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor in the church's First Presidency, in general conference on October 3, 1992. The location, on land in American Fork previously used as a church welfare farm, was announced at the following conference six months later.[3] The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple overlooks the cities of American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Cedar Hills, Highland and Alpine as well as nearby Utah Lake. Mount Timpanogos, the peak from which the temple gets its name, and the Wasatch Mountains serve as a backdrop.
Ground was broken for the temple a year after its announcement. Approximately 12,000 people gathered on the temple site for the ceremony. During the services, the location of the Madrid Spain Temple was announced.[3]
Twenty-thousand people attended a ceremony as the angel Moroni statue was lifted to its resting place on the 190feet spire of the temple in July 1995. Once the statue was in place, the throngs of visitors broke into applause and then spontaneously began to sing The Spirit of God.[3]
A total of 679,217 people toured the temple during the six weeks (August 10 – September 21, 1996) of its public open house. More than 800 children's choirs - made up from nearly every ward and branch in the temple district - performed near the front entrance to the temple at least once during the open house.[4]
The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple was dedicated on October 13, 1996 by Hinckley, who was then the church's president. The dedication lasted an entire week with three sessions on Sunday and four on each of the following days for a total of 27.
Before the dedication, Hinckley and his counselors in the First Presidency, Thomas S. Monson and James E. Faust, applied mortar to the temple's cornerstone. They were followed by Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; W. Eugene Hansen of the Seventy and executive director of the church's Temple Department; Robert J. Matthews, temple president; Stephen M. Studdert, vice chairman of the temple committee; and Hinckley's wife, Marjorie.
A total of 11,617 participated in the first dedicatory session, of which about 2,900 met in the temple. The others attended the session in the American Fork Tabernacle, 12 stake centers in Utah and Wasatch counties, and the Salt Lake Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, locations to where proceedings of subsequent sessions were also transmitted. Like any temple dedication, admittance to the other locations was for worthy members of the church with a ticket from their bishops. Speakers for the first session were Hinckley, Monson, Faust, and Packer. They were each accompanied to the temple by their wives.
About 38,000 attended the three sessions of dedication on the first day. During the week, Hinckley presided over and spoke in 11 dedicatory sessions, including the cornerstone ceremony. Monson and Faust each presided over eight dedicatory sessions, and each spoke in 11 sessions, which included the cornerstone ceremony. A total of 52 general authorities addressed the sessions, as well as the temple presidency and matron.
The building has a traditional Latter-day Saint temple design. Designed by Allen Erekson, Keith Stepan, and church architectural staff, the temple's architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of the Mount Timpanogos region and the spiritual significance to the church.
The temple has a total of 107240square feet, four ordinance rooms, and eight sealing rooms. The temple's floor plan is an adaption of the one created for the Bountiful Utah Temple. The temples are nearly identical from the outside, though the spire on each is noticeably different.
The temple sits on a 16.7-acre plot located to the west of its namesake, Mount Timpanogos. [5] The landscaping around the temple features seating areas for visitors. These elements are designed to provide a tranquil setting that enhances the sacred atmosphere of the site.
The structure stands 190 feet tall, constructed with sierra white granite. The exterior is characterized by stained glass windows, bronze doors, and single spire, elements which were each chosen for their symbolic significance and alignment with temple traditions.
The temple includes four ordinance rooms, eight sealing rooms, a celestial room, and a baptistry, each designed for ceremonial use. Symbolic elements are integrated into the design, providing deeper meaning to the temple's function and aesthetics.
The design has elements representing Latter-day Saint symbolism, which provide deeper spiritual meaning to the temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is an important subject to church members. It shares symbolic elements with the Salt Lake and the Nauvoo temples, including sun, moon, and star stones, which represent the three degrees of glory, triple window towers to symbolize the priesthood, and window arch keystones which represent Christ.[6]
The Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple not only serves as a place of worship but also stands as an architectural landmark in American Fork Utah, embodying the Church's commitment to creating sacred and aesthetically inspiring spaces.
The temple has played a role in fostering a sense of community in the American Fork region since it was first announced in 1992. Local church members were eager to participate in the creation of the temple in any way they could. Thousands of people gathered to clean up the temple grounds prior to the open house[7], and local newspapers created a special edition to commemorate the completion and dedication of the temple. The commemorative edition was composed of art, prose, and poetry submissions from readers and church members.[8]
The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each serving for a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff.[9]
The first president of the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple was Robert J. Matthews, with the matron being Shirley N. Matthews. They served from 1996 to 1999. As of 2024, Blaine L. Butler is the president, with Lynn M. Butler serving as matron.
Other notable temple presidents include Rex D. Pinegar (2002–05); L. Edward Brown (2008–11); and Noel B. Reynolds (2011–14);
Admittance
Upon completion of the temple, the church announced that a public open house would be held from August 6-September 21, 1996 (excluding Sundays). The temple was dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley during 27 sessions from October 13-19, 1996. Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship.[10]