Jordan River Utah Temple

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The Jordan River Temple at night (building entrance or east side)

The Jordan River Utah Temple is the 20th constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in South Jordan, Utah, it was built with a modern single-spire design very similar to the Bern Switzerland Temple.

A site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony were held on June 9, 1979. The ceremony and dedication were presided over by Spencer W. Kimball. Instead of the usual small ceremonial shovel-full of dirt at the groundbreaking, President Kimball used a large power scoop shovel to begin the building process. The Jordan River Temple was open to the public for tours September 29th through October 31, 1981. Over half a million people toured the temple during its open house.

Marion G. Romney, a member of the Church's First Presidency, dedicated the Jordan River Temple in fifteen sessions held during November 16th through the 20th 1981. More than 160,000 members attended the dedicatory services. Thirty of those in attendance at the dedication were elderly men and women who had been at the historic dedication of the first temple in the Salt Lake Valley, the Salt Lake Temple. Most had been very young at the time but still remembered the event. The Jordan River Temple serves Mormon members in Southern Salt Lake County, Utah. Geographically, it is the smallest Mormon temple district in the world, but the temple is one of the Church's busiest.

The Jordan River Utah Temple is the fourth largest Mormon temple and has a total of 148,236 square feet, six ordinance rooms, and seventeen sealing rooms. The temple also has the largest capacity, with each ordinance room able to accommodate 125 people. The temple site is 15 acres. The exterior of the temple is finished with cast stone with white marble chips. Unlike many of the temples, which are built mostly with tithing funds, the Jordan River Temple site was given to the Church and all of its construction was paid for by members in the 134 stakes within the temple district.