Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Calgary Alberta Temple, the 140th temple in the Church, on Sunday, 28 October 2012.
Three dedicatory sessions were held to give members of the Church an opportunity to participate in the special meeting, which was broadcast to meetinghouses throughout the temple district.
A return to Canada is about like going home, said President Monson, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Ever since he was called in1959 to preside over the Canadian Mission, with headquarters in Toronto, he has had a great love for the country.
"Many of our missionaries – to the Canadian Mission – came from Alberta," President Monson told the Church News a few days before the temple dedication. "They were all very good missionaries. I look forward to being there with some of them and other members."
After arriving in Canada, he said, "Whether east or west, north or south, I love Canada and all our members here. I have a special place in my heart for this land and its people."
Assisting President Monson for the traditional cornerstone ceremony prior to the dedication were Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Craig C. Christensen and Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy and temple president and matron, Blair S. and Mary Jane C. Bennett.
During the traditional cornerstone ceremony where the final block is cemented in place, President Monson said to those gathered, “Remember what you feel here as well as what you see here. This is a very good occasion."
"I think we have had the privilege and opportunity to dispel a lot misconceptions,” explained Latter-day Saint, Cathy Swendsen. “People [will be able to] understand that we have a faith that is based in Jesus Christ.”
Sarah Gossling, who attended the temple dedication, said the experience gives her a starting point from which to tell others about how much the temple means to her. “It makes it so much easier to talk to my friends and acquaintances all about the temple and my beliefs.”
The temple means a closeness to God for John Swendsen.
"It's like a community of saints here, and for me personally, when there's a temple in your midst, you have greater connectedness to things spiritual.”
A choir composed of Latter-day Saints from within the temple district sang Church hymns for the dedication and cornerstone ceremony.
Georges and Huguette Bourget watched the first session from the chapel near their home in Raymond, Alberta, after having toured the temple earlier in the month with their family. Several sessions of the dedication were broadcast live to several Church meetinghouses in southern Alberta on Sunday.
Bourget said, "It felt good to see Elder Ballard and President Monson, who are always involved with Church events in Canada." Bourget was impressed with the beauty and majesty of the temple, noting the wall murals of scenes picturing the Rocky Mountains near their home.
The exterior of the three-story, 33,000-square-foot temple features gray granite from China. The building stands 35 meters tall and is crowned with a 3-meter gilded statue of the angel Moroni, who is significant to Latter-day Saints for his role in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The temple will serve 25,000 Latter-day Saints in the district, which includes Calgary and the surrounding communities from Banff in the west to Drumheller in the east.
The dedication was preceded by a cultural celebration featuring music and dance by the Canadian youth of the Church in the Stampede Corral Saturday evening.
More than 100,000 visitors toured the temple during the three-week public open house from 29 September through 20 October 2012.
The Calgary Temple is the eighth in Canada. There are also temples in Cardston, Edmonton, Vancouver, Regina, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. A ninth Canadian temple has been announced for Winnipeg, Manitoba.
( Download high-resolution version of this infographic.)
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.
Downloadable, broadcast-quality Calgary Temple Cornerstone Ceremony B-Roll video is available for news media use:
Downloadable, broadcast-quality Calgary Temple B-Roll video is available for news media use:
http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/ 2012-01-2030-calgary-canada-temple-open-house-hd-eng.mov ?download=true
Downloadable, broadcast-quality Cultural Celebration highlights video is available for news media use:
http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/ 2012-10-1000-cultural-celebr-highlights-720-hd-8000k-eng.mov ?download=true
Downloadable, broadcast-quality Cultural Celebration B-Roll video is available for news media use:
http://broadcast.lds.org/newsroom/ 2012-10-1000-cultural-celebration-sots-h.264-720-8000k-eng.mov ?download=true