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Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple is the 95th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In March 1999, Church members in Oklahoma learned that a temple would be built in their area. Needless to say, the members were ecstatic that they would not have to travel the nearly 200 miles to the Dallas Texas Temple.

Years earlier, the Church had purchased land on which to build a meetinghouse. With the purchase of this land, the sellers donated an additional parcel of land. The meetinghouse was built and the members enjoyed using the additional land for social and sporting events. When asked in 1999 if they could give up their baseball field for a temple, the local members were both willing and eager.

Aftermath of Devastating Tornado and Groundbreaking Ceremony

The groundbreaking for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple took place on 3 July 1999, in Yukon, Oklahoma. During the groundbreaking ceremony local Church leader David Lawton spoke of the tornado that just two months earlier had devastated the area, "I feel, in looking back, that there was a great purpose of the Lord in the tornado: 1) It strengthened us – helped us all remember how temporary the things of this world are. [They are] not to be relied on, and 2) It . . . temper[ed] opposition to our Temple."^[1]

Before the tornado, there was a great deal of uncertainty and misunderstanding about the Latter-day Saints and their Church. But after the devastating tornado, there were over 100,000 Latter-day Saints from Oklahoma and neighboring states that gave help to those families, businesses, schools, and churches in need. Latter-day Saints that helped out the community also helped others view the members of the Church in a different light.

Although it was devastating, many local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints agreed that the tornado helped prepare the way for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple to be built in that community. Church leaders were able to move forward with the building of the temple without any substantial difficulty or resistance.

Open House and Temple Dedication

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple open house began on 15 July 2000 with over 40,000 visitors touring the temple in the seven-day period. Organizers experimented with having half of the tours self-guided and the other half with a guide. They quickly discovered that the guided tours were far more successful and soon arranged for all tours to be assisted by a guide. In fact, the guided tours were so successful that they were used as a reference for future open houses in Latter-day Saint temples. By the end of the week, fifteen hundred copies of the Book of Mormon were placed and thirty-eight missionary referrals were received.

President James E. Faust, First Counselor in the First Presidency dedicated the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple on 30 July 2000. In the dedicatory prayer, President Faust said, "We pray for Thy cause and kingdom, that it may grow stronger in this community. May all who have favored Thy cause be blessed for that which they have done. May many continue to seek for knowledge concerning Thy work until they have embraced Thy restored gospel . . . May none of evil intent enter the portals of Thy house. May the defiling hand of the vandal and the destroyed be kept from the exterior. May all who pass this way recognize Thy temple as a sacred and beautiful structure built unto Thy Holy Name."^[2]

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple has a total floor area of 10,769 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.

Renovation

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the closure of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple for extensive renovations. The temple closed in October 2017. The renovations have helped maintain functionality, efficiency, and beauty. The temple received mechanical upgrades along with updates in finishes and furnishings.

A Gallery of Pictures of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple

The following pictures are from Church News and are ©2019 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.

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  Artistic Detail

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  Baptistry

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  Bride's Room

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  Bride's Room

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  Celestial Room

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  Celestial Room

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  Instruction Room

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  Instruction Room

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  Instruction Room

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  Painting of Christ

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  Recommend Desk

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  Sealing Room

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple Is Rededicated

When extensive renovations for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were completed, a one-week open house (Wednesday, 24 April through Wednesday, 1 May 2019, excluding Sunday, 28 April 2019) was held, which allowed the public the opportunity to see inside the temple and to learn about why Latter-day Saints attend the temple.

President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church rededicated the temple in one session at 10:00 am, Sunday, 19 May 2019. Attendance at the session was by invitation, and the rededication session was not broadcast to local meetinghouses. President Eyring said he prays the members of the Church will remember this day of rededication. he said, "It will benefit our ancestors. Don’t forget that our ancestors are real. They are waiting and when we do their [temple] work, the warm feeling [we feel] is the Spirit. That warm feeling will stay with you forever."

The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple serves Latter-day Saints in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri.

References

See also

• Inside Mormon Temples
• Mormon Temples
• The Temple Endowment
• Mormon Undergarments
• LDS Weddings

External Links

• Official Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple page
• Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple page
• Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple dedicatory prayer, 2000
• Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple dedicatory prayer, 2019
• What Are Temples?
• Church News, “Inside Church Headquarters: The location, design and construction of Latter-day Saint temples
• FamilySearch RootsTech, Temple Invitation by Russell M. Nelson

Videos of the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple