Boise Idaho Temple

The Boise Idaho Temple is the 27th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Leaders of the Church discussed building a temple in the western section of Idaho as early as 1939. But with the majority of the membership in the eastern part of Idaho, the leaders decided against it and concentrated on building the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple. Members in the Boise area were told that a temple would be built in their area when the membership of the Church increased substantially.

Forty-five years later Church leaders announced that a temple would be built in the Boise area. Church leaders wanted a site that would be easily accessible to travelers. After considering numerous locations, they decided on a property that was near an exit from Interstate 84. This location was ideal for those traveling along the highway, and it provided a visible landmark for pilots at the nearby airport.

On December 18, 1982, approximately 5,000 members huddled on the site of the Boise Idaho Temple to witness the groundbreaking ceremony where Elder Mark E. Petersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided.

The Boise Idaho Temple was the first of a new six-spired design that served as a pattern for fourteen other temples built between 1984 and 1989. The design sought to maximize efficiency and space and could also be built at a much lower cost and in a shorter amount of time.

Seventy thousand visitors were expected to tour the temple during the nineteen-day open house. Instead, over 128,000 attended. Because of the open house, interest in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints soared. The Boise Idaho Temple was dedicated on May 25, 1984, by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley. After the dedication, attendance at the temple was much higher than expected. So in October 1986, the temple was closed for renovation and expansion, adding dressing rooms and office space and a new baptistry. After opening in 1987, the temple was able to serve more than 100,000 members in southwestern Idaho and part of eastern Oregon.

The Boise Idaho Temple has a total of 35,325 square feet, four ordinance rooms, and four sealing rooms.

2011 Renovation

On July 11, 2011, the Boise Idaho Temple closed for an extensive 15-month renovation that included a new baptistry entrance, removal of the cafeteria and clothing rental, expansion of the basement, new walls and trim work, raised ceilings, new finishes and furnishings, updated mechanical systems, and structural reinforcement. The landscaping featured new sidewalks (that now connect to the public sidewalks), stairways, benches, planters, and retaining walls; new plants, shrubs, and flowers; a beautiful reflecting pool encased in stone; and a new exterior lighting system. The pearl gray marble tile on the exterior was replaced with temple white granite because the adhesive used to attach the original tile began to seep through and change the appearance of the walls.

On February 16, 2012, a new gold-leafed angel Moroni was placed atop the eastern spire of the Boise Idaho Temple as part of the extensive renovation project. The cornerstone, which had been on the interior of the building since a 1987 expansion project, was quietly relocated to the northeast corner on the exterior of the temple on August 29, 2012.

After the Boise Idaho Temple was renovated, an open house was scheduled prior to the rededication of the temple. The public was invited to visit the temple from Saturday, 13 October through 10 November 2012, excluding Sundays.

The rededication ceremony was scheduled for Sunday 18 November 2012 in three sessions. These temple dedication sessions were broadcast to local Latter-day Saint Church buildings through closed-circuit television, so that Latter-day Saints for whom there was not enough room in the temple could participate in the event. Special recommends stating worthiness are necessary to attend a Latter-day Saint temple dedication, even in an overflow room. Those attending the actual service within the temple walls needed standard temple recommends, while those in overflow locations needed only special use recommends. Children aged 8 and over could attend in overflow locations.

In conjunction with the rededication of the temple, a cultural celebration featuring music and dance was held on Saturday, 17 November 2012. Traditionally, thousands of Latter-day Saints, especially local Latter-day Saint youth participate in such cultural events. The cultural celebration, held the day before, featured 4,000 dancers, 99 fiddlers, and a choir of more than 1,000 singers. The theme of the celebration, “Treasure the Light,” was the inspiration of a representative group of youth leaders who believe that they are who they are today because of the rich heritage of faith, hope and love given to them by their parents, grandparents and all who have gone before them (Meridian Magazine).

On Sunday, November 18, 2012, the Boise Temple was rededicated as a House of the Lord by Church President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson. He was joined for the rededication by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Craig C. Christensen and Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy. Also attending were members of the temple presidency and the temple matrons.

The temple’s darker exterior has been replaced with white granite. A new gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni sits atop the temple’s tallest spire. The temple’s interior now features a syringa flower and trees motif, which can be seen in the art glass and decorative painting. Beautiful grained hardwoods from Africa and the United States add warmth and ambiance. Total floor area is over 35,000 square feet.