Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple
The Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple was first announced by Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the 178th semiannual general conference in October 2018. The temple, which will provide worship opportunities for Cambodia’s 15,000 Latter-day Saints, will be located on Russian Confederation Street, between the Cambodia Institute of Technology and the Institute of Foreign Languages near the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
During his recent ministry tour in Southeast Asia, President Nelson made his first visit to Cambodia. On Tuesday evening, 19 November 2019, he greeted hundreds of gathered Church members at the Premier Centre Sen Sok in Phnom Penh. During his message, which was transmitted to all congregations in Cambodia, he unveiled an artist’s rendering of what will become one of the Church’s most sacred worship spaces — the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
As the image was displayed on a large screen in the auditorium, the prophet said, "Isn't that beautiful? We don’t know when the temple will be completed. But I do know this, difficult as it is to build a temple, it is even more difficult to build a people ready for the temple. Preparation of the temple includes members of your family. Your preparation of yourself will bless the members of your family."
President Nelson reminded the members that an important part of the preparation is understanding the temple recommend interview questions that each Latter-day Saint must answer prior to entering a house of the Lord. He said, "Those questions are public knowledge. But your answers to those questions are very sacred and confidential. Your helpers and you will work on your preparation so that you may become worthy to receive all the blessings of the holy temple. I promise you that as you become worthy of that temple recommend, miracles will happen in your life."
President Nelson also reminded the many youth present of their "religious responsibility to get a good education." He said, "This education is the "difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help other people." He concluded by praising the Cambodian Saints for being upstanding citizens in their community. He said, "I am very optimistic about the future of Cambodia."
Sister Wendy Nelson, the wife of President Nelson, and Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Kathy, accompanied President Nelson on the seven-day trip to four southeast Asia countries. Each spoke at the Tuesday evening devotional.
