Ground Broken for Temple in Phoenix, Arizona, USA
An artist’s rendering of the Phoenix Arizona Temple
Article Highlights
- Church and community leaders broke ground for the Phoenix Arizona Temple on June 4, 2011.
- The one-story temple will sit adjacent to a meetinghouse on five acres.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy and other Church officials joined with community and civic leaders in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, on June 4, 2011, to break ground for the Phoenix Arizona Temple.
Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy, executive director of the Temple Department, also attended, along with Elder Michael D. Pickerd and Elder Jim L. Wright of the Seventy and Ann M. Dibb, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency. Several community and civic leaders in attendance included Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, State Majority Leader Steve Court, and the vice mayor of Phoenix, Thelda Williams. Services were broadcast to area meetinghouses.
Announced by President Thomas S. Monson in April 2008, the one-story Phoenix Temple will sit adjacent to a local meetinghouse on approximately five acres of land.
The three operating temples in Arizona are located in Mesa, Snowflake, and Gila Valley, and serve the nearly 400,000 Latter-day Saints in the state. Construction on the Gilbert Arizona Temple, also announced in April 2008, is ongoing. It is expected to be completed in 2013.
Worldwide there are 134 operating temples and 26 announced or under construction.
