Hermosillo, Sonora, México - Mormon Temple
Hermosillo was one of the first areas in Mexico to have missionaries. In 1877, Brigham Young sent a pair of missionaries to the area. When the prophet died the missionaries returned to Utah. It was seventy-nine years before missionaries returned to the area. Finally mainly due to the perseverance of Franciso Villa Alvarez, who had maintained contact with mission presidents in the area, missionaries returned on 26 June 1956. Since that time the Mormon Church has grown considerably with about 9,000 members in 2000.
Because of the considerable growth in the area President Gordon B. Hinckley promised the Saints during a visit in March of 1998 that a Mormon temple would be built. The Church officially announced the building of the Hermosillo temple on 20 July 1998.
Since the foundation of the Mormon Church, members have built temples. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord explains why He commands His people to build temples, "For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was." For the same reason God commands the prophet Joseph Smith to build temples saying, "Let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people; For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fullness of times."1
Within Mormon temples members make and keep sacred covenants and perform saving ordinances such as proxy baptisms for the dead and marriage sealings. These ordinances are eternal, performed through the priesthood power of God.
During the groundbreaking ceremony Elder Call, President of the Mexico North Area, talked about the eternal nature of temples saying, "A temple is an island of importance in our eternal journey to return to the presence of our Father in Heaven and live with him again after this life. The work done in the temple is eternal. It is a work of love.” 2
Members are encouraged to attend the temple on a regular basis, enriching their own lives and providing service for those that have passed on. God is not a respecter of persons so he has made it possible for those that did not have a chance to receive those ordinances, needed to gain eternal life, while living on earth can receive them by proxy in LDS (Mormon) temples today.
President Hinckley dedicated the Hermosillo temple on 27 February 2000. During the dedicatory prayer he asked the Lord’s blessings upon members of the Church saying, " Keep Thine ancient promises to the faithful. Shower blessings upon them. Crown their lives with a testimony of the truth of this Thy holy work. Bless Thy Saints throughout the earth that they may "look to Thee and live." May they have cause to rejoice in Thy goodness. Favor them with faith and testimony and great joy as they walk in faithfulness before Thee." 3
For more information about Mormon temples visit the sites below:
Mormanity: Mormon Temples and "Secrecy"
History of Mormon Temples
Mormon Temple Ordinances - ReligionFacts.com
(1) D&C 124:37, 40-41
(2) “News of the Church,” Ensign, Mar. 1999, 75
(3) "Dedicatory prayer: ‘A crowning gem,’" Church News 4 Mar. 2000, 25 Jun. 2005