Provo, Utah - Mormon Temple
In 1967, an announcement was made that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would construct another Mormon temple in Provo, Utah, to help ease the overcrowding of the Salt Lake, Manti and Logan Temples already in the area.
Since Provo’s early years, a hill just northeast of downtown Provo, was called "Temple Hill." But hopes of a temple being there were cut off when the Maeser Building was built on the hill in 1911 as a part of the Brigham Young University campus. There was however, a seventeen acres block of property just at the base of Rock Canyon, that was still undeveloped when the temple was announced. This area was easily visible from most parts of Provo, and it became the site for the Provo Temple.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 15, 1969 by President Hugh B. Brown and construction soon began. Emil B. Fetzer the architect for the Ogden and Provo temples was asked to create a functional design. Efficiency, convenience, and reasonable cost were all factors. The temple has 128,325 square feet, and 12 sealing rooms. A six-ordinance room design was approved. An outside hallway surrounds these rooms, and all connect to the Celestial Room in the center. The design is very modern with a single spire, but it is also symbolic. The outside of the temple is designed to symbolize the cloud that guided ancient Israel as they wandered in the wilderness by day, and the pillar of fire that guided them by night. Thirty one years after the temples completion, the angel Moroni was added to the temple’s spire.
The dedication of the temple was held February 9, 1972. The prayer was written by President Joseph Fielding Smith and read by President Harold B. Lee. Only two dedicatory services were held because the sessions were broadcast to several large auditoriums on Brigham Young University campus. Included in this broadcast was the 23,000-seat Marriott Activities Center.
The Provo temple is the busiest temple in the world. Much of this is due to the fact that Brigham Young University and the Missionary Training Center are both included in the temples district. However, the Provo temple has led the Church in total number of endowments performed every year since its construction, without counting those done by the missionaries from the MTC and Brigham Young University Students.