Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dedicated 16 July 2000
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Almighty God, Thou great Elohim, we bow before Thee in humble and reverent prayer on this solemn day of dedication.

We are met to consecrate unto Thee another temple of the Lord wherein Thy great and eternal purposes concerning Thy sons and daughters may be accomplished.

We have built this, and other temples, in obedience to Thy command, and unto Thee we present this sacred house as our offering, given in love.

Acting in the name of our Divine Redeemer, and in the authority of that priesthood which has come from Thee, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and to Thy Beloved Son this the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

We dedicate the ground on which it stands, that it may be holy and beautiful with the adornment of nature. We dedicate the building in its entirety, from the footings on which it rests to the figure of Moroni atop its steeple, with all of the parts and portions thereof, including the beautiful baptistry, the endowment rooms, the wonderful celestial room, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, and all of the halls, offices, and other facilities.

May they provide a shelter of peace from the noise and clamor of the world, a refuge in time of distress, a sanctuary where Thy sons and daughters may come to commune with Thee in sacred and solemn prayer.

Save this Thy House from the pollution of the world. May no unholy hand desecrate it or defile it in any way. May no unrighteous tongue speak out against it, but may it be looked upon by all who see it as a house that is holy unto Thee.

Protect it from the ravages of the storms that will beat upon it. Keep it ever secure and inviolate.

Bless those who labor here that they may be crowned with "glory, and honor, and priesthood, and gifts of the priesthood" (D&C 124:95).

Wilt Thou be pleased to honor it with Thy presence, and cause Thy Holy Spirit to dwell here and touch the hearts of all who labor in these sacred precincts.

Grant unto Thy Saints a vision of the great and eternal work for which it has been constructed. May Thy people come here frequently and be refreshed by a knowledge of Thine eternal and everlasting purposes in behalf of Thy children of all generations. Wilt Thou smile upon them from Thy dwelling place on high and cause their thoughts to reach up to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son who, through the gift of His life, brought salvation unto all of Thy sons and daughters, and the opportunity of exaltation to all who walk in obedience to Thy commandments.

We pray that Thou wilt grant strength and vitality to the temple presidency, the matron and her assistants, and to all who serve here in Thy glorious work. May those who come as patrons be edified and be given the assurance of Thine acceptance of all that they do.

We remember before Thee Thy cause and kingdom in all the earth, wherever it may be established. Bless Thy servants who go from this house to teach the doctrines of salvation. Lead them to those who will accept the truth, that Thy kingdom may grow, that faith may increase in the earth, and that Thine everlasting covenant may be established.

O Father, we remember before Thee Thy servants who are called to lead this work in all the earth. Give unto them wisdom and foresight, inspiration and revelation as they serve Thee in righteousness and truth.

We thank Thee for this nation in which this temple stands. It was established by men whom Thou didst raise up unto this very purpose. Thou hast spoken concerning the Constitution of its government. Surely it is a choice land and a favored nation. Prosper the cause of righteousness among its people, that it may remain a land choice above all other lands "with liberty and justice for all."

Now, Beloved Father, we bow before Thee on this day of dedication, and rededicate our lives and all that Thou hast blessed us with to the strengthening of Thy work and the building of Thy kingdom, that we may assist in bringing righteousness upon the land, with glory unto Thee, we humbly pray, in the name of our Redeemer, Thy Beloved Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Rededicated 17 November 2019
by Quentin L. Cook

Almighty Father, Thou great Elohim, we come before Thee in love and humility, in the name of Thy Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and thanksgiving. In this holy house, we bow in reverent prayer to praise and honor Thee and to rededicate the beautiful Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple unto Thee for its sacred purposes.

We are profoundly grateful for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in these latter days. We love and appreciate Thy chosen instrument for this purpose, the Prophet Joseph Smith. We thank Thee for the restoration events, including heavenly messengers restoring sacred priesthood keys that extend the opportunity for each of Thy children to attain salvation and exaltation.

We express gratitude for the Constitution and Bill of Rights of this great nation. We acknowledge the protections for religious freedom and the free exercise of our faith that are embedded in these inspired documents. In our petition to Thee, we pray for those who govern this nation that they may be inspired to protect freedom of religion for the people of this great land. Please bless leaders in all nations to protect the religious and moral tenets set forth in the restored gospel.

We acknowledge the faithful Saints whose consecrated contributions have made possible the reconstruction of this sacred edifice. Please bless them for their faithfulness. Open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon them.

We pray that the faithful Saints in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas will be blessed with love and peace. Bless them in their righteous undertakings that they may be protected and that they will be prospered, and their lands will be productive. We especially pray that they will be protected from the storms of nature as they strive to live the gospel.

Now, Beloved Father, in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, and acting under the direction of Thy servant President Russell M. Nelson, and in the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood, we rededicate and reconsecrate, this, the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We rededicate it unto Thee and unto Thy Beloved Son as Thy holy house. We pray that it will be accepted as a loving offering and that Thy Spirit may dwell here.

We include in this rededication today the blessings promised by President Gordon B. Hinckley at the time of the original dedication on July 16, 2000, to the families in this temple district.

We rededicate the hallowed ground on which this temple stands and the beautiful vegetation growing thereon. We rededicate the structures from the footings and foundation to the figure of Moroni which crowns its steeple.

We rededicate the sacred baptistry, the initiatory, endowment, sealing, and celestial rooms, and every other ancillary facility and feature of this hallowed edifice.

We bow in reverence before Thee at the great and eternal plan Thou hast provided. Please touch the hearts of the people here in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas that the Spirit of Elijah may turn those hearts to their ancestors, that they may be motivated to search for their forebears and do vicarious work in their behalf. May they experience the profound joy that emanates from unselfish service and emulates the great vicarious sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We pray for the president and matron of this temple together with the counselors in the presidency and the assistants to the matron. Grant them strength and energy to carry forth the work in this Thy holy house. Bless the patrons and the temple workers who will serve in this Thy sanctuary that their hearts will be filled with joy, and Thy watch care will be over them.

We pray for those who serve as missionaries here and throughout the world. Bless them, inspire them, sustain them and lead them to those who look for eternal truth.

Please bless all who have been called to serve in Thy kingdom and in particular those who labor under Thy direction at the head of this work in all the world.

Preserve this, Thy holy house, from defilement of any kind. May the thoughts of those who enter here be lifted to things of everlasting worth.

Preserve this sacred structure from the destructive forces of nature, from storms, and earthquakes and all such destructive elements.

On this historic day in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for these blessings we plead as we rededicate this, Thy temple, and invoke Thy blessing upon it and all who serve herein. We do so in the name of Him whom we love and worship as our Redeemer, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.