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

Dedicated 26–27 August 2000
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Our beloved Father in heaven, our Father and our God, Thou Almighty Elohim, we bow before Thee in reverence on this day of dedication. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for this Thy holy house. We have waited for this day when there should stand in our midst a temple of God, a House of the Lord where we may serve Thee according to the pattern which Thou hast revealed.

Herein will be exercised the fulness of the everlasting priesthood, which comes from Thee, in administering those ordinances which are eternal in their nature. This sacred structure becomes the bridge that reaches from mortality to life beyond the grave.

With living proxies acting in behalf of those who are dead, baptisms will be performed, ordinances and covenants will be administered, and the great crowning sealing of husbands and wives, and parents and children will take place.

How glorious and complete is Thy plan for the salvation and exaltation of Thy children of all generations. How tremendous is our obligation to carry forward this great vicarious work in their behalf.

And now, as Thy servants acting in the authority of the everlasting priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ, we consecrate and dedicate to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son this the Houston Texas Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It is our gift of love to Thee, dear Father, and to Him who is our Redeemer. Wilt Thou accept it and let Thy Holy Spirit be felt here constantly. Wilt Thou endow it with a special sanctity for all who enter these walls. May no unworthy individual pass the portals of this Thy house.

We dedicate the grounds, the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni, the various rooms and facilities, including the Baptistry, the endowment rooms, the celestial room, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, and all other facilities which are a part of this structure. All together comprise the House of the Lord.

To paraphrase Thy words, the time has fully come when Elijah has appeared, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse.

The keys of this dispensation are committed into our hands, and by this we may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors. (See D&C 110:14-16.)

We pray that all who look upon this house may do so with respect. Hold back the hand of the vandal and the spoiler that its beauty shall not be marred and its sanctity violated.

Let Thy blessings rest upon all who will serve here. Smile with favor upon the temple presidency, the matron and her assistants, and all who labor with them in administering the great and singular work for which this temple has been erected. Let Thy Holy Spirit touch the hearts of all who come as patrons. Manifest unto them the importance of that which they do and grant them satisfaction in their service.

Bless Thy work throughout the world. Grant faith and strength to all who have embraced it that they may keep the faith. Bless the families of the Church with security and unity and love. Let Thy sustaining hand rest upon Thy people. Magnify them. Prosper them. Let them feel of Thine overpowering love.

Smile with favor upon Thy servants whom Thou hast appointed to preside over this work. Lengthen their days and guide them in their ways and words that they may always walk with the love and confidence of Thy faithful Saints.

We so pray on this day of dedication for these and all other blessings of which we may stand in need. We rededicate ourselves and that with which Thou hast blessed us in the name of our Redeemer, the Savior of the world, Thine own Beloved Son, even the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Rededicated 22 April 2018
by M. Russell Ballard

Our beloved Father in Heaven, with deep love and reverence for Thee and Thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we Thy children join together to rededicate the beautiful Houston Texas Temple, which suffered great damage as a result of flooding caused by the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 25-29, 2017 — exactly 17 years from the day of dedication. We pray for those whose homes, health, or employment were adversely impacted by the hurricane and floods.

We acknowledge the dedicatory prayer pronounced by Thy prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, on Aug. 26–27, 2000. We petition that all of President Hinckley’s blessings on the temple and upon families and Thy work throughout the world remain in force.

We come here today to rededicate the temple under the direction of thy prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, who, in his first address as President of the Church, taught us that, “The ordinances of the temple and the covenants [we] make [here] are key to strengthening [our lives], [our] marriage and family, and [our] ability to resist the attacks of the adversary.” We thank Thee for our beloved prophet.

Now, after the hurricane and the flooding, and as a result of the damage requiring extensive repairs and restoration, we rededicate:

• The flooded basement and baptistery

• The main floor

• Areas of the upper floor damaged by high humidity, and

• The temple grounds and ancillary buildings.

Additionally, we dedicate:

• The new mechanical and electrical equipment and

• Those new devices which will help prevent flooding in the temple should there ever be a recurrence of catastrophic flooding.

We ask Thee Heavenly Father for protection over Thy temple that Thy sacred work for the living and for the deceased may continue from this day forward. May Thy children come here often to make covenants and receive ordinances for themselves and for their kindred dead. Please bless all Thy children in this temple district to keep Thy commandments, preparing them for all Thy promised blessings to those who love Thee and seek Thy holy presence.

Bless all who are called to serve herein as they have been assigned, particularly the temple presidency, the matron, the assistants to the matron, and all who serve with them in administering the ordinances of this House of the Lord to Thy children with love and reverence for Thee.

Bless all who come as patrons that they will understand the significance of their own blessings and the eternal consequence of the service they render on behalf of those in the spirit world.

May Thy work on both sides of the veil progress as Thou hast revealed to Thy prophet, President Joseph F. Smith in the 138th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Father, we remember all Thy children wherever in this world they may live — some suffering greatly for one reason or another. Give them comfort and peace, and may each one of us do what we can to serve them and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And now as Thy servants acting in the authority of the everlasting priesthood and in the name of Jesus Christ, we consecrate and rededicate to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son this, the Houston Texas Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter­-day Saints.

May our hearts be filled with love as we pray for one another throughout the world. We rejoice today to once again have this, Thy Holy House, the Houston Texas Temple, available for our blessing and the blessing of all Thy children. We acknowledge Thy hand in all things and pronounce this dedicatory blessing in the name of Thy Beloved Son, whose atoning sacrifice enables all the blessings of the temple to be efficacious in this world, as well as beyond the veil, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.