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

Dedicated 15 January 2023
by D. Todd Christofferson

O God, our Eternal Father, Creator of heaven and earth, Author of immortality and eternal life, Thou Great Elohim:

Relying upon the mercy, merits and grace of Thine Only Begotten Son, we humbly call upon Thee to hear us this day as we gather and dedicate to Thee this, the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple.

We thank Thee, Holy Father, for the means Thou hast blessed us with in the Church to build this and many other temples around the world. We thank Thee that this island is now graced with a house of the Lord. We recognize and thank Thee for the faith and sacrifices of those Latter-day Saints in Puerto Rico who actively serve Thee and their fellowman, who diligently fulfill callings, who unselfishly minister, who generously contribute tithes and offerings, and who seek to do Thy will in all things as they patiently walk Thy covenant path.

O Thou who seest all and who keepeth covenant, wilt Thou abundantly bless these faithful Saints. May they never want for bread or any of the necessities of life. Hear their prayers and have respect for their offerings. Strengthen them in faith that they may never be weary in well-doing, that they may not faint by the way. Grant them joy in this mortal sphere and the hope and assurance of eternal life with Thee in Thy celestial kingdom.

We pray for those who have been baptized and have commenced upon the covenant path but who have wandered therefrom or whose commitment has waned. Help us extend to them the hand of fellowship. Renew a desire within their hearts to honor their promises to Thee so that Thou mayest once again bestow a full measure of Thy promises and blessings upon them. As Alma prayed, “Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious; give unto us power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brothers and sisters, again unto thee” (Alma 31:35).

And now, Beloved Father, acting in the authority of the holy Melchizedek Priesthood and under the keys of the President of the Church, we dedicate to Thee this structure, the San Juan Puerto Rico Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate the foundation, the walls and windows, the roof and tower and all other elements of the temple building. We include the arrivals center building adjacent to the temple. We dedicate the rooms, furnishings, implements and equipment to be used in the administration of the temple and its holy ordinances. We dedicate and bless the temple grounds that they may contribute a sense of worship and reverence to honor this holy house and Thy name.

With grateful hearts, we ask Thee to accept this house — now dedicated to Thee — as a worthy offering at our hands. We pray that Thy name may be here, and that it may be a place of holiness from this day forward. We pray that the temple may be protected and preserved from harm, from impurity and from the evil designs of the adversary. May this house of the Lord forever serve Thy purposes in the salvation and exaltation of Thy children, both living and dead.

Dear Father, we pray that the presence of Thy temple on this island may draw down Thy blessings upon Puerto Rico, its people and its leaders. In recent years, they have endured storms and natural disasters that have caused destruction, hardship and suffering. Bless them now with a period of calm and respite and with the time and means to recover and rebuild and to prepare for a brighter future. Remember the poor and the needy, the widows and the fatherless. Guide the government and other leaders of Puerto Rico by the promptings of Thy Holy Spirit to act with wisdom and integrity and selflessly seek the common good. As opportunity arises in the future for the people to decide the political status of Puerto Rico, grant them the wisdom and understanding to know which alternative would best serve them and future generations. May Thy will be done.

We thank Thee for the Restoration of the fullness of the gospel, the priesthood and the Church of Jesus Christ. We thank Thee for the Prophet Joseph Smith who stands at the head of this great and last gospel dispensation. We thank Thee for the Book of Mormon. We pray that the work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the kingdom of God upon the earth, may go forth that the kingdom of heaven may come (Doctrine and Covenants 65:6).

Bless, we pray, Thy servants, the President of the Church, Russell M. Nelson, and his counselors in the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Quorums of the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric, and the leaders and members of the Church at every level in every place. Magnify and protect the missionaries of the Church, past, present and future. Strengthen the stakes and the families of Zion here and across the world, that Zion may be established and prosper.

O Beloved Father, we rejoice in Thee and in this day. We thank Thee for Thy love and long-suffering. Wilt Thou receive this temple, and preserve it in holiness, and preserve each of us in holiness, we pray, in the name of Thy Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, Amen.