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

Dedicated 8 September 2002
by Gordon B. Hinckley

Almighty God, God of our fathers, we come before Thee in solemn prayer in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world.

Our hearts are filled with gratitude. We thank Thee that Thou has moved in this dispensation to part the curtains and reveal Thyself and Thy Son to the boy Joseph to usher in a new and glorious gospel dispensation, the dispensation of the fulness of times. We thank Thee for the restoration of the priesthood with all of its keys and authority. We thank Thee for the testimony of the Book of Mormon as another witness of the divinity of Thy Beloved Son. We thank Thee for those who came to this land in early days to preach Thine everlasting gospel, and for the faith of those who through the generations have accepted it and lived it and sought to strengthen Thy work. The faithful of this land have given so much for their testimony of Thy divine work. Bless to our memory all who have gone before, and bless mightily those who now walk in faith before Thee.

Dear Father, we plead with Thee that this day of dedication may herald a new day in this great nation. Touch the hearts and the minds of the people of the land. Lead them from the pursuit of the things of the world to a new yearning for knowledge of Thee and for things divine and eternal. Open their hearts and cause them to wish for and search for that eternal truth which comes alone from Thee.

Bless those who have been called to teach the gospel to this nation that they may be led by Thy Holy Spirit to those who will accept their message. May there be a great flowering of Thy work in this nation and in all of the lands of Europe. These people are Thy sons and daughters. These are Thy children. We pray that Thou wilt stretch Thine encircling arm to embrace them with the truths of Thine eternal gospel. May strong leaders rise up in ever increasing numbers that Thy cause and kingdom may grow and fill the measure for which Thou hast restored it.

Dear Father, we lift our voices in praying for the youth of the Saints. Save them from the adversary. Open to them a vision of their divine birthright as sons and daughters of God. Bless them to treasure virtue, to turn from the sordid evils of the world and walk according to Thy pattern.

We thank Thee now for this beautiful and sacred house. We have waited so long for it. Our hearts look to Thee with profound gratitude.

And now, acting in the authority of the holy priesthood which Thou hast restored to the earth, and in the name of Jesus Christ, Thy divine Son and our Redeemer, we dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and unto Him this The Hague Netherlands Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate the ground on which it stands with the beautiful vegetation found thereon. We dedicate the structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni which crowns its steeple. We dedicate the walls and the windows from the foundation to the roof. We dedicate the interior, the baptistry, the endowment rooms, the beautiful celestial room, the sealing rooms and their sacred altars, and every other room and space and facility found herein. Altogether they constitute the House of the Lord presented by Thy thankful people with holiness unto Thee.

Wilt Thou accept of it. May it be pleasing to Thee.

May Thy Holy Spirit constantly dwell herein. May it touch the hearts and minds of all who enter these walls. We dedicate this sacred structure for the work Thou hast caused to be accomplished in behalf of both the living and the dead.

May all who participate come with clean hands and pure hearts. May their minds be opened to an understanding of the things of eternity. May a great and necessary work be accomplished here in behalf of the living, as well as those who have passed beyond the veil of death. May there be a binding together of the generations that the blessings of eternal exaltation may be opened to both the living and the dead.

Give us greater understanding, dear Father, of Thine eternal plan of happiness for Thy children. Increase our knowledge of Thy ways and Thy purposes in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

May this Thy sacred house be preserved by Thy power from storm and tempest and from defilement of any kind. May it ever be a place of holiness, Thy hallowed sanctuary. May Thy Saints treasure it and look toward it with love and appreciation and gratitude.

We pray for those who will conduct the work here, for the temple presidency, the matron and her assistants, and all of the ordinance workers. We pray for those who will exercise the divine sealing authority under which families are bound together for time and all eternity. We pray for all who will serve in any capacity. And we pray particularly for those who come as patrons that they may rejoice in their opportunity, that they may be subdued in their minds as they contemplate the eternal consequences of that which they do, and that they may carry with them throughout their lives a binding consciousness of the covenants they will make in this Thy house.

Holy Father, we pray for Thy work throughout the earth. Bless all who serve as messengers of eternal truth among the nations. Bless all who administer Thy work in whatever capacity. Bless and prosper the faithful Saints who pay their tithes and offerings that Thy work may go forward. Bless those who preside in Thy Church and kingdom and give them strength and capacity to carry on.

We pray for this nation that peace may reign among the people. We pray that there may ever be freedom in the land. We pray that its citizens may always have cause to be grateful for the land of their birth.

Now, beloved Father, we seek Thy forgiveness of past sins and pray for strength to overcome our weaknesses. Help us to live closer to Thee. Let knowledge of things divine flood our minds with light and understanding. May we look to Thee and live.

For these blessings we humbly pray with grateful hearts in the name of Thy Beloved Son, our Lord, our Savior, our Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, amen.