Guadalajara Mexico Mormon Temple

With the dedication of the Guadalajara Mexico temple, Mexico now has twelve operating temples. The first temple in Mexico City was dedicated in 1983. Since that time The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown considerably in Mexico. The Guadalajara temple, located in Mexico’s second largest city, will serve more than 60,000 members in southwestern Mexico.

During the groundbreaking ceremony Elder Eran A. Call of the Seventy remarked, “What a blessing it is that I was a mission president here just 29 years ago,” he said. “We had four little branches here then. Now there are eight stakes [a group of congregations]. This is a great time to have a temple in Guadalajara.”1

The new Mormon temple is small but completely functional. President Hinckley said, “Every ordinance which is given in the Salt Lake Temple, the largest in the Church, is also given in every other temple, including these smaller structures. The fact is that they are not so small. They are commodious, and they are beautiful. They represent the ultimate in our worship and the ultimate in blessings offered.” 2

It is part of President Hinckley’s dream to build small temples, because he realizes that the people, “need nearby temples—small, beautiful, serviceable temples.” 3

And as Elder Call read at the groundbreaking ceremony the building of temples is also fulfillment of President Lorenzo Snow’s prophesy that, “the time will come when there will be temples established over every portion of the land, and we will go into these temples and work for our kindred dead night and day, that the work of the Lord may be speedily accomplished, that Jesus may come and present the kingdom to His Father.” 4

Within Mormon temples members of the Church perform saving ordinances for themselves and for those who died without having a chance to perform the ordinances for themselves. These saving ordinances ensure that those who accept the gospel of Jesus Christ will be able to walk through the gates of heaven and return to live with God and their families, being sealed for eternity.

The dedication of the Guadalajara temple filled church members with joy, and about 6,500 members attended the temple dedication. Graciela Garcia, a member of the Moctezuma Ward, said, “I can’t describe the emotion that filled us as … our beloved prophet blessed our homes, our country and its leaders, and our land.” 5

President Hinckley dedicated the Guadalajara temple on 29 April 2001. During the dedication prayer President Hinckley blessed the country, leaders, and people of Mexico saying, “We thank Thee for the progress of Thy work in this great nation of Mexico. Move it forward, dear Father. Touch the lives and hearts of great numbers of people who will hearken to the message of truth and come into the fold of Christ. Bring about the miracle of conversion among the great and good people of this land. May those who govern look upon Thy people with respect and with a desire to be helpful. Wilt Thou bless them and the nation for their friendliness to Thy work.” 6

Physical Address:
AV. PATRIA #879
FRACC. JARDINES TEPEYAC
45030 ZAPOPAN JAL
MEXICO

Mailing address:
c/o Mexico Area Administration Office
POUCH
Mexico
Phone:   (52) 333-125-1283/84/85

For more information about Mormon temples visit the sites below:

LDS (Mormon) Temple resources
LDS Temples – Mormon Temples – Salt Lake Temple
Teachings About Mormon Temples
(1) Church News, 26 June 1999
(2) Gordon B. Hinckley, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 4
(3) Gordon B. Hinckley, “New Temples to Provide ‘Crowning Blessings’ of the Gospel,” Ensign, May 1998, 87
(4) Church News, 26 June 1999
(5) News of the Church,” Ensign, July 2001, 74
(6) “Dedicatory prayer: ‘We pray for those who shall serve in this Thy house,’” Church News 5 May 2001, 25 Jun. 2005