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President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shakes hands with Sister Olufunmilayo Ojediran, wife of Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran of the Seventy, as he arrives for the dedication of the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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The Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, pictured on the day of its dedication Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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Members of the church wait in line for one of two dedicatory sessions Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, poses for photos with Elder Kevin R. Duncan, General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Nancy Duncan, prior to the first session of the dedication of the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023.

Courtesy Intellectual Reserve

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It was more than six years ago that then-President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a temple would be built in Saratoga Springs. On Monday, it opened as a working temple.

President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the temple Sunday during two sessions that members of the church either could attend in person or watch in meeting houses throughout the temple district, which includes 33 stakes in Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain and Lehi in the northwest portion of Utah County.

As part of the dedication, Eyring encouraged members to “respond with faith and energy to the new house of the Lord.”

It’s the church’s 179th dedicated temple, and the first of six around the globe to be dedicated in a period of less than two months, with three more scheduled for Sept. 17 and two on Oct. 8, according to temple department scheduling.

Church members “have been given this temple as a sign of the Lord’s trust … and His confidence that (they) will respond with greater faith and energy,” Eyring said. “This temple is where you can draw more often on the powers of temple covenants. He knows your hearts. He knows your desire to be lifted and to become a more righteous people — just as the world becomes more contentious and fallen.”

In addition to the 179 dedicated temples, 57 are under construction or completed and awaiting dedication, and 79 more locations have been announced and are in planning stages — for a total of 315.

During President Russell M. Nelson’s five and a half years as president of the church, he has announced 133 of the 315.

“Prophets of God have always keenly felt the Lord’s desire to provide temples for His children,” Eyring said. “I have been blessed to see how the Lord reveals the location of temples through His prophets.”

“Every president of the church has felt inspiration to make temple ordinances available to bless the Saints,” he added. “They have been inspired to build temples closer to the members, wherever those members live.”

Eyring explained that when he served as a member of the Presiding Bishopric, he was able to observe that inspiration. “Part of my assignment was to help develop the process of determining where temples should be built. One major objective was to strategically place temples to reduce the travel time of patrons,” he said.

Temples are operating, under construction or planned in 39 of the 50 United States and in 74 countries and territories. The Saratoga Springs temple is Utah’s 18th, and the fifth in Utah County. The Orem temple will hold its open house from Oct. 21 to Dec. 16 and will be dedicated on Jan. 21, 2024. A temple in Lindon is under construction.

“In some places, members may still be required to make heavy sacrifices to enter a temple of God. Yet, the Lord is also generously directing the placement of new temples where members already have temples close by. That is your joy in this new Saratoga Springs Utah Temple,” Eyring said.

Other working temples in Utah County are situated in American Fork, Payson and two in Provo. In Utah, 10 additional temples are under construction or soon to be dedicated — for a total of 28.

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