HEBER CITY, Utah, Oct. 8, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Construction on the 29th temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah is underway in Heber City.
President Russell M. Nelson presided over a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for the Heber Valley Utah Temple on the 17.9-acre site southeast of 1400 East and Center Street.
The Heber Valley Utah Temple will be the church’s first in Wasatch County. The temple will be three stories and approximately 88,000 square feet, according to a news release.
“Today we will begin the work by breaking ground for a temple in this unique and wonderful valley,” said Nelson, who announced the temple’s construction in October 2021.
Nelson also paid tribute to George Holmes Sr., the original owner of the land where the temple will be built. Holmes was the child of immigrant parents and a World War II veteran who purchased the land with his wife, Clara, in 1946, the release states.
“For years, [Holmes] had dreamt of building a forever home with his beloved Clara,” Nelson said. “In a very real way, his dream will be realized.”
Nelson announced the construction of 18 new temples during the LDS Church’s October 2022 general conference, bringing the total number of temples in operation, under construction or announced to 300, the release states.
Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the most sacred places of worship on earth. The primary purpose of temples is for church members to participate in sacred ceremonies, such as marriages, and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors, church officials said.
