Albuquerque New Mexico Temple facts for kids

Albuquerque New Mexico Temple
Number	73	edit data
Dedicated	Quick facts for kids March 5, 2000 (March 5, 2000) by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site	8.5 acres (3.4 hectares)
Floor area	34,245 sq ft (3,181 m2)
Preceded by	Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple
Followed by	Oaxaca Mexico Temple
Official website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples/details/albuquerque-new-mexico-temple • News & images
Additional information Announced April 4, 1997 Groundbreaking June 20, 1998 by Lynn A. Mickelsen Open House February 17–26, 2000 Current President H. Vern Payne Designed by Fanning Bard & Tatum Location 10301 San Francisco Drive NE Albuquerque, New Mexico United States Exterior finish Desert Rose pre-cast concrete trimmed with Texas pearl granite Temple design Classic modern, single-spire design Ordinance rooms 2 (Movie, stationary sessions) Sealing rooms 3 Clothing rental Yes Cafeteria Full Visitors' center No

The Albuquerque New Mexico Temple is a special building belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called the LDS Church. It was the 73rd temple built by the Church. Temples are important places where members of the Church go to make promises to God and learn more about their faith.

Building the Temple

Starting the Project

Work on the Albuquerque New Mexico Temple began with a special event called a "groundbreaking" ceremony. This happened on June 20, 1998. It's a tradition where leaders and members gather to officially start the construction. About 6,500 members of the Church came to this event. A large choir of 600 young people sang music for everyone there.

Opening the Doors

Before the temple was officially opened, there was a 10-day "open house." During this time, about 70,000 people, including those who were not members of the Church, were able to tour the inside of the temple. This allowed the community to see the beautiful building.

The temple was officially dedicated on March 5, 2000. Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the worldwide president of the LDS Church at that time, led the dedication ceremony. During a special prayer, he shared his hope that the temple would help members focus on their families.

Temple Features

The Albuquerque New Mexico Temple serves about 55,000 members of the Church. These members live in New Mexico and parts of nearby Arizona and Colorado. The temple is built on a large piece of land, about 8.5 acres (3.4 hectares), in northeast Albuquerque.

The outside of the temple is made from a special material called desert rose pre-cast concrete. It has pretty details made from Texas pearl granite. On top of the single tower, there is a golden statue of the angel Moroni. This angel is an important symbol for the Church. The temple building itself is quite large, with a total of 34,245 square feet (3,181.5 square meters). Inside, it has two special rooms for ceremonies and three rooms where families can be sealed together forever.

Recent Times

In 2020, like all other temples of the Church around the world, the Albuquerque New Mexico Temple temporarily closed. This was done to help keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

See also

In Spanish: Templo de Albuquerque para niños