Kona Hawaii Temple
Encyclopedia
The Kona Hawaii Temple is the 70th operating temple
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii
and is the second temple built in Hawaii
, along with the Laie Hawaii Temple
. It is the sixth temple built in the Pacific Islands.
of the Seventy held less than a year later on March 13, 1999. Approximately 1,200 people attended the groundbreaking ceremonies. Dickson, Donald L. Hallstrom
, an Area Seventy, Hilo stake president John Sakamaki and Kona stake president Philip A. Harris each spoke at the ceremony. Dickson turned over the first shovelful of dirt, after which other onlookers, including many children, also participated.
The structure itself was constructed in concrete, white marble and some native materials. Architects used a simple classical design featuring a single spire, similar to other smaller temples constructed by the Church at the same time.
Upon completion, an open house was held from January 12-15, 2000.
dedicated the Kona Hawaii Temple on January 23-24, 2000. President Hinckley was accompanied to the dedication by President Boyd K. Packer
, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Hallstrom of the Seventy.
More than 3,800 Church members attended the dedicatory sessions.
The temple dedication was considered the first event in a yearlong commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the Church in Hawaii.
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young married his wife, Barbara Graham, in the Kona Hawaii Temple on March 15, 2000.
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The temple is located in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
and is the second temple built in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, along with the Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple
Laie Hawaii Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on the northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean in the town of Lāie, from Honolulu...
. It is the sixth temple built in the Pacific Islands.
Announcement
The Kona Hawaii Temple was announced May 7, 1998, with a groundbreaking ceremony presided over by John B. DicksonJohn B. Dickson
John Baird Dickson has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1992....
of the Seventy held less than a year later on March 13, 1999. Approximately 1,200 people attended the groundbreaking ceremonies. Dickson, Donald L. Hallstrom
Donald L. Hallstrom
Donald Larry Hallstrom has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2000. On 4 April 2009, he became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy of the church.- Biography :...
, an Area Seventy, Hilo stake president John Sakamaki and Kona stake president Philip A. Harris each spoke at the ceremony. Dickson turned over the first shovelful of dirt, after which other onlookers, including many children, also participated.
The structure itself was constructed in concrete, white marble and some native materials. Architects used a simple classical design featuring a single spire, similar to other smaller temples constructed by the Church at the same time.
Upon completion, an open house was held from January 12-15, 2000.
Dedication
Church President Gordon B. HinckleyGordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
dedicated the Kona Hawaii Temple on January 23-24, 2000. President Hinckley was accompanied to the dedication by President Boyd K. Packer
Boyd K. Packer
Boyd Kenneth Packer is an American educator and religious leader, and the current president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He served as Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve from 1994 to 2008, and has been an apostle and member of...
, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder Hallstrom of the Seventy.
More than 3,800 Church members attended the dedicatory sessions.
Temple Facts
The Kona Hawaii Temple has two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms.The temple dedication was considered the first event in a yearlong commemoration of the sesquicentennial of the Church in Hawaii.
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young married his wife, Barbara Graham, in the Kona Hawaii Temple on March 15, 2000.
Temple Presidents
- President Larry R. Oler, 2000–2002
- President Donald R. McArthur, 2002–2005
- President Earl E. Veloria, 2005–2008
- President Opurainonarii H. Mo'o, 2008–present
See also
- Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsComparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day SaintsBelow is a chronological list of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with sortable columns. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth...
- List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
- Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in HawaiiThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in HawaiiThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in the Hawaiian Islands in 1850 following the Edict of Toleration promulgated by Kamehameha III, giving the underground Hawaii Catholic Church the right to worship, and at the same time allowing other faith traditions to begin...