Veracruz Temple
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LDS Church News Archives,
Saturday, May 20, 2000
The dedication and open house dates for four new temples -- Baton Rouge Louisiana, Birmingham Alabama, Merida Yucatan Mexico and Veracruz Mexico temples -- have been announced by the First Presidency.
The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple, announced Oct. 14, 1998, will open its doors to the public July 1-8, except Sunday, July 2. It will be dedicated in four sessions on Sunday, July 16, and begin ordinance work the following day, July 17.
The Birmingham Alabama Temple, announced Sept. 11, 1998, will open to the public Aug. 19-26, except Sunday, Aug. 20. The temple will be dedicated in four sessions on Sunday, Sept. 3, and open for ordinance work on Monday, Sept. 4.
The Merida Yucatan Mexico Temple, announced Sept. 25, 1998, will hold its open house June 24-July 1, except on Sunday, June 25. The temple will be dedicated Saturday, July 8, in four sessions, and open for ordinance work Monday, July 10.
The Veracruz Mexico Temple was announced Apr. 14, 1999, and will open to the public June 26- July 1. The temple will be dedicated in four sessions on Sunday, July 9, and open for ordinance work on Monday, July 10.
Ground broken for eighth temple in Mexico
For the week ending Jun. 12, 1999
Some 600 people attended the groundbreaking services, held at the temple site behind a beachfront area outside the city. Elder Pratt was accompanied by Elders Octaviano Tenorio, an Area Authority Seventy and second counselor in the area presidency, and Elders Gustavo Ramos and Adolfo Avalos, also Area Authority Seventies.
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Participating in groundbreaking ceremonies for Veracruz Mexico Temple are Elders Carl B. Pratt, left, and Octaviano Tenorio, and four stake presidents. |
Stake and ward leaders from the eight stakes in the 
temple district attended with their families on the bright, sunny morning of the groundbreaking. The choir of the Veracruz Mocambo stake performed under the direction of Jose de la Rosa Dolana Azcorra.
Elder Pratt was joined in the symbolic shovel-turning ceremony by Elder Tenorio and presidents of four Veracruz stakes: Presidents Mauricio Morales Lagunes, Rafael Gonzalez Monter, Marco Antonio Carillo Bogard and Mauricio Morales Castillo.
The Veracruz temple, located in an important seaport that dates back to the 16th century, was announced April 14, 1999. It is the 10th temple announced for Mexico and the 8th for which groundbreakings have been held.
In his remarks, Elder Pratt spoke of the early members in Veracruz, who understood the importance of the temple and sacrificed to travel to the Arizona Temple in Mesa. Their sacrifice helped prepare the members here for this day, he said.
Elder Pratt asked that in preparation for the new temple that members travel more frequently to the Mexico City Temple, to increase their family history work and to add to the number of people with temple blessings.
"We are in the true Church," he said. "We are preparing the earth for the Second Coming, and with the temple we will be better prepared to do so."
Citing the scripture, Moses 1:39, Elder Tenorio discussed the principle of eternal life. He said because of the temple the way to gain eternal life is opened. He added that families are of great importance. "The Lord has established [families] for the happiness of His children. They will be able to endure through the eternities through the ordinances of the temple, if they are sealed."
Elder Avalos recalled being a missionary in Veracruz when there were just six missionaries here. He confirmed that a important factor in the growth of the Church was the strengthening of the members who began to take excursions to the Arizona Temple.
These trips required great sacrifices, but these sacrifices were made with the kind of attitudes that secured the blessings of the Lord.
Also speaking at the ceremony were Adolfo Galicia Rangel, patriarch and longtime member; and Adela Barraza Velasco, baptized in Veracruz in 1956, and among the first 100 local members of the Church.
Mosiah Herrera of Ciudad Isla in Veracruz wrote us that the ground-breaking for the Veracruz Temple was supposed to be 29th May 1999, but there was no mention of it in the Church News yet. It is located in the Hotel Mocambo area which is on the way to the city headquarters of Boca del Rio. I don't know how long it's been since you have been in Veracruz, but that area has been developed. The new mission home and the stake center for the Mocambo Stake are both located within the city limits of Boca del Rio in the Costa del Oro and the Costa Verde colonias, respectively. There are also some large shopping centers and the World Trade Center that have been built in that area. You can't tell where Veracruz leaves off and Boca del Rio begins unless you see the sign.
Pres. Donnell Hunter (6 Jun 1999)
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LDS Church News Archives, New temples announced for Mexico, Nevada
New temples will be built in Reno, Nev., and in Guadalajara and Veracruz, Mexico, the First Presidency announced. The three new temples were announced by letter to local priesthood leaders in the Reno area April 12, and in Mexico April 14. These temples, coupled with the rebuilding of the Nauvoo Temple, which was announced in general conference by President Gordon B. Hinckley April 4, bring the total number of planned temples to 56 -- the same as the number of temples in operation. With the announcement, the number of temples in Mexico will be 12, with two in operation and 10 in some stage of planning or construction; and two in Nevada, with one functioning. The first temple in Nevada was dedicated in Las Vegas in 1989. The Reno Nevada Temple District is comprised of eight stakes, with a total of 25,474 members. All the temple district stakes are in Nevada, except the Quincy California Stake. The first stake in Reno was created in 1941 and membership has continued to grow in Reno and in cities nearby. Temple districts for the Guadalajara and Veracruz temples have not yet been announced. Of the 10 planned temples in Mexico, only three, including the two new ones, have not had groundbreaking ceremonies. Temples in operation in Mexico are in Mexico City, dedicated in 1983, and in Colonia Jauarez, dedicated earlier this year. Guadalajara, located at the southern end of the Mexico North Area, is Mexico's second largest city. Missionary work began there some 40 years ago. Work proceeded more slowly in Guadalajara than in some other cities, but it has grown solidly. "The Church has grown well, and there is a strong contingency of the Church there with eight stakes and a mission," said Elder Eran A. Call of the Seventy and president of the Mexico North Area. "We have strong stake presidents and good members." He said that a temple in Guadalajara would save members a six-hour ride to Mexico City. "It is a crucial city in the southwest part of Mexico, a very important city in the republic of Mexico and for the Church as well," he observed. The first stake in Guadalajara was created in 1975, and a mission was created there that same year. A strong Church base also exists in Veracruz, said Elder Carl B. Pratt of the Seventy and president of the Mexico South Area. "The city of Veracruz has four stakes, and within a hundred-mile radius, we have four more," said Elder Pratt. "This will be the fifth temple in our area." He said the temple will provide a tremendous blessing to the Saints in Veracruz because of the savings in transportation costs in traveling to the temple in Mexico City. The first stake in Veracruz was created in 1975. The roots of the Veracruz mission go back to 1963 when the Southeast Mexican Mission was created. From the Southeast Mexican Mission have come all or part of four other missions. |
Veracruz Presidents Alumni History
