Hartford Connecticut Temple Dedicatory Prayer
Contributed By the Church News
The Hartford Connecticut Temple was dedicated in three sessions by President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, on Sunday, November 20.
HARTFORD CONNECTICUT TEMPLE FACTS
Announced: October 2, 2000
Groundbreaking: August 17, 2013, by President Thomas S. Monson
Public open house: September 30–October 22 (except October 1, 2, 9, and 16)
Cultural celebration: November 19, 2016
Dedicated: November 20, 2016, by President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency
Location: 2 Central Way, Farmington, CT 06032
Site: 11.3 acres
Exterior finish: granite cladding quarried in China
Architects: David Rees from FFKR Architects of Salt Lake City, Utah
Contractor: Layton Construction Co. of Sandy, Utah
Total floor area: 32,246 square feet
Building height: 117 feet, 2 inches
District: nearly 27,000 Church members in Connecticut, western Rhode Island, western Massachusetts, and eastern New York
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The following is the dedicatory prayer of the Hartford Connecticut Temple offered by President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, on November 20, 2016.
O God, our Eternal Father, we bow before Thee as we dedicate this sacred temple. Thou art the great Elohim, the Almighty who rules over all, the Governor of the universe. Yet Thou art our Father, and as Thy humble children, we come unto Thee in solemn prayer in the name of Thine Only Begotten Son, the Savior of the World, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We come unto Thee with boundless gratitude for Thy generous blessings upon us. Father, we thank Thee for this remarkable time in which we live. We thank Thee that Thou hast parted the veil and revealed Thyself and Thy Son to open this, the dispensation of the fulness of times.
We are grateful for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon as another testament, witnessing of the divinity of Thy Son. We thank Thee for the restoration of the holy priesthood, with all of the authority, power, and keys therein.
We are grateful for Thy kindness and blessing in granting the sealing power to Joseph Smith, a power that has been passed through succeeding prophets to our day. Because of that restoration, Thy faithful Saints may be endowed with power from on high and live in glorified families forever with Thee.
This day we are grateful above all for the gift of Thy Beloved Son, whose atoning sacrifice gives light and purpose to our lives. We thank Thee for answering our prayers that, through Him, we might be given the priceless gift of charity, the pure love of Christ.
May this house be ever sacred to those who enter it and to those who look upon it. May it truly be a house of the Lord, a place of sanctification and holiness. May the influence of this house be extended into the families, the homes, the neighborhoods, and the communities of those who will come to this temple.
May the righteous example and influence of Thy Saints be felt in this place and wherever they may go across the earth. Many of those not of our faith have visited this temple prior to its dedication. May they reflect on their experience and the beauty of this house with reverence and appreciation. May they be led to know by the power of the Spirit that this is Thy house.
Bless Thy faithful Saints, magnify them, bring joy into their lives as they walk in righteousness before Thee. Whisper into their hearts a living testimony of the truth of Thy great cause and kingdom. Bless them that that testimony may never falter or be dimmed.
Bless Thy faithful tithe payers. Let them feel Thine approval and Thy gratitude. Bless the youth that they may keep themselves clean in order to enjoy the blessings of this house. Protect them with the shield of faith in Thy Beloved Son as their Redeemer and their loving Master.
Now, in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the authority of the divine priesthood, which Thou hast bestowed upon us, we dedicate this, the Hartford Connecticut Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We dedicate it to Thee and pray that Thou wilt accept it as the house of the Lord. Let Thy Holy Spirit dwell here at all times, and may Thy sacred presence be felt by all who serve here.
May all people who enter upon the threshold of this house feel Thy power and feel constrained to acknowledge that Thou hast sanctified it as Thy house, a place of Thy holiness.
And Father, grant that all those who worship in this house may grow in wisdom and be led to learn by study of the scriptures and also by Thy Spirit and by faith what they must know, do, and feel to return to live with Thee forever.
We dedicate this beautiful temple with all of its facilities and furnishings. We dedicate the ground on which it stands and the vegetation growing thereon to add beauty to this structure. We dedicate the temple from its foundation to the figure of Moroni, which crowns its steeple. We dedicate the baptistry, the initiatory ordinance facilities, the endowment rooms, the celestial room, the sealing rooms and their altars, and every part of this sacred house. May it be safeguarded from vandalism, fire, storm, or any untoward event. We ask that no unclean thing shall enter the portals of this, Thy holy house.
As we dedicate the temple, we dedicate ourselves to Thee and to Thy service. We acknowledge Thee as the Giver of every good gift. O Father, we pledge to Thee our love. We love Thy divine Son, who gave His life for each of us. We will go forward as Thy children, having taken upon ourselves His holy name, with a pledge to keep His commandments.
We pray for those who are sealed as husband and wife in this temple for eternity. Bless them with charity, the pure love of Christ, that they might be kind, forgiving, and patient. Bless them with the power to be faithful to the covenants they make with Thee and with each other. Protect them from selfishness and pride. Bless them that their hearts will be turned to each other, to their children, to their descendants, and to their ancestors.
Father, wilt Thou place Thy ratifying seal of approval upon this service of dedication and upon all we have done and will do in this, Thy holy house, which we now present to Thee. We bow before Thee in faith and reverence in the name of our Lord and Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
