Elder Neil L. Andersen Dedicates Lisbon Portugal Temple

Elder Neil L. Andersen, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Lisbon Portugal Temple in three sessions on Sunday, September 15, 2019. Each session was broadcast to members of the Church throughout the country.

Elder Andersen said he was delighted to have the opportunity to come to Portugal and dedicate the Lisbon Portugal Temple, by special assignment of the First Presidency. He added “it is almost inconceivable to think how important this temple is for the future of the work here in Portugal. The members really know now that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be established in Portugal until the Saviour returns. No one would build a House of the Lord if there were not going to be righteous people here to receive the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes."

Assisting Elder Andersen with the traditional cornerstone ceremony were Elder José A. Teixeira, of the Presidency of the Seventy; Elder Kevin R. Duncan of the Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Temple Department; Elder Gary B. Sabin, president of the Europe Area of the Church; and Elder Joaquim Moreira, Area Seventy.

Elder Teixeira explained why the temple is so important for the members of the Church. “The temple of Lisbon is a temple that elevates our soul. It is an elegant temple that reminds us of the Lord. This temple is literally a symbol of the faith of Church members for the past 40 years. I feel a great joy in my heart to see this temple here in Lisbon and I am sure that this joy is shared by all members of the Church in Portugal.”

The temple was first announced by then President Thomas S. Monson in October 2010. The groundbreaking was held on December 2015. The complex of the temple is located on Avenida Dom João II, in the neighborhood of Parque das Nações, in Lisbon, Portugal.

On Saturday, September 14, a youth devotional was held in the Church meetinghouse adjacent to the temple. The devotional was broadcast throughout the temple district.

In August 2019, the temple was open to the public to see inside the sacred building and learn more about why the Church builds temples. More than 18,000 people toured the temple in that period, one of them being the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels, where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered houses of the Lord where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to follow Jesus Christ and serve their fellow man.

To read this story and watch the video in Portuguese, click here (Portugal Newsroom).