Filipino Latter-day Saints rejoice at the dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple

Filipino members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrate the recent dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, saying that its presence will bring profound and eternal blessings to their lives and their loved ones on both sides of the veil.

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Last April 28, 2024, President Dallin H. Oaks, the First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ, dedicated the Urdaneta Philippines Temple. He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks. President and Sister Oaks served in the Philippines a little over 20 years ago when President Oaks was called to serve as the country's Area President concurrently with his calling as an Apostle.

“The presence of President and Sister Oaks here adds significance to the dedication. We deeply love them. To hear him dedicate this House of the Lord in Urdaneta is very significant. I see it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me and the Filipino saints,” Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr., Second Counselor to the Philippines Area Presidency, said.

“We're excited! We are not the only ones who will be rejoicing; our ancestors who have passed on for a long time will join us in rejoicing as we open [the Urdaneta Temple]. Once the temple operates, there will be rejoicing on both sides of the veil. That's what really excites me,” Elder Revillo added.

Thousands of members, including primary children, young men and women, and young single adults, from the 50 stakes and districts around the temple witnessed the dedication live at the Urdaneta Temple and in closed-circuit livestream in their respective stake and district centers.

Those fortunate enough to witness the dedication in person and in the adjacent rooms of the Urdaneta Temple shared their thoughts and feelings regarding their excitement and commitment to making and keeping sacred covenants at the newly dedicated House of the Lord.

Sister Danielle Calma, a young single adult who traveled for more than six hours from Laoag, Ilocos Norte, said that the dedication inspired her to become "more spiritually pure" and be a better person while preparing to meet the Savior Jesus Christ one day.

"The dedication almost felt overwhelming. When President Oaks entered the room, I felt the Spirit so strongly, and I felt the love of my Heavenly Father through him. It was a wonderful spiritual experience for me, as it strengthened my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ," Sister Calma expressed.

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"This is the most remarkable feeling I have ever experienced in going to the temple. Although I am a long-time member of the Church, this experience still strengthened my testimony and increased my faith in Jesus Christ," shared President Cancio Ramos of the Bayambang Philippines Stake.

"I felt very happy when I heard President Oaks say that the Philippines will be blessed and protected because of the presence of the temples here," he added.

The Urdaneta Philippines Temple is being prepared for its opening on May 14, 2024. It is expected that many members from within the area will flock to the temple in the following days as they share their excitement to perform sacred ordinances for themselves and their ancestors there.

"I personally felt the presence of God," said Joel Agbanlog. Joel and his wife, Aracely, are new members of the Church of Jesus Christ and were baptized in October 2023. The Agbanlogs watched the dedication from the temple's Celestial Room and experienced it firsthand.

"We are planning and preparing now to be sealed as a family in the temple," Aracely said. "We invite those who have yet to see the Urdaneta Philippines Temple to come, see, and feel the peace and joy that we and our family have experienced here."

The Urdaneta Philippines Temple is slated to serve more than 200,000 members of the Church living within its area. Members in Northern Luzon, who previously had to travel several hours to Manila, may now make and keep sacred ordinances at the Urdaneta Temple.

The temple is located at MacArthur Highway, Brgy. Nancayasan, Urdaneta City. It is 3,029 square meters and 41.6 meters high. The temple reflects Spanish and Asian influences on the Philippines and contains design references to the mango plant and the Sampaguita flower. Materials used during the temple construction were sourced from the Philippines, China, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Palestine, Thailand, and the USA.

In addition to the temples in Manila, Cebu and Urdaneta, ten more temples have been announced or are under construction in Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Iloilo, Laoag, Naga, Santiago, Tacloban and Tuguegarao. The Philippines has the fourth-largest population of Latter-day Saints of any country worldwide, and members worship in more than 1,200 congregations.

The Urdaneta Philippines Temple is the 190th dedicated temple in the world. There are currently 350 temples in operation, under construction, or announced around the world.

President Oaks Dedicates Urdaneta Philippines Temple President Oaks Dedicates Urdaneta Philippines Temple