The Apia Samoa Mormon temple was announced on October 15, 1977. With its completion the Apia Samoa temple became the 22nd operating temple of the Mormon Church.

There is a lot of Mormon history in Samoa. The first mission was set up in 1888. This achievement came at a great cost for many of the early Mormon missionaries in the area. During this early time in the Church it was common for young married couples to be called on missions. One of these young missionary couples was Katie Eliza Hale Merrill and her husband. Just three months after arriving in Samoa, she became ill. She was pregnant and gave birth to the child prematurely. The baby died the next day, Katie also died. Another couple; Thomas H. Hilton and Sarah M. Hilton lost three of their young children to sickness while serving as missionaries in Samoa. One of the mission presidents, Ransom Stevens, also died while serving in Samoa after contracting typhoid fever. His wife was called back to Utah and made the journey even though she was pregnant. Many others who worked as missionaries in Samoa paid a huge price to help establish the Church there, but the Church has thrived despite these difficulties, and today more than 29 percent of the total population are members of the Mormon Church. For a long time the annual baptism rate in Samoa has been around 1,000 baptisms. As witness of the large number of Mormon members in the area, the Samoan postage stamp features the Apia Mormon Temple with the official cancellation mark featuring a line drawing of the angel Moroni statue.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on February 19, 1981. Spencer W. Kimball offerred the dedicatory prayer. The temple site is 2 acres. The design of the temple is modern with a single spire. The original temple was 14,560 feet, but with the rebuilding the total floor area is now 18,691 feet.  The temple has two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms. The exterior of the temple is finished with granite. The temple was open to the public for tours July 19th through the 30th 1983. Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Apia Samoa Mormon temple August 5-6 1983.

On July 9, 2003, a fire quickly engulfed the Apia temple, destroying the building in 45 minutes. This was the first Mormon temple to ever be destroyed by fire. No one was hurt in the fire, because the temple was closed for expansion and renovation, and the fire occurred in the evening after workers had gone home. One week later, on July 16, 2003, The First Presidency sent a letter to the people of the area telling them that the temple would be rebuilt. On October 19, 2003, the site was rededicated, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held. On January 25, 2005, the angel Moroni statue that had survived the fire was placed on the spire of the new building.  After rebuilding, President of the Mormon Church Gordon B. Hinckley rededicated the temple on September 4, 2005. The Apia Samoa temple is one of the more heavily used temples of the Mormon Church and serves 56,000 members in 16 stakes from American Samoa, and the islands of Upolu and Savai’j.

Physical Address:
VAITELE ST
PESEGA APIA
SAMOA
Samoa

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 1621
Apia
SAMOA
Phone:   (685) 64-230

Other Links:

Temple: Information from Answers.com
Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com

Search for Mormon Temples at Onlymormon.com/

On July 20, 1998, the Mormon Church announced that a temple would be built in Brisbane, Australia. The Brisbane temple is the fifth temple in Australia and the 115th Mormon temple worldwide. The Mormon Church is strong and has grown rapidly. In 1995 there were only 3,000 members in Australia, now there are 186 meetinghouses throughout Australia and more than 106,000 members. The Brisbane temple will serve 20,000 Mormon members in the area. Of the five temples in Australia, four were opened in three years. This remarkable number in such a short time reflects how quickly the Church is growing in Australia.

The Mormon Church has an interesting history in Australia. The first missionary sent to Australia was seventeen-year-old William James Barratt from England. He arrived in Australia in 1840 and stayed until his death in 1890 the whole time teaching the gospel. In 1841, Andrew Anderson from Scotland was the second Mormon missionary in Australia. On October 31, 1851, the first Mormon missionaries from the United States arrived in Australia. The Church did not take a strong hold in Brisbane until after 1890, but it grew quickly and soon became the site of the first Mormon meetinghouse in Australia.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on May 26, 2001. Construction began in November of 2001, and it took eighteen months and eleven million dollars to complete its construction. Despite the high price, the temple was built without any debt and was completely funded by members of the Mormon Church.

A public open house was held May 10, 2003, through June 7, 2003. Those who toured the temple were able to see the beautifully furnished rooms. The Mormon temple carpet is thick and white; there are painted designs on the walls and ornate light fixtures in every room.

The Brisbane Australia Mormon Temple was dedicated on June 15, 2003. President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley gave the dedicatory prayer. In his prayer he not only asked for blessings to be on the temple and those who use it, but also on the nation of Australia, that the people would always be free and that they would safeguard their right to worship as they see fit.

Physical Address:
200 RIVER TERRACE
KANGAROO POINT QLD 4169
AUSTRALIA
Australia

Mailing address:
Unit 53, 236 River Terrace
Kangaroo Point, Queensland 4169
AUSTRALIA
Australia
Phone:   (61) 7-3240-3600

Other Links:

Manhattan Mormon Temple – New York City.com: Arts & Attractions
Mormanity: Mormon Temples and “Secrecy”
History of Mormon Temples – Lightplanet.com

The building of the New Zealand Mormon Temple was announced by David O. McKay, the ninth president of the Mormon Church, on February 17, 1955. With its completion in 1958, it became the eleventh operating Mormon temple worldwide. The New Zealand temple was the first temple built by the Mormon Church in the Southern hemisphere.

Mormon history in New Zealand goes back to the 1850’s when the first Mormon missionaries arrived in the area. Missionaries found many who were ready to hear the gospel, but the first stake, organized in Auckland, was not organized until one hundred years after the arrival of the missionaries. Most of the first converts in New Zealand were of Maori or Polynesian descent, and today that can still be seen, since a large proportion of the members are Maori or Polynesian. However, the Mormon Church in New Zealand has become a culturally mixed Church with members in the area of Australian, British, European, Asian, and North American descent. The needs of all the members in New Zealand are met by creating special branches in various languages if needed.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on December 21, 1955. Ariel S. Ballif, the New Zealand Mission President at the time, broke the ground, and Wendell B. Mendenhall, and George R. Biesinger also presided at the ceremony. The site of the temple is on 86 acres, which includes a Mormon-owned college. This school is for students ages twelve to eighteen. Ninety-two percent of the students are Mormon, and the school strives to teach secular as well as religious subjects.

The temple is 44,212 square feet, has one ordinance room, three sealing rooms, a celestial room, baptistry, and 75 other rooms needed to carry out temple ordinances and temple work according to Mormon belief. The Hamilton temple was built entirely by Church labor Mormon missionaries who volunteered all of their time. Local members supported these workers with money and meals.

Hugh B. Brown, an assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, placed the cornerstone in the Mormon temple at a cornerstone-laying ceremony held on December 22, 1956. The temple was open for public tours for 23 days prior to the dedication. During this time about 112,500 people toured the temple. The Hamilton Mormon temple was dedicated by David O. McKay on April 20-22, 1958. The Hamilton temple serves members in New Zealand and nearby South Pacific islands.

Physical Address:
509 TUHIKARAMEA RD
TEMPLE VIEW
HAMILTON 3218
NEW ZEALAND
Mailing address:
c/o Pacific Area Administration Office
POUCH
New Zealand
Phone:   (64) 7-846-2750

Other Links:
Temple: Information from Answers.com
Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com
Search for Mormon Temples at Onlymormon.com/

The Perth Australia Temple is a great blessing to the 12,000 members that it serves. Previously members had to travel a distance equivalent to Los Angeles to New York to attend the nearest temple in Sydney. Now members can complete their own temple ordinances and work for their ancestors much easier.

“Australia is emerging as a very significant place for the Church. The new temples will assist our many new members to unite their families eternally and cement their faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ,”1 said Peter Meurs, president of the Perth Australia Warwick Stake.

Local reaction to the newMormon temple has been favourable. At the groundbreaking ceremony Elder Kenneth Johnson quoted letters from the governor and premier of Western Australia.

Governor Jeffrey wrote, “I have no doubt that the temple will contribute to the growth and stability of the Church here. But more importantly it will contribute to the growth and stability of members and their families.” 2

Premier Court was equally positive. “The significant growth of the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world is accompanied by the growing respect and influence for good in the Western Australian community,” he wrote. “Now at the end of the 20th Century an important extension of the work and witness of the Church is about to be built in Perth.” 3

Members are thrilled to have a temple close. Commenting about the groundbreaking ceremony stake president, Adrian S. Palm, said, “I was overwhelmed with a real sense of brotherhood. The influence of the temple is already touching lives.” 4

President Hinckley said, “In view of the fact that we do not build a temple until there are sufficient people in the area, until there are sufficient tithe payers, and until there is sufficient faith, the very construction of these sacred buildings becomes an indicator of the increase of faith and obedience to the principles of the gospel.” 5 This is apparent since in just 100 years since the first Mormon missionaries entered western Australia Church membership has grown to 12,000 members.

The central figure of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ. As the approximately 37,000 visitors toured the Mormon temple during the open house, they realized this. President Hinckley commented that people tour the temples with reverence and respect. Visitors often marvel at the beauty of the temples. “But among many things, they are most impressed with pictures of the Savior they see in these holy houses. They will no longer regard us as a non-Christian people.” 6

President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Perth Australia Temple on 20 May 2001. During the dedicatory prayer, he blessed the country of Australia saying, “We thank Thee for this land of Australia, where this and other temples have been built. We thank Thee for the freedom of worship, which pertains here. May this great nation always remain a place of individual liberty, that men and women may approach Thee within these walls without threat or disturbance of any kind.”7

Physical Address:
163-173 WORDSWORTH AVE
YOKINE WA 6060
AUSTRALIA
Mailing address:
178 Virgil Avenue
Yokine, Western Australia 6060
AUSTRALIA
Australia
Phone:   (61) 8-9276-0000

For more information about Mormon temples visit the sites below:

Mormon Temple: Information From Answers.com
Mormanity: Mormon Temples and “Secrecy”
History of Mormon Temples

(1) “News of the Church,” Ensign, Aug. 2001, 71
(2) Church News, 4 December 1999
(3) Church News, 4 December 1999
(4) Church News, 4 December 1999
(5) Gordon B. Hinckley, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 4
(6) Gordon B. Hinckley, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 4
(7) “‘We thank Thee for this land of Australia,’” Church News 26 May 2001, 25 Jun. 2005

Plans to build a Mormon temple in Adelaide Australia were announced on March 17, 1999. The Mormon members of the area up until this time had to travel between fifteen and twenty hours one-way to visit the closest temple in Sydney.The Mormon Church has seen extremely rapid growth in Australia in the last few years. In 1955 there were only 3,000 members in Australia, today there are more than 100,000 members. Census statistics show that the Mormon Church is the fastest-growing Christian faith in Australia. This rapid growth prompted the leaders of the Church to announce three new Mormon temples in Australia; one in Melbourne, one in Brisbane and the Adelaide temple.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on May 29, 1999. Vaughn J. Featherstone a member of the Seventy, led the ceremony and gave the site dedication prayer. Elder Featherstone was, at the time, the president of the Australia/New Zealand area. Despite heavy rains, more than 500 people gathered to witness the groundbreaking and site dedication. Talks were given in a nearby Mormon meetinghouse, and as those in attendance began to go outside for the groundbreaking, the rain stopped and the clouds cleared. Many were involved in the groundbreaking including the Mayor of Adelaide, other government officials and even children.

The temple sits on 6.94 acres just a few miles away from the center of the city of Adelaide. The temple was built of the finest materials including an exterior finish of snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy. The temple has 10,700 square feet of space and provides two ordinance rooms and two sealing rooms. Throughout the construction of the temple, members in the area were highly involved. Many expressed that the building of the temple gave them opportunities to talk with their friends about the Mormon Church. The community was very interested in the progress on the temple and numerous stories were printed in the media.

The Adelaide Mormon temple was open to the public June 3rd through the 10th 2000. On the first day of the open house more than 5,000 people visited the temple and it continued to be busy; nearly 50,000 people were able to take a tour through the Adelaide temple.

The temple was dedicated for Church use on June 15, 2000, by Gordon B. Hinckley, the President of the Mormon Church. President Hinckley dedicated four different temples in the same trip—the first time this had ever occurred in Mormon history. The Adelaide temple was the third temple to be dedicated on this trip. Four sessions were held, which allowed for more than 2,500 members to be present at the temple’s dedication ceremonies.

Physical Address:
53–59 LOWER PORTRUSH RD
MARDEN SA 5070
AUSTRALIA
Australia

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 23
Marden, South Australia 5070
AUSTRALIA
Australia
Phone:   (61) 8-8363-8000

Other Interesting Links:

LDS (Mormon) Temple Resources
LDS Temples – Mormon Temples – Salt Lake Temple
Teachings About Temples – Lightplanet

Plans to build a Mormon temple in Sydney, Australia, were announced on April 2, 1980. With its completion, the Sydney temple became the 28th operating Mormon temple worldwide. Before the building of the Sydney Temple, members of the Mormon Church in Australia had to travel to New Zealand to attend a temple.

For a long time it was believed that the first official Mormon missionaries arrived in Australia in 1851, but as early as 1840 Mormon missionaries were sent to Australia. William Barrat was one of them. He was called as a missionary in England and then sent to Australia. He baptized Robert Beauchamp in Adelaide. Beuachamp was one of the first members of the Church in the area and later became a mission president. Barrat was still in Australia when news of the murders of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum reached Australia in 1845. Newspapers announced that Mormonism would die out; the news must have been hard for the only missionary in Australia. William Barrat eventually married and lived out the remainder of his life in Australia.

In 1841, another member of the Mormon Church arrived in Australia—Andrew Anderson. He came from Scotland, where he and his wife and three children had joined the Church. Before he left for Australia, he had been ordained to preach. Anderson’s family farmed just northwest of Sydney and worked hard to preach the gospel. By 1844 he organized the first branch in Australia in Monteflores. When Mormon missionaries arrived in Australia from the U.S., Andrew Anderson heard of their arrival and traveled to Sydney. The few people that these first Mormon missionaries baptized in Australia did not seem significant at the time, but over time the Church grew because of those who had been converted. Robert Beauchamp alone baptized 150 people, when he was called on a mission in Australia. Today there are more than 70,000 Mormon members in Australia.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on August 13, 1982. The ceremony and dedication were presided over by Bruce R. McConkie. The temple site is 3 acres located just north of Sydney in a suburb called Carlingford. The exterior design of the temple is elegant and impressive. The exterior finish is made of white quartz, and the roof of the temple is decorated with 25,000 azure blue roof tiles.

The Mormon temple was open to the public for tours September 6-18 1984. Those who toured the 30,677 square foot temple were able to see the two ordinance rooms, three sealing rooms, celestial room, baptistry, and  to learn more about Mormon beliefs associated with the temple.

Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Sydney Australia temple in multiple sessions held during September 20-23 1984. During the dedication, Gordon B. Hinckley prophesied that there would be other temples in Australia. Since then, four more temples have been built in Australia—the Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth temples. Because of a law passed by the local government, the temple was dedicated without the angel Moroni statue. Mormon members in the area fasted and prayed, and a year later the law was removed, and on September 3, 1985 the statue was placed on the spire of the temple.

Physical Address:
756 PENNANT HILLS RD
(CNR PENNANT HILLS RD & MOSELEY ST)
CARLINGFORD NSW 2118
AUSTRALIA
Mailing address:
c/o Australia Service Center
POUCH
Australia
Phone:   (61) 2-9841-5471

Other Links:

Temple (Mormonism) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Teachings About Temples – Lightplanet
Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com

On April 2, 1980, the Mormon Church announced that a Mormon temple would be built in Nuku’alofa Tonga. With its completion the Nuku’alofa temple became the 23rd operating Mormon temple worldwide.

The first Mormon missionaries arrived in Tonga in 1891. Missionary work in the area was steady, but in 1922 a law was passed restricting the number of North Americans who could get visas to Tonga. Because of this law, Church leaders began calling missionaries in Tonga to serve in their own country. This was very beneficial to the Church in Tonga, because when World War II started in 1940 and outside leadership had to return to the U.S., there was a strong base of leaders and priesthood holders among the local members of the Church. On June 7, 1946, the Book of Mormon was published in Tongan, which greatly increased missionary work, and in 1954 the Church began publishing a Church magazine in Tongan. The first stake was organized in 1968; at the time there were just over 10,000 members in Tonga. There are numerous Mormon schools in Tonga, and they have helped the Mormon Church grow in the area even when proselyting was restricted or when other missionary work was slow. Now the Tonga monarchy fully supports the Church. The king of Tonga encourages his people to keep the Sabbath day holy, and businesses are closed on Sunday, and Tongan tradition supports the idea that family comes first, making the principles of the Mormon Church inviting to many people of Tonga. Today Tonga has more Mormons per capita than any other nation in the world. Forty two percent of the population is members of the Mormon Church.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on February 18, 1981. President of the Church at the time, Spencer W. Kimball presided at the ceremony and gave the dedicatory prayer. Tonga’s king, Tauga’ahau Tupou IV attended the ceremony. Labor missionaries who volunteered their time from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands did most of the construction of the temple.

The Nuku’alofa Tonga Mormon temple was open to the public for tours July 19th through the 30th 1983. Those who toured the 14,572 square foot temple were able to see the exterior, walk the grounds of the five acre temple site, and see the interior, which includes two ordinance rooms, three sealing rooms, the celestial room, baptistry, and other facilities needed to carry out ordinances according to Mormon beliefs. The temple is located on the grounds of the Liahona College, on Tonga’s main island Tongatapu, the school is the largest Mormon school in the country.

Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the temple in multiple sessions held during August 9-11 1983. The Nuku’alofa Mormon temple serves more than 45,000 Mormon members in the Tongan islands. The Tonga temple is very busy staying open six days a week and even all night on the last Friday of every month so that all that want to attend have the opportunity. This is in part because of the Tongan people’s respect for their ancestors and interest in family history work.

Physical Address:
LOTO RD – LIAHONA
TONGATAPU
TONGA / SOUTH PACIFIC
Tonga

Mailing address:
c/o Australia Service Center
POUCH
Tonga
Phone:   (676) 20-300

Other Links:
Temple (Mormonism) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Teachings About Temples – Lightplanet
Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com

The building of the Papeete Tahiti Mormon Temple was announced on April 2, 1980. With its completion the Tahiti temple became the 25th operating Mormon temple worldwide. Until its completion members in Tahiti had to travel to New Zealand to attend a temple.

There is a lot of Mormon history in French Polynesia. The first Mormon missionaries arrived in 1844. This was the first mission of the Church where missionaries would be teaching in a language other than English. Missionaries were able to find many who wanted to join the Church, but missionary work was stopped in 1852, when the government put restrictions on missionary work. Despite the slow missionary work, members in the area remained strong in the gospel and in 1891, the first Mormon meetinghouse was built in Takaroa. It is the oldest Mormon meetinghouse in the South Pacific.  In 1892 the restrictions were removed, and missionary work again went forward in the area.

Members in the area are stalwart and loyal to the Church. In 1976, President of the Church at the time, Spencer W. Kimball, announced that he would travel to Tahiti for a conference. Many Church members traveled days in small boats to attend the conference. One group of fifty people arrived a few days before the conference. They were from the small island of Taenga. At the time no one thought there were any members on the island. The group explained that the entire population of the island was members and that they had all traveled three days on a small schooner to Tahiti for the conference. Today eight percent of the total population of French Polynesia is members of the Mormon Church. In 2004 a large celebration was held for the 160th anniversary of the Mormon Church in French Polynesia. The Church is strongly supported in the area with many government dignitaries who have thanked members and leaders of the Church for their service to the people.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on February 13, 1981, by Spencer W. Kimball. The temple site is five acres. The exterior of the temple is finished in stucco using imported white sand, and the grounds are beautifully landscaped.

The temple was open for tours to the public October 13-22 1983. Those who toured the 9,936 square foot temple were able to see the two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, celestial room, baptistry, and other facilities of the temple used to carry out ordinances according to Mormon beliefs.

The Papeete Tahiti Mormon temple was dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in multiple sessions held October 27-29, 1983. The temple will serve more than 21,000 members of the Mormon Church in six stakes of French Polynesia.

After renovations, the Tahiti temple was scheduled to have a second open house October 14-November 4, 2006, and then it was rededicated on November 12, 2006. A cultural celebration and member meetings were held the day before the dedicatory services.

Physical Address:
Temple S.D.J. (Mormon)
Route de Fautaua-Titioro
Papeete, TAHITI
FRENCH POLYNESIA
French Polynesia

Mailing address:
B.P. 5682 Pirae
98716 Tahiti
FRENCH POLYNESIA
French Polynesia
Phone:   (689) 503-939

Other Links:

Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com
History of Mormon Temples – Lightplanet.com

Search for Mormon Temples at Onlymormon.com/

On May 7, 1998, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced plans to build a Mormon temple in Suva, Fiji. This is the first temple in Fiji, and the 91st Mormon temple worldwide.

The Church in Fiji is strong. The first Mormon missionaries arrived in 1893. It was hard work to travel among the 100 inhabited islands of Fiji to teach the people. The work was slow, and it was not until 1954 that the first branch was organized in Fiji. After 1954 the work began to quicken, and by 1993 there were more than 6,600 members in six wards and fifteen branches.

A groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on May 8, 1999. Earl M. Monson, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, presided at the ceremony and dedication. The site chosen for the Fiji temple was 4.7 acres. The site is considered one of the most beautiful temple sites; the Pacific Ocean can be seen from three sides of the property on one of the tallest hills in the area, and is located just a few minutes away from downtown Suva. The exterior of the Mormon temple is finished with Snow-white granite from Campolonghi, Italy, and the grounds are beautifully landscaped.

The temple was open for public tours June 7th through the 12th, 2000. Just before the open house started on May 19th, political unrest occurred in Fiji. A group of armed rebels held a group of government leaders hostage in Suva for weeks. Those held hostage included the Prime Minister of Fiji at the time, Mahendra Chaudhry. The situation was so intense, that the Church decided to send all of the Mormon missionaries in the area to the other side of the island to avoid any dangerous situations. Despite these problems and little media attention, 16,423 people toured the temple, including 300 community leaders. Those who toured the temple were able to see the two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, celestial room, baptistry, and to learn more about Mormon beliefs associated with the temple.

The Suva, Fiji Mormon temple was dedicated on June 18, 2000, by President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley. Because of the political unrest that had been going on since before the open house, it was decided that a small dedication service would be best, and the normal four dedicatory services were abandoned. Only 60 people attended the dedication, which was held in the celestial room of the temple.

Physical Address:
2-20 LAKEBA ST
SAMABULA, SUVA
FIJI
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 90
Suva
FIJI
Phone:   (679) 338-8952

On October 30, 1998, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced that a Mormon temple would be built in Melbourne Australia. The Melbourne Australia temple is the 90th operating temple in the Mormon Church worldwide. The members in the area were overjoyed to hear that a temple would be so close. For the past fifteen years members from the area had traveled twelve hours one-way every single weekend-to visit the Sydney Temple.

The first Mormon missionaries arrived in Australia in 1840, but found few who were ready to hear the gospel. Those who did join during those early years of the Mormon Church in Australia, for the most part decided to emigrate to the United States to be closer to the main body of the Church; a common practice in early Mormon history. Missionary work continued to be slow until the 1950’s when the number of people joining the Church suddenly exploded. In 1955 there were 3,000 members in Australia; just five short years later there were almost 10,000. By 1970 the number of members more than tripled to 32,000. In 1980 it had jumped to 50,000. Today there are more than 100,000 members in Australia, making the Mormon Church the fastest growing Christian Church in the country. Because of this amazing growth, the Church has built or has plans to build five temples in Australia.

On March 20, 1999, a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication presided over by P. Bruce Mitchell, a member of the Seventy, was held. The site for the temple is 5.98 acres. A meetinghouse is on this site as well.

The temple was open to the public for tours June 2nd through the 10th 2000. Those who toured the 10,700 square foot temple were able to see the stunning craftsmanship, the celestial room, two sealing rooms, two ordinance rooms, baptistry, and to learn more about Mormon beliefs.

President of the Mormon Church, Gordon B. Hinckley, dedicated the Melbourne Mormon temple on June 16, 2000. Four dedicatory services were held to accommodate all the members who wanted to attend. The Melbourne temple serves 18,000 members in eight stakes from Victoria, Tasmania, and Southern New South Wales.

Physical Address:

76 Cathies Ln

Wantirna South VIC 3152

AUSTRALIA

Mailing address:P.O. Box 1137

Glen Waverly, Victoria 3150

AUSTRALIA

Australia

Phone:   (61) 3-9881-9700

Other Links:

Temple (Mormonism) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LDS (Mormon) Temple Resources