Accra Ghana Temple

The Accra Ghana Temple is the 117th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Accra Ghana Temple

The Accra Ghana Temple at Christmastime 2007
Number 117
Dedicated 11 January 2004 (11 January 2004) by
Gordon B. Hinckley
Site 6 acres (2.4 hectares)
Floor area 17,500 sq ft (1,630 m2)
Preceded by Redlands California Temple
Followed by Copenhagen Denmark Temple
Official website • News & images

History

The building of the Accra Ghana Temple was announced on February 16, 1998.[1] Years before the temple was announced, LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley had promised members in the area they would someday have a temple close by. When the temple was announced Hinckley also told those in attendance that the church had been trying to find a place to build a temple in Ghana for five years. The temple in Accra is the second of three temples built in Africa.[2]

The first Mormon missionaries came to Ghana in 1978.[3] Many of the people present at the announcement of the temple had been some of the first converts in Ghana.

A site dedication and groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 16, 2001. Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, led the ceremony. The vice president of Ghana, Aliu Mahama, as well as other officials, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony and a radio station and Ghana Television covered the event. The temple sits on 6 acres (24,000 m2) on the main avenue that runs through the center of Accra. The exterior of the temple is made of Namibia Pearl Granite.[4]

The temple was open to the public from December 3rd through 20th, 2003. During the tour people were able to see the craftsmanship utilized on the interior of the temple. All of the materials used in the building of the temple were from the area. Moldings in the temple were made of the native makore wood, skilled men in the area handcrafted the furniture and the art-glass windows reflect the culture. The vice president of Ghana as well as many other officials took tours through the temple.[5]

Hinckley dedicated the Accra Ghana Temple on January 11, 2004. It has a total of 17,500 square feet (1,630 m2), two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms. [5]

There is a stake center and Missionary Training Center on the grounds.[6] While all members of the church with a valid temple recommend are able to visit the temple, it primarily serves members in Benin, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo.[5]

In 2020, like all the church's other temples, the Accra Ghana Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[7]

See also

References
  1. "LDS Temple is dedicated in Ghana". January 12, 2004. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  2. Fidel, Steve (February 21, 1998). "A temple to be built in Ghana". The Church News. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  3. Fletcher-Stack, Peggy (2014). "Why Mormonism, U.S.-born faiths are growing in Ghana". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  4. "Ground broken for first temple in West Africa". The Church News. November 23, 2001. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  5. "Accra Ghana Temple District". Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  6. Holman, Marianne (Feb 23, 2012), "A bright future for members in African nations", Church News
  7. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
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