The temple was first announced during the April 2021 general conference by Church President Russell M. Nelson. (Photo courtesy of Church of Jesus Christ)

Ground was broken for the Willamette Valley Oregon Temple on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022.

Elder Valeri V. Cordón, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the North America West Area Presidency, presided at the ceremony.

"We pray that the temple will be a beacon of hope and peace that inspires this community to come unto Christ even in its construction phase," said Elder Cordón in the dedicatory prayer.

Elder Cordón also paid tribute to the Latter-day Saints of Oregon, both past and present.

"We acknowledge the first saints who came to this valley to live peacefully in their humble circumstances," said Elder Cordón. "We are grateful for the faithful saints who live in this area for their sacrifice, devotion and obedience."

The temple will be built on a 10.5-acre site located at the intersection of International Boulevard and Corporate Way in Springfield, Oregon, a suburb of the city of Eugene. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 30,000 sq. ft.

Carolyn Schultz, a Latter-day Saint who has lived her entire 83 years in the Willamette Valley area, expressed her appreciation for the many people who prepared the way for a temple to be built in this place.

"Each [congregation] in this Willamette Valley area has its own beloved history and memories of special people who helped build the kingdom," said Schultz.

The temple was first announced during the April 2021 general conference by Church President Russell M. Nelson.

Oregon is home to more than 150,000 Latter-day Saints who worship in over 300 congregations. The Willamette Valley Oregon Temple will be the third in the state, following the Medford Oregon Temple and the Portland Oregon Temple. This house of the Lord will serve more than 30,000 Latter-day Saints in central-western Oregon.

Eleven-year-old Thomas Fuller of Springfield, Oregon, shared his excitement for the temple's completion.

"I am looking forward to seeing the Willamette Valley temple be built and to go inside someday," said Fuller.

Melanie Lambson of Coos Bay, Oregon, talked about why temples are important to her.

"I feel like the act of visiting the Lord's house in itself helps me to work on becoming a better person," Lambson said. "Visiting the temple gives me a better focus and reminds me why I'm here on earth."

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints differ from meetinghouses or chapels, where members meet for Sunday worship services. Each temple is considered a house 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.

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