HOUSTON TEXAS TEMPLE

The Houston Texas Temple is a dramatic building that contrasts sharply with the typical small temples currently being built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Houston Temple has very strong vertical lines, a pyramidal outline and is neo-Georgian in style while the small temples normally have strong horizontal lines, a square outline and a modern style. What is also unique about this Temple is the celestial room, which is illuminated by green tones, trimmed and highlighted with the more traditional white hue. A floral motif that includes roses and lilies embraces the Houston Temple, which symbolizes the beauty of nature.

In 1997, the search in the Houston area began for a site wherein the second Temple in Texas is to be built. Steve Cook, a member who had helped the Church in purchasing real estate in the past, was asked to help find a site for the Houston Temple. Several parcels of land which were supposedly potential sites for the Houston Temple was particularly belonging to a developer named Don Hand. Mr. Hand, however, reserved the land for his own purposes and actually had no plans of selling it, saying that no high monetary value would ever tempt him to put it on sale. Way back in the mid80s, during Houston’s economic depression, Mr. Hand was hardly struck by these financial struggles and feared that he would have to suffer from bankruptcy. Mr. Hand thought of praying to God, begging for His guidance through those tough times. He promised to one day pay the Lord back if He would spare him from his financial breakdown. So when the landowner learned what was proposed to be built on his land, he decided to sell the land as an act of gratitude and an opportunity to return the favor to God. Mr. Hand had originally purchased 2,000 acres in the area of what would become the temple site. This land had been on the market prior to Church President Gordon B. Hinckley's site selection trip, but when he visited the city, it was not available. Though uncertain, President Hinckley still visited the site and informed Brother Cook that it was the site for the Houston Temple. Brother Cook worked hard to build a trusting relationship with Mr. Hand and continued to maintain an interest in the parcel of land. Eventually, though skeptical, Mr. Hand became impressed with Brother Cook’s determination and his heart softened as he remembered the promise he made to the Lord years earlier. Finally, he sold the land for the building of the Houston Temple. He even helped the church officials find the befitting architect to design the beautifully established temple.

This pleasant Temple now stands in the Champions Forest section of Houston and is listed as the 97th operating Temple. This is also the second temple built in Texas, after the establishment of the Dallas Texas Temple which was built in 1984. The Houston Texas temple was dedicated on August 26, 2000 by Gordon B. Hinckley, the Latter-day Saint church president. The temple serves over forty-four thousand Latter-day Saints in the southern half of Texas; its total surface area is 33,970 square feet, having two ordinance rooms, and three sealing rooms.

During the Temple groundbreaking ceremony, Elder Christofferson presided the event and preached about humility, repentance, obedience, and submission. He urged those in attendance to reflect upon questions like "What aspect of my life should I bring into harmony in the next two years? What do I need to give up? What do I need to yield? What should I add? Is my nature one of a sincerely broken heart and contrite spirit?" As a fitting and moving final message, Elder Christofferson asked the question, “What will make each of us more holy as we enter the temple doors?" Mr. Don Hand who was the former owner of the Houston Temple site was also present in the event.

The Houston Texas Temple serves the members of the Church in fifteen stakes located in Southeast Texas which includes: Bay City Texas Stake, Beaumont Texas Stake, College Station Texas Stake, Cypress Texas Stake, Friendswood Texas Stake, Houston Texas (Spanish) Stake, Houston Texas East Stake, Houston Texas North Stake, Houston Texas South Stake, Houston Texas West (Spanish) Stake, Katy Texas Stake, Kingwood Texas Stake, Klein Texas Stake, Orange Texas Stake, and Richmond Texas Stake.