SALT LAKE CITY — President Dallin H. Oaks dedicated the Burley Idaho Temple on Sunday, marking his first temple dedication since becoming president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The 93-year-old leader offered the dedicatory prayer for the 45,300-square-foot structure, formally designating it as a house of the Lord. During the service, President Oaks noted that the Burley temple held a “close to my heart” significance, as he spent several years of his childhood in nearby Twin Falls.
“When President Nelson gave his counselors the opportunity to choose which of about a dozen temples that were ready for dedication,” explained President Oaks, “I looked at a list of (my wife) would have chosen—she likes to go to exotic places—but I didn’t see any exotic places that were more attractive to me than this community because I associate it with my youth.”
The Burley Idaho Temple, a 45,300-square-foot structure, was first announced at the April 2021 general conference. Ground was broken on June 4, 2022.
The dedication comes during a period of significant transition for the faith. President Oaks recently assumed leadership following the deaths of President Russell M. Nelson and President Jeffrey R. Holland. In an interview Saturday, he described the “mantle of the prophet” as a heavy and holy responsibility, while expressing optimism for the Church’s future despite global challenges.
“It feels new to be the president of the church,” President Oaks stated. “It’s [a] very holy responsibility, and I’m trying to grow into it. I’m just sustained by the fact that the Lord has prepared me and now called me to do something. I don’t flinch from that responsibility.”
President Oaks also used the occasion to discuss a shift in administrative patterns, noting that future temple announcements may occur at local devotionals rather than solely at the Church’s biannual general conferences. He cited the recent announcement of a temple for Portland, Maine, as an example of this localized approach.
“It has occurred to me for a long time that the best place to announce a temple is in that temple district,” explained President Oaks. “And the best person to announce it is the file leader in that area, which can be an apostle on assignment to a stake conference or another meeting, or it can be the area president.”
The Burley temple is the seventh operating temple in Idaho, a state home to nearly 500,000 members. Several other temples are currently under construction or announced in Caldwell, Coeur d’Alene, Montpelier, and Teton River.
Accompanying President Oaks were his wife, Kristen, and other high-ranking leaders.
As the Church continues an era of rapid temple construction—with 212 currently operating and another 150 in various stages of development—President Oaks urged members to stay on the “covenant path.”
“We are optimistic because we trust the Lord and know that He loves us,” President Oaks said. “He set us up to succeed, not to fail.”