Click here for Villahermosa Mexico Temple information including temple schedule and directions from temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Announced: Oct. 30, 1998.

Location: In center of Villahermosa; Av 27 de Febrero #1802; Colonia Atasta de Serra, Villahermosa, Tabasco 86100, Mexico; phone: (52) 993-352-2028; no clothing rental.

Site: 1.73 acres.

Exterior finish: Blanco Guardiano white marble.

Temple design: Classic modern.

Architects: Alvaro Inigo and Church A&E Services.

Project manager: John Webster and Dean Fife.

Contractor: PyCSA / Okland Construction Co.

Rooms: Celestial room, baptistry, two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms.

Total floor area: 10,700 square feet.

Dimensions: 77 feet by 149 feet.

District: Eight stakes and two districts in Tabasco, on the east coast before the Yucatan Peninsula.

Groundbreaking: Jan. 9, 1999, by Elder Richard E. Turley Sr. of the Seventy and first counselor in the Mexico South Area.

Dedication: May 21, 2000, by President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency; 4 sessions.

Dedicatory Prayer

Done by President Thomas S. Monson

"Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest covenant and showest mercy unto thy servants" (D&C 109:1).

Wilt Thou hear our prayer, dear Father, as we bow before Thee with respect and love on this wonderful day of dedication.

We are met with glad hearts and boundless gratitude for Thy holy house which has been erected in our midst. We present it to Thee and Thy Son as a testament of our love and with gratitude for the great work which will be here carried forward.

Acting in the authority of the divine priesthood which comes from Thee, and in the name of our Redeemer, we consecrate and dedicate to Thee and to Thy Beloved Son this the Villahermosa México Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Dear Father, we pray that Thou wilt accept it as our offering of love. Through the tithes of Thy faithful Saints, we have been blessed to construct it as our gift to Thee and to our Lord. It is beautiful to look upon and its purposes wonderful to contemplate.

We dedicate the grounds on which it stands, and this entire structure from the footings to the figure of Moroni. We dedicate the walls and pray that they may stand secure from the storms of nature and from any evil hand which might be inclined to desecrate it. Rather, for all who pass this way, may there be a spirit of respect for the sanctity of this Thy house.

We dedicate all of the interior facilities, the beautiful baptistry, the various ordinance rooms, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, the halls and offices and the mechanical equipment. May all function harmoniously together.

May this in very deed be "a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God" (D&C 109:8).

May Thy Holy Spirit touch the hearts of all who enter these portals. May they do so with reverence and respect. May this Thy house stand as an expression of the covenant between Thee and Thy children, and wilt Thou be constrained to look with favor upon Thy people and open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon them.

Hear the prayers of Thy people whenever they plead with Thee in their troubles. Give unto them peace in their hearts and the assurance that Thou art watching over them. May they come here, dressing in white, to commune with Thee and to participate in those ordinances which will bring to them blessings for their eternal exaltation, and for the exaltation of uncounted numbers beyond the veil of death.

We pray that Thou wilt bless all who serve here, be they workers or patrons. May all be touched by a spirit of peace and love and nearness to Thee.

We pray for the temple presidency, for the matron and her assistants, and for all who will serve here in any way. Grant them strength and gladness as they do so. May Thy eternal purposes concerning the sons and daughters of Lehi be realized in this sacred house. May every blessing of the eternal gospel be poured out upon them, and may the suffering of the centuries be softened through the beneficence of Thy loving care.

We thus pray unto Thee on this day which will long be remembered among us and do it in the name of Thy Beloved Son, He who wrought our salvation through His marvelous Atonement, even the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Villahermosa temple stands like ceiba tree

By Jason Swensen

Church News staff writer

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico -- Just a few yards from the entrance of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple stands an old ceiba tree with a sturdy trunk and outstretched branches that seem to pierce the roof of the sky.

The ancient Mayas who once inhabited this land in southeast Mexico regarded the ceiba as sacred. The tropical tree, according to Mayan legend, taught a wise lesson about remaining deep-rooted in the goodness of the rich Mexican soil while simultaneously reaching upwards to heaven. Even today, it is illegal to chop down a ceiba tree in the state of Tabasco, where Villahermosa is located."It is indeed a very special tree to us," said resident and LDS Church member Clemente Alcaraz.

On May 21, the ceiba shadowing the white stone temple offered a happy connection to the past and future of this region. Church members of all ages filed past the stately tree as they entered the Lord's sacred edifice. Inside, they would mark a historic moment for southern Mexico. President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, presided over the four dedication sessions of the Villahermosa Mexico Temple and offered the dedicatory prayer.

Tears shared faces with smiles as Tabasco saints rejoiced in the opening of a temple they could call their own.

"I have prayed often for a temple in this part of Mexico," said Samuel Oteo, one of the pioneers of the Church in Tabasco. "Today, I am very, very happy and grateful to my Heavenly Father."

President Monson traveled to Villahermosa after dedicating the temple in Tampico, Mexico, a day earlier.

President Monson seemed touched by the outpouring of love and excitement the local members directed toward him and the other visiting authorities. He commented on the beauty of the Tabasco youngsters, reminding them they are "children of Lehi."

While members who have joined the faith in the past few years looked forward to visiting a dedicated temple for the first time, a few of the Tabasco "veteranos" marveled at the growth they have witnessed in the Church over the past several decades.

Maria Elena Balboa was baptized 43 years ago, reportedly the fifth person to join the Church in Tabasco. She studied various faiths, looking for a church based on Christ and service. When she learned of the LDS Church she knew her wishes, like thousands of other Mexicans, had been granted. Soon she accepted a call to be the first full-time missionary from Tabasco and served in the Mexican Mission.

Later, Sister Balboa made it her life's goal to teach her children about the truthfulness of the gospel. Three have been married in the temple and a fourth was to be sealed the day after the May 21 dedication.

"I always wished for a temple in my town, but never really thought it would happen," Sister Balboa said. "Today I'm so happy. I've even been called to work in the temple."

Sister Rita Cardenas walked out of the first dedicatory session carrying a handkerchief wet with tears.

"This is the second-happiest day of my life," said Sister Cardenas, adding her happiest was when her husband, Demetrio, accepted the gospel and was baptized after several years of investigation. She compared Brother Cardenas to a canary who finally relents to his true calling and reveals a sweet voice.

"Now he has been set apart as a temple sealer for the people of Tabasco," Sister Cardenas said.

Thirteen-year-old Antonio Manuel said he will never forget listening to the words one of the Lord's chosen leaders had for the people of his community.

"It was exciting to be able to see a person like President Monson who communicates so closely with the Lord," Antonio said.

The Villahermosa deacon said he plans to be a frequent visitor at the temple to do work at the baptistry, adding a mission call will one day return him to the rooms he toured during the temple open house so he can receive a personal temple endowment.

Almost 40 years ago, Rafael Guerra accepted a missionary's invitation to accept the gospel while living in Monterrey in northern Mexico. In those days, the blessings of the temple for many Mexican saints could only be realized at great cost and a trip to the Mesa Arizona Temple.

"Now the Church will grow in Villahermosa," Brother Guerra said. "Many non-members came to the temple open house and many of them asked to hear the missionary discussions after visiting the Lord's wonderful house."