The Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple was dedicated by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in two sessions on the morning of Sunday, January 14, 2024. This marks the second temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lima and the fourth in operation in Peru.
Elder Christofferson said, “It is a privilege to participate in the dedication of the Los Olivos Temple, but more importantly, it is what happens after the dedication, the activity of worthy members in the temple, for their own benefit and the benefit of their ancestors, for the benefit of all.”
“The new temple of Los Olivos is a response to the prayers of many Church members who, over the years, have been faithful in their testimony of Jesus Christ,” expressed Jose Piscoya Velásquez, a member of the Carabayllo Stake. “I know that people entering this beautiful temple will feel the same love that God has given me over the years,” shared Leonor Figueroa, a member of the San Felipe Stake.
The history of the Los Olivos Temple dates to April 2016, when Church President Thomas S. Monson announced the construction of a second temple in Lima, Peru. Construction officially began on June 8, 2019, with Elder Enrique R. Falabella offering the dedicatory prayer for the temple’s site. During the open house for the new temple, over 100,000 people — including local authorities, government leaders, students, journalists and leaders of other religious denominations — visited the building.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson was accompanied by his wife, Katherine; Elder Kevin R. Duncan (General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department) and his wife, Nancy; Elder Jorge F. Zeballos (General Authority Seventy and president of the South America Northwest Area) and his wife, Carmen Gloria; and Elder Juan Pablo Villar (General Authority Seventy) and his wife, Carola.
The Los Olivos temple, located on a two-and-a-half-acre plot in the northern part of Lima, is situated in a region where the current Church membership in Peru exceeds 600,000.
The Lima Peru Temple, located in La Molina, was the first temple built in Peru and was dedicated in January 1986. Subsequent temples in Trujillo (2015) and Arequipa (2019) followed. The Church has announced the construction of five more temples in Chiclayo, Cusco, Iquitos, Piura and Huancayo.
The ceremonies conducted inside each temple teach about the purpose of life and unite families, both past and present. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints promise to keep God’s commandments, support His work, live the higher law that Christ taught while on earth, remain chaste and dedicate their lives to building the Church of Christ.
This is an official press release re-published by LDSDaily.com from Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
