Why the Burley Idaho Temple Was “Close to My Heart” for President Oaks

President Dallin H. Oaks dedicated the Burley Idaho Temple on Sunday, January 11, 2026, marking the first temple dedication of his presidency and a moment of deep personal significance. In the dedicatory prayer, he consecrated the temple to God the Father and Jesus Christ, invoking divine presence and power upon the sacred work to be performed there.

“We dedicate and consecrate unto Thee and Thy Beloved Son this Burley Idaho Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” President Oaks prayed. “We invoke Thy power to assure that Thy Spirit and Thy glory will always be present here and upon all Thy sacred work that will be done here.”

Before offering the prayer, President Oaks shared personal remarks with those gathered, explaining why he chose to dedicate the Burley Temple himself. He said the temple was “close to my heart,” noting that he lived for about five years as a child in nearby Twin Falls, Idaho.

Temples Point Souls to Jesus Christ

In his remarks at the dedication, President Oaks placed the Burley Temple within the broader context of what he described as “a glorious season of temple building.” He reminded Latter-day Saints that the Church’s growing number of temples serves a singular, Christ-centered purpose.

“The work of temples is centered on our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. All that is learned and done here relates to Him,” President Oaks said. “Here in His house, we make sacred covenants with and in the name of Jesus Christ, which among other meanings signify His authority and His work.”

He taught that temple worship connects disciples directly to the Savior’s power and mission. “All who worship here receive the blessings of His power and participate in His saving work,” he said, explaining that this sacred labor blesses “those still living in mortality and those in the spirit world.”

Strength for the Days Ahead

Continuing his dedication remarks, President Oaks spoke about the spiritual preparation Latter-day Saints will need in the years ahead. He warned that increasing pressure on morality and family life would require disciples to draw strength from their temple covenants.

“As we experience Satan’s deadly onslaught on morality and the integrity of families, and as we read the prophecies and feel the signs of the times, we cannot doubt that the future holds great sacrifices and challenges for Latter-day Saints,” he said. He pointed to scriptural promises for those who “stand in holy places and [are] not moved.”

A Temple in a Growing State

The Burley Idaho Temple is a 45,300-square-foot structure first announced during the April 2021 general conference, with construction beginning in June 2022. It adds to Idaho’s expanding network of temples, joining Boise, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Pocatello, Rexburg, and Twin Falls, with additional temples announced or under construction across the state.

Temples, he explained, are where covenant knowledge becomes lived discipleship. “Surely,” President Oaks concluded, “the times ahead will call for us to remember our temple covenants and to rely on the blessings promised in these houses of the Lord here in Burley and throughout the world.”

The Burley Idaho Temple is a 45,300-square-foot structure first announced during the April 2021 general conference, with construction beginning in June 2022. It adds to Idaho’s expanding network of temples, joining Boise, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Pocatello, Rexburg, and Twin Falls, with additional temples announced or under construction across the state.

President Oaks was joined at the dedication by his wife, Kristen, along with several Church leaders and their spouses, reflecting the shared leadership and unity surrounding the sacred proceedings.

Reflections Shared in a Saturday Interview

In addition to the dedication, President Oaks and his wife met with the media on Saturday afternoon at the Burley Idaho Temple. During that interview, he reflected more personally on his transition to becoming president of the Church and the weight of prophetic responsibility.

“I’ve been used to seeing the mantle on other people, but now I’ve had the experience of feeling the mantle — and it’s heavy and continuous,” President Oaks said. “It’s a very holy responsibility, and I’m trying to grow into it.”

He explained that he never aspired to the role, but feels sustained by trust in the Lord’s preparation and calling. “I’m just sustained by the fact that the Lord has prepared me and now called me to do something,” he said. “I don’t flinch from that responsibility.”

The Covenant Path, Explained

During the interview, President Oaks also expanded on how temple worship shapes daily life, returning to the metaphor of the covenant path. He described covenants as “the signposts that keep us on the covenant path,” helping disciples orient their lives toward eternal destinations rather than viewing commandments as a checklist.

He explained that the covenant path includes responsibility toward others—both those who model faithful living and those who are still learning. That perspective, he said, reflects the true purpose of temple worship and discipleship.

Kristen Oaks shared her own reflections during the interview, explaining that time in the temple brings “comfort, instruction, revelation,” and helps her become “more patient” and “kinder.”

A Message of Faith and Optimism

As the interview concluded, President Oaks addressed concerns about global uncertainty, offering reassurance rooted in gospel perspective rather than fear. “Be happy. Don’t be depressed. Trust in the Lord,” he said, describing life’s challenges as part of the learning experience of mortality.

He encouraged members—especially youth—to remain optimistic, pointing to temples as visible reminders of eternal purpose. “Temples dot the earth to remind people of what the gospel of Jesus Christ means to us,” he said, calling them powerful symbols of hope and direction.

President Oaks closed the interview with a simple, covenant-centered invitation: “Be faithful, make covenants, keep covenants, stay on the covenant path, study the gospel, trust the Lord, and give thanks for His Only Begotten Son, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”

Holly Wallace

Holly Wallace is a writer and storyteller drawn to meaningful questions and overlooked details. Her work explores Latter-day Saint life and culture through faithful inquiry, inviting readers to pause, consider, and engage more deeply with what matters most.