Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple

Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple
Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple
	The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple
Number	23
Dedication	9 August 1983, by Gordon B. Hinckley
Site	1.2 acres (0.49 ha)
Floor area	21,184 sq ft (1,968.1 m2)
	Official website • News & images
Church chronology
Additional information
Announced	2 April 1980, by Spencer W. Kimball
Groundbreaking	18 February 1981, by Spencer W. Kimball
Open house	19–30 July 1983
Rededicated	4 November 2007, by Russell M. Nelson
Designed by	Emil B. Fetzer
Location	Nukuʻalofa, Tonga
Geographic coordinates	21°9′45.21960″S 175°16′20.35200″W / 21.1625610000°S 175.2723200000°W
Exterior finish	"R-wall" exterior finish and insulation system on concrete block; roof covered by split cedar shake shingles.
Baptistries	1
Ordinance rooms	2 (Movie, stationary)
Sealing rooms	3
Clothing rental	Yes
Notes	The Tongan temple was rededicated 4 November 2007 following remodeling that began in June 2006.
	(edit)

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple (formerly the Tongan Temple) is the 25th constructed and 23rd operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It is located in the middle of Tonga's main island Tongatapu near Matangiake. The area where the temple is located is commonly known as Liahona, after the name of the church-owned high school there. The temple is several miles south of its namesake city, the capital Nukuʻalofa.

The temple is the only one in Tonga, and has a floor plan similar to other southern Pacific temples, including the Apia Samoa (rebuilt in 2005) and the Papeete Tahiti temples. It was built with a modern single-spire design, similar to the Bern Switzerland Temple and the London England Temple. Most of the construction work on the temple was done by labor missionaries from New Zealand and other South Pacific Islands.

History

The Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was announced on 2 April 1980, and dedicated on 9 August 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley.^[3]^[4] The temple was built on a 5-acre (20,000 m²) plot, has 2 ordinance rooms and 3 sealing rooms, and has a total floor area of 14,572 square feet (1,353.8 m²).

The temple was closed for renovation in July 2006. After completion, an open house was held September 29 to October 20, 2007, and the temple was rededicated on November 4, 2007 by Russell M. Nelson.^[5]^[4]

After he was released as president of Brigham Young University-Hawaii in 2007, Eric B. Shumway became the temple president.^[6]

In 2020, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.^[7]

References

^ "Public to Tour Renovated Temple in Nuku'alofa, Tonga", Newsroom (Press release), LDS Church, 2007-07-10, retrieved 2012-10-07
^ Weaver, Sara Jane (2007-11-05), "LDS Tonga Temple rededicated", Deseret Morning News, retrieved 2012-10-07
^ "Utah's People of Color; Significant Events in the Ethnic Communities of Utah". Salt Lake Tribune. 27 December 1998. ProQuest 288910311.
^ ^a ^b "LDS church rededicates Tonga temple". Salt Lake Tribune. AP. 5 November 2007. ProQuest 282193920.
^ Weaver, Sara Jane (2007-11-05), "LDS Tonga Temple rededicated", Deseret Morning News, retrieved 2012-10-07
^ "President of BYUH to take post in Tonga". Honolulu Star Bulletin. 6 February 2007. ProQuest 412403137.
^ Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "All Latter-day Saint temples to close due to coronavirus", The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 March 2020. Retrieved on 28 March 2020.