Porto Alegre Brazil Mormon Temple
The Porto Alegre Brazil Temple is the 102nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Mormon Church first made its presence in Brazil in 1927 with President Stoof and Elder Stoddard investigating the possibility of bringing missionaries to the country. In 1928, they returned with two missionaries, and the first baptism took place in April 1929. However, Mormon missionaries did not begin officially teaching the gospel until 1933. By 1960 there were fewer than 500 members.
During the next fifteen years, the membership of the Church in Brazil grew rapidly enough that President Spencer W. Kimball announced the building of a temple in São Paulo Brazil. The temple's completion in 1978 sparked an awakening of the people in Brazil and Church membership skyrocketed. Today there are a total of four temples in Brazil with another announced.
The announcement to build a temple in Porto Alegre came in September 1997. At the time of its dedication on December 17, 2000, it was the last of 34 temples dedicated in the year 2000. Mormon Church President Gordon B. Hinckley offered the dedicatory prayer.
The Porto Alegre Temple overlooks the city from the east toward a large river and port for which the city is named. It has an exterior of white granite and a single spire topped with a statue of the angel Moroni. The temple has a total of 10,700 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
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Temples in Brazil[]
- Campinas Brazil Temple
- Curitiba Brazil Temple
- Porto Alegre Brazil Temple
- Recife Brazil Temple
- São Paulo Brazil Temple