Press release courtesy of the Church Newsroom. Visit their site HERE.
The Harare Zimbabe Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated the Harare Zimbabwe Temple on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
In remarks shared before offering the dedicatory prayer, Elder Gong expressed deep gratitude to all who had prayed, worked and sacrificed for this sacred day. He emphasized the blessings of regular temple attendance and described it as an invitation from the Savior to “create a new gospel temple culture.”
“Instead of going to the temple once in our life, or once a year on a temple trip, we can plan and come ourselves to the Lord in the house of the Lord more often,” he said.
As Saints follow Jesus Christ willingly, obediently and joyfully, they prepare to “return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World), he said.
Elder Gong explained that the Lord gives us holy temples so we and those we love can return to the holy presence of God our Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ, spotless and clean, justified, sanctified and exalted.
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, and his wife, Susan; Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Susan; and Elder Elder Denelson Silva and his wife, Regina, pose with members of the Harare Zimbabe Temple presidency and their wives at the dedication of the Harare Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
“The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps us repent and change,” Elder Gong said. “The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps us forgive and be forgiven. The Atonement of Jesus Christ helps us mend and heal our relationships.
“Jesus Christ’s gospel and Atonement make bad men and bad women good and good men and good women better. Temple ordinances and covenants connect us by our own name with the name and infinite and eternal Atonement of Jesus Christ.”
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