Preliminary Sketch of Small Temple Floor Plan (1997)

Preliminary sketch of small temple floor plan (1997)

The concept of small temples has greatly accelerated temple building in recent years. In June 1997 Gordon B. Hinckley attended the centennial observance of Church-owned Juárez Academy in Colonia Juárez, Mexico. While driving back to the airport in El Paso, Texas, he reflected on how to help faithful Saints in outlying areas receive the blessings of the temple. Once on the airplane, he made this sketch of a floor plan for a smaller temple with only the essential facilities.

He announced the concept at the October 1997 general conference, and by August 1998 the first small temple had been completed in Monticello, Utah. Since 1997, more than 50 small temples have been constructed or announced in 19 additional countries and 17 U.S. states where none had been before, including one in Colonia Juárez, which was dedicated on March 6, 1999.

Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple

This is one of the small temples that were built as a result of President Gordon B. Hinckley’s sketch.