Gilbert Arizona Temple


The Gilbert Arizona Temple is a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the town of Gilbert, Arizona.

History

The announcement of the temple on April 26, 2008 came concurrently with the Gila Valley Arizona Temple and were the first new temples announced after Thomas S. Monson assumed responsibilities as LDS Church president. It is the 142nd temple of the LDS Church.
The temple is near the intersection of Pecos and Greenfield roads in a rapidly growing part of the southeast Phoenix metropolitan area. The temple was built in response to the high concentration of church members in the area and will help ease the load on the nearby Mesa Arizona Temple.
The Gilbert town council gave unanimous approval to requested zoning changes in a meeting on September 29, 2009. Key among the requests was an allowance to build to a height of 85 feet, higher than the existing restriction at 45 feet. The temple's planned steeple did not require an exemption, as the town does not restrict the height of steeples. While not providing a specific timeframe for construction, an anticipated completion within three years was repeated at the meeting.
Claudio R. M. Costa presided at a groundbreaking ceremony on November 13, 2010, with completion of the temple expected to take approximately two years. During construction a trailer at the site served as a visitors' center, greeting guests and answering questions. A public open house was held from January 18 to February 15, 2014. The temple was formally dedicated on March 2, 2014 by Henry B. Eyring and Monson.
Like all LDS Church temples, the temple in Gilbert was built and dedicated as a "refuge from the storms of life and the noise of the world" for church members.
In 2020, the Gilbert Arizona Temple was closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.