McAllen Texas Temple

McAllen Texas Temple
Interactive map of McAllen Texas Temple
Number	183
Dedication	8 October 2023, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Site	10.61 acres (4.29 ha)
Floor area	27,897 ft2 (2,591.7 m2)
Height	108 ft (33 m)
Official website • News & images
Church chronology
← Moses Lake Washington Temple McAllen Texas Temple → Feather River California Temple
Additional information
Announced	5 October 2019, by Russell M. Nelson
Groundbreaking	21 November 2020, by Art Rascon
Open house	25 August-9 September 2023
Current president	Arnold Duran Elkins
Location	McAllen, Texas, United States
Geographic coordinates	26°16′03″N 98°12′41″W
Baptistries	1
Ordinance rooms	2
Sealing rooms	2
Visitors' center	No
()

Introduction

The McAllen Texas Temple is temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under construction in McAllen, Texas. The intent to construct the temple was announced on October 5, 2019 by church president Russell M. Nelson in the Women's Session of the church's general conference. The announcement also included the Freetown Sierra Leone; Orem Utah; Port Moresby Papua New Guinea; Bentonville Arkansas; Bacolod Philippines; Cóban, Guatemala; and Taylorsville Utah temples.

Dedicated on October 8, 2023, by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, it is the first Latter-day Saint temple in the Rio Grande Valley, serving members in both southern Texas and northern Mexico. As the fifth Latter-day Saint temple in Texas, it joins the existing temples in Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio. The McAllen Texas Temple is also the southernmost Latter-day Saint temple in the contiguous United States. Since 1990, the Latter-day Saint community in Texas has grown significantly, from over 154,000 members to more than 350,000 today, with nearly 700 wards and branches across the state.

History

The presence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in South Texas dates back to the 1920s, when Dan Smith and his family were baptized, becoming some of the first members in the region. Although they did not speak Spanish, the Smith family traveled across the U.S.-Mexico border to attend services in Matamoros, Mexico. By the 1940s, the Latter-day Saint population in the area had grown to about 20 members, and in the 1950s, the Rio Grande Valley Branch was established. Over subsequent decades, the Church community in the region continued to grow, reaching approximately 378,000 members across 78 stakes and 744 congregations by the 2020s.

On December 11, 2019, the church announced that the temple will be built on a 10.6-acre site located on the northwest corner of Second Street and West Trenton Road in McAllen. Plans call for a single-story temple of approximately 25,000 square feet, with a center spire. The temple is being built on 11 acres and stands 107 feet high. It became the fifth temple in Texas, following the Dallas Texas Temple (1984), Houston Texas Temple (2000), Lubbock Texas Temple (2002), and San Antonio Texas Temple (2005).

A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify beginning of construction was held on November 21, 2020, with Art Rascon, an area seventy, presiding. A rendering released in August 2020 illustrated a single-story temple with nearly 30,000 square feet of floor space, along with an adjacent 19,000-square-foot meetinghouse. Following a public open house from August 25 to September 9, 2023, the McAllen Texas Temple was dedicated by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 8, 2023.

Design and Architecture

Site

Announced on December 11, 2019, the McAllen Texas Temple occupies a 10.6-acre site on the northwest corner of Second Street and West Trenton Road in McAllen, a city just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. With a center spire, the single-story temple covers a total area of 27,897 square feet, alongside a meetinghouse and a distribution center for temple garments and clothing. Landscaped with native Texas shrubs, palm trees, and succulents, the grounds are designed to create a lush, peaceful setting that complements the temple’s purpose as a place of worship.

Exterior

The temple's exterior is inspired by Spanish colonial architecture, a style that reflects the cultural history of the Rio Grande Valley region. Constructed from beige precast concrete panels by Gate Precast in Hillsboro, Texas, the temple features a central spire reaching a height of 108 feet. This open spire design echoes traditional church bell towers, linking the structure to architectural history while creating a distinct focal point. Design elements such as barbed quatrefoils, shell niches, and scrolls accentuate the temple's exterior, while motifs like citrus blossoms reference McAllen's agricultural heritage.The structure’s blue, gold, and green accents, symbolizing Texas’ bluebonnets, Gulf waters, and rich landscapes, harmonize the building with its regional surroundings.

Art glass created by Bovard Studio in collaboration with VCBO Architecture and Holdman Studios is incorporated into windows throughout the temple, adding vibrant blue and green tones that represent natural features of Texas. Landscape architect Heffner Design Team of McAllen designed the grounds, incorporating local plants and concrete pavers, creating a visually unified and serene environment.

Interior

Inside the temple, the general areas are adorned with soft-gold broadloom carpeting. Some rooms feature area rugs in shades of blues, golds, and greens. The temple's doors are made of mahogany, with antique bronze handles, adding to the elegant and sacred atmosphere within. The interior design blends both aesthetic beauty and functional reverence to create a spiritually uplifting environment for worshippers.

The temple’s interior blends elegance with regional motifs and high-quality craftsmanship. Its main spaces include two instruction rooms, two sealing rooms, and a baptistry, designed for key ordinances of the faith. Soft gold broadloom carpet by Mannington is used throughout, with wool rugs in celestial and sealing rooms. Vibrant blue, gold, and green rugs highlight these spaces, complementing other design elements.

Marble for various temple areas was sourced from Spain, featuring intricate scroll shapes that echo Spanish colonial patterns, particularly in the baptistry font's decorative border. VCBO Architecture and Dale Gierisch of Finessed Finishes Inc. in Springville, Utah, designed and installed decorative painting throughout the temple, including ceilings, hallways, and the celestial room.

Lighting is a mix of acrylic, bronze, and crystal fixtures by Preciosa Lighting and BNA Consulting, while the temple’s carved millwork and furniture reflect local motifs like citrus blossoms, exemplifying the blend of regional and spiritual symbols. The mahogany doors, finished in bronze, further add to the traditional yet refined atmosphere.

Symbol

Situated just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border—a line that often represents separation and division—the temple stands as a counter-symbol, emphasizing unity, togetherness, and transcendent faith. In a region where many families and communities span both countries, the temple fosters a sense of connection and shared purpose. Through its inclusive design and symbolic features, the McAllen Texas Temple is seen as a bridge across divides, embodying the spirit of unity that underlies its sacred purpose. Its bilingual monument sign, with inscriptions in both English and Spanish, underscores its role in bringing together Latter-day Saints from the United States and Mexico. This dual-language design embodies the temple’s mission of inclusion and service, transcending cultural and national boundaries.

The temple’s architectural and decorative elements are thoughtfully imbued with local symbolism, reflecting the rich culture and landscape of the Rio Grande Valley. Citrus blossom motifs, seen throughout the exterior and interior, celebrate the area’s agricultural roots and its vital citrus industry. The temple’s color palette of blue, green, and gold resonates with the region’s natural beauty, symbolizing Texas bluebonnets, the Gulf of Mexico, and the diverse Texan landscapes. These colors and patterns evoke enduring faith and resilience, qualities that resonate deeply within this close-knit, cross-border community.

In design and structure, the McAllen Texas Temple honors the Spanish colonial heritage that has historically shaped the area. By incorporating these architectural elements, the temple connects to both the Latin American influences and the historic roots of the border region, creating a space where the past and present come together.

Cultural and Community Impact

The McAllen Texas Temple holds significant cultural and community meaning, especially in a region with a substantial Hispanic population. Located less than 15 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, the temple serves as a symbol of peace, unity, and outreach for Latter-day Saints in both countries. Church members who have not been able to travel north due to immigration status or south to Mexico for temple worship. The McAllen Texas Temple offers these individuals a nearby sacred space for worship and spiritual strengthening.

As a landmark for Latter-day Saints in the Rio Grande Valley, the McAllen Texas Temple reflects the growth and commitment of the church community in the area. The temple fulfills a longstanding hope for a closer place of worship, reducing travel demands for those who previously journeyed significant distances to visit other temples in Texas. With its architectural features inspired by local flora and Spanish colonial design, the temple also honors the regional heritage, creating an inclusive space that resonates with the local culture. In doing so, it not only strengthens the bonds within the Latter-day Saint community but also enriches its cultural ties to the broader Rio Grande Valley.

Temple Presidents

Temple presidents and matrons are typically appointed by the LDS Church's First Presidency, and this position usually involves overseeing the operation of the temple, ensuring that temple ordinances are performed, and providing spiritual leadership to the local congregation of temple workers and patrons. Temple presidents and matrons are generally appointed for a three-year term by the church leadership. Each president is supported by a matron and counselors who assist in overseeing temple functions and services. The first president of the McAllen Texas Temple, appointed in 2023, is Carlos Villarreal, with Myrna Ann Garza Villarreal as the temple matron.

Admittance

The McAllen Texas Temple, like other Latter-day Saint temples, is open only to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who hold a valid temple recommend, which is issued by local Church leaders following an interview to assess personal worthiness. Prior to its dedication, the temple was open to the public for an open house, allowing individuals to tour the building and learn about the Latter-day Saint faith. Following its dedication, the temple is open for regular worship and ordinance work, including baptisms for the dead, endowments, and sealing ordinances for couples and families.

See also

Austin Dallas El Paso Fort Bend Fort Worth Houston Lubbock McAllen Fairview San Antonio Oklahoma City Tulsa Bentonville Albuquerque Ciudad Juárez Reynosa () Dallas-Fort Worth Temples Dallas Fort Worth Fairview () Temples in Texas and Oklahoma () = Operating = Under construction = Announced = Temporarily Closed

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Texas
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
• Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Temple architecture (LDS Church)

External links

• McAllen Texas Temple at ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org