In October 2021 general conference, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that the Provo Utah Temple would undergo major renovations.
When completed, the temple will reopen under a new name, the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple, to distinguish it from the Provo City Center Temple.
Dedicated in 1972 by Church President Joseph Fielding Smith, the temple has served as a spiritual and community landmark for more than 50 years.
Overlooking the Provo Missionary Training Center, Brigham Young University and Utah Lake, the temple has been a gathering place for members of the community.
As the designated temple for missionaries in the Provo MTC to conduct sacred temple service and the location for thousands of marriage sealings, the Provo Utah Temple served as a spiritual landmark.
For Mike Perkins, a BYU alumnus, sitting outside this temple and walking its grounds became a place of divine revelation at a crucial time in his life.
“I received my testimony of the gospel, my confirmation to go on a mission and to marry my wife, grad school and career; all these things were prayerfully confirmed by that temple,” Perkins said.
The temple officially closed on Feb. 24, 2024, and demolition began soon after. Construction on the new Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple is now underway.
Acccording to the Church's temple website, as of Aug. 30, the structural framing has topped out, the west parking lot infrastructure has been installed, and both interior framing and hardscaping are ongoing.
“The Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple will be built to current seismic codes and have reconfigured rooms and energy-efficient electrical, heating, and plumbing systems,” the Church said in a statement.
For some, the reconstruction is a welcome change.
“The (Provo) temple was outdated,” said Lindsey Maher, a BYU student. “People in Provo will feel more love and pride for their religion having a more beautiful temple and place to worship.”
Others have found it difficult to say goodbye to the temple that has long been part of their spiritual lives.
“I was surprised by how sad I was when I heard the announcement of the reconstruction," Perkins said. "I was surprised at my deep attachment to the building."
During the renovation, missionaries in training at the Provo Missionary Training Center are attending the Provo City Center, Orem and Payson temples.
“For the duration of the renovation, the MTC missionaries are moved to the Provo City Center, Orem and Payson temples. Everything is going smoothly,” the Church said.
As of now, no date has been announced for the reopening or rededication of the Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple.