The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints solemnly held their groundbreaking ceremony for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple on January 16, 2019 at 11 o’ clock in the morning. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided over the ceremony, with representatives from Rchitects, Inc., Architect-of-Record, Richardson Design Partnership, Salt Lake City- Design Architect and from Haskell Philippines, the project’s contractor, in attendance. Urdaneta City Mayor Amadeo Gregorio Perez IV also attended the event.         

The Temple complex is located on a sprawling 6.2 hectare property along Mc Arthur Highway in Bgy. Nancaysan, Urdaneta, Pangasinan. The temple complex is composed of 3 buildings; The Temple, where ordinances such as baptisms and weddings are held and where offices are located, The Ancillary Building, which provides Patron accommodations, and the Utility Building. Approximately half of the lot area will be devoted to landscaping.

The Temple is the highest expression of faith for the members of the LDS Church. It majestically rises on an East-West axis, with a grand plaza fronting Mc Arthur Highway. To the north of the temple are 6 large acacia trees, which were kept since the purchase of the lot. The trees form an integral part of the landscape, separating zones between the main temple and the ancillary buildings as well as contributing to the tranquility and serenity of the landscape.