Groundbreaking for Teton River Temple held on Saturday

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI)- Latter-Day Saints gathered in Rexburg on Saturday to break ground for the construction of their newest Temple located in the Gem State.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints living in the Upper Valley shared their excitement.

"It's wonderful. I know the Rexburg temple is always busy, and, there's a lot of people here who love the Savior, Jesus Christ. And they want to come closer to him and to have another house of the Lord in this area have more opportunities to do that would be a great blessing," said Kellen Giraud.

"I'm really excited about that, actually. Every time I try and make an appointment in the temple, it has to be like a week or two weeks out, with how busy it is here. So I think it's just going to get busier and busier here as well. So it's super cool," Dean Huisken said.

"It's just great program today, great spirit. We're just really excited for our new temple," Ron Kingler said.

Construction will begin Monday.

"Today they need to pull out all of these things. (Things from the groundbreaking). Tomorrow is Sunday, Monday it will start and it will last around three years," Elder Ricardo P. Giménez a general authority seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said.

The Teton River Temple The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints second temple in Rexburg. When completed it will be the third in the valley, and ninth overall in the Gem State. Two other temples are currently in construction, the Montpelier Temple and the Burley Temple.

County residents shared they found the ceremony was touching.

"It's a beautiful day here in the spring. And, just a beautiful occasion to have people all out here, just enjoying this, wonderful occasion. An opportunity to celebrate having a temple. Another temple here in Rexburg," Giraud said.

"I've actually never been to a groundbreaking before. I've always seen videos and pictures of it. It was actually really, really spiritual as well. And I thought, there's no there's no temple official here. But just throughout the entire thing, I felt like this place is already kind of sacred," Huisken said.

"It's always wonderful great spirit here. The speakers were amazing. they did such a good job. And the program was perfect. It was really good," Kingler said.

Elder Giménez shares how the new temple can serve as a boost for the surrounding area.

"The place will be beautiful. The surroundings are going to be beautiful. But this will attract people who are trying to be disciples of Jesus Christ," Elder Giménez said.

The Teton River Temple will sit between two forks of the Teton River. It will also be visible from US-20 heading north.

It is also the only one in the world that sits on the same street as another temple in the same city.

The Teton River Temple will be 3.4 miles away from the Rexburg Temple, which was built in 2008.