# McAllen Texas Temple

The McAllen Texas Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in McAllen, Texas. The intent to construct the temple was announced on October 5, 2019 by church president Russell M. Nelson during general conference, concurrently with 7 others.
The temple was dedicated on October 8, 2023, by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The temple serves church members in southern Texas and northern Mexico. It is the fifth in Texas, joining the temples in Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, and San Antonio. The McAllen Texas Temple is the church's southernmost in the contiguous United States. As of 2019, the Latter-day Saint community in Texas had grown significantly since 1990, from over 154,000 members to more than 350,000, with nearly 700 wards and branches across the state.

## History

The presence of the 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 was about 20 members, and in the 1950s, the Rio Grande Valley Branch was established. Over subsequent decades, church membership reached approximately 378,000 members across 78 stakes and 744 congregations by the 2020s.
On December 11, 2019, the church announced that the temple would be built on a 10.6-acre site located on the northwest corner of Second Street and West Trenton Road in McAllen. Plans called for a single-story temple of approximately 25,000 square feet, with a center spire, and is 107 feet high.
A groundbreaking ceremony, to signify beginning of construction was held on November 21, 2020, with Art Rascon, an area seventy, presiding. Following a public open house from August 25 to September 9, 2023, the McAllen Texas Temple was dedicated by Dieter F. Uchtdorf on October 8, 2023.

## Design and architecture

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 peaceful setting to complement 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 107 feet. This open spire design echoes traditional church bell towers, linking the structure to architectural history while creating a distinct focal point. The design includes barbed quatrefoils, shell niches, and scrolls, 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 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. Blue, gold, and green rugs also highlight these spaces.
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.

### Location

Situated just a few miles from the U.S.-Mexico border—a line that often represents separation and division—the temple's presence is intended to emphasize unity, togetherness, and transcendent faith. In a region where many families and communities span both countries, it creates connection and shared 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 include local symbolism of the 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.

## Cultural and community impact

The temple is intended to strengthen cultural and community meaning 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 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 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.

## Temple presidents

The church's temples are directed by a temple president and matron, each serving for a term of three years. The president and matron oversee the administration of temple operations and provide guidance and training for both temple patrons and staff. Since its 2023 dedication, the first temple president has been Carlos Villarreal, with Myrna A. Villarreal serving as matron.

## Admittance

Prior to its dedication, a public open house was held. Like all the church's temples, it is not used for Sunday worship services. To members of the church, temples are regarded as sacred houses of the Lord. Once dedicated, only church members with a current temple recommend can enter for worship.