President Smith's Final Prayer

The dedication of the Ogden Utah Temple on January 18, 1972, was a landmark event: the first new temple dedicated in Utah in over 80 years. But the day is remembered less for the building itself than for a profoundly human moment that unfolded during the dedicatory prayer.

President Joseph Fielding Smith, then 95 years old and the 10th President of the Church, presided over the dedication. Smith had served as an Apostle for 62 years and as Church President for less than two years. Despite his advanced age, he was determined to personally offer the dedicatory prayer for the new temple — a solemn responsibility that had been fulfilled by the prophet at every temple dedication since the Kirtland Temple in 1836.

President Smith began the prayer, his voice weak but steady. As the prayer continued, however, it became clear that his strength was failing. The long, detailed dedicatory prayer — which asks God's blessings upon every aspect of the temple, its ordinances, and its members — proved too much for the aging prophet. His voice faltered and he was unable to continue.

Harold B. Lee, serving as First Counselor in the First Presidency, quietly stepped forward and completed the dedicatory prayer. The transfer was seamless and reverent, a moment of tender support between two prophets. For many in attendance, the scene was deeply moving — a visible reminder of the humanity of the men who lead the Church, and of the spirit of unity and love that sustains them.

President Smith died just five months later, on July 2, 1972. Harold B. Lee succeeded him as the 11th President of the Church. The Ogden Temple dedication was one of the last major public acts of Joseph Fielding Smith's life, and the moment when Lee completed his prayer has been remembered as one of the most poignant scenes in modern Church history.