A"brighter day" dawned for the Church in Florida June 20 as ground was broken for the Orlando Florida Temple.

On a knoll overlooking a chain of lakes - at what is described as one of Florida's most beautiful locations - about 100 Church leaders and their families gathered for the temple site dedication and groundbreaking.Elder James E. Faust of the Council of the Twelve presided, spoke and offered the dedicatory prayer at the morning meeting. Also delivering remarks were Elder Alexander B. Morrison, North America Southeast Area president, and his counselors, Elders Ben B. Banks and Stephen D. Nadauld, all of the Seventy. Elder Alvie R. Evans, regional representative, and Pres. Evan D. Porter Jr. of the Orlando Florida Stake also spoke.

At the end of the meeting, Elder Faust turned over the first shovel of sod, and members of the area presidency and other leaders followed. Afterwards, Elder Faust invited youth from the group to join in the ceremonial start of construction.

The temple site is located on Apopka-Vineland Road, on the edge of the Orlando suburb of Windermere, about five miles southeast of Orlando. Access is from Interstate 4. Construction bids are expected to be let in July, the contract awarded in August, and construction to begin sometime in September.

In his remarks, Elder Faust underscored the importance of continuing to follow the age-old commandment to build temples. "This people," he said, "are commanded to `establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.' (D&C 88:119.)

"So we break ground today for the building of a house of God," said Elder Faust. "We are a unique people."

He said that many temples were built across the world anciently. In Jerusalem, the temple of Herod was built so carefully that each stone had a signature marked on it.

"This is the temple to which the Savior went. Now, when the Savior comes to Florida, surely He will come to this house that would be at this spot. So we rejoice in the wonderful and great privilege and blessing it is to participate in these exercises."

Elder Faust encouraged members of the temple district to sacrifice to make funds and service available for the temple.

Underscoring the blessing of having a temple constructed in this area, Elder Faust observed that many thousands of people, such as those in West Africa, are members of the Church, but few have received their temple blessings.

He said that he recently accompanied a new mission president and his wife from West Africa to the Salt Lake Temple. At that time, Elder Faust remarked to the mission president that the "glorious, magnificent edifice, the queen of all temples, was built when our people were as poor as the people are in Ghana and Nigeria. We should not take so long to build a temple in West Africa as it took in Salt Lake City, though."

Elder Faust further said: "I hope that every man, woman and child in this district will make a sacrifice for the building of this house. I think we have moved through a higher level of commitment of the people in the payment of their tithes. We are now able build our buildings, and cool them and heat them and light them, and build our temples [without extra assessmentsT."

Elder Faust encouraged the members to participate in the temple building effort "not through assessments, but from the center of our soul, which is our hearts."

Elder Morrison noted that "this is a historic day in the odyssey of the Church in the South. I am confident that corridors of celestial halls ring with anthems of praise this morning, and that among those in the heavenly chorus are stalwart pioneers of the Church in this corner of the vineyard.

"They are humble men and women who put their hand in the hand of the Almighty, to walk each day to the edge of their faith, and found the path opening up before them." Among those pioneer members he mentioned were James Boone, the first stake patriarch in Florida; George Canova, who was martyred for the Church in 1898; Brother Canova's grandson Alvin Chace, the first stake president in Florida; and Elder Charles E. Callis of the Council of the Twelve, who labored much of his life for the Church in the South.

"In the main, all we are called upon to sacrifice is time and material things, not our lives. Count upon it; you will be called upon to sacrifice in this corner of the Lord's vineyard."

Elder Banks noted that the first temple of this dispensation was built at Kirtland, Ohio.

"I thought how significant that temple was in the lives of each of us," he said. "After the dedicatory prayer was offered by the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple, the Savior Himself appeared . . . and stood upon the breastplate of the temple. . . ."

Other heavenly messengers also visited this temple to restore important keys of the gospel.

"A holy sanctuary such as that is going to be erected here. I couldn't help but think of the significance of the words of the song, `The morning breaks, the shadows flee; Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled! The dawning of a brighter day Majestic rises on the world.' (Hymns, No. 1.)

"And certainly what a beautiful morning we gather here, and certainly what a dawning of a brighter day in this part of the Lord's vineyard where the saints can come and receive their endowments that will allow them one day to return to our Father in Heaven's presence. "

Elder Nadauld compared the ancient Tabernacle, which was a tent held up by ropes and stakes, with the temples of today.

He noted the symbolism of the stakes and ropes pointing toward the center of the tabernacle. Today, "faithful saints in the sanctuaries of their homes will point to and strengthen this temple. And the temple and the covenants that are made here will be a source of blessings to the stakes and to the homes, the sanctuaries of our people.

"It is a grand and glorious day, one we shall ever remember. I bear you my witness that this will be the House of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that many will come here and take upon them the covenants that will lead to their salvation."

Elder Evans commented that "all who are here know and will recognize the great influence this structure will bring to this community.

"If I were in the government here locally, I would be thankful for the events of this day. No other structure that will ever be built in this community will bring greater blessings to the inhabitants and to the great state of Florida [and the surrounding areasT than this structure.

"May the community know that our only intention ever will be to bless the people of this community through this great and magnificent structure."

Pres. Porter, who handled most of the negotiations and legal procedures for the temple, recounted the 10 years of effort required to find, purchase and gain approval to build the temple.

"On several occasions I found it was impossible to move forward without the Lord's intervention," he recounted. "I came to realize that He does not want this to move forward without His intervention. This is His will.

"The blessing of having this temple has come for many reasons," he said. "But we cannot ignore the wonderful sacrifice and faith and dedication of so many for so many years that has led to this wonderful gift."