Young adults involved in 'Dedicate' now sharing their experiences around the world

SALT LAKE CITY — Young adults involved in "Dedicate" are already sharing their experiences around the world in local premieres.

As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints looks ahead to next year's Temple Celebration, it is releasing weekly episodes of a series featuring seven young adults from around the world who saw the construction of the Salt Lake Temple firsthand and spoke with church leaders about the experience.

President Dallin H. Oaks mentioned the series at the end of general conference, just before its premiere. It was announced earlier in September.

Cast experiences

Bella Machado Guimarães, from São Paulo, Brazil, said at a screening there of the second episode that her participation opened her heart to the temple and she hopes it helps others have the same experience.

"And then the time (in the temple) had a great meaning for me because I discovered this is the place where you yourself will develop a relationship with Heavenly Father," she said.

Lehi Balboa León of Mexico, another young adult in the series, also spoke at the Brazil screening about the importance of the temple, saying "every sacrifice is worth it."

On the same day, Mathéo Depuydt spoke about his experience with young adults in France who said it helped them feel connected to the temple.

Two other participants — Sora Murata, who is from Japan but now lives in Provo, and Alexandra Cazier Hovermale from Huntsville, Alabama — spoke with Church News about their experience, along with producer Aaron Merrell, in a podcast produced by Church News.

Hovermale talked about getting emotional while in a sealing room with Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and feeling understood while talking to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

"It was just so cool to get to ask these heroes of mine just questions that have been on my heart and that I've spent hours studying," she said.

Hovermale said she hopes some of her friends who are not members of the church are able to see how much she loves Jesus Christ.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said in a church statement that "Dedicate" is a way for those who cannot come in person to participate in the Temple Celebration.

"Let (this series) be something that you experience, that you enjoy, that builds your faith in Jesus Christ," he said.

What is in the series?

The first episode introduces each of the young adults, providing some information about their background, interests and connection with the church. Some are lifelong members, but Murata had only been a member of the church for about six months.

In the episode, the six friends meet on Temple Square and are introduced to President Uchtdorf and other church leaders.

In the second video, they met Zach Nelson, a YouTuber who tests strength jerryrigeverything.com, and his wife Cambri who shows them an earthquake simulation. He explains that mortar will not hold the blocks together during an earthquake, so cables were stretched vertically through the temple to hold it in place.

They then go underneath the temple to look at some of the 98 base isolators which hold it up.

"I thought base isolation was really cool. I thought it represents our faith in Jesus Christ really well; we can always come back, and he's always waiting there," Sora said.

The young adults also get to help with the construction, applying mortar between the rocks before meeting more church leaders on the roof of the temple.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said Brigham Young wished for the temple to last through the millennium, and the church is developing that wish even further.

President Johnson said, like the cables that connect the temple to the cornerstones, she connects herself to Christ through joyful repentance, prayers, scriptures and temple worship.

"He's always there, solid; he doesn't move. But we have to connect ourselves to him," she said.

In the third episode, released on Sunday, the group goes inside some areas of the temple, like the baptistry, and spends time doing family history and at a Jerusalem movie set where they could look at a replica of the temple Christ visited.

How and when to watch

The third of six episodes was released on Sunday at 8 a.m., and they will continue to be released weekly through Nov. 1. The final episode will be released in spring 2027. Each episode is being published on the YouTube channel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Dedicate" will be initially released in 12 languages, including each of the native languages of the cast members.

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