Few have the zeal and enthusiasm for family history and temple work like Dennis Preece, a native of Ogden, Utah. Living with the challenge of special needs, he has been a champion for family history and temple work in the Ogden community for many decades.
When he arrives at the Ogden Temple, he often visits the office staff and says hello to everyone there. He loves to share his testimony of family history and temple work with those around him. During these conversations, he often reports with great eagerness the number of temple ordinances that he has completed so far in his lifetime. And he should be thrilled, since his service in the temple has blessed not only his own life but so many others.
Dennis has steadily performed proxy ordinances for deceased ancestors at the temple for the past 48 years, with almost daily attendance. To date, he has completed nearly 14,000 proxy ordinances. Many people who meet Dennis wonder how he got his enthusiasm and stamina for temple and family history work.
His Early Years
Dennis was born premature in Ogden, Utah in 1949 at the former Thomas Dee Hospital. He was the smallest of twin boys, born with special needs. Although his twin brother Randy was the bigger of the 2, Randy only lived 3 months before passing away. Along with his parents, Dennis was blessed to have an older sister, Karen, who he currently lives with and is his guardian. He also has a younger brother, David.
Dennis grew up in Ogden and then moved a few miles north to Pleasant View, Utah, when he was 9 years old. Dennis was raised in a Christian home where he was taught the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was baptized a member of this church by a close family friend, and confirmed by his father. In his youth, Dennis participated in the Boy Scouts, and he was ordained to the priesthood positions of deacon, teacher, priest, and elder within his church.
A Growing Desire to Attend the Temple
When his sister got married in the temple in 1970, Dennis developed a burning desire to also go to the temple. According to Karen, his desire was built on the fact that he felt that he could “really do something at the temple.”
Meeting with his local bishop and stake president over the next few years, Dennis was eventually found worthy and ready to receive temple ordinances for himself. At the time of this great news, his sister Karen and her husband Rodney, had been on a sabbatical in Norway with their oldest daughter. Once he received permission to go to the temple, Dennis waited until his sister’s family could return home so Karen and Rodney, along with his mom and dad, could attend the Ogden Temple with him. This great event in Dennis’ life occurred on November 1, 1974 with a total of 10 friends and family members attending with him. It was an extra special day because Dennis was one of the first in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with his level of special needs to receive his own temple ordinances in this era of time.
A Life Mission for Dennis
Almost immediately, he started to attend the temple daily to perform ordinances on behalf of his deceased ancestors. He was fortunate to live near the public bus route in Pleasant View. The local bus was his main transportation to and from the Ogden Temple from 1974 through 1989.
But in 1989, things changed for Dennis and his mother when his father died and the family home was sold. He and his mother moved to a condominium along a golf course in Pleasant View. Although the view was pretty and he still lived in Pleasant View, he no longer had easy access to bus transportation. To accommodate, his mother drove Dennis to and from the temple daily until her death in 2002.
When his mother passed on, he moved in with his sister Karen and her husband. Karen’s husband faithfully took Dennis to the temple for the next 10 years until he also passed away. Since her husband’s death, Karen, along with their neighbors, provide daily rides for Dennis to and from the temple. Karen has also served as a temple ordinance worker at the Ogden Temple for many years.
In addition to the vast number of temple ordinances completed, Dennis has visited the locations of 55 temples and sites where temples will be built. He has performed temple ordinances inside approximately 30 temples.
When asked what his favorite thing is about going to the temple, Dennis replies, “When in the Celestial Room, I feel that my brother Randy is my guardian angel. I feel my Savior there, too.”
According to Karen, she sees a mighty change come over her brother while he is at the temple. She feels he is able to overcome much of his special needs while in attendance. “He is mature, loving. He’s kind. He feels the Spirit, so you know what is working on him while in the temple.”
At age 29, Dennis had a very special moment in his life. His family had some close friends, the Jones family, who were also close friends with Spencer W. Kimball, then Prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They arranged for Dennis to meet him on April 24, 1979, which also happened to be the birthday of Dennis’ mother. Karen explains, “That is when President Kimball said to Dennis, ‘Your mission in this life is to do temple work. You are a temple missionary. That is your life’s work.’”
Dennis comments, “When I walked in that office, I was so nervous. He shook my hand. I can’t believe it.” When he came home, he quickly told Karen how wonderful the visit was.
A Rich Heritage of Family History
Dennis loves talking about his pioneer ancestors, too. He has completed proxy temple ordinances for many of his family ancestors. His mother’s side of the family is from England. He has performed ordinances for his English ancestors who lived as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries. His aunt is a genealogist who performed the research. He has also performed thousands of proxy temple ordinances of deceased family for close friends and neighbors. Thanks to FamilySearch and indexing, additional family names are continually being found, and Dennis is heavily involved in providing the temple work. Dennis says, “Karen still has lots of work to do too in the temple.”
Dennis has developed close relationships with the Ogden Temple office staff and the many temple presidencies. As he has gotten older, he has become more talkative and has been able to develop close relationships. He loves the temple presidencies that he has come to know at the Ogden Temple.
Keeping Busy in the Covid Pandemic
Dennis and Karen were able to attend the London Temple in February 2020 and perform sealings while there. The temple was closed just two weeks later, so it was wonderful that they could make such a trip. “The London Temple is so beautiful,” says Dennis.
When the Covid pandemic hit Ogden in March 2020, the Ogden Temple and all other temples suddenly closed to stop the spread of the virus. While the temples were closed, Dennis visited his ancestors’ gravesites at many cemeteries.
Luckily during the Covid shutdown, Dennis had a grandniece who was going on a mission, so Dennis was able to attend the temple with her. Only 12 were in attendance. Then a neighbor boy was going on a mission during the shutdown, and he asked Dennis to attend, too.
As the temples began opening for patrons to perform proxy ordinances in June 2021, Dennis was thrilled with the news. Appointments were very limited at first. Dennis tried to attend once or twice a week. Karen would go with him when they were able to get appointments. Now Dennis is back to attending the temple daily.
Dennis Hopes to Inspire the Youth
Dennis inspires many with his attendance, but he hopes he can also inspire the younger generations the most. When Dennis sees the youth attend the temple, it makes him happy, and he offers them this advice, “I hope they keep coming. I think these young people need to go and do the Lord’s work. That is what I want them to do.”
With his great example to follow, Dennis will surely see this dream come true.
