Mormon Temple Open House
The 125th temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as the “Mormons”) was recently completed in Rexburg, Idaho. The temple will be open to the public from Saturday, December 29, 2007, through Saturday, January 26, 2008, excluding Sundays. Tour guides will be available to answer questions. For more detailed information regarding the location of the temple and the hours it will be open, visit newsroom.lds.org.
Regular meetinghouses of the Church, where Sunday worship services are held, are always open to the public. The temples of the Church of Jesus Christ (often referred to by friends of other faiths as Mormon temples) differ from these meetinghouses in that they are “considered ‘houses of the Lord’ where Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man.” (“Rexburg Temple Open to Public,” newsroom.lds.org)
Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explained that temples are “places of learning and instruction” and compared them to “the Lord’s university.” He said further:
In the House of the Lord (Mormon temple), we learn about our relationship with God. We learn about the purposes of our life here upon the earth. Questions such as, ” Where did we come from?”; “Why are we here?”; “What happens to us after we die?” are addressed and answered in the instruction that’s presented in the temple. We also make promises to live honest, upright and virtuous lives. (“New Temple Reflects Biblical Parallels,” newsroom.lds.org)
Sunday worship takes place in Latter-day Saint meetinghouses throughout the world, but higher ordinances take place in the temples. These include marriages and “sealings” that bind families together throughout eternity and not just their mortal lives. These ordinances are available to those who live righteously and are prepared to make promises to continue to live righteously.
Elder Bednar, apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, continued: “Everything in the temple is focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and on our Heavenly Father and the plan of happiness which He provided for us. Everything in the temple is ennobling and uplifting and edifying. There’s a great peace in the temple.” (“New Temple Reflects Biblical Parallels,” newsroom.lds.org)
Following the month-long open house of the Idaho Mormon temple and the dedicatory services that will take place in February, the temple will be open only to worthy members of the Church. Approximately 47,000 Latter-day Saints live within the Rexburg temple district, or the area surrounding the temple.
Elder Bednar further explained why the temple will be closed to the general public following the dedication: “There are pre-requisites in many forms of life. You cannot take advanced courses in chemistry until you have mastered the basics. And the . You have to meet the pre-requisites. Anyone can come if they are willing to abide by those commitments” (“New Temple Reflects Biblical Parallels).
