Salt Lake & San Diego California Temples

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

SALT LAKE TEMPLE

The Salt Lake Temple at night

The Salt Lake Temple is the most instantly recognisable temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After the early Saints were viciously persecuted and forced to leave their previous homes of Kirtland, Ohio and Illinois, they trekked west through the plains and wilderness until they reached the Great Salt Lake Basin where they settled and turned the soggy barren land into a fruitful home. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is headquartered in Salt Lake City, semi-annual General Conferences are held in the Conference Centre there, and all the top leadership of the Church comprising the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, live there. It represents the heartbeat of this worldwide church.

Holiness to the Lord inscription on the Salt Lake Temple

Door handle detail on the Salt Lake Temple

A pilgrimage to Salt Lake City and Temple Square is considered by most Latter-day Saints to be a life's ambition.

In this video below are some great aerial shots of Temple Square:

The early members of the Church, after settling in the Salt Lake Valley, determined to build a House of the Lord in their new home. They had previously been forced to leave their beloved temple in Nauvoo Illinois behind, burned by arsonists and later lashed by hurricane-force winds. The Salt Lake Temple began construction in 1853 and was finally completed 40 years later in 1893. It remains today one of the most beautiful and distinguished landmarks in America.

The Salt Lake Temple reflected splendidly in a nearby pool

At Christmastime, Temple Square is decorated with thousands of lights and is a huge attraction to tourists from all over the globe, whether members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not. Take a look at this short video showing Temple Square at Christmas:

SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA TEMPLE

The magnificent San Diego California Temple

The distinctive San Diego California Temple

The San Diego Temple most certainly had to find a way into the A-Z of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as one of the most stunningly jaw-dropping structures it owns. There is a great story of how the San Diego Temple was thought out and designed and how it came to contain over 10,000 of these shapes:

This shape is known as the Seal of Melchizedek, or a symbol of Jesus Christ. For a detailed exploration, please see my post about the San Diego Temple and the Seal of Melchizedek.

Here is an aerial collection of shots of this magnificent temple:

And another aerial by day:

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Rome Italy Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

ROME ITALY TEMPLE

Rome Italy Temple

The Rome Italy Temple

Entrance to the Rome Italy Temple

The Rome Italy Temple is Italy's first temple in a heavily Catholic country. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently enjoyed an historic meeting with the Pope of the Catholic Church in accordance with the dedication of the new temple. The entire Church main leadership jetted in for the dedication, a rare but significant touch to proceedings.

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the dedication of the Rome Italy Temple

A splendid Visitors Centre sits adjacent to the Rome Italy Temple

A staircase in the Rome Italy Temple

The Celestial Room in the Rome Italy Temple

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

QUETZALTENANGO GUATEMALA TEMPLE

The all-white Quetzaltenango Guatemala Temple

Waiting Room

A feature of Sealing Rooms in temples are the eternity mirrors - two mirrors placed on opposite walls where you can see yourselves reflecting endlessly

The temple is a place of peace, tranquility and quiet contemplation. As such, patrons are asked to maintain the reverence of the place by refraining from loud conversation and laughter. If it is necessary to speak, doing so in a discreet whisper is preferred. The beauty of the interior and atmosphere naturally persuades patrons to such reverence, similar to when you step foot into any religion's sacred temple, mosque or church.

"More holiness give me,

More strivings within,

More patience in suff'ring,

More sorrow for sin,

More faith in my Savior,

More sense of his care,

More joy in his service,

More purpose in prayer."

(From Church Hymns, #131)

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Provo City Centre Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

PROVO CITY CENTRE TEMPLE

The Provo City Centre Temple

The Provo City Centre Temple has a real story of saving that which was lost, an essential element of Jesus Christ's teachings. While Jesus referred to going in search of the lost soul, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints adopted the same approach to a special building.

The Provo City Centre Temple used to be the Provo Tabernacle where meetings and various cultural events were held. Unfortunately, on 17th December, 2010, a fire destroyed the entire interior of the building with just the outer walls remaining like a shell.

What was left of the Provo Tabernacle after a fire ripped through it in December 2010

The Church decided to transform the Provo Tabernacle into a temple. Using great engineering skills, the structure unaffected by the fire was lifted onto stilts where extensive renovation began

Fully renovated, the Provo City Centre Temple now stands as a dedicated House of the Lord and the second in the city of Provo.

The Provo City Centre Temple with the mountains as a backdrop

Staircase in the Provo City Centre Temple

Door detail in the Provo City Centre Temple

A quite beautiful Bride's Room in the Provo City Centre Temple

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Oakland California & Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temples

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

OAKLAND CALIFORNIA TEMPLE

The Oakland California Temple illuminated at night

The Oakland Californa Temple

"High on the mountain top

A banner is unfurled.

Ye nations now look up;

It waves to all the world."

(From Church Hymns, #5)

OQUIRRH MOUNTAIN UTAH TEMPLE

Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

Staircase in the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple Baptistry

Sealing Room in the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple

In temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are special rooms called Sealing Rooms. Here, the most glorious ordinance of the gospel revealed to man is performed. A sealing is where a husband and wife are married, or 'sealed' for time and all eternity. Also known as 'Eternal Marriage,' it is performed by an officiator who has been conferred the Priesthood of God by one in authority and given the sealing power, the same power which Jesus gave to his disciple, Peter: 

"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19)

We claim that same power has been restored to men on earth in modern times and is found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eternal promises and blessings are made to couples during a sealing. I am fortunate enough to have been sealed to my wife in a temple. As long as we remain faithful to our covenants, not even death can separate us.

My wife and I on the steps of the London England Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after being married for time and all eternity in a Sealing Room by the sealing power of the Priesthood

"How beautiful thy promise, Lord,

That we may grow in truth,

And live, exalted by thy word,

In endless, glorious youth.

With loved ones sealed in holiness

By sacred temple rites,

Worlds without end we may progress

From heights to greater heights."

(From Church Hymns, #288)

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Nauvoo Illinois Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

NAUVOO ILLINOIS TEMPLE

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds emotional and historical significance to its members. The current temple is a faithful reconstruction of the original Nauvoo Temple built by early Saints in the 1840s. Extensive research was conducted to make the new version as similar to the former as possible. The first full endowments were administered to the pioneer church members before their forced westward movement which took them to the Salt Lake Valley in often treacherous conditions.

Indeed, the original beloved Nauvoo Temple was razed by arson in 1848 and then pummeled by tornado-force winds in 1850. Opposition to the church was fierce, and prophet-leader Joseph Smith was martyred during the construction of the Nauvoo Temple. His statue, along with his brother Hyrum's, are tenderly placed outside the Nauvoo Illinois Temple as a reminder of their work and sacrifice, and ultimately their death as a testament to the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith on horseback outside the Nauvoo Illinois Temple

The Nauvoo Illinois Temple at sunset

"Holy temples on Mount Zion

In a lofty splendor shine,

Avenues to exultation,

Symbols of a love divine.

And their kindly portals beckon

To serenity and prayer,

Valiant children of the promise,

Pledged to sacred service there."

(From Church Hymns, #289)

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mexico City Mexico Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints builds temples all around the world where faithful members go to learn more of Jesus Christ and his plan, receive ordinances for themselves, and perform vicarious work for their deceased ancestors. These temples are beautifully constructed both inside and out. They are designed to direct our thoughts heavenward and seal families together for eternity. The redemptive work that is performed here is not to be found anywhere else on the earth. All people are invited to experience for themselves the grandeur and blessings of temple work by qualifying themselves to enter the House of the Lord.  In the meantime, I'll be taking you through the A to Z of our temples.

MEXICO CITY MEXICO TEMPLE

The Mexico City Mexico Temple

Mexico City Mexico Temple

The Mexico City Mexico Temple is one of the most fascinating of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It incorporates ornate adaptations of ancient Mayan design and has been renovated twice since its original dedication. It looks like something straight of the Mayan jungle.

The Church tries to design and construct temples with very local flavours and themes so that most of them are different to each other and unique to the area in which they sit. The Mexico City Mexico Temple is one of the most striking examples.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints