Frankfurt, Germany - Mormon Temple
Somewhere on the building of every Mormon Temple, it reads: "Holiness to the Lord." Whenever one enters the Temple, they know that it is a dedicated House of God. The Temple is a place of holiness and a place of peace apart from the world.
Mormon Temples are sacred structures in which eternal questions are answered. The Temples are houses of learning where truths are taught and ordinances are performed. These truths bring knowledge of things eternal and motivate all that enter to live a more Christ like life. The work that goes on in the Mormon Temple brings to light God’s eternal purposes with reference to man. For the most part, temple work is concerned with the family; with the sanctity and eternal nature of the marriage covenant and family relationships.
All are equal in the Mormon Temple; upon entering, the street clothes are exchanged for white clothing. Regardless of race, status, education, etc., the Temple is a place where all are God’s children and all have the opportunity to participate in the sacred ordinances there. Whether living or dead the sacred ordinances are available to all. Through living proxies who stand in behalf of the dead, the same ordinances are available to those who have passed from mortality. In the spirit world these same individuals are then free to accept or reject those earthly ordinances performed for them, including baptism, marriage, and the sealing of family relationships. There is no coercion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity.
In 1914 there were 200 Mormon missionaries in Germany. When World War I began, the missionaries had to leave and in the midst of World War II they had to be evacuated. But, amidst war and turmoil, the Mormon members remained valiant and continued to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Beginning in 1968 Germany was visited by Church leaders. Each time the leaders would visit they grieved over the fact the members could not enjoy the blessings of the Temple. But, they were promised once in 1968 and again in 1975, that ‘if they remained true and faithful to the commandments of God, that the blessings of the temple would be there’s.’1
After much prayer and fasting by members of the Mormon Church in Germany, the announcement of a Mormon Temple was announced in 1981. The proposal to build a temple in Friedrichsdorf, which is nine miles north of Frankfurt, brought intense opposition from local religious leaders. One minister warned the city council that the Mormon Church would ‘turn [the] town into a Mormon city…[and] they will attempt to win the citizenry over to their sect.’
Mormon leaders tried to clear up the misconceptions by providing information about the Church. Church representative Immo Luschin asked the councilmen to watch a film about the Mormons. They agreed and all the misconceptions were clarified and public support for the Temple increased.
The Frankfurt Germany Mormon Temple is in the old Huguenot city of Friedrichsdorf; a mountainous community, which is free from the bustle of city life. It is, however, accessible to members of the Mormon Church, which come from Germany and parts of France and Austria. This Temple was dedicated on August 28, 1987 by then President Ezra Taft Benson. In the dedicatory prayer, President Benson declared, "…open the windows of heaven and shower down upon them every needful gift. Prosper them in their labors and magnify them for good before their associates. May the example of their lives lead others to seek thine everlasting truth".2
For more information about Mormon Temples, please see the following websites:
Manhattan Mormon Temple New York City.com : Arts & Attractions …