MOUNT TIMPANOGOS, UTAH - 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 the participants 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 each of us as members of God’s eternal family and with each of us as members of earthly families. It is concerned 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 compulsion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity.
In April 1993 the First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced plans to build the Mount Timpanogos Utah Mormon Temple. This Temple was to be the ninth Mormon Temple built in Utah and the 49th operating Temple for the Church. This land with 17 acres of farmland was already owned by the Mormon Church and had once been a part of a Church Welfare farm. The Mormon Temple overlooks the city of American Fork as well as Utah Lake and at night, the lights radiate from the Temple across the valley from Orem to Lehi. With Mount Timpanogos and the Wasatch Mountains in the backdrop, it is a grand sight to behold!1
As the Angel Moroni was lifted to its resting place on the 190-foot spire of the Temple in July of 1995, twenty thousand people crowded the streets to gaze at what was taking place. As silence feel over the crowd and feeling the spirit of what was taking place, the crowd spontaneously began singing, "The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning."2
The Mount Timpanogos Utah Mormon Temple was dedicated on October 13, 1996, which was prefaced by nearly seven hundred thousand people attending the open house.
"…May its beauty never be married by evil hands. May it stand strong against the winds and storms that will beat upon it. May it be a beacon of peace and a refuge to the troubled. May it be a holy sanctuary to those whose burdens are heavy and who seek thy consoling comfort", is a promise made to all that enter the [Mormon] Temple.3