The New Mormon Website on Disabilities
The Mormons have a new website about disabilities. While it was developed for church members, much of the information is valuable to anyone who has or cares for someone with a disability. The website says:
“This Web section on disabilities has been created to offer support, comfort, and an increased level of acceptance toward those with disabilities.
Those individuals who live with a disability, their caregivers, as well as leaders, teachers, and members may find within this site additional understanding of specific disabilities and some of the difficulties faced by those involved.”
The website offers basic church guidelines for working with people who have disabilities, as well as suggestions for teachers who have students with special needs. The site also has a page of scriptures and quotes related to disabilities or caring for those in need, to serve as a comfort and a guidance. Another page has a list of the resources the church makes available for those with disabilities.
Other pages are less church-specific. One page offers guidelines for parents, for assisting the siblings, and for grandparents on helping a person with disabilities. The page for siblings is particularly helpful. There is often a lack of material on how to help a child accept and understand a disabled sibling. This page explains that siblings often go through the same grieving process as the parents do, and that they have a right to be children. They should be allowed to express their true feelings, even if they’re hard to hear, but then be guided gently to an appropriate attitude in time.
Following these pages, there are pages for a few specific disabilities: autism, chronic illness, hearing loss, intellectual disability, learning disability, memory loss, mental illness, physical disabilities, speech and language, and vision loss and blindness.
As an example of the type of information available, let’s look at the autism topic. The page begins with an overview of autism, including symptoms and causes. Below this, the article outlines three main areas in which an autistic person might have challenges. It then outlines how to help, with the focus centering on teachers and leaders in the church. The article also includes a list of teaching tips, so that even a person with no experience can help a student get the most of the class.
Finally, the page offers a list of additional resources, both on the church’s website, and on non-LDS websites as well.
Because those with special needs are most often integrated into a regular ward program, this is a valuable resource for parents and leaders. Teachers may feel uneasy about having a special child in their class at first, but when they approach the assignment with love and realism, they soon realize the experience enriches everyone’s life.
I once had a four-year-old with the abilities of an eighteen-month-old in my Primary class. I gave the children a simple explanation and told them that while she had a family and teachers and a Heavenly Father who loved her and helped her, what she didn’t have was friends her own age. I explained that she would need extra care and help and asked them if they’d like to be her friend and help her. They agreed, and that set off what I call my Miracle Year.
The children eagerly watched for opportunities to serve the little girl, and also cheerfully helped each other so I could work more closely with her. If we made something they assisted each other, leaving me free to help her. As they learned to watch for service opportunities, they expanded it into all aspects of the class, leaping to help one another at all times. They became very compassionate about individual differences. When one child was upset because he was the only one who couldn’t ride a bike, the others reminded him of what we always said about our special classmate: Everyone has things he’s good at and things that are harder, and we all learn at our own pace. In the past, I’d seen other children teasing a child in this situation, but these children were learning to respect individual pacing.
Throughout the year and three months I worked with these children, I not only saw a dramatic increase in their compassion, but in their spirituality. We witnessed a number of spiritual miracles, including a reactivation of a parent. I had no doubt, as I looked back on an extraordinary year, that it all started because they had the opportunity to serve a child with special needs and learn to be more like Jesus Christ.
Five New Temples Announced
Filed under: News of the Church, Upcoming Events
At the most recent General Conference (a semi-annual meeting of the Mormons that is broadcast world-wide), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) announced plans for five new temples. Temples are a special type of church building. They aren’t used for regular, weekly worship or congregational activities.
While regular church buildings are open to all, temples are open only to those who have developed a high level of worthiness as members of the church. You can think of them as being like a college class. If you decide you want to study physics, you don’t begin with the advanced course. You start with the beginning physics class and then, when you have sufficient background and understanding, you sign up for the advanced class. People who are not members of the church or who haven’t been a member for very long need a good grounding in the basics of the gospel. They need to learn to live the gospel to a certain level before they learn more and make sacred covenants (promises) between themselves and God. These covenants must never be broken, since we should never break a promise to God. Therefore, it’s important for a person to have the knowledge, the spiritual maturity, and the experience to make promises to God. Members must have belonged to the church for one year prior to making these covenants. Members in good standing are married in the temple. This marriage covenant is made for eternity, not just until death. God created families when he created the earth, and gave families a powerful bond that no loving God would rob us of at a time when we’ve been promised the greatest joy imaginable. Do you really want to spend eternity without your spouse and children? Baptisms are performed for those who died without an opportunity to hear the gospel. Living people act in proxy for those who died, and the deceased person has the opportunity, in Heaven, to accept or reject the ordinance. If he rejects it, it is as if it never happened. It has no hold on him at all, because agency is an essential doctrine of the gospel. If he accepts, it is as if he’d been baptized on earth and he is welcomed into the fold as a full member. One of the new temples will be built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the site of an historic sermon given by Joseph Smith, the first modern-day prophet of the church. This will be an urban, multi-use building, with a regular meeting house below and the temple above. This model is also used in Manhattan and Hong Kong. A temple is being built in the Kansas City, Missouri area, on property the church is currently developing. A temple is also being built in Argentina, next to the current mission home, and another in Calgary, Canada. Members were most excited about a new temple announced for Rome, Italy. When it was announced, there were audible gasps from those in the Conference Center. It is being built on a fifteen-acre site the church owns.
Diversity of Faith Respected by Mormons
The 11th Article of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often referred to as the Mormons, states:
We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. (Articles of Faith 1:11)
This is something President Thomas S. Monson, the 16th called prophet of these modern times, has taken to heart. In the last General Conference, he stated:
“I would encourage members of the Church wherever they may be to show kindness and respect for all people everywhere. The world in which we live is filled with diversity. We can and should demonstrate respect toward those whose beliefs differ from ours.”
President Monson has made a point of always welcoming and fostering good, solid relationships, as well as friendships, with the leaders of other faiths. He’s a good, kind and friendly man. It is a natural extension of who he is and he has asked that Mormons keep in mind the struggle we had, and still have, in being respected for believing in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. In keeping that in mind, it should help us to have kinder feelings and thoughts toward friends of other faiths, for indeed, that is who they are, friends.
Indeed, his counselor, a living Apostle of Jesus Christ, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, also in the last General Conference, reinforced that request with:
“We honor and respect sincere souls from all religions, no matter where or when they lived, who have loved God, even without having the fullness of the gospel. We lift our voices in gratitude for their selflessness and courage. We embrace them as brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father. … He hears the prayers of the humble and sincere of every nation, tongue, and people. He grants light to those who seek and honor Him and are willing to obey His commandments.”
In a news release dated April 18, 2008, the LDS Newsroom reported:
The late Krister Stendahl, emeritus Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm and professor emeritus of Harvard Divinity School, established three rules for religious understanding:
(1) When you are trying to understand another religion, you should ask the adherents of that religion and not its enemies;
(2) don’t compare your best to their worst; and
(3) leave room for “holy envy” by finding elements in other faiths to emulate.These principles foster relationships between religions that build trust and lay the groundwork for charitable efforts. (LDS Newsroom)
Good points for all of us to live by. Indeed, it does us no good, anyone, to fight over the difference in beliefs. It is much more important to unite over our common beliefs. “It is important to note that interfaith cooperation does not require doctrinal compromise.” (LDS Newsroom, “Respect for Diversity of Faiths“, April 18, 2008)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has united with Catholic Relief Services to relieve human suffering, as well as joining with the Islamic Relief Worldwide and the Islamic Society of Great Salt Lake to accomplish the same purpose. This is something we are always willing to do, and indeed have sent tens, of thousands, of millions of tons of relief supplies across the world. It matters not the country, culture or religious differences, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, under the direction of The First Presidency, always steps up when the children of God, regardless of their geographical location or religion, always steps up to fulfill the admonition of Jesus Christ, which is to “Feed my Sheep.” The Savior had in mind that His followers teach His Gospel to the world, but He also intended that we care for our fellow man. His prophet simply follows that admonition. It is an added benefit that it is, as stated before, that this is a natural extension of this man that is the living prophet of God today.
President Monson has called on all Latter-day Saints, Mormons, to follow his example in respecting the diversity of faiths which exist across the world. We, as has he, need to reach out to neighbors of all religions and foster friendships while respecting the differences in our beliefs.
The command to “Love Thy Neighbor” did not distinguish between faiths. Jesus Christ simply asked us to love everyone, as has His prophet, Thomas S. Monson.
Source: “Respect for Diversity of Faiths,” LDS Newsroom, April 18, 2008
Mormon Church Announces New President and Counselors
Following the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the fifteenth president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as “the Mormons”), a new president and counselors have been announced.
Thomas S. Monson, who had been serving as the first counselor to President Hinckley at the time of his passing, succeeds him as president of the Church. As his counselors in the First Presidency, he has named President Henry B. Eyring as first counselor and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf as second counselor. President Eyring had been serving as the second counselor to President Hinckley at the time of his passing. President Uchtdorf has been serving in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The First Presidency is the highest body of leadership in the Church. It is comprised of a prophet, who serves as the president. Counselors are also called to serve with him, to advise him and help carry out the work of the Church. Usually the president of the Church has two counselors, although the First Presidency may occasionally function with only one counselor. This was the case when President James E. Faust passed away in August of 2007. He had been serving as the second counselor to President Hinckley. President Henry B. Eyring was sustained to the position during the general conference of the Church held at the beginning of October 2007.
There may also be additional counselors to the president of the Church called if needed. One example of this came in 1981 under President Spencer W. Kimball. Presidents N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney were serving as his counselors, but with their age and failing health a third counselor was called to help them – a relatively young apostle by the name of Gordon B. Hinckley.
With the change in leadership, Elder Boyd K. Packer has become the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve and will serve as president of that quorum. Previous to President Hinckley’s passing, he was serving as the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve. President Monson was actually the senior member of the Twelve, and so was president of the quorum, but his duties in the First Presidency necessitated that Elder Packer act as president.
It is important to remember that although the Church has a change in leadership, Christ stands at the head of the Church. The men who lead it for a time bring their own unique talents, experiences, and personalities, but it is Christ who stands at the head and they seek only to serve Him and do His will.
Each of these men called today has proven to be faithful to the Lord and have served Him well. How grateful I am that we have a living prophet on the earth today, and that prophetic leadership does not end simply with the passing of one prophet. I look forward to learning and serving more at the feet of these great men.
For more information on the new First Presidency, including some photos, visit the Newsroom at www.lds.org.
Mormon Chapel Open House
While new temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons”) generally draw a media buzz, new chapels are more common – and usually less heralded. Still, open houses are often held in conjunction with completion of construction, and these are wonderful opportunities for the public to see the inside of a Mormon church building. One such open house happened recently, on January 12 of this year, in Twin Falls, Idaho. For more on what Latter-day Saint chapels are, and how they differ from temples, click here.
Chapels are meetinghouses where regular worship services are held. There may be one, or more than one, in your area. The new chapel in Twin Falls, Idaho is not unique, but because of that its story is worth looking at.
Church membership in the area has grown at an estimated 7 percent a year, according to the Twin Falls Times-News (“Mormons invite community to open house at new chapel,” January 5, 2008). In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when a ward (local congregation) reaches a certain size, it’s time to divide that ward into smaller wards. Often a new ward is created from realigning boundaries of two or more wards where membership has been growing, resulting in three (or more) smaller wards. Because the Church has a lay ministry, rather than paid clergy, a ward that is too large places a greater burden on those members trying to lead it. So, as Church membership grows in an area, rather than building a larger building a congregation will simply divide.
The Twin Falls Times-News explained it like this:
“What I’m most excited about is the wards will be of more manageable size and more people will have the opportunity to serve,” (Kent) Allen said. “People need to be needed, to know they have something to offer.” (Kent Allen is the stake president of the Twin Falls Idaho stake, presiding over a group of several wards.)
Members of the congregation are called to serve in various capacities, from leading Sunday school classes to serving as bishop or bishopric counselor. When congregations are large, there are fewer chances for each individual.
The bishop also likes to spend time with each family in the ward, Allen said, and the larger the ward the more difficult this is, as the bishops are not paid and conduct these visits on their own time. (“Mormons invite community to open house at new chapel,” January 5, 2008)
Of course, having more congregations in an area still results in the need to build. But rather than erecting larger buildings, the Latter-day Saints build more buildings of comparable size. And that’s what was recently completed in Twin Falls. The building was financed through the general Church leadership in Salt Lake City. Allen pointed out to the Times-News that the funds for chapels and temples come from tithing money from around the world. “In that sense, every member of the Church has claim to this building.” (“Mormons invite community to open house at new chapel,” January 5, 2008)
Young Mormons Wear Sunday Best to Honor Gordon B. Hinckley
Apparently it all began with some fast text-messaging, and it spread like wildfire. President Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) since 1995, passed away on January 27, 2008. And the next day, Latter-day Saint youth all over the United States wore their Sunday best to school to honor him.
Keep in mind that Latter-day Saints have a tradition of dressing more formally for church than many denominations do. Girls and women usually wear skirts or dresses, and men and many of the boys wear button-up shirts, slacks, and ties – and often full suits. So wearing church clothes to school is something that would call attention to these youth, to say the least.
But these youth were glad to be able to do participate. “I could wear my white shirt, my very best, to remember the prophet,” Daniel, a student at Indian Hills Middle School in Salt Lake City, Utah, explained, as quoted by the Newsroom at lds.org.
“A lot of people loved him,” said Morgan Mabey, a student at East High School in Salt Lake City, to the Associated Press. “I know I did.”
“He’s the only prophet we’ve ever known,” Chandler Daniels, a student at Murray High School in the Salt Lake City area, said to the Deseret Morning News.
Mark Farmer, also a Murray High School student, told the Deseret Morning News that he first learned of President Hinckley’s death on a TV news bulletin Sunday night, not long after it had occurred. Then the text messages started pouring in: “hey everyone wear church clothes tomorrow to respect president hinkly’s death. Like for real. Pass this on.”
And the students did. They passed the message on and on. One young woman reported receiving 42 text messages about the dress-up day. According to www.lds.org, the origin of the message is unknown, but participants were noted throughout Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Texas and Washington D.C. Cell phone service providers in some areas noted the increased traffic.
It just goes to show what this tech-savvy generation of youth can and will do to honor their prophet. As President Hinckley’s grandson James Pearce said to www.lds.org, “He loved the youth so much. He really cared about them, and they felt that love. They acknowledged it with their behavior.”
Mormon Church Membership Nears 13 Million
When the statistical report is read during the upcoming general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “the Mormons“) in April 2008, the number of the general membership of the Church will top 13 million for the first time. Church membership is growing steadily, both through convert baptisms and through the births of children into Latter-day Saint families. It is estimated that the Church is growing at approximately 1 million members every 3 years, according to the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
That rate of growth, like the rate of growth of world population, has not always held true. For example, as I remember, in the mid-1980’s LDS Church membership reached 5 million members. And there were only 6 official members of the entire church at the initial organizational meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducted by Joseph Smith in 1830. (“Chapter Two: Establishing the Foundations of the Church,” Our Heritage: A Brief History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5). It took over 150 years for Church membership to go from a handful of members to 5 million worldwide, but that number has more than doubled in approximately 20 years. The rate of growth is enormous.
Something that the LDS Church does that most other churches do not is keep track of and count individual members. When an individual is baptized, a “membership record” is created for them. These records are kept track of centrally at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, and individual wards (local congregations) receive membership records for each member in their congregation. When an individual or family moves out of one ward and into another, the new ward will receive their records.
But counting individual members is not the only way to observe the growth of the Church. Chapels, or local meetinghouses, are constantly being built worldwide. The rate of increase is about 10 percent over the past 5 years. According to www.lds.org, there are currently 6,361 chapels in the United States and 8,254 chapels throughout the rest of the world. Church statistics show that growth varies throughout the world but is highest in areas such as Africa. Nigeria has been experiencing a growth of 8.1 percent annually; from 2000 to 2006, membership grew there from over 29,500 to almost 79,500.
The Church announces its current statistics at each general conference. An interesting article about the international growth of the Church can be found at www.mormonwiki.com.
Funeral Services for Gordon B. Hinckley Announced
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as “the Mormons,” has announced the funeral services for beloved prophet and leader Gordon B. Hinckley. The services will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2008, in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 11:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
The services will also be broadcast via satellite over the Church satellite system to over 6000 LDS meetinghouses worldwide. Additionally, BYU-TV will broadcast the funeral. BYU-TV is available in many cable and satellite packages in the United States. They also provide live streaming video at www.byu.tv. Thus, viewers worldwide have some options from which to choose.
The funeral will not be an official worship service the way Sabbath meetings are, but it will be an opportunity for people worldwide to pay their respects to President Hinckley. Latter-day Saint funerals generally include a few musical numbers, and there will likely be several speakers who will share their memories of President Hinckley and their testimonies of the Savior and His great plan of salvation.
Latter-day Saint funeral are often more hope-filled than those of some other denominations. While we certainly mourn the passing of a loved one who has died, we also have a firm belief in life after the death of our physical bodies. This is why we perform saving temple ordinances for our ancestors and others who have died before us, and why we desire to have our families sealed to us for time and all eternity. Because we believe that there is an eternity, and that this mortal life is in fact only a small part of our existence. Our spirits lived before we were born on earth, and they continue to live on when our mortal bodies die. Later, through the Atonement of Christ, our mortal bodies and our spirits will be resurrected – reunited, never to separate again.
President Thomas S. Monson, currently serving as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, explained these things to us:
We know each one lived in the spirit world with Heavenly Father. We understand we have come to earth to learn, to live, to progress in our eternal journey toward perfection. Some remain on earth but for a moment, while others live long upon the land. The measure is not how long we live but rather how well we live. Then come death and the beginning of a new chapter of life. Where does that chapter lead?
Many years ago I stood by the bedside of a young man, the father of two children, as he hovered between life and the great beyond. He took my hand in his, looked into my eyes, and pleadingly asked, “Bishop, I know I am about to die. Tell me what happens to my spirit when I die.”
I prayed for heavenly guidance before attempting to respond. My attention was directed to the Book of Mormon, which rested on the table beside his bed. I held the book in my hand, and it providentially opened to the 40th chapter of Alma. I began to read aloud:
“Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of the dead. …
“Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection — Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, … are taken home to that God who gave them life.
“And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.” (Alma 40:1, 11-12)
My young friend closed his eyes, expressed a sincere thank-you, and silently slipped away to that paradise about which we had spoken. (Thomas S. Monson, “He Is Risen,” Ensign, Apr 2003, 2-7)
Speaking of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, President Monson continued:
As the least of His disciples, I declare my personal witness that death has been conquered, victory over the tomb has been won. May the words made sacred by Him who fulfilled them become actual knowledge to all. Remember them. Cherish them. Honor them. He is risen. (Thomas S. Monson, “He Is Risen,” Ensign, Apr 2003, 2-7)
To learn more about our Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation, visit www.mormon.org.
Gordon B. Hinckley, Mormon Prophet, Dies at 97
Gordon B. Hinckley, the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as “Mormons“), passed away on January 27, 2008 at approximately 7:00 PM in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was 97 years old. A full press release is available at the Church’s website at www.lds.org.
The news came as a surprise to many Latter-day Saints, but has spread quickly via the Internet and other media sources. We first heard about it from a friend in our ward (local congregation) who had heard the news and was calling people about it. We also received e-mails from other friends soon after, and LDS-based e-mail groups and message boards were also soon abuzz with the news.
We in turn contacted our local LDS missionaries to let them know the news. But they had already been called by the same ward member who had called us. The mission office had also sent a text message to all of the missionaries, letting them know what had happened.
As we’ve visited with people about this and read their comments, some overall themes have emerged. We’re saddened the death of our prophet. He has served as the president of the Church since 1995, and was heavily involved in the leadership before then. He has worked tirelessly in serving the Lord and building the kingdom of God, and in working for the good of the people worldwide. He has been a beloved leader and we have sustained him as our prophet. We feel a deep love for him and a strong appreciation for his service. We will miss him greatly.
At the same time, we all knew his physical body was growing old and slowing down. After all, he was 97 years old. Most men just don’t live to be 97, and those who do will have long since cut down on their workloads. But President Hinckley was still actively leading an entire church. That he was able to do so is amazing.
His wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, had passed in April 2004. He spoke of his great love for her, and while he knew that they would one day be reunited, he still missed her terribly. And now, while members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and others who knew and loved President Hinckley will miss him terribly, we can’t help but think of what a joyous reunion he must now be having with his dear Marjorie. In my mind’s eye I can also picture him reuniting with his parents and other family members and friends who have gone on before him – including President James E. Faust, who served as his counselor in the First Presidency of the Church and who preceded him in death only a few months ago.
And I can picture him in the arms of our Savior, hearing the words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21,23) Truly, he has been a faithful servant of the Lord. His presence here on earth will be missed.
Mormon Temple Open House in Idaho
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 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 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? Those questions 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 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 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 same thing is true of the Lord’s university. You have to meet the pre-requisites. Anyone can come if they are willing to abide by those commitments.” (“New Temple Reflects Biblical Parallels,” newsroom.lds.org)