Manti Temple

It has been way to long, but we are back in business. We are proud to have our third child join the family and because of that we have been a little bit behind. This month is scheduled for Manti, but I am sure that my wife and I don't have time to get down there this month. We are going to the Draper Temple to catch up on last month Saturday the 20th, at 10am. You need to provide your own temple clothes for this temple, but you don't need to schedule an appointment anymore. I called the temple and they said the temple is very busy on Saturday.

Temple Facts

The Manti Utah Temple was the third temple built in Utah.

The Manti Utah Temple was the only temple dedicated by President Lorenzo Snow.

The Manti Utah Temple was originally named the Manti Temple.

The Manti Utah Temple was built on a rattlesnake-infested site, known as the Manti Stone Quarry. Once Brigham Young designated the site for a temple, it became known as Temple Hill. The quarry's stone, Manti oolite, is the same cream-colored stone used for the temple exterior.

On the morning of the site dedication, Brigham Young confided to Warren S. Snow that Temple Hill was the spot where Book of Mormon Prophet Moroni dedicated the land for a temple site.

Open-center spiral staircases wind up each of the 179-foot towers of the Manti Utah Temple. The dramatic stairways are an engineering marvel of the Mormon pioneers.

A large arching tunnel under the east tower of the Manti Utah Temple, which has since been closed, allowed cars to pass from one side of the temple to the other.

The Manti Utah Temple is the oldest temple retaining original mural paintings on the walls of its progressive-style ordinance rooms: Creation Room, Garden Room, World Room, Terrestrial Room (no murals), and Celestial Room (no murals).

The Manti Utah Temple is one of two temples that still employs live acting for presentation of the endowment. (The other is the Salt Lake Temple.)

In 1985, the Manti Utah Temple was formally rededicated following a four-year renovation project that included updating the auxillary systems of the temple; adding three sealing rooms, new dressing rooms, a nursery, and offices; and restoring the pioneer craftsmanship and artwork to their former glory. The three-day open house was attended by 40,308 visitors.

February Trip

The time for our February temple trip is set. We are going on Saturday, February 28th, at 5:00pm. We plan on meeting out by the oval reflection pond before to get pictures and make sure we all go in at the same time.

Information about the Salt Lake temple from ldschurchtemples.com

Temple Facts
The Salt Lake Temple was the fourth temple built in Utah (though its construction was started first) and the first in the Salt Lake Valley.

The Salt Lake Temple was the only temple dedicated by President Wilford Woodruff.

With its distinctive spires and statue of the angel Moroni, the Salt Lake Temple is an international symbol of the Church.

The Salt Lake Temple is the largest temple (most square footage) of the Church.

Original plans for the Salt Lake Temple called for two angel Moroni statues—one on the east central spire and one on the west.

The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build with its highly ornate interior being completed in just a year.

During the construction of the Salt Lake Temple, the St. George Utah Temple, Logan Utah Temple, and Manti Utah Temple were all started and completed.

The walls of the Salt Lake Temple are nine feet thick at the base and six feet thick at the top.

The Salt Lake Temple is the first temple to feature a standing angel Moroni statue, which was created by Paris-trained sculptor Cyrus E. Dallin.

The Salt Lake Temple features beautiful hand-painted murals on the walls of its progressive-style ordinance rooms: Creation Room, Garden Room, World Room, Terrestrial Room (no murals), and Celestial Room (no murals).

The Salt Lake Temple is one of two temples that still employs live acting for presentation of the endowment. (The other is the Manti Utah Temple.)

The Salt Lake Temple was completed the afternoon before the dedication. That evening, invited non-Mormon government officials, business, and their wives were give a complete tour of the temple. It was the first time that a temple had been opened to the public prior to its dedication.

The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated on April 6, 1893—three years before Utah became a state in 1896.

The Salt Lake Temple was closed on July 29, 1962 for extensive renovation that included demolition of the old annex; cleaning of the exterior stone; replacement or upgrade of all mechanical systems, plumbing, wiring, carpeting, and light fixtures; reupholstering of furniture; and redecoration of the entire building. The temple reopened on May 21, 1963.

The dedication of a temporary annex was held on March 7, 1963. This building would later become the North Visitors' Center.

The new annex opened on March 19, 1966. It was built to house seven new sealing rooms, a children's waiting room, mechanical systems, two new locker rooms, new initiatory areas, and a new chapel seating 450 patrons. The annex was formally dedicated on October 23, 1967.



Temple Symbolism
Rich symbolism adorns the exterior of the Salt Lake Temple, depicting mankind's journey from mortality into the eternal realms. Perhaps Elder J. Golden Kimball expressed it best when he stated: "When I think about that building, every stone in it is a sermon to me."1 Following is a summary of some of the major symbolism of the Salt Lake Temple:

Angel Moroni. The angel Moroni depicts both a messenger of the restoration of the gospel and a herald of the Second Coming: "for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds" (JS-M 1:37).

Towers. The three towers on the east side represent the First Presidency of the Church and the Melchizedek Priesthood; the twelve pinnacles rising from the towers represent the Twelve Apostles. The three towers on the west side represent the Presiding Bishopric and the Aaronic Priesthood; the twelve pinnacles rising from the towers represent the High Council.

Battlements. The castle-like battlements that surround the temple symbolize a separation from the world as well as a protection of the holy ordinances practiced within its walls.

Earthstones. The earthstones, located at the base of each buttress, represent the earth—the "footstool of God." Although the earth is currently a telestial kingdom, it will transition to a terrestrial kingdom at the coming of the Millennium; and at the end of one thousand years, it is destined to become a celestial kingdom.

Moonstones. Located directly above the earthstones, the moon is depicted in its various phases around the temple. The changing moon can represent the stages of human progression from birth to resurrection or represent the patron's journey from darkness to light.

Sunstones. Located directly about the moonstones, the sunstones depict the sun—a symbol of the glory of the celestial kingdom.

Cloudstones. High above the sunstones on the east center tower are two clouds with descending rays of light (originally planned to be one white and one black with descending trumpets.) The parallel of this symbolism is found in the Old Testament. Once temples were dedicated in ancient Israel, they were filled with the "cloud of the Lord." At Mount Sinai, the children of Israel saw this cloud as both dark and bright accompanied by the blasting of a trumpet.

Starstones. Six-pointed stars represent the actual stars in the heaven. Upside-down five-pointed stars represent morning stars, compared to the "sons of God" in the scriptures. The large upright five-pointed stars may represent the governing power of the priesthood while the small upright five-pointed stars may represent the saving power of the priesthood for those who attach themselves to it.

Big Dipper. High on the west center tower is a depiction of the Big Dipper, a constellation used by travelers for thousands of years to find the North Star. It is an appropriate symbol for the temple where patrons come to get their bearings on the journey home.

Handclasp. Each of the center towers features a pair of clasped right hands identified as the "right hands of fellowship" cited in Galatians 2:9. In Jeremiah 31:32, the Lord uses the handclasp to denote covenant making—an act at the very heart of temple worship.

All-Seeing Eye. Located atop each of the center towers of the temple is the all-seeing eye of God, which represents God's ability to see all things.2

January Bountiful Utah Temple Trip

Bountiful Utah Temple

The date has been set for our January Temple trip. The Temple is going to be the Bountiful Utah Temple and we are planning for January 17th at the 5:00pm session. It would be great to have as many people as possible at that session, but whenever you can go this month is great. Please email me or comment on the site with your experiences and stories that uplift.

Here are some facts from LDSChurchTemples.com

Bountiful Utah Temple

47th Operating Temple

Announcement: 6 April 1991

Groundbreaking and Site Dedication: 2 May 1992 by Ezra Taft Benson

Public Open House: 4 November–17 December 1994

Dedication: 8–14 January 1995 by Howard W. Hunter

The Bountiful Utah Temple was the eighth temple built in Utah and the first built in Davis County. The floor plan created for the Bountiful Utah Temple was adapted and used for the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple. The Bountiful Utah Temple is one of two temples dedicated by President Howard W. Hunter during his brief time as president of the Church. (The other is the Orlando Florida Temple.) At the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bountiful Utah Temple, some 7,500 people gathered on the site with another 2,500 viewing the proceedings by remote video. The crowd was so large, some attenders opted to sit on the steep hillside east of the site.
President Gordon B. Hinckley alluded to the forthcoming announcements of the Hong Kong China Temple, Preston England Temple, and Hartford Connecticut Temple at the Bountiful Utah Temple groundbreaking, indicating that official announcements would not be made until sites had been acquired and approved. During the six weeks that the Bountiful Utah Temple was open for public tours, 870,361 visitors walked its beautiful rooms and hallways, assisted by 45,000 volunteers. At the 28 dedicatory sessions of the Bountiful Utah Temple, 201,655 members were in attendance—the largest number of attenders at a temple dedication in the history of the Church.

Utah Temple Tour Kickoff

We had a meeting the other day to try and decide which temples to go to when. My wife is 5 months pregnant, so we figured that we would hit the close temples in May and June when the baby is brand new. We also figured it would be a good idea to go to both temples down south in August so that we could make a vacation of it. I am really looking forward to this. I have been looking forward to seeing the inside of a lot of these temples for a long time. I can't wait to see the Manti temple. It has also been a very long time since I have been in the Salt Lake Temple.