Thursday, July 24, 2008
Symbols of the Salt Lake City Temple
Salt Lake Temple
4th operating temple
Location: 50 West North Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.
Phone Number: 801-240-2640.
Site: 10 acres.
Exterior Finish: Quartz monzonite (similar to granite) quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.
Temple Design: Six-spire design suggestive of Gothic and other classical styles but unique, distinctive, and symbolic.
Number of Rooms: Four progressive-style ordinance rooms and twelve sealing.
Total Floor Area: 385,000 square feet.
Announcement: 28 July 1847
Site Dedication: 14 February 1853 by Heber C. Kimball
Groundbreaking: 14 February 1853 by Brigham Young
Public Open House: 5 April 1893
Dedication: 6–24 April 1893 by Wilford Woodruff
Temple Locale
Positioned on Salt Lake City's center block, known as Temple Square, the spires of the Salt Lake Temple rise amid downtown high-rises and super malls. Sharing the block are the North Visitors' Center and South Visitors' Center; the Tabernacle, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir; and the Gothic-style Assembly Hall. East of the temple is the masterfully landscaped Main Street Plaza, complete with reflecting pool. Beyond the plaza is the Church's world headquarters, known as the Church Office Building, and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building—a multipurpose Church building, which has become a popular wedding event center. The Church's Conference Center, an architectural masterpiece, lies directly north of the temple. Every holiday season, Temple Square is transformed into a highly popular display of hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights.
Temple Facts
The Salt Lake Temple was the first temple built in the Salt Lake Valley and the fourth completed in Utah (though its construction was started first).
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 was dedicated three years before Utah became a state in 1896.
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.)
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
(taken from the LDS church website)
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1. J. Golden Kimball, "Elder Jonathan Golden Kimball," Conference Report April 1915: 78–79.
2. Matthew B. Brown and Paul Thomas Smith, "The Salt Lake Temple," Symbols in Stone: Symbolism on the Early Temples of the Restoration (American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications, Inc., 1997) 117–156.
Friday, July 11, 2008
About this blog
Hello to the reader of this blog-
This blog was created to share the truth about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes, we are known as "Mormons" but that is not the name of our church. Let me first make clear that we are NOT in any way affiliated with the FLDS church. Polygamy was denounced by our prophet over a hundred years ago. Please do not let the LDS title confuse you in this respect.
Through this blog, I will be sharing experiences of my own; growing up in the church, what I know and have learned for myself to be true, how to be prepared for an emergency (spiritually and temporally), and the real doctrine we teach and practice. I will also be providing (in the side bar) links that you can go to, that are sponsored by the Church and will give you a true, better knowledge of what our basic doctrines are.
I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 28yrs., basically I was born into the church. I have experienced many things for myself that have borne witness of the truthfulness of this Gospel. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He lived, was crucified, and resurrected on the third day, breaking the bands of death so we could live eternally. I believe in Temples and the work that is performed there, binding families together forever, not just until "death do you part", is real and true. I believe we have a modern day Prophet, just like Moses, today who speaks to us as the "mouthpiece of the Lord", even President Thomas S. Monson. I believe this the Priesthood has been restored to this earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know and testify of the power of prayer. It is the only way we can speak with our Heavenly Father and feel His love for us. He knows each of us individually, He Loves us and wants the best for us, but it is up to us to "Come Unto Him". I believe that there is the Spirit of the Holy Ghost that testifies to us things that are right and true. He is our companion, or if you will our conscience, our constant guide in our lives. This life is our time to prepare to meet our maker, our God. We are here for a reason and there is a purpose, each to his own. I pray that as you read this blog, you may find hope in knowing you are NEVER alone. This is my belief, my testimony.
I ask that you please be respectful in comments and keep an open-mind. This blog is not to convert a nation, it is just simply to correct so many mis-understandings and mis-information about the Church. May your lifes be full of love and hope and may the Lord bless you and keep you.
This blog was created to share the truth about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes, we are known as "Mormons" but that is not the name of our church. Let me first make clear that we are NOT in any way affiliated with the FLDS church. Polygamy was denounced by our prophet over a hundred years ago. Please do not let the LDS title confuse you in this respect.
Through this blog, I will be sharing experiences of my own; growing up in the church, what I know and have learned for myself to be true, how to be prepared for an emergency (spiritually and temporally), and the real doctrine we teach and practice. I will also be providing (in the side bar) links that you can go to, that are sponsored by the Church and will give you a true, better knowledge of what our basic doctrines are.
I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 28yrs., basically I was born into the church. I have experienced many things for myself that have borne witness of the truthfulness of this Gospel. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He lived, was crucified, and resurrected on the third day, breaking the bands of death so we could live eternally. I believe in Temples and the work that is performed there, binding families together forever, not just until "death do you part", is real and true. I believe we have a modern day Prophet, just like Moses, today who speaks to us as the "mouthpiece of the Lord", even President Thomas S. Monson. I believe this the Priesthood has been restored to this earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know and testify of the power of prayer. It is the only way we can speak with our Heavenly Father and feel His love for us. He knows each of us individually, He Loves us and wants the best for us, but it is up to us to "Come Unto Him". I believe that there is the Spirit of the Holy Ghost that testifies to us things that are right and true. He is our companion, or if you will our conscience, our constant guide in our lives. This life is our time to prepare to meet our maker, our God. We are here for a reason and there is a purpose, each to his own. I pray that as you read this blog, you may find hope in knowing you are NEVER alone. This is my belief, my testimony.
I ask that you please be respectful in comments and keep an open-mind. This blog is not to convert a nation, it is just simply to correct so many mis-understandings and mis-information about the Church. May your lifes be full of love and hope and may the Lord bless you and keep you.
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