So, that said, you want to see the history of what it looks like to build a temple?
Well, I am just the girl to help your dream come true! :) You must remember that every temple and it's process is different. Different looks. Different timelines. Different perspectives.
This is mine.
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First and foremost, there is the ANNOUNCEMENT.
Then, you get some buddies and you go "chase" down your best-guess location!
The day after the announcement in 2008.
This was my guess. I was wrong. :) By about 4 miles.Hopefully you have a chair waiting there for you....
Temple Chasing can be so exhausting! :)
The Original Temple Chasers:
Me, Tom, The Girl and Cheryl, THE Temple Chaser
Let the GROUNDBREAKING begin!
taken by Cheryl
Cheryl
Cheryl
Then the Temple Chaser moves away. :(
So I decided to photograph for her.
The first temple shot I ever took (I think)
Just keep building, just keep building
Safety first. That's how I roll.
.
Just keep shooting. Just keep shooting.
With a little Angel Moroni sprinkled on top.
All this photo Temple Chasing has provided me with
so many beautiful moments!
cheryl+val+aub.jpg)
Rock It Imagery--Thanks!
A new chair for our bi-annual picture!
Then Tom, one of our original
Temple Chasers, died from kidney cancer.
This was one of his last outings out of his home.
He requested to come here.
Where can I turn for peace?
The Temple of course. Taken the day Tom passed away.
God provided perspective that day when
I saw the "silver lining."
Alas! After another YEAR of
interior work in the temple, it is time for the OPEN HOUSE!
A chapel is next door to help stage
the 80.000+ people who will be coming to visit.
My congregation attends this chapel on the left
side of the photograph
each week now.
The number one question I am asked is
"Can you see the temple from the chapel?"
The answer is yes. Yes, you can..JPG)
If you had 80,000 folks coming to visit,
what do you do?
You CLEAN up and STAGE it!
Pick up the trash.
Take your picture with your besties
on freezing trash day
Clean up the church building...not the temple yet, the "ward building"
Napkins, plates, and cups...
The Girl and I took an opportunity to clean in the temple.
We scraped tile from China and Mexico in the baptistry.
We got a private tour.
We wore t-shirts that belonged to Tom in his honor.
Finishing touches....flowers and the new fountain
Time to TOUR!
Your friendly parking attendant, Mr. Fun,
will help you get settled.
When you enter the building,
you will see bulletin boards
that share part of our story.
This is the 137th temple in the world.
Where missionaries from this area are serving
Time to watch a movie!
There are about 30 people per tour.
All tours are led by at least one guide, but
preferably two. Mr. Fun and I will be guides.
As he said, I will be guiding and he
will be at the back, not talking, but lovingly
keeping the group together and moving.
The movie is lovely and is about 11 minutes long.
One line I liked in the movie is that this temple was
designed to denote the peace the Mormons have here in
Missouri now as well as pay homage to the early
Mormon Pioneers and their legacy. Which
Missouri now as well as pay homage to the early
Mormon Pioneers and their legacy. Which
includes Mr. Fun's ancestral grandparents.
How cool is THAT?
Time to see the main attraction!
Come on friends....let's go.
See our buddy, Brother Angel Moroni?
Get a picture. Or take a picture.
Everyone wears booties.
400 umbrellas in case of rain
INSIDE:
No pictures are allowed to be taken inside the temple.
These photographs were officially taken by
the LDS Church and have been released in the public
for viewing. FYI....they are not contraband.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the BAPTISTRY.
It is similiar to the one from Solomon's Temple,
found in the Old Testament of the Bible
in Kings 1:7. The baptism font sits on the
backs of 12 oxen, representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
Christ taught that all should be baptised to
enter his kingdom. Those who die without
baptism or a chance to learn about baptism
can have a living person stand in proxy for the dead.
This one reason that LDS folks do genealogy.
THE INSTRUCTION ROOM
The mural is a reminder that God is our Creator.
Here we learn that God is our Heavenly Father,
and that He created this earth for us to have
experiences and learn to walk by faith.
THE CELESTIAL ROOM
This fine room is a representation
of returning to God after this life and
experiencing His joy. This is used a
quiet space for prayer and meditation.
A SEALING ROOM
Jesus Christ gave Peter in Matthew 16 in the
New Testament the power to "bind on Earth and
in Heaven." A sealing to us is that we are
married for not until death (until death do we part)
but for life and eternity. Children who are born
to parents who have been sealed, are sealed to their
parents as well, creating a eternal family unit.
After the tour is finished,
you get to come back to the chapel building
and have a snack. Hello! Mormons
ALWAYS have food with a gathering!
Want a cookie or drink? Carol can help you out!
After your tour, you are welcome to relax on
the grounds and enjoy the serene beauty.
And this my friends, is everything you need to do, have and say to
have a temple in your midst.
Or you are welcome to come and join us at ours. :)
Thank you for coming!
