Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
TOOELE — The stained glass of the new Deseret Peak Utah Temple, decorated with the local grasses, lupine and desert rose, brings color to both the inside and outside of the newly constructed building.
Elder Steven R. Bangerter of the Seventy, who works with the temple department, said these details, also found throughout the building's woodwork, paint and carpeting, are designed to point upward to the Savior and to God, the creator.
He said the symbolism is everywhere in the temple.
On Monday, the first day of the open house for the temple in Tooele, members of the media and other community leaders were brought through the temple. Beginning on Thursday, members of the community will also have the opportunity to walk through.
When it is dedicated on Nov. 10, the temple will be the 200th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sarah Pankratz, a young single adult who has lived in Tooele her whole life, said the new temple is "immensely beautiful. " She loves the colors throughout the temple and how the local mountains and flowers are depicted in the artwork.
Pankratz has been volunteering as a temple worker at the Jordan River Temple to prepare to be a temple worker in the new temple. She fits it into her schedule while working full time and said many others in her situation are making the same choice to volunteer weekly at the temple, despite busy schedules with school and work.
"When you're in the temple, there's this peace you feel, this nice spirit; and when you leave, it lingers with you," Pankratz said.
She said as a temple worker she has found peace that lasts through the week and helps her life run more smoothly, and she leaves the temple feeling closer to Christ.
Pankratz said there has been excitement about the temple throughout the valley. She said it's something the community has been waiting for, although many people didn't think they would get a temple with how close they are to the Salt Lake Valley.
"People just love the temple. … It's something sacred to us. It's a place we feel connected to God," she said.
Pankratz said she lives about 40 minutes from the closest working temple, and having this new temple in the Tooele Valley will make volunteering so much easier and allow her to volunteer in the mornings or evenings. She considers it a miracle.
President Susan H. Porter of the Primary General Presidency said she hopes children coming to the temple during the open house can see themselves there and feel that they want to be there in the future.
"The temple is a place of peace, and there are so few places on earth today where we can feel peace," she said. "Christ is the ultimate one who brings peace."
She said going to the temple is a personal experience and allows individuals to connect with God and build a relationship with him, and the temple brings families together.
While on the media tour, President Porter said the temple helps her connect with her husband, Bruce Porter, who died in 2016. She said the temple reminds her that her connection with her husband and their family is eternal and that she is not alone. She said temples bring heaven and Earth together.
She expressed hope that the open house elevates conversations with children and neighbors. She said temples lift communities.
"Everyone will feel, no matter what your beliefs are, we're all children of God — they will all feel the peace and beauty of his creations. It will be a joyful experience," she said.
Alexis Beazer, a member of the Tooele Valley Communication Council, and her husband have been preparing for the open house by building relationships. They are inviting many of those friends to participate in the open house over the next few days, including leaders of other churches, the community and local businesses.
"I think one of the things I love about this experience the most is to be able to share our love of Jesus Christ as our Savior. Sometimes that's not understood, so it's really a great opportunity for them to come and see not only the beauty of the building but to feel the spirit there, to see the artwork of the Savior," she said.
Her husband, Brent Beazer, talked about a painting in the temple of handcart pioneers that was meaningful to him. He said his ancestors left England and sold everything they could to come to Utah to be near a temple.
"That's why I love the temple; it's because my family gave up everything for that," he said.
He said they have shared their love for the temple with their children from the day they were born. Now, the family will have a temple less than five minutes from their home, one they can see from their front door.
Alexis Beazer said this temple is a "visual reminder of the blessings of the temple" as she drives into the valley. Brent Beazer said it will bless not just their family but the community as it stands as a representation of God's love.
Elder Bangerter said as he drove around the mountain on Sunday evening and saw the temple against the sky and yellow grasses, "It was a moment." He said he thought of a beacon or light on a hill — warm and inviting.
"The meaning of the temple for us runs deep. It fills every fiber of our being, it informs our understanding of God, our Eternal Father, and our relationship with him and our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ," he said.
He said throughout recorded history, God has made temples a "centerpiece of worship."
"It is a manifestation of our love and reverence for God and a place where we can go, set apart from the commotion of the world, to feel God's love for us and his spirit teaching and inviting us," he said.
He said as more temples are being built in Utah, members are attending the temple more. He said having a temple nearby is a "sweet blessing" that causes a measurable increase in temple attendance, especially among youth. For young church members, who can go to the temple the year they turn 12, he said attending the temple allows them to be a participant in the gospel rather than just a listener.
Elder Bangerter said having so many temples in view while traveling through Utah brings minds to Christ and fulfills prophecy.
"While the doors are open, we invite you to come and see what takes place in the temple. Come and enjoy with us the beautiful aspects of the temple," he said.
He said anyone of any age can walk the grounds of dedicated, working temples and enjoy the beautiful sights and feelings, but the open house is unique. Elder Bangerter encouraged anyone to come to the open house, and to come multiple times.
Reservations for the open house, which runs through October 19, are recommended. They can be made on the church's website.
