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TAYLORSVILLE — Sister Tracy Y. Browning said she has come to love watching the construction of the Taylorsville Utah Temple and has felt "so much joy."
The second counselor in the Primary general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of many people who have passed by the new temple during their commutes and watched its "magnificent construction." It was built along the I-215 freeway and 4700 South.
"The erecting of this temple ... ushers me (to work) every single morning and it welcomes me home every single evening," Sister Browning said Tuesday.
Because it is so visible, she said there has been a "swelling of excitement" — and this is just the beginning.
During its public open house, the Taylorsville Utah Temple will be a "beacon" and will give an opportunity for church members' friends and members of the community to see the beauty of temple worship.
Elder Kevin W. Pearson, president of the church's Utah area, said once the new temple is dedicated, it will be the church's 192nd operating temple in the world. It will be the 23rd temple currently operating in Utah, while seven more have been announced or are under construction. Two additional Utah temples were announced Sunday by President Russell M. Nelson. Those will be built in West Jordan and Lehi.
Despite the increasing number of temples, Elder Pearson said such buildings are not ordinary.
"There is nothing commonplace about a house of the Lord," he said.
He said tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of people will come to tour the temple during the open house. Tours are available to the public beginning Saturday after tours for invited guests occur between Tuesday and Friday.
Elder James R. Rasband, assistant executive director of the church's Temple Department, loves the "pioneer-era gothic architecture" and said it reminds him of buildings throughout the valley. He also said wildflower motifs remind him of wildflowers in the nearby Oquirrh mountains.
He said those details are expressions of honoring Jesus Christ.
"Each of these we construct to what we think is the highest possible standard because we really do believe that it becomes the house of the Lord. So that description drives what you'll see inside," he said.
Elder Rasband said the church hopes the temple will "stand as a beacon of light and hope" and offer a vision of peace to people living in an often discouraging world.
People are always interested in the architecture and details inside the temple, Elder Pearson said, but he hopes visitors also pay attention to the spirit inside the temple.
"It's what happens inside of the temple that makes all the difference. We don't come for the furnishings. We come for the blessings and the spiritual power, the hope, the reassurance, the confidence, the increase in our faith that comes as we come to the house of the Lord and worship our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," he said.
Elder Pearson added that "countless people" are pleased to have a temple in the area. It is the first new temple and opportunity for an open house in Salt Lake County since 2009, when the Draper and Oquirrh Mountain temples were dedicated.
Neeraphaa Myers, a Latter-day Saint who lives in the temple's district, said she is excited to tour the temple with her family. She enjoys seeing the unique beauty of each temple and the different paintings that remind her of the gospel and strengthen her faith.
"Even if I don't go inside ... just coming to the grounds, it's just peaceful being here," she said.
She said it will be nice to have another place where she can come to find peace.
While speaking in the temple's baptistry, Sister Browning said youth in the church often come to the temple early before school starts to participate in baptisms. She said why they choose to come is love — both love for God and love for others.
"The youth are some of the most joyful disciples of Jesus Christ. And as was mentioned, they flow to the temple and make big sacrifices to do so," she said.
In the temple, members have the opportunity to be baptized and receive other ordinances on behalf of people who have died, which is often what youths do at the temple. She said Primary children are already learning about covenants as they prepare for baptism at 8 years of age, and a few years later they are ready to come to a temple and be baptized on the behalf of their ancestors.
Our ancestors have the ability to make decisions, and performing a baptism on their behalf is an invitation that can allow them to access blessings, Sister Browning said.
An open house communicates to children and communities around the temple that they are invited to come and understand more about the temple, she said.
"I know that internally the beauty of the temple is always the worship that's found there, and the joy that we have as we come to the house of the Lord and to participate in sacred ordinances that to us are the highest expressions of our love of God, and our love for others," Sister Browning said.
The open house runs through May 18. Reservations are recommended.
The temple will be dedicated on June 2 by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all congregations in the Taylorsville Utah Temple district.
