Illuminating
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SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH
Five-year-old Morgan King issued his grandmother, Michelle Brimhall, a reverent challenge as they began their tour of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple on the first day of the temple open house.
"Grandma," Morgan said, "see if you can walk so quietly that your feet don't make a sound."
Such respect and reverence seemed to define the day June 1 as visitors of all ages and backgrounds began touring the stately granite edifice that looks over the southwest corner of the Salt Lake Valley.
Walking through the placid halls and ordinance rooms of what will soon be the Church's 130th temple "was very peaceful and very sweet," said Sister Brimhall of Holladay, Utah. "The volunteers were so nice."
Clear skies welcomed visitors to the temple for its opening to the public. Ample parking within easy walking distance to the temple grounds meant folks could complete the tour about an hour after arriving. Those wandering out of the building said their visit met all their expectations.
"I absolutely loved it," said Shad Stevens of Payson, Utah, who enjoyed the tour with his wife, Kati, and daughters, Summer, 4, and Shaylee, 2.
A school teacher, Brother Stevens said he felt blessed to dedicate one of his first days of his summer vacation to be inside the temple with his family.
"We wanted to spend time in the Celestial Room with the children — that's something they don't typically have a chance to do," he said.
The Stevens family recently participated in the open house for the Draper Utah Temple, which can be seen in the distance on the east end of the valley. Witnessing this vigorous period of temple building has given the family strength during challenging times in the world.
"Everything can't be wrong if [the Church] is building two new temples within a few months of one another and within sight of one another," he said.
Most of the open house visitors who spoke with the Church News commented on the friendly volunteers who greeted them both inside and outside the temple.
Jeff Nielsen of the Magna Utah East Stake was assigned to parking duty. He spent the first morning of the open house clad in a fluorescent yellow vest as he directed cars in and out of the temple's south-end lot. For Brother Nielsen, volunteering meant burning a vacation day from work. It was time well spent.
"This is my temple, and it's not every day that you get to help out for something like this," he said.
Whitney Denton toured the temple with her roommate from BYU, Whitney Kluber. The two Whitneys said the open house prompted in them a new commitment to prepare for temple worship.
"I loved the temple's celestial room," said Whitney Denton. "I just imagined people dressed in white filling that room."
Whitney Kluber said her thoughts inside the temple drifted to her family.
"I had a feeling of togetherness and wanting to be there in the temple with my family. Not only with my future family but also with my parents and siblings."
Tens of thousands of more visitors are now expected to tour the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple prior to the dedication in late August. The open house continues, Mondays through Saturdays, until Aug. 1, excluding July 4 and July 24. Reservations can be made at lds.org/reservations or by calling 1-800-521-5105.
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/57455/Illuminating.html
