Brigham City LDS temple open for media tours
By Joseph Walker, Deseret News
BRIGHAM CITY — Proclaiming Tuesday as “a great day, a happy day” in northern Utah, Elder William R. Walker of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened the doors of the church’s new Brigham City Utah Temple to the media.
“This community was founded during Utah’s pioneer era,” said Elder Walker, who is the executive director of the LDS Church Temple Department. “For all of that time, the residents have hoped and prayed for a temple. We have several journal reports indicating that Brigham Young himself prophesied that a temple would be built here one day. So when (LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson) announced three years ago that a temple would be built in Brigham City, there has been a feeling of joyful anticipation ever since.”
The media tour was conducted Tuesday morning in anticipation of the beginning of the month-long temple open house on Saturday. (Please see below for open house facts and information.) The LDS Church traditionally conducts public open houses for several weeks prior to the dedication of a new temple to allow interested community members an opportunity to tour the temple and learn about what Mormons do inside their temples.
Once the temple is dedicated, it will be open only to LDS Church members who have been recommended by their local ecclesiastical leaders.
The open house for the Brigham City Utah Temple will continue through Saturday, Sept. 15, after which the temple will be closed while it is prepared for its formal, official dedication during three sessions on Sunday, Sept. 23.
Tickets and instructions for attendance at the temple dedication sessions will be available through local LDS ecclesiastical leaders.
On Saturday, Sept. 22, a cultural celebration called “Harvest of Faith” will be held to commemorate the heritage of LDS Church members in the Brigham City area. The celebration will be held at the Box Elder High School football stadium at 6:30 p.m.
The Brigham City Utah Temple will be open for all temple patrons on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
OPEN HOUSE FACTS
DATES: Saturday, Aug. 18, through Saturday, Sept. 15 (excluding Sundays and Saturday, Sept. 8)
TIMES: 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays
ADMISSION: Free, but reservations required
RESERVATIONS: Tickets are available attempleopenhouse.lds.org or by calling 1-855-537-2000
AGES: All ages are welcome, but no strollers, please
LOCATION: 250 So. Main St., Brigham City
DRESS: Modest dress required
PARKING: Parking attendants will guide you to an available parking space. Plan to arrive early to allow time for traffic and parking.
TOURS: Tours begin with a 10-minute video providing an overview of temples and why they are important to Latter-day Saints. Following the video, a tour host will escort you through the temple, explaining the purpose of each room and answering questions as time allows. At the conclusion of the tour, guests will be invited to return to the tents for light refreshments and to have any further questions answered.