2 LDS Temples preparing to welcome visitors to open houses — here’s when and where

ELKO, Nevada (ABC4) — Members of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the open house dates for two of its temples that are near completion. One temple is located in Elko, Nevada and the other in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Elko Nevada Temple

The Elko Nevada Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will begin to welcome visitors inside on August 30, with an open house running up until September 13, excluding Sundays.

The temple is set to be dedicated on Sunday October 12 by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The Prophet and President of the LDS Church, Russell M. Nelson, announced the temple in the April 2021 General Conference.

The state of Nevada has two other operating temples in Reno and in Las Vegas, there is one more planned temple near Las Vegas, that is the Lone Mountain Nevada temple. The Lone Mountain Nevada Temple has had planning and construction paused since its announcement and subsequent location announcement. The temple is one of several temples that has gotten caught up in the court system.

The state is home to over 180,000 Latter-day Saints.

Grand Junction Colorado Temple

Shortly after the open house for the Elko Nevada Temple begins, the open house for the Grand Junction Colorado Temple will begin. Starting on September 11 through September 27 of this year, the doors will be open to the Grand Junction Temple for people to visit.

President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, is currently slated to dedicate the temple on Sunday, October 19. The Church says that like the Elko temple, this was announced in the April 2021 General Conference.

Colorado is home to three operating temples, the Denver Colorado Temple, the Fort Collins Colorado Temple. The Colorado Springs Colorado Temple. Colorado is home to 150,000 Latter-day Saints.

What are temples?

Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are referred to by members as “Houses of the Lord,” according to the Church website. Members hold the entire property of Temples sacred, from the grounds outside to what is inside and what happens inside.

“From the very beginning, there have been sacred places upon the earth where God has communed with His children. They were designated by God and hallowed by His presence as places where He would teach and bless His children,” the Church says on its site.

The Church teaches that throughout biblical history, the Tabernacle carried around was a “portable temple.” The Church also points to several additional scriptures from the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, which mention temples on several occasions.

What happens here?

Inside the Temple, members of the Church seek to draw closer to God by making covenants and performing “saving” ordinances from themselves or members of their family who have passed on. These temples are typically only open to members who have a temple recommend card.

Members believe through the temple endowment ceremony, they can “be endowed power from on high,” which appears in Luke 24:49.

“Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God’s priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power,” President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson, has said.

The Endowment is one of many things that can happen inside of a Latter-day Saint temple. In the LDS church, members can also baptize family who have passed away and confirm them as members of the Church if they wish to accept them in the spirit world.

Sealings for marriage and family sealings can also be performed in the temple.

“Unlike marriages that last only ‘until death do you part,’ temple sealings ensure that death cannot separate loved ones. For marriages to continue after death, they must be sealed in the right place and with the right authority. The right place is the temple and the right authority is the priesthood of God,” the Church teaches.

What occurs in the sealing is outlined in Matthew 16:19, the Church states.

The Church says that children born into a sealed temple marriage are “children born in the covenant, thus, they are part of an eternal family, based upon their faithfulness.” Sealings are only performed in temples.

Some may ask about those children not born in the covenant, the Church teaches that they too can become part of an eternal family.

“Children who are not born in the covenant can also become part of an eternal family once their natural or adoptive parents are sealed to one another,” the Church says.

Can the public go inside?

The answer is both yes and no.

When a temple is complete, the Church opens the building to the public for an “open house.” During these open houses, the public can walk through the temple and see all the rooms from the baptistry to the celestial room.

After the open house and dedication of the temple to the Lord, the temple is open to members in “good standing” meaning, the person possesses a temple recommend card.