Remodeled Jordan River Temple to reopen; 30,000 members volunteer
Mar 12, 2018, 10:26 PM | Updated: Mar 13, 2018, 12:16 am
SOUTH JORDAN — One of the largest temples belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will open to the public on Friday.
The Jordan River Temple, which closed in February of 2016 for renovations, will reopen for a 6-week public open house.
Originally built in 1981, the temple has undergone a major remodeling effort. With a brand new updated look on the interior, church officials believe Latter-day Saints will find that the improvements to the Jordan River temple offer a more modern feel and will better accommodate one of the busiest temples in the Church.
“There are some changes on the floor plan on the first floor which add to the ability to be able to operate the temple, so nice enhancements, the second and third floors of the temple are largely the same in term of their structural configuration, everything looks new in terms of the beautiful finishes, the beautiful furnishings and the art work,” said Elder Larry Y. Wilson, executive director of the temple department.
While the 150,000-square foot temple floor plan is essentially the same, there are a few changes, particularly to better accommodate weddings at the temple, according to Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary General President.
“There is a bride and groom exit, they exit outside of the west side of the temple now instead of the front which will give them their own special place as they come out of the temple and greet friends and family,” she said.
Thirty thousand church members have volunteered to staff the open house over the next six weeks. On some days, upwards of twenty thousand guests are expected.
“We are organized that we could accommodate seven, eight, nine hundred thousand people, and so we are hopeful that will be the case, that as many people as possible can come and see the temple,” said Craig Burton, the coordinator for the temple open house committee.
Elder Wilson believes Latter-day Saints will find the improvements to the Jordan River temple will most importantly help them to strengthen their faith. “They are opportunities for us to be spiritually uplifted, to find answers to the problems of life,” he said.
Free reservations to the open house can be made at templeopenhouse.lds.org. A youth cultural celebration will be held in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday May 19. The temple will be formally re-dedicated during three sessions on Sunday, May 20.
RELATED LINK: Open House Reservations
