Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
- The Syracuse Utah Temple, the first with two baptisteries, opens for public tours on Saturday following a media day on Wednesday.
- Youth and church leaders talked about why they regularly visit temples.
- The temple will be dedicated on June 8, after the open house ends on May 31.
SYRACUSE — Young members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Davis County are excited as the Syracuse Utah Temple is preparing to be dedicated, with a public open house starting next week.
Braxton Carpenter, a senior at Syracuse High School, said the church determined there was a need for more space for youth to attend the temple to perform baptism ordinances for ancestors who have died — something most often done by youth and new members of the church who have not received other temple ordinances for themselves.
This will be the first temple to have two baptisteries, each with a font, changing rooms and space for confirmations — an ordinance that follows baptism and is referred to in scripture as a baptism of fire, or the Holy Ghost.
Carpenter goes to the Ogden Temple about once a week and said it is one of the best parts of his week. Now, the temple will be a five-minute walk from his home, rather than a 20-minute drive, making it more accessible for him and others in his ward.
"It brings a lot of peace and strength to my life, and I'm able to feel the spirit when I go, especially consistently," Carpenter said.
He said that to be an effective missionary, he will need to have the spirit with him constantly, and going to the temple has helped him learn what that feels like.
Carpenter is about to start a mission for the church in Austin, Texas, and said he plans to spend a lot of time in the temple in the two months before he leaves. He said it would be a second home for him this summer.
The open house for the Syracuse Temple begins Saturday, following special-guest tours earlier in the week. It will run through the end of the month before a dedication ceremony on June 8, which will be broadcast to chapels within the temple district.
Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency of the church, said the new temple is not just another temple but a "personal place of worship" for everyone who enters. She said the youth involved in the open house media day exemplified that God has a plan for them.
"Looking at the strength of the youth, their testimonies, their desires to follow him, their desire to be in his house, the desire to know him — I am a bit overwhelmed as well by the Spirit of the Lord and his love for you. And I know that he has great things in store for this generation," she said.
She said temples are key for members to prepare for Christ's second coming.
Sister Yee said the two baptisteries in this temple are "just the beginning" and will be repeated in other temples. She said it shows the righteous desire of youth in the church. She said the temple brings order, calmness, love and hope — things that are hard to get from the world.
She said temples are a place where members learn about God's plan and mission, and visiting them expands their ability to be like Heavenly Father. She said members can never learn too much, encouraging them to continue attending the temple.
Sister Yee said she found the deep colors used in the Syracuse temple decor — green, red, blue and ochre — beautiful and said she hasn't seen a temple that combines those colors. She said a picture in the baptistry showing Christ's baptism reminded her of how real Christ is, commenting that it was realistic rather than extravagant.
Rebeca Gaburel, a junior at Syracuse High School, said the temple will be life-changing for her and others. She said her parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico and have talked about having to travel for days to get to a temple. Yet, she will have a temple just 10 minutes away from her home and the ability to attend frequently. She said she is in awe of Heavenly Father's love.
"He has given us so many blessings in our lives," she said
She plans to attend the open house with friends and family multiple times. Rebeca said Heavenly Father knew youth needed extra guidance, and so he provided more opportunity for them to be in the temple with the new Syracuse Temple's two baptisteries.
Elder Kevin R. Duncan, executive director of the church's temple department, said the church builds more temples to give members more access to temples. He said every new temple becomes busier. He said baptisteries at other temples in the area are full before and after school, and the two baptisteries in this temple will help youth from Layton to Farmington spend more time in temples.
"This is a place of peace, and when you're in this building, we hope you'll feel that it's a house of the Lord," he said.
Elder Duncan said everything in the temple is designed to help members return to their Heavenly Father. He said the temple in Syracuse will be the church's 206th temple, a relatively small number compared to the number of members. Including all that are announced and under construction, there are 382 temples.
He also said running a temple requires "an army of volunteers," saying there are about 2,000 volunteers for the new temple.
Reservations for the open house are recommended and can be made online.
