Ogden provides temple prep template

PAYSON -- As curious visitors have started lining up for the month-long open house at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Ogden Utah Temple, excitement on the other end of the Wasatch Front is escalating for the next Utah temple open house and dedication -- the Payson temple.

An official date is not yet set, but 2015 is expected to be a year of excitement for LDS members living in south Utah County. It is also anticipated the Provo City Center Temple could be completed by the end of next year.

In the meantime, assignments have been divvied up throughout the Payson and outlying LDS stakes as church members prepare for their open house and for the completion -- and handiwork the goes into the completion -- of the inside amenities of the temple. These opportunities help members feel more vested in the temple, in addition to the tithing donations of members that help pay for its construction.

Temple open houses, such as the one currently going on in Ogden, give members of the community and visitors -- LDS or otherwise -- the rare opportunity to walk through the temple and learn more about Latter-day Saint beliefs. Following an open house the temple is formally dedicated, and only temple-worthy members of the LDS Church may enter after that.

The Ogden temple has received such extensive renovations -- nearly to the main frame and studs of the building -- people are curious about the new look. What was once a round building, a sister temple to the Provo Temple, is now square with intricately chiseled and designed granite on the exterior, and exquisite interiors.

That beauty has Utah County folks excited to see just what the Payson temple will look like when it is completed.

A prepared statement from the LDS Church said, "For those who live near them, the Churchs completed temples are 'beautiful' structures, meant to last hundreds of years thanks to their high-quality materials and rigorous building standards."

It is interesting to note that while there is day-to-day care of the inside and outside of the facilities, from time to time temples will close for major cleaning, which is completely done by volunteer members of the church assigned to that temple district.

Plans to construct the Payson temple were announced Jan. 25, 2010. Church leaders broke ground Oct. 8, 2011.

The Payson Utah Temple is located on gently sloping ground at 930 W. 1550 South on the southwest side of Payson, a mile from the Interstate 15 interchange with 800 South. The property offers scenic views of the area as well as easy access to the freeway. The temple will serve Latter-day Saints from Spanish Fork to Nephi.

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Ogden provides temple prep template