The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom.
Update on the Salt Lake Temple Renovation
From the time our pioneer forebears arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, the vision for, construction of, and worship in the Salt Lake Temple have held a special place in the minds and hearts of Church members. This sacred building is a symbol of our love for the Savior Jesus Christ. It is now being renovated and upgraded so that it may continue to fill that role for many, many years.
As this project has progressed, we have felt the Lord’s hand guiding us in modifying several aspects of the renovation. The Salt Lake Temple is at the heart of Church headquarters. As the Prophet Isaiah foretold, many will come to this house of the Lord from all nations (see Isaiah 2:2–3). Many changes are being made to ensure a familiar, uplifting experience for members who attend that temple. In addition to the seismic protection, which is the principal reason for the temple renovation, many other improvements and changes to the temple and its surroundings are being made.
- Two more instruction rooms, additional sealing ordinance rooms, and a second baptistry are being added to allow for greater capacity and more temple ordinances.
- Previously, the member experience in this temple included a progressive room-to-room presentation by live actors. When the temple reopens, this will transition to single-room presentations by film, available in more than 80 languages (previously presented only in English). This decision will also make it possible to hold more sessions each day. And finally, we hope it will help more members feel confident to serve as ordinance workers without the requirement for lengthy memorization.
- The area that previously housed the temple cafeteria will now accommodate additional temple facilities to support the increased capacity of the temple. There will not be a cafeteria included when the temple reopens.
To read the rest of the report, including details on the handling of the Salt Lake City Temple murals, CLICK HERE.
