PHOTO ESSAY
Photo Essay: Saratoga Springs Utah Temple Begins Public Open House
It has commanded the landscape for some time, and from our home across the valley, we
watched the Saratoga Springs Utah temple arise. Yet, one has to move closer to begin to
recognize its stunning scope, it’s majestic and serene presence, its holiness as it stands
surrounded by Utah Lake and Mt. Timpanogos. Now, for 13 weeks, beginning April 15, this 179 th
operating temple in the Church will be open to the public. Tours will be conducted six days a
week, excluding Sundays.
Residents have been eager for this temple to open. It was announced at general conference in
April 2017 by then Church President Thomas S. Monson, but the construction of this temple
was delayed by COVID and its aftermath. Supply chains were broken and it became difficult to
obtain materials, so even though this temple was supposed to be on a fast-track construction,
everything slowed down. The temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Suday Aug. 13, 2023
by President Henry R. Eyring of the First Presidency and will be broadcast to congregations
throughout the area.
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As it turned out, this slow-build only gave a pent-up interest to see inside this large temple with its exquisite beauty, and so the Church does not think the time for the open house is too long. It has been since 2018 since when the Jordan River was rededicated that Utahns and their friends have seen inside a House of the Lord. -
President Russell M. Nelson said in the April 2018 general conference, “Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again.” Elder Evan A. Schmutz of the Utah Area Presidency noted, “It is a time when we are already seeing mighty miracles if we have eyes to see. Saratoga Springs will be the 15th operating temple in Utah and it is the first of 14 that have been announced or are in some stage of construction. There’s a bit of a cascade in the next three or f oud years. We’ll see 14 temples come online and that doesn’t count the ones that will yet be announced. That’s an explosion.
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“One would think by bringing more and more temples online, it would be a supply and demand equation as one temple is closer to another one. One would think that you’d see a diminished number of people at two temples, instead of the one where they have been attending. We actually see the opposite—and it’s almost predictable. Frequency of temple attendance and worshipping increases. It’s almost as if a light comes and casts itself across an area that will awaken and enliven even active members of the church.
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“This means that more people are seeing the promised miracles and more people on earth and in heaven are receiving their covenant blessings.”
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Elder Kevin R. Duncan Temple Department executive director said, “Some people ask how we can place temples in places, unlike Saratoga Springs, where our numbers are smaller. We want the whole family of man to be connected and receive their covenants, and to do that they have to have access to a temple. “According to the scriptures, there will be many congregations, large and small, but they will be everywhere. One of the factors that goes into planning a temple is the number of members that can support the temple. We do look at that carefully. But the thing we have found is that when a temple is announced, we have a surge of interest, once we have a ground-breaking, there is another surge of interest. We build to peak times. If a temple doesn’t have very many on Wednesday morning, but a surge Friday night, we will build to that.
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“The rising tide lifts all ships in the harbor. When a temple comes into a community, it raises everybody’s feelings of appreciation.
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The Church builds temples in the various regions of the earth to reflect the local culture, the landmarks and beauty of the area, and the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple is no exception. It’s shear concrete walls are framed with a decorative band of mountain peaks, wetlands and snowy egrets.
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These three panels also represent the snowy egrets.
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The elegant interior is designed with the blues, purples, golds and greens of the surrounding area reflecting wildflowers, marsh grass, reeds, and again, the snowy egrets.
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The finest materials and workmanship have gone into the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, from imported mahogany and marble to custom art-glass windows and crystal chandeliers—finishes designed to worship in this holy place.
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The interior design was a surprise of color and excellence that rarely passes our eyes. In fact, crews who work on temples soon learn that it involves a level of skill that they have not had to call upon before.
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Elder Kevin R. Duncan explained, “Because we’re building His House, we strive to give our…very best craftsmanship, the very best materials that we can. It’s not ostentatious. It’s simplistic beauty that elevates one’s vision toward Christ.
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“The temple is a place of light and beauty,” said Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “All of God’s creations are reflected in the variety of what we see in the temple and how it’s put together.
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“They’re very impressive from the outside, but much more impressive than the actual physical structures are what takes place inside,” continued Elder Bednar. “In the temples, we learn about God’s plan for his children. We learn about the role of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. And as we learn about the true nature of God, that changes us as we come to know about Him [and] love Him.”
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We asked Sister Kristin M. Yee of the Relief Society General Presidency how the temple helps you grow to the Savior and she said: “That’s a beautiful journey. The plan is right in the middle. All that the Father has in store for us is only possible through Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice.
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Father knew that we would need a Savior in order to receive those Abrahamic covenants and blessings. He knew we would need help. He knew we would need direction. In the covenant, that’s possible.
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Sister Yee continued, “When we realize how much our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us, then we get to grow in that love and in that relationship. In the temple a covenant is not just a milestone, it’s not just a degree we receive to hang on a wall. When we receive a covenant, it means to enter into a relationship, a covenant bond with our Heavenly Father and Savior to receive help, to know of His love, to learn of Him, and grow continually. You can’t put that degree on the wall and just walk away. With a covenant, we begin this journey and the temple is a bridge to our eternal home.
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We asked: How can you have a relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the covenant? Sister Yee answered, “It takes time. It takes pondering. Many times, it begins by feeling his love, and that is very personal to each of us. We have to look for His love; we have to trust Him. When we trust Him, He speaks to our heart in a personal way and when He speaks to us in our heart, that stays with us because it is spirit to spirit. When everything else fails, you remember those feelings, those powerful feelings.
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When Lehi, in the Book of Mormon, partook of the fruit, which represents the love of God, he became desirous. So, once we have the desire to have a relationship with God, you can feel and understand it in our lives that he is personally trying to show us that it is Him. When Covid shut the temples down, the covenants were still with us.
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Sister Yee said, “The Lord loves effort. We live in such a world of immediacy. If I need something I can go down and get it. I can look it up online and still get those answers. When it comes to the Lord, He works differently. He expects us to offer something of ourselves to receive something because then it becomes ours. When it comes to priesthood power, it is a rich doctrine. Our prophet has constantly exhorted us, especially as sisters, to understand what is priesthood power in your life. What does that look like, but he said there is no manual for this. Nothing more invigorating than this to labor with the Spirit for the blessings of priesthood power. What an exciting invitation to all of us, especially to sisters.
Debra WoodsApril 11, 2023
I built a home in Saratoga Springs when it was still part of a Lehi Stake. I remember the stake conference in the Lehi Tabernacle when they announced the first Saratoga Springs stake and I knew who the stake president was going to be right before they announced it - Chad Wilkinson. I also knew there would be a temple there someday. President Eyring was a neighbor and it was always so dear when he was able to be in town and attend our Ward. These photos capture so many things that speak to my soul about this beautiful area where I lived for 12 years. I had a very similar palate in my home there. I am deeply moved by your photo essay! Thank you so much!
TomApril 11, 2023
To see all interior views of the Saratoga Springs Temple released by the Church, and a magnificent video with additional interior views, see The Church News article and links: https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2023/4/10/23676921/see-interior-exterior-photos-saratoga-springs-utah-temple