Montpelier Idaho Temple will open to public next week for tours
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MONTPELIER — Everyone is invited to tour the new Montpelier Idaho Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in September before it’s dedicated.
There will be a public open house for the temple from Thursday, Sept. 10 to Saturday, Sept. 26 at 534 Washington Street in Montpelier.
Chad and Bethany Packard are communication directors for parts of Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They expressed their excitement for the new temple and explained how the tours will work.
“There will be about a 45-minute-to-an-hour-long tour, where individuals will be able to go through the variety of rooms and locations in the temple from entering the front doors to the recommend desk and on through to the baptistry and all other places in the temple,” Chad said.
Tours are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. There are no tours on Sundays. No tickets are required to attend the public open house. It’s a walking tour, and church representatives will be available to answer any questions
“Anyone and everyone is invited to come. It doesn’t matter your religious background or lack thereof,” Chad said.
“People will be instructed or taught the purposes of temples, and the things that happen there within the temple,” Bethany added.
All ages are welcome and the temple is wheelchair accessible. The church suggests wearing business casual clothing and comfortable shoes.
“The temple is just amazingly beautiful. It’s built for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It will be interesting for people to come to understand the purposes of temples and why we as members of Christ’s church really look forward to worshiping him in the temple. We’re just excited to share all of that with our community members and friends,” Bethany said.
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According to the church’s website, “Latter-day Saint temples are sacred places where Church members make promises with God. These promises include keeping His commandments and serving others. Temples were used in biblical times and continue to be places of peace today.”
“There are a lot of misconceptions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and about the things that we hold very sacred. That is why the church is so purposeful in opening every temple that they build to the general public,” Bethany said.
The Packards have walked through the temple and described it as breathtaking.
“This temple in Montpelier, Idaho, is so beautiful. The architecture, the stained glass, and the furnishings are just absolutely breathtaking,” Chad said.
The Packards expect thousands of people, members and nonmembers of the church, to visit. Tours begin every five to 10 minutes.
“I would like people to come and feel what it is like to step out of this crazy, noisy, contentious world and into a place of quiet, peace and love, to come into God’s house, (which is) literally heaven on earth,” Bethany said.
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Once the temple is dedicated, entrance is reserved for members of the church.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that the dedication will be on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m.
The Montpelier Idaho Temple was announced in April 2022. According to the church, the 27,000-square-foot temple will serve the communities between existing temples in Pocatello, Logan, Utah and Star Valley, Wyoming.
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The Montpelier Idaho Temple will be the eighth dedicated in the state, joining temples in Boise, Burley, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Pocatello, Rexburg and Twin Falls.
Three additional temples are coming to Idaho: the Teton River Idaho Temple in Rexburg, as well as temples in Caldwell and Coeur d’Alene.
The church said in a news release that its temples are different from meetinghouses or chapels where members gather for Sunday worship services.
“A temple is considered a house of the Lord, where the teachings of Jesus Christ are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ceremonies that unite families for eternity,” the release states.