Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house begins today

"Been there, done that."

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hope that isn't the attitude of its members and community neighbors as the church conducts its second public open house in five months of a new temple in south Salt Lake Valley.

Beginning Monday, the LDS Church opens its new Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple for a two-month public viewing, similar to what was done starting mid-January with the Draper Utah Temple.

Nearly 685,000 visitors toured the Draper Temple — the valley's first temple constructed in almost 30 years — prior to its late-March dedication.

Standing as a cross-valley sister sentinel, the Oquirrh Mountain Temple was announced only a year later and built practically simultaneously. The two are identical in principle and purpose as well as equal in providing the same series of preparatory, instruction, ordinance and administration rooms.

However, as evidenced by their exterior appearances, the two are drastically different in design and decoration.

"If they've been there (at the Draper Temple) and they've enjoyed that, they realize this is a different temple — the architecture is different, the interiors are different," said Elder William R. Walker, a member of the Quorums of the Seventy and executive director of the LDS Church's temple department.

"If they enjoyed (the Draper tour), we hope people would say "I may not have another chance like this for many years.' "

Elder Walker listed advantages the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house presents — on-site parking, precluding the need for a shuttle-bus system to reach the more-remote Draper Temple; summertime weather, without the winter-time conditions that may have scared away potential visitors; and traditional vacation months, meaning children, youth and out-of-town visitors can visit during weekdays, rather than try to squeeze in during the high-demand evening and Saturday time slots.

Originally, the temple was to be dedicated in just six sessions over two days in late August, but now nine dedications will be conducted Aug. 21-23. Elder Walker said LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson hopes the extra sessions enable more children and youths to attend the sessions.

For the Draper Temple, one Sunday dedication session was broadcast to LDS stake centers throughout Utah so members ages 8 and older could witness the sacred meeting. Since a single session was difficult for parents with young children, two Sunday sessions of the Oquirrh Mountain temple dedication will be broadcast.

"This was done by the First Presidency in an effort to make sure that everybody in Utah that wanted to would be able to see the dedication," Elder Walker said.