Reader comments
Oquirrh Mountain Temple: 'It's a wonderful thing'

Onward and Upward!

This might be a good time to remember President Hinckley's opening remarks from the October 2005 General Conference, when he announced this temple. The name was announced later, at the groundbreaking.

"We have previously announced a new temple in the southeast quadrant of the Salt Lake Valley. We have two other excellent sites in the west and southwest areas of the valley through the kindness of the developers of these properties. The first one on which we will build is in the so-called Daybreak development, and this morning we make public announcement of that. You may ask why we favor Utah so generously. It is because the degree of activity requires it."

He then described other temple projects throughout the world. The Church apparently anticipates enough continued growth in the Salt Lake Valley to warrant yet another temple in the not-so-distant future.

What a beautiful building!

IF we want to help the deficit why don't we start taxing the LDS church PROPERTY tax, not only the LDS church, ALL churches!!!!!!!!! that might help the Utah state deficit !! The LDS church is VERY rich and has enough money to pay property tax, even if they didnt, the church would demand their people to give more of their money to make up for the taxes.

Beautiful? It looks as common as a McDonald's with its fiberglass Moroni surrounded by fiberglass ward house steeples.

Tour explains what beliefs? Polygamy yes or no? Black priesthood yes or no? Word of Wisdom advice or commandment?

So are you saying we should tax the LDS Church's property tax? You seem confused. Do we need to send someone by to check up on you?

What a exciting story! This great work will progress.

It's sad they had to build it with granite from China. I guess all the sour grapes lawsuits over using their own granite to build the Conference Center made them hesitant to try to use it again. Too many religious bigots in the backyard.

It looks identical like all the other temples Ive seen...

I prefer the architecture of Cathedrals and even missions. Temples are cold stone fortresses.

WOW!!! another one, change the name from latter day saints to 7-11 because they are on every corner.

I also much prefer the architecture of cathedrals and missions, but the temples are very beautiful inside. The real beauty comes from the clean and peaceful feeling you get when you're inside. But I speak only for myself :)

What a beautiful Temple! It is the spitting image of the Boston, MA Temple. The current President of the Boston Temple, Kenneth G. Hutchins, was the stake president at the time who took President Hinckley to the property on the hill in Belmont, which is the tallest hill in the Boston area and which the church already owned and had done so for about 20 years.

President Hinckley later dedicated that temple in the year 2000, the one hundredth temple in the Church.

President Hutchins later later retired as a police chief, was released as Stake President, served three years as a mission president, and just as his mission was ending President Hinckley called him to be the new Temple President. We love these blessings so.

To Eye of the Beholder @ 8:16 am
Boy, I would like to visit the McDonalds you've been eating at. That would be some "common" looking fast food restaurant!
To Student @ 8:20 am
If you're still asking questions and don't understand the Church's stance on polygamy, blacks and the Priesthood, and the Word of Wisdom, I advise you remain a student and pay closer attention.
To Anonymous @ 9:03 am
This temple is one of the plans the church has recently used, but "identical like all the other temples I've seen?" This new temple looks nothing like Salt Lake, Provo, Mt. Timpanogus, Idaho Falls, Boise, Denver, Washington, D.C., New York City, etc., etc., etc., You need to get out more.

According to the accompanying photo, Its built w/ granite from China. Oh, the irony.

Will 'The Church' be criticized for not buying American or praised for being part of the One world order I mean global economy?

The name leaves alot to be desired IMO. I personally don't associate the name Oquirrh Mountains with upward mobility.

To MRMR: This is not an article about whether churches should be tax exempt.

To Student: The purpose of the temple tour is to explain the temple. What do those other questions have to do with a temple tour? But I'll answer them for you. Polygamy--no. Blacks get the priesthood--yes. Word of Wisdom--originally guidelines; later became a commandment under Brigham Young.

To the various architecture critics: You're entitled to your opinions, but come to the open house before passing final judgment.

MRMR, FYI, the church spends millions of dollars providing emergency food and clothing, educational opportunities for free, medical training, medical supplies and better living conditions of thousands of people, both local and aboard, EFFECIENTLY. they would even feed and cloth your sorry attitude if you were dire straits. Eye of the Beholder! McDonald's is one of the most successful organizaitons in the world, you don't have to eat there, but your invited to enjoy our fiberglass, . Student, you flunk, you have failed to look at both sides of the argument, we believe in the Lord's directive in what he wants, not what you claim to think you know. We respect your right to not believe as we do, but we don't need to take pot shots at you because you don't believe as we do.

So was this multi million dollar temple built because all the other utah temples are filled to capacity 24 hours a day...or some other reason???

You really need to get out more!