The Arizona Temple

In 1858, Jacob Hamblin led a group of Mormon missionaries from the territory of Deseret (now Utah) across the Colorado River into Arizona. Hamblin worked tirelessly for the welfare of the Indian people. He developed genuine friendships and secured treaties that paved the way for peaceful colonization of the Arizona territory. During the 1860's, Mormon pioneers were able to establish numerous communities in scattered parts of northern Ari-zona. With the success of these colonies, Church leaders soon directed settlers to the agricultural lands of central and south-ern Arizona as well. So it was that, in 1877, a town was born on the tableland above the Salt River, just sixteen miles from present-day Phoenix. The infant settlement was named Mesa.

The Church enjoyed steady growth in that area, as well as in other parts of Arizona and the Southwest. Soon after the turn of the century, the need became evident for Church mem-bers in the region to have a temple. In 1919, fund-raising began for construction of a temple similar to those already built in Utah and to those being constructed in Hawaii and Canada. The project was delayed by World War I, but a site was eventually purchased in Mesa, and construction was begun in 1923. The building was dedicated as a "house of the Lord" in October of 1927, and today it serves not only those members living in the southwestern United States, but also those in Mexico and Central America.

The design of the Arizona Temple is considered to be an American adaptation of classic architecture. The facade is a glazed, cream-colored terra cotta, or ceramic veneer.

The temple was closed in 1974 for a complete remodeling of its interior, the addition of a new front entranceway, and the construction of a one-story annex to the south. The original building was 128 feet wide, 184 feet long, and 55 feet tall. The new annex is 114 feet by 148 feet.

In March of 1975 the temple was reopened to the public for two weeks of tours the first time this has ever been done after the dedication of a Mormon temple and Church President Spencer W. Kimball, who was raised in Arizona, personally hosted Governor Raul Castro on a tour of the building.

A quarter of a million people toured the lovely new temple before it was once again closed to the public and re-dedicated for its intended use.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are unique. They are not built to serve as chapels for weekly worship services. In fact, they are generally closed on Sunday the Christian Sabbath. Mormons do congregate for Sunday worship, but not in temples. Thousands of beautiful neighborhood meetinghouses have been constructed throughout the world for regular church services, but in the temples, faithful members meet on weekdays, as often as they are able, to participate in special, sacred ceremonies based upon the sanctity of the family unit.

Members of the Church are taught that the family is the key unit in any society, and that the moral fiber of a community, or a nation, or of the entire world can be accurately measured by the standard of strength or weakness that prevails in individual family units.

All programs of the Church exist for the uplifting of the individual and the family. Under one of these, the family home evening program, at least one evening each week is set aside for the entire family to be together without outside distractions. Successful family home evenings instill in families love, understanding, and a closeness that is becoming all too rare in the world today.

During the two weeks in March that it was open to the public, visitors toured the entire temple including the Celestial Room, upper left, a special Brides Dressing Room, upper right, the Sealing Rooms where marriages are performed, lower left, and the Grand Stairway leading to the Celestial and other ordinance rooms, lower right.