Following are quotes from several Church leaders assigned to participate in the open house of the Washington D.C. Temple:
“The Washington D.C. Temple is large in size. If you consider the pattern now of many of the temples that are being announced, they are not as large. I think some people in various parts of the world may think those smaller temples are secondary temples. A temple is a temple. The building is not the issue. There is no such thing as a small temple or a big temple. They are all temples. The reason we have temples is because of covenants and ordinances, and the connection to the Savior. So one of the instructive lessons is as big and as magnificent as this temple is: All temples are magnificent.” — Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“I guess it is no accident that this temple sits right on the beltway because everyone sees it. You are right in the middle of traffic. The radio announcers always use the temple as the marker for where the traffic is. But when you enter into the temple and you see that tree-of-life stained glass that’s behind the recommend desk, and you feel the quietness of the temple, you walk across a bridge of kind of a hallway that goes into the temple proper, and you just feel all of that drain away. It’s so calm. And for me, as someone who has worshipped in the temple for almost 40 years, I need that in my life. There are very few places that are silent. And I need the silence of the temple to be able to hear the voice of God, and I’m so grateful for that gift.” — Sister Sharon Eubank of the Relief Society general presidency
“I am amazed when I have a chance to take other religious leaders through our temples. When they see our baptismal font and can read from 1 Kings 7 and realize it looks like Solomon’s temple, they see how much we share in terms of our faith, and they see how sacred it is to us and how our commitment to the Savior is expressed in so many ways through r temples. They see our commitment to temple promises, temple blessings and temple covenants. It’s a wonderful opportunity to take other people through our temple. I also always love visiting their places of worship; I always learned something. So it is reciprocal.” — Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“The focus of the temple is the inner person and working from the inside out — a change of heart, a greater heart, a greater loyalty and accountability, a sense of accountability to God. All these things that are fostered in religion, in the temple ceremonies, in our faith, change us over time for the better, and we begin to mature spiritually and become people that not only are better but that can also help others more effectively. One of the things of discipleship, Christian discipleship, is the desire to make things better for others and not just ourselves. So I believe that that focus of working from the inside out and changing the person, who then changes the world over time with their efforts, is the right approach.” — Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“When I’m inside the temple, I think about friends that I know that are making covenants with God will help them in their life. So having an open house is such a beautiful opportunity for us to invite the community to come and see what happens in a temple, to come and feel that peace. … We are all trying to be better. Having the endowment of power that we received in the temple helps us to be better.” — Sister Reyna I. Aburto of the Relief Society general presidency
“The miracle of more temples coming to more places and more people, to more hearts and homes, is very real for us. But equally real is the miracle that we are also coming to understand the temple in a deeper way. President [Russell M.] Nelson is helping us see our Savior Jesus in and through the ordinances and covenants of the temple in an even more profound way … . We are building temples to build people. We are building people of faith and people who understand covenants. And faith and covenants bring us to our Savior, and our Savior brings us to a deeper appreciation of our faith and covenants.” — Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Read more coverage of the Washington D.C. Temple
- About the Washington D.C. Temple, plus the dedicatory prayer
- Washington D.C. Temple open house extended, rededication date rescheduled
- In exclusive national interview, Elder Bednar calls Washington D.C. Temple ‘a place of light, of peace’
- See photographs of the inside of the Washington D.C. Temple
- Elder Bednar speaks of the Washington D.C. Temple: ‘It is not just about this building’
- What the Church did to restore, refurbish the Washington D.C. Temple and why it matters
- Video: How temple visitors are finding stillness, peace in the nation’s capital
- Video: Elder Bednar asks, why are we surprised by today’s youth
- Elder Bednar writes about the Washington D.C. Temple, answers questions about why it exists
- Reverse Open House Series: How a temple open house inspired visits to other faiths’ sacred sites, events
- Welcoming media – traditional and social – to the Washington D.C. Temple
- U.S. national team soccer star Ashley Hatch plays Washington D.C. Temple tour host for club teammates
- Video: The light — and lack of shadows — in the Washington D.C. Temple
