Perth Australia Temple
The Perth Australia Temple is the 106th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Perth Australia Temple is a great blessing to the 12,000 members that it serves. Previously members had to travel a distance equivalent to going from Los Angeles to New York in order to attend the nearest temple in Sydney. Local reaction to the Mormon temple was favorable.
At the groundbreaking ceremony Elder Kenneth Johnson quoted letters from the governor and the premier of Western Australia. Governor Jeffrey wrote, "I have no doubt that the temple will contribute to the growth and stability of the Church here. But more importantly it will contribute to the growth and stability of members and their families." [1] Premier Court was equally positive. "The significant growth of the membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world is accompanied by the growing respect and influence for good in the Western Australian community," he wrote. "Now at the end of the 20th Century an important extension of the work and witness of the Church is about to be built in Perth." [1]
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley commented, "In view of the fact that we do not build a temple until there are sufficient people in the area, until there are sufficient tithe payers, and until there is sufficient faith, the very construction of these sacred buildings becomes an indicator of the increase of faith and obedience to the principles of the gospel." [2] This is apparent since in just 100 years, since the first Mormon missionaries entered western Australia, Church membership has grown to 12,000 members.
As the approximately 37,000 visitors toured the Mormon temple during the open house, they soon realized that Jesus Christ is central to the Mormon Church. President Hinckley commented that people tour the temples with reverence and respect. Visitors often marvel at the beauty of the temples. "But among many things, they are most impressed with pictures of the Savior they see in these holy houses. They will no longer regard us as a non-Christian people." [2]
President Hinckley dedicated the Perth Australia Temple on 20 May 2001. During the dedicatory prayer he blessed the country of Australia saying, "We thank Thee for this land of Australia, where this and other temples have been built. We thank Thee for the freedom of worship, which obtains here. May this great nation always remain a place of individual liberty, that men and women may approach Thee within these walls without threat or disturbance of any kind.” [3]
The Perth Australia Temple has a total of 10,700 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.
Notes
- Church News, 4 December 1999
- Gordon B. Hinckley, “Welcome to Conference,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 4
- "'We thank Thee for this land of Australia,'" Church News, 26 May 2001, 25 Jun. 2005
Other Temples in Australia
- Adelaide Australia Temple
- Brisbane Australia Temple
- Melbourne Australia Temple
- Sydney Australia Temple
See also
External links
- Official LDS Perth Australia Temple page
- Perth Australia Temple page
- Mormon Temple Ordinances - ReligionFacts
- Mormon Temples - Lightplanet
- Mormon Temples and Secrecy
- Mormon Missionaries - BBC Religion & Ethics
- Prophet Joseph Smith - Lightplanet
