Indianapolis Indiana Temple
At the opening of the 180th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Thomas S. Monson announced the construction of a new temple in Indianapolis, Indiana. It will be the first temple to be built in Indiana. In early 2011, the Church announced the location of the Indianapolis Indiana Temple: it would be located in the city of Carmel on the southwest corner of the intersection of West 116th and Spring Mill Road.
There are twelve stakes in Indiana, and these Latter-day Saints previously traveled 130 miles to the Louisville Kentucky Temple to attend. The new Latter-day Saint temple will serve 25,000 members in the area. Church membership in Indiana at the time of the announcement was about 42,000. In 2023, it was over 46,000.
On Saturday, September 29, 2012, the Church and community leaders broke ground for the Indianapolis Indiana Temple. The ceremony was conducted by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the Presidency of the Seventy. Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer of the Seventy also assisted, as did local Church and community leaders.
Contents
Open House Announced
An open house for the Indianapolis Indiana Temple, located in the city of Carmel, Indiana, was held from Friday, 17 July 2015 through Saturday, 8 August 2015.
The open house tours began in the church building next to the temple with the showing of a 12-minute video providing an overview of temples and why they are significant to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Following the video, a tour host escorted visitors through the temple, explaining the purpose of each room and answering questions as time allowed. At the conclusion of the tour, visitors were invited to a reception area to have any further questions answered.
A Look Inside the Indianapolis Indiana Temple
Indianapolis Indiana Temple
Recommend Desk
Hallway with Painting Representing Jesus Christ
Baptistry
Waiting Area
Instruction Room
Sealing Room
Celestial Room
Art Glass on Doors
All pictures were downloaded from Mormon Newsroom.org.
Cultural Celebration - "Gather to the Light"
Prior to the temple dedication, on Saturday, 22 August 2015, 1,600 Latter-day Saint youth, ages 12 to 18, from throughout the temple district, participated in a cultural celebration entitled Gather to the Light which highlighted the significant contributions of Indiana in agriculture, culture, sports and history, including the state’s role in the Underground Railroad. The celebration also recognized notable Hoosiers such as Abraham Lincoln and Ernie Pyle and the long-running Indianapolis 500. The event was held at the Michael Carroll Track & Field Stadium on the campus of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis. Attendance was by invitation only, but media was invited to attend.
President Eyring said,“Let’s fill this stadium with joy, with love and with light." He also offered encouragement about the youth's potential during his remarks and said, “You’ll never forget the feeling of satisfaction as you discover that through effort and determination you can do more that you thought possible.” Alyssa Hightower, one of the 1,600 youth participants, commented, “I think it’s such an amazing opportunity to be with everyone to come together to celebrate the building of this temple.”
The First Latter-day Saint Temple in Indiana Is Dedicated
Prior to the temple dedication, President Henry B. Eyring conducted the traditional cornerstone ceremony. John Jensen Chipman, Temple President, and his wife, Karen Russon Chipman, the temple matron, along with other members of the presidency, were invited to seal the cornerstone with mortar using a monogrammed trowel signifying completion of the temple. Several members of the Church, including children, were also invited to place mortar around the cornerstone. A choir comprising Latter-day Saints from within the temple district provided uplifting music near the temple. Another choir provided music inside the temple for all three dedicatory sessions. Elder Richards commented, “I think everyone appreciates how [the temple] complements everything that is already in Indianapolis. It’s really a gorgeous place and a lovely environment, and the temple fits right in.”
The Indianapolis Indiana Temple was dedicated on Sunday, 23 August 2015 in three dedicatory sessions at 9:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. The services were broadcast only within the temple district, and the three-hour block of meetings for those congregations were cancelled.
The Indianapolis Indiana Temple is the 148th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the world. It opened for ordinance work on Monday, 24 August 2015, by invitation, and Tuesday, 25 August 2015, for all patrons. The temple serves approximately 30,000 members of the Church in Indianapolis, South Bend, Lafayette, Muncie Fort Wayne, Bloomington and Champaign, Illinois.
