The
public is invited to tour the reconstructed Apia Samoa Temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The First Presidency of the Church has announced that an open
house will begin on Saturday, 6 August 2005, and continue through
Saturday, 27 August 2005, excluding Sundays. Tours are available on
Monday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday from
9 a.m. until 9 p.m.
The temple is located on Vaitele Street in Pesega, Apia.
Following the public open house, the temple will be formally
dedicated on Sunday, 4 September 2005. Two separate dedicatory
sessions will be held to accommodate Latter-day Saints in the area
who will be served by the new temple.
The recently completed Apia Samoa Temple was rebuilt with a
completely new design after the former temple was destroyed by fire
in July 2003. Dedicated on 5 August 1983, the original temple stood
on the same spot where the new temple now stands.
“We are so grateful that the members of the Church in Samoa and
American Samoa once more are able to enter the house of the Lord.
The temple will assist Latter-day Saints to unite their families
eternally. It will also cement their faith in the gospel of Jesus
Christ and encourage them to continue to make a positive
contribution in their local towns and villages,” says Elder Robert
K. Dellenbach, president of the New Zealand/Pacific Islands Area of
the Church.
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the meetinghouses or chapels
where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are
considered "houses of the Lord" where Christ's teachings are
reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that
unite families for eternity.
Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make
covenants to serve Jesus Christ and their fellow man.
The Apia Samoa Temple is one of four operating temples of the
Church in the Pacific Islands, and one of 120 operating temples
worldwide. Two other temples are scheduled to be dedicated in
August. The temple will serve nearly 78,000 Latter-day Saints who
live on the islands of Upolu, Savaii, Samoa and American
Samoa.
For additional information about the Apia Samoa Temple and for
photos of the temple interior and exterior, visit www.newsroom.lds.org.
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