The public is invited to tour the recently renovated Laie Hawaii Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first temple constructed outside the continental United States.
The First Presidency of the Church has announced a public open house that will run from Friday, 22 October 2010, until Saturday, 13 November 2010, excluding Sundays. The temple will be formally dedicated on Sunday, 21 November 2010. A total of three dedicatory sessions will be held.
In conjunction with the rededication of the temple, there will also be a cultural celebration featuring music and dance on Saturday, 20 November 2010.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
The Church’s first congregations in Hawaii were organized on Maui, Lanai and Oahu. Early missionaries included Joseph F. Smith, who later became worldwide leader of the Church, and George Q. Cannon, who eventually served as a member of the First Presidency, the Church’s highest governing body.
The Laie Hawaii Temple was originally dedicated 27 November 1919 by then President Heber J. Grant. It was the fifth operating temple in the world and the first completed outside the state of Utah. The temple serves Church members living in Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. There are currently 134 operating temples, including one in Kona, Hawaii.
The Laie Hawaii Temple has been closed for renovations on two occasions. This latest closure, which began 29 December 2008, was for extensive remodeling and refurbishing, including structural upgrades and mechanical upgrades to strengthen the temple and bring it up to code for disabled patrons.
The temple is situated on land adjacent to Brigham Young University-Hawaii on the northeast shore of Oahu.
Latter-day Saint temples differ from the Church’s 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. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and strengthen their commitment to serve Jesus Christ and those around them.
Formal temple work will commence at the temple Monday, 22 November 2010.