Las Vegas Mormon Temple

What Do Mormons Believe?

Any religion has a set of beliefs which reflect their understanding of God and their relationship to Him. At the root of what Mormons believe is the statement that “we believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” This is the first of thirteen basic beliefs that Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, once wrote in response to a reporter’s questions. We believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful God who loves us (His children) and wants us to succeed. He created us and He has a plan for us to one day return to live with Him.

Mormons understand that our sins make returning to God impossible, so it was necessary for a Savior to intercede in our behalf. This Savior is our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He is our advocate with the Father. “For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, KJV). Jesus Christ conquered death and sin so that a path could once more be opened for us to return to live with God. It is only through faith in Jesus Christ, and only by His grace, that we can be saved.

In order to declare the gospel of Christ, God has called inspired men, called prophets, to teach the world. These men receive a personal witness of the Savior and are given authority to teach His gospel. This authority is called the priesthood. Holy scriptures, such as the Bible, contain the words of prophets as they taught about the Savior. As the prophets teach and testify, the Holy Ghost touches the hearts of people and brings feelings of peace. This is why we feel the spirit (the Holy Ghost) when we study the Bible. This spiritual confirmation of truth is how God confirms that the message of the prophets is true.

Throughout history God has followed this pattern: providing revelation to inspired men who then teach the world, while providing confirmation of their words through the Holy Ghost. Sadly, people do not always accept the message of the prophets. When people reject the prophets, this is called apostasy, derived from a Greek word that signifies rebellion or falling away. The scriptures provide many examples of God calling prophets who teach people to repent and turn to the Lord. The people eventually turn away from the Lord and reject the prophets, and thus a period of apostasy follows.

Fortunately, God is not only loving but is also merciful and patient. Each time that people reject the Lord and his prophets, He waits and prepares His people. When the time is right, He once again sends His messengers to declare His words and restore His gospel.

When Jesus Christ lived on the earth, He taught people the gospel and called apostles to continue to teach them when He left. Those apostles were ultimately rejected, and within a century much of the church Christ had established was crippled by apostasy from within and persecution by outsiders. A careful reading of the New Testament shows the struggles and frustrations of the apostles as they were surrounded by unrighteousness from both believers and non-believers. The apostles were rejected and killed, and the priesthood authority that the Lord had given to them was no longer found on the earth. While there were still some righteous members who lived and tried to follow Christ’s teachings, the people as a whole had become wicked and the fullness of the gospel with the priesthood authority, was forced from the face of the earth. This was prophesied of in the Old Testament by the prophet Amos:

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12, KJV)

And again in Isaiah:

“Which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. Why, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there none to answer?” (Isa. 50:1-2, 21st Century KJV)

After the early church fell into apostasy, the Lord waited seventeen hundred years for the people to return to Him. He prepared them and waited for a time in which He could once again restore the fullness of His gospel to the earth. Finally, the time came in 1820 when a young boy went into the woods to ask God which church was true. He described his experience, in his own words:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me… When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is my Beloved Son. Hear him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16-17, emphasis in original)

Through this marvelous visitation, Joseph Smith received a personal witness that God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, live. From this and subsequent visits and revelations he was taught the fullness of the gospel and how Christ’s church should function. As in days of old, a prophet of God had once again been called. Angels visited the earth, including John the Baptist and Peter, James and John, Jesus’ ancient apostles, who gave to Joseph Smith the same priesthood authority they possessed.

As further confirmation of the divinity of the work Joseph Smith was called to do, the Lord revealed a volume of ancient scripture recorded by prophets on the American Continent. Joseph Smith was given power to translate this record, which came to be known as the Book of Mormon. It contains the writings of prophets who lived and taught in the Americas at the time the Bible was being written in Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon contains beautiful truths about Jesus Christ and stands with the Bible as a second witness that He was more than just a man: He was the very Messiah foretold in times of old; He is our Savior and our Redeemer.

Because it was translated by the power of God, the Book of Mormon also serves as a witness that Joseph Smith had been called by God, for if the Book of Mormon is a true record inspired by God, then Joseph Smith must also be a prophet. By knowing that Joseph Smith was a prophet, we can also know that the church he organized is Christ’s church today.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon church) is led today by a prophet of God and twelve apostles who receive revelation from God on how His church should be run. Thus we see that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He continues to follow the pattern He followed in Bible days, and He teaches us today in much the same way He taught people in ancient times.

The Lord has promised that we need not rely on the words and testimonies of others to know that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored. We have been promised that we can each receive our own witness of this truth. One such promise is located near the end of the Book of Mormon:

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder them in your hearts.

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:3-5)

The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that church. The Lord promises that the Holy Ghost will confirm truth to us. If you will pray about the things which you have read and ask the Lord, “Is this true?” He will answer you by bringing feelings of peace into your heart through the power of the Holy Ghost, “that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:5, KJV) When you feel these feelings, follow them and learn more about the Church.

Mormon Temples to ‘Dot the Earth’

Mormons believe that temples are very sacred, very special places. The blessings available through temples are held in the highest of esteem by Mormons, and they want those blessings to be available to all people. While it is possible for everyone to qualify to enter the temple, it may not be possible for all people to physically make it to the temples, particularly if they live in areas that are far from a temple. For instance, before the Las Vegas temple was dedicated in 1989, faithful Mormons needed to travel hundreds of miles to visit a temple.

To make the burden of travel easier on members, the Church continually tries to build temples all over the world so that the blessings of the temple can be available to the largest number of Mormons. It is expected that the building of temples will continue, as part of the Church’s preparation for the return of the Savior at the Second Coming:

We expect to see the day when temples will dot the earth, each one a house of the Lord; each one built in the mountains of the lord; each one a sacred sanctuary to which Israel and the Gentiles shall gather to receive the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Perhaps they will number in the hundreds, or even in the thousands, before the Lord returns. [Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1982), 277.]

The Las Vegas Mormon temple is not, therefore, the only Mormon temple. There are over 125 other temples, all over the world. Here are just a few sites where you can get information about specific temples:

• Oakland Temple (California, USA). Nestled in the Berkeley Hills, overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the Oakland temple has become a well-known area landmark.
• San Diego Temple (California, USA). This dazzling white temple provides a breathtaking sight for travelers down I-5 just north of San Diego.

To find out more about temples in general, consider visiting the general temples site sponsored by the Mormon Church.

Mormon Secrets

Some people claim that there are “secrets” within Mormon temples because of the unwillingness of faithful Mormons to discuss what goes on inside temples. While this claim is understandable, it is grounded in a misunderstanding of the nature of temples; it does not reflect how Mormons actually view the temple. In fact, most Mormons will quickly point out that the temple is not really secret. Prior to a temple’s dedication, there are a series of public open houses where anyone can visit the temple and see everything there is to see. It is not uncommon for thousands of visitors to tour a temple during these open houses—the Las Vegas temple had over 300,000 people who attended the open house during the latter part of 1989. These visitors were not just from among the faithful, but from those of other faiths who are interested in why Mormons build temples.

If you attend an open house, you would see a building adorned with thick carpets, beautiful furniture, and ornate fixtures. You would see beautiful artwork, some commissioned exclusively for that particular temple. (The Las Vegas temple, for instance, uses the desert lily as a unique adornment that is not found in other Mormon temples.) Mormons believe that a temple, as the house of the Lord, should reflect the very best the people have to offer. Everything is designed to be inspiring, respectful, and reverent.

After the public open houses are completed, a Mormon temple is dedicated to the Lord. The Las Vegas temple was dedicated in ceremonies during December 1989, in the weeks before Christmas. During these ceremonies Church members gathered together to offer prayers to God and sing praises to the Lord. Gordon B. Hinckley, at the time a member of the Church’s First Presidency, offered the prayers in which the temple was formally dedicated to the Lord.

Once a temple is dedicated, it is designated or “set apart” as a holy place, dedicated to the Lord. Mormons believe that temples are sacred, holy places; they believe that the buildings are literally the house of the Lord. From the time it is dedicated ,the temple is open only to those faithful members who meet minimum religious criteria that are in keeping with the sacred nature of temples.

When Church members enter Mormon temples, they promise they will not openly discuss certain aspects of the temple outside of the temple doors, even with other members of the Church. This is not an attempt to hide anything that is being done, but rather an effort to keep what is done in temples sacred and special. While a detailed discussion of what goes on in temples is inappropriate, it is fine to provide general information on Mormon temple activities, as is done on this Web site.

About the Las Vegas Temple

One of the distinctive features of the Las Vegas Mormon temple, noticable to anyone approaching the building, is its huge copper roof. This unique feature is offset by six huge spires made of white, cast stone. The combination provides an architectural presence that is unmatched in its simplicty and elegance by any other structure in the city. Designed by architect George Tate, the building integrates many touches that draw from the native Southwest area. For instance, the desert lily can be found on the edges of each spire and in places throughout the temple.

The temple is located on ten acres nestled in Frenchman Mountain, along the eastern side of Las Vegas. The site is surrounded by residential area. The location and surrounding area provide a quiet, peaceful atmosphere that makes the temple seem more secluded from the city than it actually is. The hustle and bustle of the huge valley are left far below as people ascend to the temple—in a symbolic way moving closer to God and leaving the world behind.

Mormon temples are definitely religious buildings, but they should not be confused with regular churches. Temples are special places where faithful members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can participate in special ritual ordinances. The sacred nature of these ordinances means that they can only be performed in places like the Las Vegas temple; places that are dedicated and consecrated as holy places. According to Mormon belief, the ordinances performed such temples bring participants closer to God and Jesus Christ through instruction related to the how man may progress to become more like God. These sacred ordinances include the temple endowment, temple sealings, and baptism for the dead.

Consistent with the fact that the Mormon temples are not regular houses of worship, they are typically open every day of the week except Sunday. Temples can be very busy places during the time they are open, depending on how many members come to participate in the ordinances offered in the temple. The spiritual and physical affairs of a Mormon temple are administered by a temple presidency, along with a small staff and a large number of volunteers.