Conference tecrus::mormonism

I was living in Maryland prior to the construction of the Washington
Temple, and we were told that we wouldn't have our own temple until
our rate of genealogical work and temple work went up.  It did and we
did.  I expect there are other factors too. 

Allen

    
    Hi!
    
    One of the problems that one faces in having a temple, is the level
    of staffing. The Washington Temple has had problems in bringing in
    enough temple workers to keep the work going. I think perhaps that
    we would not have enough people to staff a temple in this area as of
    now. If we could staff it it would take away from the Washington 
    Temple staffing levels. I have been told that the Atlanta Temple 
    opening reduced the level of work done in the Washington Temple.
    I agree with Allen: our level of genealogical work MUST go up,
    if we are to expect a temple in this area. I know that my friends
    in the Concord New Hampshire stake wish it to be located in their
    area. They have set agressive goals for temple work with the hope
    that their faithfulness and obedience will be pleasing to the
    Lord and their prayers will be answered. I've seen the level of
    their activity and it is high.
    
    As for our stake, (Augusta Maine), we do our share. The distance to
    DC is a factor which limits many. 12-14 hours down, plus the motel/
    hotel bills, meals, and time taken from jobs limits some. My wife and I
    go to DC in the spring for a week to do our work. I look at
    it a a most worthy sacrifice to travel down there. The fact that we 
    need to plan and prepare to make each trip is a blessing in itself.
    If the Temple was just a few hours away I might not appreciate it
    as much.
    
    As for a Temple being in Las Vegas area, what a contrast! If anything,
    that should motivate the saints here to do their work. I was wondering:
    how many saints do they serve, and what is the size of their temple?
    Perhaps we might get a small temple for this area. That would require a 
    a lower level of staffing. Wherever it is, I'm sure the Lord will
    place it where the blessings will be greatest.
    
    Kevin
    
    
     
    

    Another key point that is related to the staffing of temples is the
    fact that there are more LDS members out here (west) than out there
    (east).  I do know that there are a lot of LDS in Utah and California.
    Maybe another factor is that where there are lots of LDS there
    are likely to be more temples.
    
    The same question could be expanded - why are there so many temples in
    the U.S. instead of other countries in the world?
    
    scott

	My wife and I were temple workers here in Atlanta for some time.
	One of the temple missionaries from the Salt Lake area mentioned
	how difficult it was to get a position as a temple worker in Utah;
	since there are so many volunteers, people are rarely called to
	serve more than one day per week, even though they might like to.
	In contrast, they were asked to work 5 days per week in Atlanta.

	Staffing has been consistently a problem in the Atlanta temple.
	We have 5 stakes in the metro Atlanta area, and 10 in Georgia
	altogether, yet the temple has been consistently understaffed
	since the first year of operation.  Having lived in New England
	for a time, I can imagine how difficult it would be to keep the
	temple operating with even fewer members available than we have
	here in Atlanta.

	I think it will happen eventually in New England, but not quite
	yet.  How many stakes are there in New England, anyways?
	Boston, Hingham, Hartford, New Haven, Montpelier, Providence,
	Portland, Bangor, Augusta, Concord, Nashua - any others ?

Another stake: Springfield

Yes as funny as it seems, Las Vegas has a LOT of mormons in it. About a year
ago they put on a scout campout for mormon scouts with many thousand boys in
attendance.

I believe we have a long way to go in MA before we can have enough people to
have a temple. On the other hand, we are headed in the right direction.

Len

    re .1-.5
    
    	Pardon me for being a nosey non-Mormon, but sort of geneological
    work are Mormons expected to do, and how does this relate to whether or
    not a temple is constructed in a particular region?  What sort of work
    does the temple staff do?
    
    								-mark.

    re: -1
    
    Hi,
    
    Essentially we do work for our ancestors who didn't have the
    opportunity to receive the gospel message when they were upon 
    the earth; ie, baptisms, and other work in their behalf.
    We do this work by proxy,  As LDS members, one mission as individuals 
    is for us to do all necessary ordinance work for our ancestors, to give 
    them the opportunity to accept the gospel message and share in the 
    blessings that Heavenly Father wants all His children to have. 
    
    We gather genealogical info from our families, from town, county, and 
    state records, journals, diaries, etc. Info like birth, death,
    marriage, no. of children; All info that will help identify families as
    such. We are encouraged to go back several generations in each of our
    families. 
    
    We submit the info to the church, and sometime later do the work.
    The "work" consists of all the necessary ordinances that will bind
    families together for eternity, if they so choose.
    
    One of the factors in a Temple locating in an area, (the decision
    on location being revealed by the Lord through the Prophet), would
    be linked, I would believe, on faithfulness of Saints in an area on
    completing their temple work. If they were faithful in doing so,
    the need might develop (spiritual supply and demand) in a having a temple 
    in an area. If the Washington DC temple is not at capacity then
    I believe it would be less likely that one would be built closer. Much 
    of the DC Temple patrons would be diverted if we (in New England) got
    our own Temple. I'm sure that there are many factors that I'm
    omitting here. The DC Temple, to me is special, as far as Temples go. I
    don't believe you'll see another one like it built soon. I have heard
    that the new Temples planned for construction will be smaller and
    require less staffing. That might increase the likelihood of one in
    the NE region.  Again, The Lord is who decides on whether or not we
    will receive one in this area.
    
    Of course, where you have ordinance work being done you need a staff.
    Many who work in the DC Temple are not local to that area, ie. they
    are called to work there for a specified length of time. A couple from
    our ward recently served for a year in the DC Temple. I won't go into the
    specifics of what they do. Simply put, they help us do our ordinance
    work and are there to guide, assist us and to officiate in behalf of
    us and our ancesters.
    
    The Temple is where a husband and wife are married for time and
    eternity. We believe that the marriage covenant can transcend the
    bounds of this mortal existence. Children can be sealed to their 
    parents to ensure the family unit remains together throughout
    eternity. 
    
    Kevin
                      

    NE will be the last place to get a temple.  ;)  Well..... next to last.

    
    re: -1
    
    Want to start a list of LEAST likely places to have a Temple?
    
    Kevin

    sure, besides New England there's Carthage, MO.
    
    Or how about New York, especially up state.

    
    re: -1
    
    you know, Toronto isn't too, too far away from upstate NY, but
    I get the gist. I figure we'll see a temple in Moscow before
    the New England area. I pray that I'm wrong, though.
    
    

>    you know, Toronto isn't too, too far away from upstate NY, but
>    I get the gist. I figure we'll see a temple in Moscow before
>    the New England area. I pray that I'm wrong, though.
    
     The Montpelier Vermont Stake will be in the Toronto temple district,
     as will a few of the stakes in New York.    

    
    re: -1
    
    Do you know when the Toronto Temple is scheduled to open? We plan
    on going to it when it opens.
    
    Kevin

	They haven't announced an open house date.  From what progress
	has been made, I'd guess the end of 1990.

	The Church News did recently announce the open house dates for
	the Toronto Temple

    What is all this talk of a Mass. temple. Who wants to go to Mass.
    anyways. How about a New Hampshire temple. It is more centrally located
    to serve all the stakes from Canada to NYC. Seriously I was at a
    meeting with Elder Busche (chairs Temple committee) and he was asking
    for recommendations. It may not be as far away or as remote a
    possibility as I've gleened from the privious notes. 
    
                                    Have faith.
                                          

	President Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency, also
	spoke of the progress being made on other temples under construction
	or in planning stages, and announced that the Church is in the process
	of acquiring property in Spain for a temple and in at least three
	other nations.

	"Construction is proceeding on another [temple] in Orlando, Fla.,"
	President Hinckley continued.  "Hopefully sometime this year we shall 
	break ground for the St. Louis, Mo., Temple.  A site has been secured 
	in Connecticut and yet another in Northern England..."

					Church News, pg 3, April 10, 1993