A newly created visitors center may be found just close to the Mesa, AZ, Temple. Its spacious, contemporary design is not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly practical. The displays and exhibitions are interesting and fun for both young and old visitors. The beautiful 3D model of the Mesa, Arizona, Temple serves as the centerpiece of the game’s main menu. On the upper level, there may be a Family Search Center manned by nice people who want to assist you in tracing your family tree.
The founding individuals, early pioneers, and builders of Mesa, Arizona, are honored in intriguing history exhibits at the Mesa Arizona Temple. Children can learn about the worldwide network of Latter-day Saint temples through an interactive exhibit.
The Mesa Arizona Temple was closed for repairs for over three years until being rededicated on December 12, 2021, by President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
It was the seventh of the Church’s 160 operating temples when President Heber J. Grant dedicated it in 1927, and its soaring architecture dominated the Mesa skyline for decades, giving it the moniker “sermon in stone.”
People from all walks of life have flocked to this sacred location ever since it first opened, drawn there by its beautiful design and profound meaning it holds. The temple grounds and the visitors’ center are popular destinations for sightseers, while the inside of the building is used by members of the church for sacred devotional activities designed to bring them closer to God.
In 1927, a four-day celebration to dedicate the temple was held. Newspapers from all over the country reported that the first day’s gathering was attended by “5,000 of the faith and 5,000 of the friendly” and that the second day featured a public concert on the temple roof featuring a choir of 300 Arizonans, including Native Americans and Hispanics, singing songs of “simple thanks and praise.”
When it first opened in 1927, the temple quickly became a gathering place for the community.
The temple was closed in 1974 for renovations after 47 years of service to Mormons in Arizona, Florida, and some of Mexico. After being open to the public for two weeks after renovations were finished, over 200,000 individuals visited.
It was the first time a shuttered temple was reopened and rededicated when Church President Spencer W. Kimball did so in April 1975.
The Mesa, Arizona, Temple, under the direction of Church President Russell M. Nelson, will be shuttered for an extended period of time in 2018 to undergo renovations. On Sunday, December 12, President Dallin H. Oaks rededicated the temple after three years of reconstruction by the First Counselor in the First Presidency and the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
