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Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
LDS temple in Antofagasta Chile opens for public tours
SALT LAKE CITY () — The Antofagasta Chile Temple of t is beginning its open house period today, a period in which both members and non-members alike can walk through and learn about what takes place in Latter-day Saint Temples. Elder Craig C. Christensen from the LDS Church's temple department and the South America South Area Presidency led special guests through the temple on Monday, May 12. The open house runs from today, May 14, to May 24 excluding Sundays. 'I have a very personal connection with Chile. I arrived here as a missionary 48 years ago, when there were only 30,000 members,' Elder Christensen told members of the media on Monday during the guided tour. This temple was announced just over five years ago by Prophet and President of the Church, Russell M. Nelson. Construction began just over a year later in November of 2020 and will be Chile's third operating temple. Other temples announced or in construction include Santiago West, Puerto Montt and Viña del Mar. The temple will be dedicated on June 15 by Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Chile is home to over 600,000 Latter-day Saints. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are referred to by members as 'Houses of the Lord,' according to the Church website. Members hold both the structures and the grounds as sacred. 'From the very beginning, there have been sacred places upon the earth where God has communed with His children. They were designated by God and hallowed by His presence as places where He would teach and bless His children,' the Church says on its site. The Church teaches that throughout biblical history, the Tabernacle carried around was regarded as a '' The Church also points to several additional passages from the and , which mention temples on several occasions. Inside the Temple, members of the Church seek to draw closer to God by making covenants and performing 'saving' ordinances from themselves or members of their family who have passed on. These temples are typically only open to members who have a . 'Those who are endowed in the house of the Lord receive a gift of God's priesthood power by virtue of their covenant, along with a gift of knowledge to know how to draw upon that power,' , said in an address to members of the church. In the Church, members also believe in the practice of baptizing family members who have passed away and confirm them as members of the Church, if they wish to accept them in the spirit world. Sealings for marriage and family sealings can also be performed in the temple. There are currently over 350 temples across the world that have been announced, are operational, or are presently under construction — over 180 of those have been announced by President Nelson. The Church's first temple in 1833. The temple took three years to complete and was dedicated in 1836. According to the Church, in what is now found in section 110 of , the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the LDS Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house. Speaker Johnson supports ban on stock trading for members of Congress Ballon triggers Davis High fire alarm disrupting students' AP testing LDS temple in Antofagasta Chile opens for public tours KTVX-KUCW's Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Sweepstakes Tom Brady to ride in 'Fastest Seat in Sports' in vehicle driven by Jimmie Johnson ahead of Indy 500 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Church of Jesus Christ begins 10-day public open house for Antofagasta Chile Temple
The public is now welcome to tour the Antofagasta Chile Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The open house begins Wednesday but it kicked off with a news conference on Monday, when the church released the first publicly available images from inside the temple. Elder Craig C. Christensen of the South America South Area Presidency led tours for the media Monday with Elder Joaquín E. Costa, Elder Alan R. Walker and Elder Eduardo Gavarret, who are General Authority Seventies. The public can visit the temple May 14-24, except on Sunday, May 18. Elder Christensen, who also represented the church's Temple Department, served a mission in Chile 48 years ago, when 30,000 Latter-day Saints lived in the country. Today, there are 600,000 church members. 'Temples are the house of the Lord, sacred places where we learn about God's plan, perform ordinances for ourselves and our ancestors, and feel a deep reverence,' Elder Christensen said. 'This temple represents the sacrifice of millions of members worldwide, and we are happy to share it with the community during this open house.' President Russell M. Nelson announced the Antofagasta Chile Temple in April 2019. 'We regard a temple as the most sacred structure in the church,' he said. 'As we announce plans to construct a new temple, it becomes part of our sacred history.' Construction began in November 2020. The Antofagasta temple will be Chile's third temple, joining temples in Concepción and Santiago. Other temples announced or in planning and construction phases in Chile are Santiago West, Puerto Montt and Viña del Mar. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will dedicate the temple on Sunday, June 15, 2025.
