The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Deseret Peak Utah Temple welcomes the public

Ceilly Sutton

Public open house begins this Thursday

The Deseret Peak Utah Temple, located in the Overlake neighborhood of Tooele City, contains unique architecture and sits on over 15 acres.

The temple is located at 2400 N. 400 West and towers above 182 feet. It includes a lobby area, a baptism room, waiting rooms, a bride’s room, locker rooms, a chapel, four instruction rooms, four sealing rooms, and a celestial room, all located on three levels.

The 72,000-square-foot Deseret Peak Utah Temple also includes a cast stone exterior with copper shingles in “pioneer style,” outdoor landscaping, a large parking area, and a large framed painting of Deseret Peak, as well as various other local features.

“The hues, the colors that we see, some of the artwork, and even the color of the stone on the side of the temple are meant to reflect the setting in which it is constructed,” said Steven R. Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Those are unique to this building. The glasswork reflects some of the desert flowers, including the desert rose and the salt glass.”

When dedicated, the Deseret Peak Utah Temple will be the 200th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the 21st in Utah. It will be dedicated by church leaders on Sunday, November 10, with the dedication broadcast to all congregations locally.

The Tooele Transcript Bulletin was invited on a tour of the temple on the morning of Monday, September 23. An open house will be held for the general public on Thursday, September 26 through Saturday, October 19, excluding Saturday, October 5 during General Conference and Sundays. To sign up for a tour, visit DeseretPeakTemple.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

“I am excited for the temple to open because it allows me to go to the temple more frequently,” said 13-year-old Reggie Jensen. “It will bring everyone closer together to Jesus Christ. This is a wonderful place where everyone can feel peace and love.”

President Russell M. Nelson first announced the temple on April 7, 2019, during the Sunday afternoon session of the General Conference. On Jan. 19, 2021, the current name and location were announced. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in May 2021, and construction workers began excavating the foundation in August 2021.

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