Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple is the 94th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The first Mormon missionaries arrived in Louisiana in 1841 in response to a letter sent to Joseph Smith asking him to send missionaries to New Orleans. A few joined the Church, and most left Louisiana to be with the rest of the body of the Church. New Orleans was the port of entry to the United States for most of the early British converts of the Church. Between 1840 and 1855 around 18,500 members crossed the ocean to the U.S. and 17,600 of them first arrived in New Orleans. Because of this most of the Church members in New Orleans were either emigrants who could not yet afford to go further or Church agents who helped the emigrants continue their journey. After 1855 when the last of the emigrants left New Orleans the Church no longer had a presence in the Louisiana. In 1895 Mormon missionaries were sent again to the state. The missionary work was slow in the South, but those who did join the Church were strong members. The Church continued to grow and by 1955, with more than 3,500 members, a stake was organized in the area. Today there are more than 24,000 members in Louisiana.
The First Presidency of the Mormon Church announced on October 14, 1998 that a temple would be built in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on May 8, 1999. Monte J. Brough, a member of the Seventy, presided at the ceremony and dedication. The temple site is 6.3 acres, which includes a meetinghouse.
The Mormon temple was open to the public for tours July 1st through the 8th 2000. The temple is 10,700 square feet, has two ordinance rooms, two sealing rooms, a baptismal font, Celestial room, and other facilities necessary to carry out its purpose. The temple exterior is made from Imperial Danby White marble quarried in Vermont, and the grounds are beautifully landscaped.
President of the Mormon Church Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the temple for use on July 16, 2000. Four dedicatory services were held to accommodate the members who wanted to attend. Just before the first dedication service a cornerstone ceremony was held.
The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple serves 24,000 Mormon Church members in New Orleans, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Monroe, and Slidell Louisiana, as well as members in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and Jackson, Mississippi.
See also
External links
- Official LDS Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple page
- Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple page
- Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple page
- Mormon Temple Ordinances - ReligionFacts
- Mormon Temples - Lightplanet
- Resources about the History and Symbolism of Mormon Temples
- Mormon Missionaries - BBC Religion & Ethics
- Joseph Smith - American Prophet
