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 temple site sits on 6.3 acres, which includes a meetinghouse. 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. The Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple serves members of the Church in New Orleans, Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Monroe, and Slidell, Louisiana, as well as, members in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and Jackson, Mississippi.
The first Latter-day Saint 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 Louisiana.
In 1895, Latter-day Saint 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 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on 14 October 1998, that a temple would be built in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a groundbreaking ceremony and site dedication were held on 8 May 1999. Monte J. Brough, a member of the Seventy, presided at the ceremony and dedication.
The temple was open to the public for tours 1 July through 8 July 2000.
Gordon B. Hinckley, then president of the Church, dedicated the temple on 16 July 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.
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Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple to Close for Renovations
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the closure of the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple for renovations in February 2018. The temple will be rededicated sometime in 2019.
Open House and Rededication Dates Announced
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple will be open for free public tours from 26 October through 2 November 2019, except for Sunday, 27 October 2019. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will preside over the single rededication session on Sunday, 17 November 2019. The temple will re-open on 23 November 2019, for temple work. There will not be a youth devotional and broadcast prior to the rededication.
See also
External links
- Official LDS 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
- Joseph Smith - American Prophet
- A video about the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple
