The temple is open to the public for a period of time before it is dedicated, after which only endowed and worthy members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may enter. Although we are members of the Church, we took advantage of the opportunity to see this beautiful building along with hundreds of other people of different faiths, and experience its exquisite craftsmanship firsthand.
We are guided to the entrance by volunteers, who then cover our shoes with white booties so as to keep the brand new temple unsoiled. We are then introduced into the lobby where we hear a short message about the temple, and we begin our tour. The pictures below were provided for our use by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
There are no adequate words to describe the feelings one experiences inside the temple of the Lord, and this temple is no exception. The amazing attention to detail is unfathomable. The intricate designs and beautiful craftsmanship leave one breathless. There is so much to take in all at once, and we move quickly through this space. So, I am grateful for the Church allowing us to download and save these images above for us to remember this wonderful temple and our incredible experience there.
It was our first time inside a temple together as a family, and that made it extra special for us. Once we finished our tour and returned our white shoe covers, we walked across to the Visitors’ Center. An equally impressive space with a large statue of Christ at floor level.
I love this picture of Christ looking down on my little family! There have been so many times this past year when I could have drawn strength from this mental image. So simple yet so powerful to know that God watches over us, each and every day, all the time. How easy it is to forget that and rely on our own feeble strength, and wonder why we fail so miserably at times, when all we need to do is call on Him and He will come to our rescue in the way that is right for us and at the right time.
I love this picture and I love my family.
Daddy’s little girl had had enough. It was nap time.
We were so grateful for the opportunity to take a little trip to Philadelphia, a place we fell in love with, to see a brand new temple, which we also fell in love with, in this appropriately named “City of Brotherly Love”.
