Montpelier Temple open house begins with first look inside for media and special guests

MONTPELIER, Idaho — The public open house for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Montpelier Idaho Temple begins this week, giving visitors an opportunity to tour the new building before its dedication.

Members of the media received a first look inside the temple Tuesday, where local people and church leaders reflected on what the building means to the Bear Lake Valley community.

Montpelier has a population of a little more than 2,600 people. The temple now stands on property that once was home to the city hall.

In April 2022, then-President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Russell M. Nelson announced that a temple would be built in Montpelier.

For members of the community, seeing the completed temple for the first time was an emotional experience.

From the baptismal font and bride's room to the colors of the stained-glass windows and the celestial room, the details throughout the temple reflect the design and craftsmanship that went into the building.

Jared Hillier, a local history teacher, said the beauty of the building also reflects the community around it.

"The beauty of it. And how the beauty of the inside of the temple reflects our value, our community," he said.

Related:

Montpelier Idaho Temple will be dedicated in October following September open house

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the Montpelier, Idaho, Temple will be dedicated in October.

A connection to generations past

For those who toured the temple, the experience went beyond the building's appearance.

Several said the temple brought to mind both their families today and the ancestors who came before them.

Lisa Hillier said that connection is part of what makes the Bear Lake Valley unique.

"You know, we always tell people the spirit that you feel here when you come in this valley is the pioneer spirit," she said.

Elder Mark Eddy, a general authority Seventy for the church, who led Tuesday's tour, said he found that same pioneer spirit while learning more about the history of the communities throughout the Bear Lake Valley.

"And I discovered the rich pioneer heritage all the way back to the 1800s that have existed in for generations now of faithful members of the church. And I just think it's a symbol to their faith and to their dedication. It's a beautiful thing," he said.

Temple already part of community history

While the temple represents generations of history for the area, Hillier said it is also becoming part of the history of a new generation.

Hillier recently had students at Bear Lake High School present on an event during their lifetimes that they consider historically significant. He said the temple was a common theme among the students.

"Probably out of the 50 students that were presented in the past week, 45 talked about the temple, the temple announcement and the temple being here and how important it is to them. It's just, it's overwhelming to me today. When I was in there, that was what I was thinking about ... the youth of our community," he said.

The public open house begins Thursday and will continue through Sept. 26.

The Montpelier Idaho Temple is scheduled to be dedicated Oct. 18.

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