Story By: Collin McKenna, Outdoor Recreation editor
Photos By: S. Fredlund
It’s official, Grand Junction is getting its very own Latter-Day Saints (LDS) temple. The temple was announced on April 4, 2021; groundbreaking began on April 16, 2022.
Getting an LDS temple approved for a city is no small feat. The Church must determine that an area has enough members to warrant construction (though there is no set number). The ground where the temple will be built has to then be chosen by the First Presidency through prayer. There are currently 265 temples in the United States that have either been built, are under construction, or are announced for the future.
third one built in Colorado. (S. Fredlund, April 12, 2023)
The Grand Junction LDS temple is currently under construction at the intersection of Horizon Dr. and N. 12th St., located just a mile from Interstate 70.
Having a temple nearby does have a big impact on those that practice the LDS faith.
“Receiving an LDS temple is impactful for members because it gives us a way to practice our religion and remember the promises we made with God,” said Abbie Hutchings, a current Utah resident, and lifelong LDS practitioner.
“There is a sense of peace and relaxation on the grounds of an LDS temple that only increases as you go inside,” Hutchings said. “It’s a physical reminder of how I want to be living my life and treating the people around me.”
There is an important distinction to make between an LDS church and an LDS temple, because they are not the same.
“A church is used for normal Sunday worship, and all are welcome to attend, but a temple is where worthy members of the church go to make other covenants with God,” said Rianne Brown, an LDS practitioner and current Colorado Mesa University student.
The term ‘worthy’ is used to describe those who have been baptized into the LDS faith.
There are temples spread far and wide across the United States, but the Grand Junction temple will still be slightly isolated when it is built. This is not the case with many temples, as there is a heavy concentration of temples in the state of Utah.
“I live in Logan, Utah and there are about four temples within an hour of my house, with the nearest one being five minutes away,” Hutchings said.
In contrast, the nearest temple to the site of the one being built in Grand Junction is just under three hours away. The closest temple for LDS practitioners in Grand Junction to visit is in Monticello, Utah, which is a total of just under 170 miles away.
There are only two other temples in the whole state of Colorado, with one in Fort Collins and one in Denver.
The Grand Junction temple missionary office is located just outside the construction site. The sign
features a rendering of the completed temple.
(S. Fredlund, April 12, 2023)
This temple will not only be convenient for LDS members in Grand Junction and the surrounding areas but will also allow for those that might need it a way to reconnect with their faith without traveling for hours.
The new temple will also introduce opportunities for the LDS faith to grow in the Grand Junction area.
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