Federal officials visit, tour Washington DC temple

On Thursday, the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened for public excursions. Earlier than most people, although, members of the U.S. Senate, Home of Consultant and Supreme Courtroom had a have a look at the within.

The final time the Washington D.C. Temple was open to the general public, a younger regulation clerk was serving to a U.S. district choose in the course of the high-stakes trials and pressure-filled proceedings of Watergate.

On Monday, 48 years later, that regulation clerk — now an apostle of the church — was main 16 senators by way of the renovated home of the Lord within the nation’s capital, a church assertion mentioned.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to these authorities leaders of the peace and goal he discovered within the temple throughout these tough days.

“(I advised them it) was a blessing to me to have the ability to come to this place, to this temple, and to reorient my perspective to issues extra profound, to issues everlasting, to the which means of life,” Christofferson mentioned. “(I approached) all the things that was happening in Washington on the time and in my work and repair with the choose and all the remainder, within the context of why we’re right here and what it’s all about, what we have to emphasize in life, and what we are able to develop into regardless of all of the turmoil or exigencies of the second.”

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, walked by way of the home of the Lord on Monday. He mentioned all the things in regards to the temple was “so spectacular” and that it was good to step away from the on a regular basis bustle to acknowledge what issues most.

“You’re a lot extra than simply the enduring view we see on the Beltway. … We’re a greater neighborhood due to your presence,” Cardin mentioned of the church.

One other Apostle, Elder Quentin L. Prepare dinner, led a number of Supreme Courtroom justices — together with their regulation clerks and members of the family — by way of the temple final week.

“These exceptionally succesful justices had been so sort and receptive — they’re that type of folks, they’re good folks,” Prepare dinner mentioned. “To have them perceive the temple and the position of the Savior in our lives and the position of households in our lives and the [role of temple] ordinances and have the ability to share that with them and reply questions — that’s particular.”

A number of ambassadors additionally toured the Washington, D.C., temple of the Lord on Monday, together with Jorge Argüello, Argentina’s ambassador to the USA. He loved the quiet he discovered contained in the temple’s sacred halls.

“It’s so exhausting to seek out peace and silence on this world,” Argüello mentioned.

Elder Christofferson mentioned that as lovely as this temple is, neither it, nor the worship that occurs inside it, would have which means with out the resurrection of the son of God.

“However for His resurrection, all of this may not make a lot sense,” Christofferson mentioned. “However with His resurrection, it means all the things. This (temple) is a testomony to that witness that now we have regarding Him.”

“Come and see it,” Elder Prepare dinner added. “You’ll take pleasure in it. You’ll get a greater understanding about how we really feel in regards to the Savior and the way we really feel about households. The great thing about it, the tranquility of it, the sacred nature of it — you’ll adore it. So please come and see.”

Tour tickets and data will be discovered on-line at http://dctemple.org.

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