The year 2005 was a landmark year for Mormons living in southern California. This was the year that saw the dedication and opening of the Newport Beach Mormon temple, the sixth in California and the third in the southern portion of the state. The temple is beautifully nestled in the valley community, where it serves over 50,000 Mormons living in the surrounding area.

The public open houses that were conducted when the temple was complted (and prior to its dedication) generated quite a bit of interest among the thousands and thousands of people who attended. One reporter, interviewing a Church member, gave the following as part of his story during the open house:

We feel very strongly about the sacred nature of what goes on inside Mormon temples. It’s obviously not a secret thing because you’ve been through. We gave you pictures and photographs. We’re taking a hundred fifty-plus thousand people through here over a period of six weeks, so the building itself, there’s nothing secret. But to us, going in, making covenants, being in that very special place, binding ourselves together as families, that’s very sacred and we don’t want that to become commonplace. (Life and Times, KCET, August 17, 2005)

Mormons obviously view temples (including the Newport Beach temple) as special places. All Mormon temples are designed with the same purpose-to help faithful Mormons worship the Lord in a way that brings them closer to Him. Those unfamiliar with Mormons may wonder exactly what temples are used for. (Hint: they are not used for Sunday meetings!) Why do Mormons view temples as sacred places and eagerly await their opening? What goes on inside those temples? If you’ve ever wondered such things, we hope you will enjoy this Web site, which should answer most of your questions. Click one of the links available, and you can discover more about Mormon temples in general, and the Newport Beach temple in particular.

One cannot look upon the Newport Beach temple without being impressed by the beauty of the building itself. The temple uses architectural themes consistent with what is seen in the Spanish missions of days gone by. It has a pink-colored granite exerior, topped by a cupola holding the traditional statue of the angel Moroni. The design is unique among Mormon temples, and compliments the surrounding area very nicely. The temple is located in a residential area not far from the campus of the University of California at Irvine, and has quickly become a prominent landmark in the community.

In the words of one reporter, those entering the temple “see delicate, sparkling chandeliers, high hand-decorated ceilings, original art and everywhere an elegance of workmanship that bespeaks the deep devotion the faithful feel toward these buildings” (Orange County Register, July 20, 2005). Mormons can be proud of the Newport Beach temple; it is a gorgeous addition to the five other temples already in California. Olympic gymnast Peter Vidmar, also a Mormon, was excited about the opening of the temple, saying in the same article that “we’re grateful to the community for allowing us to have this building here, and we treat this with tremendous reverence.”

Mormons are reverential toward their temples. They view them as houses of the Lord, dedicated to His glory and used for His service. Situated on just under nine acres in the gently rolling landscape, the temple is surrounded by beautifully landscaped grounds. Visitors will find two fountains, 385 trees, and over 50,000 other plants that add beauty and a calming influence to the area. The total effect is one of peace and tranquility that helps to remove the hustle and bustle of the surrounding valley.

Mormon temples are religious buildings, constructed for a religious purpose, but they should not be confused with regular churches, which Mormons call meetinghouses or chapels. Temples are special places where faithful members of the Church can participate in special ritual ordinances. The sacred nature of these ordinances means that they can only be performed in places like the Newport Beach temple; places dedicated and consecrated as holy places. According to Mormon belief, the ordinances performed in such temples bring participants closer to God and Jesus Christ through instruction related to the how man may progress to become more like God. These sacred ordinances include the temple endowment, temple sealings, and baptism for the dead.

Because Mormon temples are not regular houses of worship, they are not open on Sundays. Instead, they are open every other day of the week, where they can become busy places as the faithful come and go. The spiritual and physical affairs of a Mormon temple are administered by a temple presidency, along with a small staff and a large number of volunteers.