Rexburg Temple Open House

Rexburg, Idaho - With construction of the Rexburg Idaho Temple nearing completion, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced official dates for the building's open house and dedication. The open house will begin December 29, 2007 and continue for four weeks. Tours for the open house will be held Monday through Saturday commencing at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until 9:00 p.m. except on Mondays when tours will end at 6:00 p.m.During the open house period, the Rexburg Temple will be open to everyone of any faith, denomination, or background. All who are interested in learning more about the temple and the Church are welcome. Free tickets are required to attend and will be made available to the general public beginning November 26, 2007 by logging onto www.lds.org/reservations or by calling toll free at 1-800-537-6181. Open house tours will be organized into small groups and will begin at the neighboring stake center on Seventh South with a brief introduction to the temple and its role in the beliefs and practices of the Church. Each group will then be escorted through the temple, where the purpose and function of each room will be explained. The tour will then conclude at the stake center with refreshments.The Temple dedication will be held on Sunday, February 3, 2008. It is anticipated that four dedicatory sessions will be held. The dedication will be broadcast to several stake centers throughout the area served by the temple, as well as a number of locations on the Brigham Young University-Idaho campus. Dedication recommends will be required for attendance at the dedicatory services.The settlement and history of the Upper Snake River Valley will be commemorated at a youth cultural celebration to be held as part of the open house and dedication of the Rexburg Temple. This event is designed to appeal to everyone in the community. The cultural celebration will be held on February 2, 2008 in the Hart Auditorium on the BYU-Idaho campus. The program will also be broadcast live to other campus locations and to stake centers throughout the area. Elder Val R. Christensen, a former member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, has been announced as the president of the Rexburg Temple. His wife Ruth will serve with him as temple matron. Elder Christensen has served in several Area Presidencies and as second counselor in the general presidency of the Sunday School. His other Church service includes bishop, stake president, and mission president.