This week, media and invited guests toured the Pocatello Idaho Temple prior to the public open house which begins on September 18. Among those guests were 15 members of other faiths associated with the Portneuf Valley Interfaith Fellowship who shared their impressions from their experience.
Pastor Jacqualine Theresa Thomas, founder of the nondenominational church Praise Temple of God in Pocatello, told Deseret News that her favorite part of the tour was the celestial room and that she was happy to see different races represented in the artwork.
“It was a very good experience,” she said. “This is what heaven is going to be like when we all get there.”
From Pocatello’s Trinity Episcopal Church, Kristen Johnson, who lives near the new temple, admired how flowers and landscapes unique to the area were incorporated into the windows and artwork. She also loved the beautiful chandeliers.
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“I felt the light of the Lord,” Johnson told Deseret News. “I did not expect the overall reverence that you feel just when you walk in the door. It’s very moving. I don’t know how anyone could take a tour of this temple and not be moved by the presence of God in Christ. I’ve been an Episcopalian for 55 years. Today I feel like I’ve experienced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I will cherish it for the rest of my life.”
Read more reactions from tours of the Pocatello Idaho Temple open house at Deseret News.
