Our Top 5 Favorite Temples (So Far)

Our Top Favorite Temples (As of Now)

11/11/18

    Throughout the years of traveling and going to many of the temples we have had many people ask us which Temple was our favorite. Throughout the years our favorites have changed. We’ve gain more favorites all the time, and other temples we appreciate more when we go back.

    But it’s hard to pick just one favorite when every temple is unique and beautiful in its own way and we have had different spiritual experiences in each one. We have picked five of our favorite to write this post about to answer the question.

    We won’t say that one temple is better than another, because they all serve the same purpose, but the beauty of them and the experiences we have are what makes a temple. So here are five of our favorite temples, so far, and we will say it was hard to decide which ones to write about.

    

    1-Salt Lake City Temple

    The Salt Lake City Temple has always been one of our favorite and for many reasons. It is an iconic symbol for the Church of Jesus Christ and many people recognize it as that. By far the most work and time was spent into the Salt Lake Temple, with many of the pioneers giving years of their lives for it.

    The stone work is done precisely and is astounding what the pioneers accomplished by hand. You can tell they took their time. Just to get the stone to the temple site was quite the feat itself. Then, when going through the temple, the interior is incredibly beautiful and well done. The pioneers didn’t leave out any detail, but did their best in every way to make it beautiful. From the murals to the elegant moldings it is just breathtaking.

    Another fun thing about the Salt Lake Temple is the live session. Instead of there being a film that you watch, you go in and temple workers act out the parts and lead you through the endowment. Being able to see the live endowment as it mostly was when it was first revealed is incredible. If you live in Utah or close by, you have to get to the Salt Lake Temple and go and enjoy the work of the pioneers.

    2-San Diego, California Temple

    The San Diego Temple is another popular and famous temple for its unique design and architecture. It’s like a huge castle that jumps out of nowhere as you drive by it on the freeway.

    The temple is grand, white and beautiful. There is no other temple that looks anything like it. With its many spires and steeples it resembles a type of castle you’d see in Germany or somewhere in Europe, yet it’s pure white with an Angel Moroni on top.

    The best place for a picture is to the south of it where you can see how the east and west side of the temple are mirrored. It’s just an amazing view from the outside.

    The inside is just as unique in many ways. When you go to the Celestial room there is a grand staircase that leads up to the sealing rooms. In the middle of these sealing rooms is a glass atrium to where you can look outside and even see the Angel Moroni. No other temple has such a unique layout.

    3-Copenhagen, Denmark

    Copenhagen is a fun and colorful city! We were so excited when we went and just couldn’t wait to go to the temple. Ivy’s Dad served his mission in Denmark and so ever since Ivy was little she wanted to go, although the temple was built years after her dad returned from his mission.

    The temple is another uniquely designed temple with a different exterior. It’s a rectangular building made of red brick just like most all other buildings in the area it’s in. The only other temple made from red brick is the Vernal Temple and both temples were built from older buildings.

    We’re not sure if it was the idea of being in Denmark or what, but it was really fun being at the temple there. We were so early that it was closed, but we were let in right as it was opened.

    One of the kind temple workers, although he wasn’t supposed to, offered to give us a tour and walked us around the temple. We were able to see the spiral staircases, the baptismal font and other places of the temple and hear stories and facts about it. It was a fun experience that we rarely ever have in any other temple.

    Not only was the temple great but the city itself was fun. We were able to see the original Christi’s statue at a Church there in Copenhagen, and then walk through the colorful streets of the city. Overall it we loved our time there.

    4-Nauvoo, Illinois

    Nauvoo, the city of the pioneers and of Joseph Smith. This definitely was one of our favorite temples and not just because of the beauty of the temple itself but also because of the quaint, spiritual town of Nauvoo that surrounded it. The stories of the pioneers who suffered and died there and gave everything still brings feelings of peace and the spirit.

    Although the temple isn’t the original, the original plans and designs were matched as best as possible so to look like the original. It truly is a masterpiece in a way and speaks for the pioneers, facing West as it starts the journey that so many had to Salt Lake City.

    The interior of the temple is similar to the other pioneer temples other then that the assembly room is on the main floor behind the front desk right as you walk into the temple. We were able to peak our heads in and see the room, just as it would have been when Joseph Smith was alive.

     This temple also had a progressive room endowment, so as we went through the endowment we moved from room to room just as the original endowment was. Few temples do this and every one that does is more enjoyable. Each room had a beautiful mural that was pleasing to look at.

    Nauvoo itself is a place of peace and joy. The people are so friendly and there is plenty to do there. We loved our time there and after three days were sad to leave. The senior missionaries were kind, the restored sites were beautiful, and the spirit was strong. This is another temple that if ever nearby has to be visited by everyone.

    5-Indianapolis, Indiana

    Now this seems like a random temple, and most people don’t even know there is a temple in Indianapolis. This is one where the temple itself, although beautiful and grand, wasn't what made the temple one of our favorites. It was the experience there.

    The temple is a simple design like many other smaller temples. It wasn’t even a year old when we went and so was still fairly new. We noticed throughout our session that it was extremely quiet and we could have heard a pin drop. There were also only three other people in the session with us and so it was a small and silent session that was very conductive to the spirit.

    There were also murals on the wall in the Telestial room, which were brilliant and bright. Everything in each room was done extremely well and with the best of craftsmanship. To say the least, it was simply spectacular.

    After the quaint session we went into the pure Celestial Room which was more peaceful to me than any other Celestial room I have ever been in. It was silent and it was wonderful. During the session I had a prayer in my heart because my family was going through a hard time with some things. I said a prayer wondering if all would be well. When Ivy and I got into the Celestial room and sat down I instantly was overwhelmed with peace, a comfort in my soul, and I began to cry. I knew I felt the spirit and my prayer was answered. I had the feeling that no matter what all would be well in the end.

     It was an amazing spiritual moment within the Indianapolis temple, now making it one of our favorites because we both strongly felt the spirit there. It was a great experience and we loved it. It was this experience that made this temple so great.

    

    So there are our top five, but as I’ve said they change often. Every temple is beautiful and unique in its own way and we have fun experiences in nearly every temple. This is why we love to travel to the temples and why we continue to try and go to all the temples in the world.