Mesa Temple
This article was contributed by a local member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The views expressed may not represent the views and positions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the Church's official site, visit churchofjesuschrist.org.
The Mesa Arizona Temple is considered a literal house of the Lord by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The principal purpose of the temple is to provide ordinances and blessings to members in the area. Ordinances include endowment, marriage, and baptism.
Visitors are invited to enjoy the botanical gardens, calming reflection pools, and peaceful setting. While you’re visiting, stop by the Visitors’ Center for an interactive experience. Learn more >>
The temple, opened in 1927, sits on a prominent site on Main Street in downtown Mesa and has become a local landmark.
The temple is not where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are different than the regular chapels that the church has around the world. Members of the Church worship in meetinghouses around the world, and visitors are always welcome to participate. Several chapels are located near the Mesa Temple. Click here for more information about worship service times and locations.
Temples are a “place where the highest sacraments of the faith” can occur. In the temple, you learn more about the plan of salvation and how to follow Christ’s perfect example. God’s greatest blessings are available in His temples.
The practice of building temples goes back to the Old and New Testaments in the Bible. The Mesa Arizona Temple is one of nearly 200 modern temples built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with an active temple recommend are allowed to enter the inside of a temple.
Anyone, regardless of religion, is welcome to visit the temple grounds, attend worship services in a nearby chapel, research in the FamilySearch Center, tour the Visitors’ Center, or enjoy the many community events hosted throughout the year.
Place of Peace & Learning
For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mesa Arizona Temple is meant to be a place of learning and a place of peace. It is meant to be a place where members can receive spiritual guidance for decisions in their lives. Members who go to the temple have the chance to sit in the celestial room — a beautiful room meant for members to take a chance to ponder and pray.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perform several ordinances in the Mesa Temple. Ordinances are sacred acts that create a binding promise between God and a person who wishes to return to God’s presence.
Endowment
The endowment ordinance consists of a series of instructions and includes covenants to live righteously and follow the requirements of the gospel. The member makes promises to follow the standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Marriage
Marriages performed in the Mesa Arizona Temple are considered eternal and continue beyond death. However, this forever-lasting marriage is conditional upon both the husband and wife staying faithful to the promises they make in the temple and keeping the standards of Christ’s teachings.
Baptism
Baptisms in the Mesa Arizona temple are performed on behalf of ancestors of members that are deceased and didn’t have a chance to be baptized.
Beacon to the Saints
The Mesa Temple is both a spiritual and literal beacon to those in Mesa and surrounding communities. It is a place where individuals can go to make sacred promises with God, feel His spirit, and feel peace away from the hectic demands of day-to-day life.
At night, the exterior of the building is illuminated by over one million lumens of light. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with an active temple recommend are currently allowed to enter the inside the Mesa Arizona Temple.
Everyone, regardless of religion, background, or beliefs, is more than welcome to enjoy the peaceful reflection pool and gardens, take a tour in the Visitors’ Center, learn about the life of Christ through art and murals, and join us on Sunday for uplifting worship services.
Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are places where individuals can go to make sacred promises with God, feel His spirit, and escape from the hectic demands of day-to-day life.
Temples have been around for a long time. Moses had a tabernacle, Solomon built a beautiful temple, and Jesus taught at the temple in Jerusalem. Today, temples are built all over the world. Inside temples, couples can be married for eternity, not just “’til death do you part.” Members of the Church can also perform baptisms and other ordinances for their loved ones who died without receiving these blessings.
Members of the Church worship in meetinghouses around the world, and visitors are always welcome to participate. These buildings might include a neighborhood chapel or even a rented space in a city building. In any case, these meetinghouses are where members of the Church gather together regularly for Sunday worship services and weekly activities.
Yes. While you can’t go inside the temple itself, you’re more than welcome to enjoy the reflection pool and gardens, take a tour in the Visitors’ Center, learn about the life of Christ through art and murals,and join us on Sunday for uplifting worship services.
A common nickname for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is “mormon.” Another common nickname is the “LDS Church.” Thus people sometimes refer to the Mesa Temple as the “Mormon temple” or “LDS Temple.”
The nickname “Mormon” stems from a book of scripture we have called The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Learn more about The Book of Mormon.
While the term “Mormon Church” has long been publicly applied to the Church as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, we ask that you please avoid using the abbreviation “LDS” or the nickname “Mormon” as substitutes for the name of the Church.
When referring to Church members, the terms “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” or “Latter-day Saints,” are preferred.
