Thousands expected to attend Star Valley Temple open house

In Afton, Wyoming, they’re preparing to roll out the red carpet to welcome visitors to the the open house for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Star Valley Temple.

The open house begins October 23, but members of the media got an advance tour Tuesday.

There’s a lot of interest in this open house. 75,000 people have already reserved their free tickets to come walk through the building.

The open house is a chance for the public to see the inside of the temple. After that, only members of the Mormon church in good standing may enter.

Local church leader, Mark Taylor, has been watching the temple being built the last 18 months and excited it’s finished.

“Now it’s a lot more spiritual, knowing that temple is in your backyard, where before it was going to be, but just wasn’t yet,” Taylor said.

This area was settled by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800s. Their descendants are thrilled to have a temple here.

“It gives me a great opportunity to show my respect and gratitude for their sacrifice, and my attendance here will give me an opportunity to show my gratitude,” Pat Davis said.

LDS church leader Elder Larry Wilson, who heads up the temple department, says it’s a tribute to dedicated church members to have a temple built here.

“There are so many faithful members of the church here,” Wilson said. “Many members of the church here have been here for multiple generations — some as many as four or five generations going back to their pioneer ancestors. The church tries to place it’s temples as close as possible to the members and these great people here have enough critical mass to warrant placing a temple in Star Valley.”

The open house goes through October 8. Go to templeopenhouse.lds.org for details on the open house.