Yesterday, November 17, 2019, was a wonderful day for the members of the church in the area, as the Baton Rouge Louisiana Temple was rededicated by Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This temple, along with the Raleigh Temple, was closed in January of 2018 for major renovations, so the saints in the area haven’t had “their” temple for nearly two years! Both the interior and exterior were significantly altered, making the temple look like a completely new structure.

“The temple is a place of refuge when we face challenges,” said Elder Cook. “It’s been an incredible blessing to be here and see the great diversity of people here. There are other parts of the country that have this kind of diversity, but this is really special. You see people from different cultures and races, and they’re all united by the gospel of Jesus Christ and that is a marvelous thing. … It is the commitment to the Savior and the gospel of Jesus Christ that just unites us.”

During the renovations, the tower’s steeple was raised 10 feet to better correspond to the new entry. The new design of the wood and steel-framed building features a beige limestone exterior and new, beautiful art glass windows.

The temple was originally dedicated in 2000, and it became the 94th operating temple of the Church. Right now it’s the only temple in Louisiana, and members of the Church in Louisiana and Mississippi attend this temple.

And finally, if you haven’t seen these picture of the inside of the Baton Rouge Temple, be sure to take a look!