In a Video Shared at General Conference, the Prophet Speaks from Inside the Salt Lake Temple

During the Sunday morning session of the October 2021 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Russell M. Nelson spoke about the indispensable spiritual importance of the covenants Church members make in the faith’s temples.

He played a two-minute video of him speaking inside the Salt Lake Temple (now in its second year of renovation) in May 2021. Just as this temple is undergoing a significant seismic strengthening of its foundation, the prophet said, so too must each Latter-day Saint implement extraordinary measures to strengthen their personal spiritual foundation.

The video from inside the temple is below.

Video Transcript (the full text of President Nelson’s talk will be available here next week)

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“We are looking at the original foundation of the Salt Lake Temple. I am standing in an area beneath what was the Garden Room. As I examine the craftsmanship of this entire building, I marvel at what the pioneers accomplished. I am totally in awe when I consider that they built this magnificent temple with only tools and techniques available to them more than a century ago.

“These many decades later, however, if we examine the foundation closely, we can see the effects of erosion, gaps in the original stonework and varying stages of stability in the masonry.

“Now as I witness what modern engineers, architects and construction experts can do to reinforce that original foundation, I am absolutely amazed. Their work is astonishing!

“The foundation of any building, particularly one as large as this one, must be strong and resilient enough to withstand earthquakes, corrosion, high winds and the inevitable settling that affects all buildings. The complex task of strengthening now underway will reinforce this sacred temple with the foundation that can and will stand the test of time.”