How the Washington D.C. Temple Open House Is Creating Neighbors and Friends

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Two main goals of temple open houses in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are to increase understanding and build bridges with the community.

Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of the Atlantic (a major monthly U.S. magazine) welcomed the invitation to walk through the renovated house of the Lord in the nation’s capital. He came, as most have, to experience the inside of a building he has driven by thousands of times. Goldberg’s publication recognizes America as a place made strong by its diverse strands of thought. With that in mind, he said, it is important to come and listen at events such as temple open houses.

“These exercises, when temples are open, are a great example of a Church that had been misunderstood and excoriated in some cases, making itself part of the American whole,” Goldberg said. “Especially in today’s America, it’s so hugely important to try to understand your neighbor and try to understand things that seem superficially foreign or unlike what you’re used to. And if we just make that effort, we’ll bring the country to a better place.”

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Goldberg was one of multitudes of invited guests who toured the renovated temple this week. Some 4,300 guests walked through this house of the Lord this week alone. On April 28, the open house will expand to the general public.

Other notable journalists at the temple this week included Wolf Blitzer, Dana Bash, and Sam Feist of CNN.

Blitzer, a member of the Jewish faith, noted the themes from the Hebrew Bible within the temple.

“There are a lot of similarities that go back to the Old Testament with Latter-day Saints and with Jews,” Blitzer said. “I could really identify with many of your traditions because they’re similar to my traditions and my history and Judaism. It was really a wonderful experience for me.”

Bash knew something of the Church of Jesus Christ prior to her visit. She had become familiar with the faith through her coverage of Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns.

The CNN political reporter said she was grateful to tour the renovated temple for increased understanding.

“It’s so fascinating,” said Bash, also of the Jewish faith. “It’s really a peaceful, spiritual, special place. … The architecture, the decor is set up so that it’s well-appointed but not over the top. You feel the sense of being in a very exquisite place, but not overwhelmed by it. It’s a tough balance, and you guys nailed it.”

Feist, CNN’s Washington Bureau chief, said the temple was breathtaking.

“I was taken aback by the light, the brightness, the brightness of the bridge entering the temple, the brightness of the lighting. The rooms felt alive just because the light,” Feist said. “I just want to congratulate everybody involved in this renovation. It’s just stunning. It’s a gift to your community, but it’s gift to our community also. It’s really amazing.”

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After his tour, Paul Ryan, a former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, said he was grateful to learn more about a building he has been passing on the freeway for three decades.

“I’ve always wanted to see this temple to understand all that is done inside,” said Ryan, a Catholic with many Latter-day Saint friends. “To start at the baptistery on the first floor and then go all the way up to the top — to understand the lighting, the sense of Christ, the vision, how the doctrine works, the sealing room to the top floor. It was just a spectacular thing to behold.”

Ryan expressed delight at the “marvelous concept” of the Church’s doctrine of baptisms for one’s deceased ancestors.

“I think that’s a very refreshing and unique notion,” he said.

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Tyler Deaton, a senior advisor with the American Unity Fund, also toured the temple. His organization advances fairness for all in religious freedom — especially for LGBTQ Americans.

Deaton said seeing the physical beauty of the temple reflected the beauty of the good works he was witnessed from Latter-day Saints around the world.

“It was just such a such a blessing today to see more of the inside and the reflection of this building that’s home to so many of my friends and close colleagues that I work with,” Dalton said. “To learn a little bit more about their religious experience from the inside out was really special to me.”

Angela Hughey, co-founder and president of the Arizona LGBTQ advocacy group ONE Community, also experienced the Washington D.C. Temple this week.

“I’m deeply moved by the conversation around equality and that we should all have an equal place in God’s eyes,” Hughey said. “It seems so fitting when we are bringing LGBTQ-inclusive organizations and faith-based organizations for this very meaningful and sacred journey to really get the opportunity to experience the Washington D.C. Temple with members of the Church that have become good friends and family to us.”

Two members of the Church’s Relief Society General Presidency — Sister Reyna I. Aburto and Sister Sharon Eubank — were among the Church leaders helping lead open house tours.

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“I feel that I have hundreds of new friends,” said Sister Aburto, a native of Nicaragua. “It’s kind of sad to end every one of those tours because I feel like I’m saying goodbye to dear friends. We really connected inside there. For me, this has been a great privilege and a gift.”

Sister Eubank, who also serves as president of Latter-day Saint Charities, echoed the words of Jeffrey Goldberg. Opening the doors of the house of the Lord to the public, she said, is act that strengthens the fabric of society.

“[A temple open house] really creates neighbors and friends among us,” Sister Eubank said. “As the world polarizes, as people don’t have as much in common, this is an opportunity for us to find places we do have in common. And people who have made covenants in the temple go out into their communities eager to build bridges and hold hands and do things with people of faith to make our communities better. And I think that’s one of the great messages of the temple.”

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