The trip was organized by Sun Health’s Spiritual Life Department and led by Rev. David Klumpenhower, Rabbi Mindie Snyder and Rev. Alrick Headley, who each took a bus with the residents from the respective communities.
The Sun Health group was treated to a special pre-tour video by the Open House leaders Richard and Karen Gulbrandsen, which most tour visitors don’t get to see due to COVID-19 restrictions. After watching the video, everyone was escorted to the entrance of the Temple and guided through the approximately 25-minute tour inside the building. Sun Health’s director of Marketing Ken Reinstein is a volunteer tour guide at the Temple grounds and helped lead the tour.
“Residents were in awe of the beauty and precision present in every corner of the Temple,” said Rabbi Mindie. “They had many questions, among which was, ‘why is there no image of the Crucifixion?’ We were able to see and appreciate how the philosophies of the LDS Church were articulated throughout the Temple building and grounds. Everything was meticulous and well-organized. Everyone felt welcome. We were blessed to be able to see the inside of the Mesa Temple before its consecration in December.”
The Mesa Temple recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation that began in 2018. This is only the second time the nearly 100-year-old building has undergone renovations since it opened in 1927. Visitors from all over the world have come to this sacred site for its beauty and religious significance. Members of the Church practice sacred religious ceremonies inside the temple to bring themselves closer to God, while many tourists enjoy visiting the temple grounds and the Visitors’ Center.
