All Temples Close

[bsjkki]

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/25/21194822/coronavirus-mormon-church-temples-closed-coranavirus-covid19-lds-latter-day-saints

“After careful and prayerful consideration, and with a desire to be responsible global citizens, we have decided to suspend all temple activity churchwide at the end of the day on March 25, 2020,” the letter said. “This is a temporary adjustment, and we look forward to the day when the temples will reopen.”

Full letter

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

After careful and prayerful consideration, and with a desire to be responsible global citizens, we have decided to suspend all temple activity churchwide at the end of the day on March 25, 2020. This is a temporary adjustment, and we look forward to the day when the temples will reopen.

Please be assured of our sincere love and appreciation for your devotion and faith.

Sincerely,

The First Presidency

The following details have also been provided:

• Temple staff will contact all patrons with an existing appointment to confirm cancellation.

• When temples resume activity, patrons should contact the temple to reschedule their living ordinances.

• Members with additional questions are invited to visit with their bishop or stake president.

 

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by bsjkki

[carbon dioxide]

No church, not temple, pretty much no missions.  Never has there been a time when members really don't have to do that much.  Outside of home study, enjoy the vacation the Lord is letting us have.

[Hamba Tuhan]

3 hours ago, carbon dioxide said:

Never has there been a time when members really don't have to do that much.

I must be doing something terribly wrong; I feel like I have more to do, not less. Including increasing my electronic contact with ministering families, singles, and the elderly; constantly updating those in my area of responsibility and attempting to answer their questions; providing the sacrament to those who've requested it; being more available for 'counselling', mostly in the form of listening to people who are troubled (using telephone, chat and video chat); making sure that something meaningful has been prepared for our worship service each Sunday; checking on my neighbours; answering questions from recent converts and directing them to handbooks and online resources; and so on.

Just last night a sister I was formerly assigned to minister to asked me if I could help her learn to access member services on the Church's web site. She's older and was happy being stuck in her non-online world ... until now. And her newly assigned ministering brothers have completely failed her and her family so far, with zero contact. This sister wouldn't have known that worship services in church buildings had been cancelled two weeks ago if I hadn't rung her to see if she knew.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Hamba Tuhan

[Duncan]

This is crazy but it is what it is. Every thursday they announce the new Temple Presidents and for the last two weeks i've looked to see who our first one is but they weren't listed, maybe tomorrow😏

[MustardSeed]

54 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I must be doing something terribly wrong; I feel like I have more to do, not less. Including increasing my electronic contact with ministering families, singles, and the elderly; constantly updating those in my area of responsibility and attempting to answer their questions; providing the sacrament to those who've requested it; being more available for 'counselling', mostly in the form of listening to people who are troubled (using telephone, chat and video chat); making sure that something meaningful has been prepared for our worship service each Sunday; checking on my neighbours; answering questions from recent converts and directing them to handbooks and online resources; and so on.

Just last night a sister I was formerly assigned to minister to asked me if could help her learn to access member services on the Church's web site. She's older and was happy being stuck in her non-online world ... until now. And her newly assigned ministering brothers have completely failed her and her family so far, with zero contact. This sister wouldn't have known that worship services in church buildings had been cancelled two weeks ago if I hadn't rung her to see if she knew.

I too have never been more busy. 

[InCognitus]

2 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I must be doing something terribly wrong; I feel like I have more to do, not less. Including increasing my electronic contact with ministering families, singles, and the elderly; constantly updating those in my area of responsibility and attempting to answer their questions; providing the sacrament to those who've requested it; being more available for 'counselling', mostly in the form of listening to people who are troubled (using telephone, chat and video chat); making sure that something meaningful has been prepared for our worship service each Sunday; checking on my neighbours; answering questions from recent converts and directing them to handbooks and online resources; and so on.

Just last night a sister I was formerly assigned to minister to asked me if could help her learn to access member services on the Church's web site. She's older and was happy being stuck in her non-online world ... until now. And her newly assigned ministering brothers have completely failed her and her family so far, with zero contact. This sister wouldn't have known that worship services in church buildings had been cancelled two weeks ago if I hadn't rung her to see if she knew.

The sister missionaries assigned to our ward are in quarantine of course, but they've still been teaching lessons via technology.  They seem to be going through an uptick in direct requests to know more about the church.  So I've been trying to help by doing the leg work for them that they can't do themselves.  Yesterday I picked up a marked copy of the Book of Mormon from their apartment and delivered it to their contact and met with him as much as I was able to do.  We've also been contacting people by phone to see how they are doing.

[Calm]

2 hours ago, Duncan said:

This is crazy but it is what it is. Every thursday they announce the new Temple Presidents and for the last two weeks i've looked to see who our first one is but they weren't listed, maybe tomorrow😏

Well, at least you can comfort yourself that every other ward and stake right now are almost as crazy as yours usually are.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Calm

[Hamba Tuhan]

2 minutes ago, InCognitus said:

The sister missionaries assigned to our ward are in quarantine of course, but they've still been teaching lessons via technology.  They seem to be going through an uptick in direct requests to know more about the church.  So I've been trying to help by doing the leg work for them that they can't do themselves.

Excellent! We just lost all our missionaries, but we've been told we may be getting some local replacements. Time will tell. Before that, the work had definitely ticked up! Our ward actually had a convert baptism this past Sunday, though the service was limited to about eight people. (This new member's sole 'church' experience so far is being visited by our bishop and his son for the sacrament each Sunday.) I'm grateful you still have full-time missionaries and are able to do your part!

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 minute ago, Calm said:

Well, at least you can comfort yourself that every other ward right now is almost as crazy as yours usually is.

We're not even close to that bad, thankfully! 

[Thinking]

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

[Hamba Tuhan]

19 minutes ago, Thinking said:

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

It's possible. Weddings here are currently limited to the bride and groom, the celebrant, and the legally mandated two witnesses, so some may wish to wait as well. It's all individual choice.

If I had to make the decision, I'd just get married.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Hamba Tuhan

[Rain]

17 minutes ago, Thinking said:

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

One poor couple I read about on my missionary mom's group scheduled and rescheduled their sealing at 3 different temples, each one closing before the date. They will be married by the bishop on Friday.

There are a lot of couples being married by the bishop now with quite a few having videos streamed live to friends and family.

[Hamba Tuhan]

5 minutes ago, Rain said:

There are a lot of couples being married by the bishop now with quite a few having videos streamed live to friends and family.

The Church has also given us permission to live-stream baptismal services.

[Calm]

30 minutes ago, Thinking said:

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

I have two nieces that may need to make that decision come May.  I assume bishop will perform ceremony if so, not sure if Utah allows anyone to do it.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Calm

[Rain]

7 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

The Church has also given us permission to live-stream baptismal services.

Ahhhh. That happened in our ward about 1.5 weeks ago.  I went to our ward facebook page and there it was (it was done earlier, but still there.)  I didn't realize permission had been given though.

Edited March 26, 2020 by Rain

[Jane_Doe]

1 hour ago, Thinking said:

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

I know a couple that did so just this last weekend (the original wedding was scheduled for this summer, but they feared even the courthouse would close soon).

[Meadowchik]

What a relief!

[bearhoof]

5 hours ago, Thinking said:

Will engaged couples choose to marry civilly and in the temple later?

Yes. My niece was getting married today. Yesterday the temple called to make sure everything was in order and to provide further instructions for the couple. A few hours later they called back. "Sorry, the temple is closing tonight." Their Bishop is performing the wedding today but with the same social distancing restrictions the temples have been imposing. Sealing will happen once the temples reopen.

[JamesBYoung]

May all couples find peace at this time as they prepare for marriage.

[Scott Lloyd]

Standing in the line to get into Costco about an hour ago, I saw my first-cousin-once-removed whom I met at the Draper Temple where we serve as fellow ordinance workers. It was a boon to the spirit, even though we only waved. 

[Rain]

9 hours ago, Jane_Doe said:

I know a couple that did so just this last weekend (the original wedding was scheduled for this summer, but they feared even the courthouse would close soon).

Yes, have been hearing these things as well.  My friend's niece did this.

[marineland]

When do you think the church will re-enable the ability to chat with missionaries online (chat.comeuntochrist.org)?

[The Nehor]

Our stake just shut down taking the sacrament to sisters to comply with the county shutdown. I had to go out today to get a prescription. Got my temperature taken at the doctor's office (good so far) before I could go in and gloves used to check id and give prescription.

Saw a lot of masks being worn at the pharmacy. Many were being used wrong. Grabbed a little bit of perishable food to restock plus they had a new Blue Bell ice cream flavor. No toilet paper or wipes. Very few condoms left. OTC medications were picked clean but I got some allergy meds and pain killers. More for potential for helping others as my supply is probably good. First real in person social contact since Sunday delivering sacrament.

Sad about the temples but it was pretty much inevitable.

[Calm]

6 hours ago, marineland said:

When do you think the church will re-enable the ability to chat with missionaries online (chat.comeuntochrist.org)?

It is not up?

I know lots of missionaries are teaching online otherwise.  It may be a technical problem they are resolving...or if Missionaries came into a center to do it.  I remember someone's son was called to the chat online service a few years ago, but can't remember is it was someone on the board or elsewhere.  If no one speaks up here, I will ask in the other venues I discuss things to see if anyone knows how they did it.  (I vaguely remember he may have gone into the Provo MTC to work, but that is a very iffy recall).

[Calm]

1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

First real in person social contact since Sunday delivering sacrament.

I am glad you have your sugar gliders.