There is a rich excitement in the air here in our small part of God's
kingdom. We, as members of the church, are anxiously anticipating the
building of a house of the Lord in this beautiful city. I know I look
forward to the day when it stands and members and nonmembers alike can
see its beauty and feel its sweet spirit of peace, love and hope.
The new temple can only have a wonderful effect on the area. Both the
temporal and spiritual impact is one of a tremendous blessing. To have a
place designated as a true house of the Lord where the simple truths of
God's plans and gospel are taught and the gift of eternal marriage and
eternal families are given can only be a blessing.
The beauty inside and out will only add to the already beautiful
community we call home here in Newport Beach and in the surrounding
areas. I sustain in the affirmative those words of my friend Ben Graff
who, in your article stated "It is a great blessing for the people here.
Any community where there is a temple means that community is blessed and
enriched."
SEAN VOLPETTI
Newport Beach
The addition of a temple to Newport Beach is a great opportunity for
both the residents of Newport Beach and for the Latter-day Saints who
will be visiting the temple.
The residents of Newport Beach -- thousands of whom also happen to be
Latter-day Saints -- will have the benefit of a beautiful, peaceful
addition to the community. If you have had the opportunity to visit the
grounds of the Los Angeles or San Diego temples, they have beautiful
gardens and provide a quiet, reflective atmosphere. Whether or not you
are able to enter the temple, you can still appreciate and enjoy the
surroundings there.
For Latter-day Saints, a temple is a sacred and holy place. For those
who take the opportunity to visit the temple, it provides an opportunity
for prayer, meditation and learning. Each temple has inscribed on the
exterior "House of The Lord, Holiness to The Lord" to show the
significance of the temple. Just as the temple was a holy place in Jesus
Christ' time, the temples today are holy and provide wonderful blessings
of peace and understanding to those who attend.
I look forward to going often.
JONATHAN HARMER
South Coast Metro
I am not a Mormon, but I am proud to have many friends of the Mormon
faith and I share their excitement at the news of Newport Beach being
selected for the site of a new temple because I understand how very
important and holy the temple is in a Mormon's life.
