In April 1893, at the Salt Lake Temple dedication, Emma Bennett gave birth, turning a sacred event into a celebration of life.

Elder James E. Talmage viewed this not as a desecration but as a divine moment, highlighting the Latter-day Saints’ reverence for life’s sacred beginnings within holy spaces.

The newborn, named Joseph Temple Bennett, became a symbol of the intertwining of faith and life’s most joyous moments.

In 1911, the Church faced a blackmail threat over unauthorized Salt Lake Temple photos taken during renovations.

Rejecting negotiations with the blackmailers, President Joseph F. Smith stood firm.

Elder James E. Talmage suggested a proactive approach: publishing official temple photos with explanations in a book, “The House of the Lord.”

This move not only countered the blackmail but also provided valuable insights into temple significance, turning a potential crisis into an opportunity for transparency and education.

To protect it from a U.S. Army contingent, the Salt Lake Temple’s foundation was concealed to look like a plowed field, reflecting the Church’s mistrust towards a government that had previously failed to safeguard them.

This precaution led to cracked stones when uncovered.

Brigham Young’s resolve for durability saw this foundation replaced with robust granite, extending foundation work to 14 years and not reaching ground level until 1867.

Young’s insistence on a solid foundation over rapid completion meant he never witnessed the temple’s completion, embodying his commitment to seeing the temple “built in a manner that will endure through the Millennium.”

The temple was dedicated 16 years after his death, a lasting symbol of prioritizing enduring integrity.

Like many Christians Latter-day Saints believe that in order to open the gates of Heaven you need to be baptized.

However, they take a unique approach to all of the children of God who never got a chance to hear about Jesus Christ in their earthly life.

They believe an all knowing God has set time aside in the afterlife to teach the Gospel of Christ, and in a partnership with Saints on Earth who offer proxy baptisms to those who have passed on.

The temple endowment in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a profound spiritual ceremony, granting members insight into divine purposes and the capacity to act on God’s will.

It unfolds in two phases: initiatory rites that signify purity and dedication, followed by teachings on God’s plan for his children, reinforcing commitments to live by principles of obedience, sacrifice, gospel fidelity, chastity, and full devotion to the Church.

Adherence to these covenants, marked by the temple garment, is believed to offer spiritual safeguarding and direction.

This rite is crucial for empowering members with blessings now and forever, based on their faithfulness.

Additionally, members trust that these sacred practices enhance their ability to receive revelation, communicate with the divine, be assisted by angels, and foster a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

"The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”).

A temple sealing joins a husband and wife together for time and all eternity.

Couples who are sealed in the temple are promised glory and joy throughout eternity (see Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–20).

They will receive these blessings if they are faithful to the covenants they make in the temple.

Through this ordinance, their children may also be part of their eternal family.

The Big Dipper constellation, prominently featured on the Salt Lake City Temple’s exterior, serves as more than an artistic element; it is a profound symbol of guidance and direction.

This celestial pattern, a reliable guide in the Northern Hemisphere for locating Polaris, the North Star, has historically aided travelers in navigation.

Reflecting this practical utility, the temple’s depiction of the Big Dipper, as articulated by architect Truman O. Angell, is a metaphorical reminder that through the priesthood, individuals can find their way back to God.

Unlike traditional representations, the temple’s Big Dipper doesn’t include Polaris but is oriented towards the actual North Star in the sky, symbolizing an eternal, unchanging point that guides one’s spiritual journey towards the divine center, where earthly time loses its hold.

The clasped hands symbol beneath the all-seeing eye on the Salt Lake Temple’s exterior is a profound emblem to Latter-day Saints, signifying unity and the exchange of divine wisdom.

This temple, rich with symbols, is described by Russell M. Nelson as a unique house of learning, where ancient and symbolic methods teach spiritual truths.

Each symbol, from the architecture to the decorations, represents deeper spiritual meanings, offering members a distinctive way to ponder and understand the gospel’s realities, far beyond the surface aesthetics.

Perched atop the Salt Lake City Temple, is a remarkable creation by Cyrus Dallin.

Although not a member of the Latter-day Saint faith, Dallin’s parents once were.

Known primarily for his Native American sculptures, Dallin considered his Angel Moroni work a spiritual zenith.

He stated it brought him closer to the divine than any other work, enabling him to “commune with angels from heaven.”

The original statue crafted by Dallin stands 12 feet five inches tall and weighs several thousand pounds.

It includes a 4,000-pound counterweight for stability in extreme weather.

Featuring a distinctive design with a cape, bare arms, and a cap set upon a granite sphere, this version, one of up to eight, remains the crowning piece of the Salt Lake City Temple.

It symbolizes Dallin’s artistic genius and profound spiritual connection.

The Moon stones on the Salt Lake City Temple, positioned above the promenade, artistically depict the lunar cycle, based on 1878’s moon phases as per architect Truman O. Angell’s designs.

These stones allow visitors to trace the moon’s full cycle in a clockwise direction around the temple, symbolizing not just the celestial body but potentially deeper meanings.

Some interpret these moon phases as symbolic of the Terrestrial Kingdom, a concept from Latter-day Saint doctrine representing a middle tier in the afterlife where honorable individuals reside.

This interpretation aligns with the Church’s belief in a tiered afterlife, emphasizing God’s justice and mercy.

Additionally, the varying phases might also illustrate the human journey from birth through life’s challenges towards enlightenment and eventual return to the divine, reflecting the cyclical nature of mortal existence and spiritual progression.

The distinctive spires of the Salt Lake City Temple, a striking shift from the single-spired Kirtland and Nauvoo temples, embody a deeper doctrinal significance.

These multi-tiered towers, positioned at opposite ends of the temple, symbolize the Church’s two priesthoods: the Melchizedek and Aaronic, along with their respective presiding officers.

This architectural choice echoes a previous part of the Kirtland Temple’s interior design, where main meeting rooms featured tiered pulpits for each priesthood.

Brigham Young’s inspired design innovation was to externalize this symbolism through the Salt Lake Temple’s three-level towers, making the internal order and hierarchy of the priesthoods visible to all, reflecting a profound intertwining of design and doctrine.

In 1892, 10,000 onlookers celebrated the Salt Lake Temple’s capstone placement, containing a time capsule.

In 2020, a small group, including the First Presidency, quietly reopened it during seismic upgrades.

Despite elemental exposure over 128 years, about 400 coins were salvaged, though books and photos were damaged.

President Nelson emphasized the tribute to the temple’s pioneering builders.

Additionally, a record stone from Red Butte Canyon, with a cavity for historical documents, is located at the temple’s southeast base, further preserving its legacy, marking the historic building with two time capsules for the future.