First Presidency announces Salt Lake Temple changes

 

Quoting from a Church News article entitled, "First Presidency announces Salt Lake Temple changes — increasing capacity, impacting live sessions; Manti temple next for renovation." dated 12 March 2021, 

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday morning modifications to the ongoing renovation of the Salt Lake Temple, as well as a planned upgrade of the Manti Utah Temple.

The modifications for the Salt Lake Temple include adding a second baptistry and additional instruction and sealing rooms — increasing capacity for the sacred building which was originally dedicated in 1893. The temple cafeteria will be discontinued.

The Manti temple will join the Salt Lake Temple and the St. George Utah Temple as the third pioneer-era temple dating back to the late 19th century to undergo renovations. Plans and a starting date for the renovation will be announced later this year. 

The modifications to the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple are further explained as follows:

While seismic protection is the primary reason for the renovation, the Church also is taking the opportunity to make other improvements and changes, according to leaders.

Recent modifications include the addition of two instruction rooms, more sealing ordinance rooms and a second baptistry, which allow for greater capacity and more temple ordinances being performed; leaders anticipate with the changes the temple will be able to accommodate more than double the usual number of patrons.

When the renovation is completed, the temple will have a total of five instruction rooms, each with a capacity for 150 people. Four instruction rooms will be located on the temple’s first floor, with the fifth on the second floor.

The addition of 10 new sealing rooms brings the total number to 23, with varying capacities of up to 75 individuals.

We haven't been up to Salt Lake City for a while due to the pandemic but we are really interested in seeing the new changes to the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple once the open house is announced.