Preparations underway for Layton, Utah Temple open house

LAYTON, Utah — This Friday, the open house of the Layton Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be in full swing.

When they arrive, visitors will see decorations that pay homage to the agrarian history of Davis County. They’ll see extra sound-proofing measures, too. They were added to help tamp down the noise of the jets from Hill Air Force Base.

But Church leaders and community members are mainly looking forward to sharing the spirit of the temple with other visitors. No matter what their beliefs are.

Local Layton teenager Penina Leota said the open house allows her to share an important part of her life with her friends.

“They’ve never seen the inside of a temple before so they’re super excited to see that. And it’s given me an opportunity to show them what my religion is like,” Leota said.

First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency Amy Wright is excited to have a temple in her community. She invited everyone to come and see it.

“It is my hope that you will come and feel,” Wright said. 

Executive Director of the Church’s Temple Department, Kevin Duncan, said they’re expecting large crowds. However, they don’t expect the long lines seen during the recent Manti temple open house. 

“The Manti Temple open house was only three weeks. This one is double that. Instead of three Saturdays, this one is seven Saturdays,” Duncan said. “I hope that as you’re inside this temple, you’ll really feel that it is a place of refuge from the storms of life.” 

The Layton Temple open house will run from April 19th through June 1st. 

Related reading: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announces 15 new temples