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72-609: The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple (formerly the Idaho Falls Temple ) is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho Falls, Idaho . The intent to build the temple was announced on March 3, 1937, by church president Heber J. Grant during the church's general conference . It is the church's tenth constructed and eighth operating temple, the first built in Idaho , and

144-413: A center spire, tapered tower architecture, and overview of Snake River, while the interior is adorned with hand-painted murals and stained glass windows. The temple's architectural style blends elements of Art Deco and international styles with traditional temple designs. Designed by John Fetzer, the temple's architecture reflects both the cultural heritage of Idaho Falls and the spiritual significance of

216-452: A controversial race-based policy . As of 2023 , all temple ordinances are unavailable to lesbian , gay , or bisexual persons who are in a same-sex marriage or homosexual sexual relationship, and to all transgender individuals who are transitioning or have transitioned. These restrictions have also garnered criticism from both outside, and inside the LDS church. To qualify for

288-433: A conversation with Woodruff, Logan Temple president Marriner W. Merrill stated that the contemplated public announcement prohibiting additional polygamist unions was "the only way to retain the possession of our temples and continue the ordinance work for the living and dead which was considered of more importance than continuing the practice of plural marriage for the present." Latter-day Saint temple building halted until

360-536: A desire to continue the ordinance work in temples was a significant consideration preceding Wilford Woodruff's decision (announced in his Manifesto of September 1890 ) that the church would discontinue its practice of polygamy . In 1887 the US Congress passed the Edmunds–Tucker Act , which disincorporated the church and directed federal officials to begin seizing its assets, potentially including its temples. After

432-462: A global scale, church leaders announced an end to the one-year waiting period in most cases, except in relation to converts to the church, who are still required to wait a year after their own confirmation before entering the temple. Twelve Tribes of Israel The Twelve Tribes of Israel ( Hebrew : שִׁבְטֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל , romanized :  Šīḇṭēy Yīsrāʾēl , lit.   'Staffs of Israel') are, according to Hebrew scriptures ,

504-522: A list of the twelve tribes. However, the Tribe of Dan is omitted while Joseph is mentioned alongside Manasseh . In the vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem , the tribes' names (the names of the twelve sons of Jacob ) are written on the city gates ( Ezekiel 48:30–35 & Revelation 21:12–13 ). In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a patriarchal blessing usually contains a declaration of

576-566: A public open house was held from April 22 through May 20, 2017. The temple was rededicated by Henry B. Eyring on June 4, 2017. The evening prior to the rededication, a youth cultural celebration, outlining the church's and the temple's history in the region and titled "Temple by the River Reflections" was held at Holt Arena . Approximately 11,000 youth participated in the event, which took a year of planning. The 70-minute program included costumes made with 27 miles of cloth. The renovation of

648-559: A symbolic tradition as part of a national founding myth , although some scholars disagree with this view. Jacob, later called Israel, was the second-born son of Isaac and Rebecca , the younger twin brother of Esau , and the grandson of Abraham and Sarah . According to biblical texts, he was chosen by God to be the patriarch of the Israelite nation. From what is known of Jacob, he had two wives, sisters Leah and Rachel , and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah . The twelve sons form

720-654: A temple for the use of the Norwegian Latter Day Saints. Meanwhile, Young urged the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo to redouble their efforts to finish the temple. By the end of 1845, the building was sufficiently finished to allow temple ordinances to be performed. Ordinances continued to be performed in early 1846 as the Mormons were forced to abandon the city. A small crew remained in the city and continued to work on

792-631: A temple recommend, an LDS Church member must faithfully answer the following questions which affirm the individual's adherence to essential church doctrine: A list of questions were first introduced in 1857 and used to qualify whether an individual could enter the Endowment House , before the first temple in Utah was built. They reflected the context of the times, including questions about ones belief in polygamy, branding an animal that one did not own, and using another person's irrigation water. Since then,

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864-499: A temple, only church members in good standing who have a valid temple recommend are permitted to attend the ceremony. In many nations outside the United States, a civil ceremony, where required by the law of the land, has been immediately followed by a temple sealing. In the United States, a one-year waiting period between the civil ceremony and a temple sealing was required until 2019. In May 2019, to standardize sealing policies on

936-486: A tribe. The sons of Jacob were born in Padan-aram from different mothers, as follows: Deuteronomy 27:12–13 lists the twelve tribes: Jacob elevated the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh (the two sons of Joseph and his Egyptian wife Asenath ) to the status of full tribes in their own right due to Joseph receiving a double portion after Reuben lost his birth right because of his transgression with Bilhah. In

1008-472: A valid temple recommend . Since its dedication in 1945, the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple has been overseen by a series of temple presidents , many serving for a term of three years. The first temple president was David Smith, who served from 1943 to 1949. A notable temple presidentis John H. Groberg (2005–08). Groberg's parents, Delbert V. and Jennie Groberg, also served as president and matron of

1080-427: A vital role in the lives of church members in the region. The temple was built on a 7-acre (2.8 ha) plot. For ordinances performed, it has four rooms used for the endowment , nine sealing rooms, and one baptismal font . The total floor area is 92,177 square feet (8,563.5 m). The temple is two stories tall and is constructed with white quartz, cast stone (white cement), and concrete. The exterior features

1152-400: Is a process which culminates in the participation by the couple in a ritual called the sealing ordinance; which involves pronouncing the couple as having a permanent marriage bond which persists even beyond death. This ceremony, among others, is taught as being vital to an individual's and family's exaltation status, following the final judgment . With the sealing ordinance being held inside

1224-434: Is widely known among all ancient peoples. Archaeology has found that many of these personal names of ancestors originally were the names of clans, tribes, localities, or nations. [...] if the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are those of mythological ancestors and not of historical persons, then many stories of the patriarchal and Mosaic age lose their historic validity. They may indeed partly reflect dim reminiscences of

1296-638: The Tabernacle was considered a "portable temple" by the children of Israel in the Old Testament. The first Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies were performed in Kirtland, Ohio , but differed significantly from the endowment performed on the second floor of Joseph Smith 's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the Nauvoo Temple . Kirtland ordinances included washings and anointings (differing in many ways from

1368-569: The Tribe of Levi ) are descendants of a single Levite ancestor who came to Europe from the Middle East roughly 1,750 years ago. The growth of this specific lineage aligns with the expansion patterns seen in other founding groups of Ashkenazi Jews. This means that a relatively small number of original ancestors have had a large impact on the genetic makeup of today's Ashkenazi population. Attributed arms are Western European coats of arms given retrospectively to persons real or fictitious who died before

1440-576: The succession crisis , Brigham Young assumed control of the church's headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois. While he and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve made contingency plans for abandoning the city, he may have hoped that it would not prove necessary. For example, in early 1845, Young convened a conference at the Norwegian colony at Norway, Illinois , and announced a plan to build a Latter-day Saint town there with

1512-500: The 'period of the Judges' is widely considered doubtful. The extent to which a united Kingdom of Israel ever existed is also a matter of ongoing dispute. Living in exile in the sixth century BC, the prophet Ezekiel has a vision for the restoration of Israel, of a future in which the twelve tribes of Israel are living in their land again. According to Joshua 13–19 , the Land of Israel

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1584-460: The Bible, the twelve tribes of Israel are sons of a man called Jacob or Israel, as Edom or Esau is the brother of Jacob, and Ishmael and Isaac are the sons of Abraham . Elam and Ashur , names of two ancient nations, are sons of a man called Shem . Sidon , a Phoenician town, is the first-born of Canaan ; the lands of Egypt and Abyssinia are the sons of Ham . This kind of mythological geography

1656-457: The City of Zion plan and designated four of these to contain temples: Salt Lake City (1847), St. George (1871), Manti (1875), and Logan (1877). The St. George Temple was the first to be completed in 1877, followed by Logan (1884) and Manti (1888). The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete because of various setbacks and delays. It was dedicated in 1893. In the late 1880s and in 1890,

1728-761: The First Presidency also dedicated a number of temples during Monson's administration. As of October 2018, Monson's successor, Russell M. Nelson , has dedicated the Concepción Chile Temple . The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 201 dedicated temples (192 operating and 9 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation ), 3 scheduled for dedication , 48 under construction , 1 scheduled for groundbreaking , and 114 others announced (not yet under construction). It has been suggested that recent temple construction represents an attempt by church leadership to “re-energize” congregations in

1800-641: The Hebrews' tribal past, but in their specific detail they are fiction." Norman Gottwald argued that the division into twelve tribes originated as an administrative scheme under King David. Additionally, the Mesha Stele (carved c. 840 BCE) mentions Omri as King of Israel and also mentions "the men of Gad ". Recent studies of genetic markers within Jewish populations strongly suggest that modern Ashkenazi Levites ( Jewish males who claim patrilineal descent from

1872-470: The Israelite national founding myth : the number 12 was not a real number, but an ideal number, which had symbolic significance in Near Eastern cultures with duodecimal counting systems, from which, among other things, the modern 12-hour clock is derived. Biblical scholar Arthur Peake saw the tribes originating as postdiction , as eponymous metaphor giving an aetiology of the connectedness of

1944-414: The basis for the twelve tribes of Israel, listed in the order from oldest to youngest: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. Jacob was known to display favoritism among his children, particularly for Joseph and Benjamin, the sons of his favorite wife, Rachel, and so the tribes themselves were not treated equally in a divine sense. Joseph, despite being

2016-535: The biblical narrative the period from the conquest of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua until the formation of the United Kingdom of Israel passed with the tribes forming a loose confederation, described in the Book of Judges . Modern scholarship has called into question the beginning, middle, and end of this picture and the account of the conquest under Joshua has largely been abandoned. The Bible's depiction of

2088-480: The church. One of the focal points of the temple is its hand-painted mural in the celestial room . The Idaho Falls Idaho, Los Angeles California , and Hamilton New Zealand temples are the only ones with hand-painted murals in the celestial room, which is designed to create a spiritually uplifting atmosphere. Incorporated into the design are symbolic elements representing the Bible and the Book of Mormon , which provide church members with deeper spiritual meaning to

2160-406: The condition of exaltation after the final judgment . They are also taught that a vast number of dead souls exist in a condition termed as spirit prison , and that a dead individual upon whom the temple ordinances are completed will have a chance to be freed of this imprisoning condition. In this framework ordinances are said to be completed on behalf of either the participant, or a dead individual

2232-632: The dead , washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), the endowment , and eternal marriage sealings . Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by the Lord's covenant people in all dispensations . Latter-day Saints cite various Old Testament references to temple ordinances such as those found in Exodus 29:4–9 , Exodus 28:2–43 and Leviticus 8:6–13 . The words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" can be found on LDS temples as referenced in Exodus 28:36 . Likewise

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2304-420: The dead. The initiatory, endowment, and sealing ceremonies are today performed only within a temple. The sealing ordinance can be performed on behalf of dead couples; so long as the two living participants are of opposite sex they need not be married. It is also performed on behalf of living couples who wish to be legally married. In this manner, the ordinance is typically performed as a celestial marriage , with

2376-456: The descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob (also known as Israel), who collectively form the Israelite nation . The tribes were through his twelve sons through his wives, Leah and Rachel , and his concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah . In modern scholarship, there is skepticism as to whether there ever were twelve Israelite tribes, with the use of the number 12 thought more likely to signify

2448-587: The endowment rather than live actors. Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated a temple in Ogden, Utah , and Harold B. Lee dedicated its twin in Provo, Utah . Spencer W. Kimball began a plan to build many more smaller temples according to standardized plans. Twenty-one temples were dedicated during his presidency, including the tiny Papeete Tahiti Temple —which has a floorspace of less than 10,000 square feet (900 m ). This trend has continued. Nine additional temples were dedicated in

2520-484: The eponymous ancestors, and even whether the earliest version of this tradition assumes the existence of twelve tribes. Biblical lists of tribes, not all of which number 12, include the following: Scholars such as Max Weber (in Ancient Judaism ) and Ronald M. Glassman (2017) concluded that there never was a fixed number of tribes. Instead, the idea that there were always twelve tribes should be regarded as part of

2592-498: The face of flat numerical growth. Most temples are built facing east, the direction from which Jesus Christ is prophesied to return. The spires and towers on the east end of multi-spired temples are elevated higher than spires and towers on the west side for this same reason, and to represent the Melchizedek, or higher, priesthood. Some temples, such as Salt Lake , Chicago , and Washington D.C. , have triple spires on each side of

2664-486: The first built with a modern single-spire design. The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple is adjacent to the Snake River . This temple was designed by the church board of temple architects: Edward O. Anderson , Georgious Y. Cannon , Ramm Hansen , John Fetzer, Hyrum Pope , and Lorenzo Snow Young . Designs were submitted by each architect, and Fetzer's, influenced by the Book of Mormon , was chosen. Key events in its history include

2736-512: The first members of Smith's Quorum of the Anointed , or Holy Order, as it was also known, were made on May 3, 1842. The walls of the second level of the Red Brick Store were painted with garden-themed murals, the rooms fitted with carpets, potted plants, and a veil hung from the ceiling. All the while, the ground level continued to operate as Smith's general mercantile. After the early events of

2808-401: The following year. However, with World War II shortages, it delayed the completion of the temple for four more years. Church president George Albert Smith dedicated the temple one month after the war ended, on September 23, 1945. This is the only temple Smith dedicated. The dedication was significant for the church, providing another sacred place of worship for its members. In 1983, the temple

2880-400: The good things We have provided you.' And they did not wrong Us, but they used to wrong [only] themselves." For thousands of years, Christians and Jews have accepted the history of the twelve tribes as fact. Since the 19th century, however, historical criticism has examined the veracity of the historical account; whether the twelve tribes ever existed as they are described, the historicity of

2952-405: The groundbreaking ceremony held on December 19, 1939, and its dedication, conducted by George Albert Smith on September 23, 1945. With its dedication to sacred spaces, the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple reflects the church's commitment to spiritual practices and community enrichment. The history of the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple begins with its announcement by Heber J. Grant on March 3, 1927. The site for

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3024-434: The hand-painted murals throughout the temple. Throughout the renovation process, care was taken to maintain the temple's historical and spiritual significance. Artisans and craftsmen specializing in preservation and restoration were employed to ensure that both the exterior and interior renovations were in keeping with the original design ethos while incorporating modern advancements. The renovated Idaho Falls Idaho Temple

3096-460: The idea the marriage bond lasts after their death, or for "time and all eternity". A "time only" modification can be made to the ordinance, such as when the surviving widow of a celestial marriage wishes to legally remarry. In addition to the ordinances listed above, 19th-century temples were host to other ordinances that are no longer practiced such as the baptism for health and baptism for renewal of covenants. In 1922, Heber J. Grant discontinued

3168-554: The lineage of the recipient of blessing in relation to the twelve tribes of Israel. The Quran (7th century CE) states that the people of Moses were split into twelve tribes. Surah 7 ( Al-A'raf ) verse 160 says: "We split them up into twelve tribal communities, and We revealed to Moses , when his people asked him for water, [saying], 'Strike the rock with your cane,' whereat twelve fountains gushed forth from it. Every tribe came to know its drinking-place. And We shaded them with clouds, and We sent down to them manna and quails: 'Eat of

3240-463: The local church community. The adjacent visitors' center, equipped with exhibits on teachings from modern prophets, the importance of families, and the Book of Mormon, which provides educational resources for both members and non-members with an in-depth understanding of the restoration of the church and the temple's unique place in its history. Entry into the temple is available to those church members who hold

3312-568: The modern portion) and the washing of the feet ordinance. For nearly four years, beginning in 1842, Smith's Red Brick Store functioned as a de facto temple—the site of the first washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings. In contrast, the grand edifice known as the Nauvoo Temple was in operation for only two months before the Latter Day Saints left Illinois for the West. Preparations to initiate

3384-480: The practice of baptisms for health in the church. The second anointing is a rare, but currently practiced ordinance for live participants, and (less commonly) vicariously for deceased individuals, though, it is usually only given in absolute secrecy to a small number of members after a lifetime of service. The LDS Church booklet " Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple " explains that Latter-day Saints "do not discuss

3456-629: The presidency of Ezra Taft Benson and two in the brief presidency of Howard W. Hunter . Under church president Gordon B. Hinckley , the church dedicated 77 temples. In 1997, Hinckley introduced a standardized, smaller temple plan designed to bring temple services to smaller or remote congregations at a reduced cost. The first of this new generation of temples was completed in 1998 with the Monticello Utah Temple . The original plan called for 6,800 square feet (630 m ), later increased to 10,700 square feet (990 m ). Subsequent revisions to

3528-468: The presidency of Joseph F. Smith , who announced two additional temples: Cardston, Alberta (1913), and Lāʻie, Hawaiʻi (1915). Cardston became the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States. Smith broke with the previous tradition (established since Kirtland) of building temples with upper and lower courts. Temples previously had been ever larger, but the Laie Hawaii Temple

3600-430: The recommend, indicating their approval of that member's worthiness. The individual also signs the recommend, acknowledging the responsibility to remain eligible to hold the recommend. Most recommends are valid for two years. Temple ordinances have historically been unavailable to some members. For about 130 years (between 1847 and 1978) all LDS endowment-related temple ordinances were denied to all Black women and men in

3672-505: The same sex as the participant ("on behalf of the dead" or "by proxy"). Ordinances performed in the temple include: Most ordinances are performed by proxy only on participants who have already completed the ordinance. Similarly, most ordinances are completed only one time for a participant in a lifetime and all subsequent temple ordinance participation is seen as acting for a dead individual. Baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination are usually performed in temples only when on behalf of

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3744-407: The second-youngest son, received double the inheritance of his brothers, treated as if he were the firstborn son instead of Reuben, and so his tribe was later split into two tribes, named after his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. The Israelites were the descendants of twelve sons of the biblical patriarch Jacob . Jacob also had at least one daughter, Dinah , whose descendants were not recognized as

3816-539: The standard design further increased the size and complexity of the temples. The majority of the temples dedicated under Hinckley's tenure were of the smaller design, but one particularly noteworthy achievement was the rebuilding of the temple in Nauvoo, Illinois , known as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple . Hinckely's successor, Thomas S. Monson , dedicated 26 temples during his time as church president. His counselors in

3888-799: The temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as a "House of the Lord", after which only members who are deemed "temple-worthy" by their congregational leaders are permitted entrance. Temples are not churches or Meetinghouses designated for public weekly worship services, but rather are places of worship open only to the faithful where certain rites of the church must be performed. The LDS Church has 367 temples in various phases, which includes 201 dedicated temples (192 operating and 9 previously-dedicated, but closed for renovation ), 3 scheduled for dedication , 48 under construction , 1 scheduled for groundbreaking , and 114 others announced (not yet under construction). There are temples in many U.S. states, as well as in many countries across

3960-466: The temple features ponds with waterfalls, pine trees, and flower gardens. Over the years, the temple has undergone several renovations to preserve its structural integrity, update facilities, and enhance its spiritual and aesthetic appeal. The most significant renovation project commenced in 2015. In March 2015, the temple closed for renovations that were expected to last 18 months. The renovations took nearly two years and following their completion,

4032-472: The temple focused on several key areas, including mechanical and electrical upgrades, a 20,000 square foot extension, a 46-room extension, and new windows. These changes were made to ensure the temple's compliance with contemporary building standards and to accommodate the evolving needs of the church and its members. One of the notable aspects of the renovation was the restoration of the original murals. This particular enhancement served to preserve and restore

4104-728: The temple for time only. It may only be used in conjunction with a standard temple recommend. A limited-use recommend is available to members who have not yet received their endowment or who have not been a member for one year. These may also be issued to a group for a single visit to the temple, to youth 11 and older, or to others for specific cases. Those without recommends occasionally need to enter temples after dedication during fires, medical emergencies, or building inspections. They are escorted by temple personnel during such visits. Temples may offer introductory tours to new local firefighters and emergency medical technicians during regularly scheduled maintenance periods. The LDS temple wedding

4176-484: The temple from 1975 to 1980. As of 2022, Patrick Michael Poston is the current temple president. Temples in Eastern Idaho ( edit ) Temple (LDS Church) Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple with missionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of

4248-444: The temple ordinances outside the temples". To enter the temple, an individual must be baptized, and after one year, may seek a temple recommend , which authorizes admission to the temple. The person is interviewed by their bishop , during which the candidate is asked a series of questions to determine worthiness to enter the temple. The individual is also interviewed by his or her stake president . The bishop and stake president sign

4320-432: The temple recommend questions have changed significantly, though less so in recent years. The standard temple recommend authorizes a member who has been baptized at least one year prior to take part in all temple ordinances and is valid for two years. A recommend for living ordinances is given to individuals who are participating in the endowment for the first time, being sealed to a spouse, or anyone being married in

4392-724: The temple representing three different offices in both the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthood . A statue of the Angel Moroni , stands atop many temples built after the Salt Lake Temple. The statue design represents the Latter-day Saint belief that Moroni was the angel spoken of in Revelation 14. LDS Church members perform rituals (termed ordinances ) within temples. They are taught that temple ordinances are essential to achieving

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4464-594: The temple until April 30, 1846, when it was formally dedicated in a private ceremony by Joseph Young , the senior of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy . It was used for three months, then abandoned in late summer 1846. The completed temple was eventually destroyed by fire, and the remaining structure was later demolished by a whirlwind . Upon reaching the Great Basin , Brigham Young began to build settlements based on

4536-451: The temple was selected due to the expansion of the church in southeastern Idaho. The groundbreaking ceremony, took place on December 19, 1939, marking the commencement of construction. This ceremony was presided over by David Smith and attended by local church members and community leaders. The exterior of the temple was completed in September 1941 and the interior was expected to be completed

4608-416: The temple's appearance and function. Symbolism is an important component of worship for church members. These symbols include the central spire and baptismal font. To members of the church, the central spire represents reaching upwards to heaven. In the temple, baptismal fonts rest on the back of 12 oxen, symbolizing the twelve tribes of Israel and the strength and power of God’s work. The landscaping around

4680-522: The tribal names are "not personal names, but the names of ethnic groups, geographical regions, and local deities. E.g. Benjamin , meaning "son of the south" (the location of its territory relative to Samaria ), or Asher , a Phoenician territory whose name may be an allusion to the goddess Asherah ." Historian Immanuel Lewy in Commentary mentions "the Biblical habit of representing clans as persons. In

4752-412: The tribe to others in the Israelite confederation. Translator Paul Davidson argued: "The stories of Jacob and his children, then, are not accounts of historical Bronze Age people. Rather, they tell us how much later Jews and Israelites understood themselves, their origins, and their relationship to the land, within the context of folktales that had evolved over time." He goes on to argue that most of

4824-558: The tribes receiving an allotment were: The twelve tribes of Israel are referred to in the New Testament . In the gospels of Matthew ( 19:28 ) and Luke ( 22:30 ), Jesus anticipates that in the Kingdom of God his disciples will "sit on [twelve] thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel". The Epistle of James ( 1:1 ) addresses his audience as "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad". The Book of Revelation ( 7:1–8 ) gives

4896-513: The world. Several temples are at historical sites of the LDS Church, such as Nauvoo, Illinois , Palmyra, New York , and Salt Lake City, Utah . The importance of temples is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in "temple work" is strongly encouraged for all Latter-day Saints (LDS). Within temples, members of the church make covenants , receive instructions, and perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances , such as baptism for

4968-541: Was divided into twelve sections corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. However, the tribes receiving land differed from the biblical tribes. The Tribe of Levi had no land appropriation but had six Cities of Refuge under their administration as well as the Temple in Jerusalem . There was no land allotment for the Tribe of Joseph , but Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh , received their father's land portion. Thus

5040-454: Was rededicated on June 4, 2017, by Henry B. Eyring. The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple has made an impact on both the cultural landscape and the local community. Since its establishment in 1945, the temple has not only been a place of worship for church members but has also represented church expansion as the first temple built in Idaho. The temple plays a role in both educating and spiritually uplifting

5112-556: Was smaller than the Nauvoo Temple had been. Both Cardston and Laie were dedicated under church president Heber J. Grant , as was a temple in Mesa, Arizona . George Albert Smith dedicated the next temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho . David O. McKay dedicated five additional temples including one in Bern, Switzerland —which was the first temple dedicated in Europe and the first temple to use film recording of

5184-487: Was the first of many temples to receive an angel Moroni statue after its original dedication, in this case nearly 40 years later. The building's name was changed from the Idaho Falls Temple to the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple in 1999 when the church introduced standardized naming conventions for its temples. Throughout its history, the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple has served as a center of spiritual growth, playing

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