HELENA — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a ceremony to celebrate their ground breaking on their new Helena Montana Temple.
The projected 10,000 square feet building is being set on a nearly 5-acre site.
“Having a temple in Helena feels like a dream come true,” says Bret Romney, President of the Helena of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The President of the Helena Stake celebrated the groundbreaking moment to 400 people and spoke of the temple site that will be shared with a new meetinghouse. He explains this project has been long awaited.
“It's been talked about for generations. I grew up here in Helena and I've heard that the members of our church longing for a temple here and to have it actually happen is just an amazing blessing that it's really hard to describe," says Romney.
The Helena Montana Temple will be the second temple for the state. The first is the Billings Montana Temple, which was dedicated in November 1999. According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Temples are considered “Houses of the Lord,” where Jesus Christ’s teachings are reaffirmed through baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. One Townsend resident is excited to have these teachings closer to home.
“It's just an opportunity for us to feel closer to the Savior and to experience that wonderful blessing of comfort,” says Michele Christensen, she is a member of the Townsend Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “When we have trouble, we often go to the Temple to feel closer to him so that we can pray and receive answers that we need."
The temple site is expected to take about 18 months to complete.
Helena, Montana is one of about 60 new temples currently announced or in-construction around the world.
