PHOENIX, ARIZ

For the 18th year, thousands of twinkling Christmas lights add sparkle and joy to the holiday season for those who come to visit the Arizona Temple gardens."Oohs" and "aahs" can be heard as visitors walk under lighted archways, ponder upon the illuminated Nativity scene, stroll through brightly colored citrus trees, and look at the temple mirrored in the reflection pond framed with blue lights.

"People are really in awe of it," said Peter Reis, chairman of the event, "I'm in awe of it too."

Bill Arnett is chairman of the lighting committee and spends countless hours each year preparing the lights and setting up the displays. He said when he hears the comments of the people then he feels it's all worthwhile.

"It really touches them," he said, "but it's really not the lights, it's the temple."

Arizona LDS Congressman Matt Salmon officially turned on the lights Nov. 28. The light display will continue each night from 5:30 to 10 p.m. through Dec. 31 with concerts from local musicians nightly at 7 p.m.

Hundreds of volunteers from 26 stakes in and around Mesa make the event possible. "I really think we probably underestimate the amount of hours that goes into it," said Brother Reis, "It's well over 10,000 hours when you consider everyone that contributes."

OAKLAND, CALIF. Some 5,000 people attended the annual lighting of the Oakland Temple grounds on Nov. 29, cheering loudly when Oakland Mayor Elihu M. Harris switched on the 300,000 sparkling lights covering the walkways and landscaping of Temple Hill.

Prior to the lighting, Mayor Harris was the featured speaker at an opening ceremony attended by more than 2,000 people in the Oakland Interstake Center, adjacent to the temple. The ceremony also featured a talk by San Leandro Stake Pres. Jay Pimentel and performances by the Temple Hill Brass Ensemble and the Fairfield Stake Youth Choir.

The lighting of the temple grounds is the opening event of the annual "Days of Christmas" programs on Temple Hill, which provide family entertainment every night until Dec. 24 for the Bay Area community.

Former State Sen. Bill Campbell, who currently serves as director of public affairs in Northern California for the Church, came from Sacramento with his wife, Margene, and family to attend the event. Also in attendance were Pres. Malcolm Warner of the California Oakland Mission and his wife, Helen, Pres. Durrell Woolsey of the Oakland Temple and Elder Andrew Eyring and Sister Phyllis Kimball of the Oakland Temple Visitors Center.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

Elders Carl B. Pratt and Eran A. Call of the Seventy, presidents of Mexico South and Mexico North areas, respectively, as well as Pres. Ted E. Brewerton, president of the Mexico City Temple, spoke to about 10,000 members who attended the Dec. 7 lighting ceremony at the temple grounds. Elder Octaviano Tenorio, Area Authority Seventy and counselor in the Mexico South Area presidency, also spoke.

At the ceremony, some 155,000 lights were switched on, illuminating the gardens and shrubs surrounding the Mexico City Temple. Elder Pratt described the beauty of the lights around the temple grounds, and said he hoped those in attendance would remember that great light from a star that announced the birth of the Savior.

Elder Call spoke of the earthly ministry of the Savior, and explained that His infinite sacrifice provided the great blessing of the physical resurrection. The Savior also took upon Himself the sins of the world, thus providing spiritual salvation as well.

A choir made up of members from Tampico area stakes performed at the ceremony.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Thousands of visitors filled the grounds of the Manila Philippines Temple to enjoy the opening of this year's Manila Temple Christmas lighting season.

"This is the most successful temple Christmas lighting so far," remarked Elder Sheldon F. Child, president of the Philippines/Micronesia Area. "It has generated a lot of interest in the media and the community, and we have received wonderful comments about the program from our non-member visitors."

Now in its 13th year, the annual tradition features an hour-long program presented on six weekend nights during the Christmas season. The program includes Christmas messages from the area presidency, a 30-minute video focusing on the life of the Savior, and Christmas carols from three Metro-Manila regional choirs. More than 24,000 visitors are expected to attend.

The trees and shrubs on the temple grounds are adorned with more than 150,000 lights.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF.

Nearly 5,000 people gathered on the grounds of the Los Angeles Temple Nov. 29 for the outdoor lighting program, which featured accounts of the birth of Christ from the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. Church members Carlos Amezcua and Chuck Henry, news anchors at KTLA-TV and KNBC-TV, respectively, read the accounts given in the books of Alma and Luke.

The Southern California Mormon Choir, directed by Douglas Custance, performed a program of Christmas music, concluding with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. Keith Atkinson of Southern California Public Affairs narrated the program.

In the weeks preceding the program, members from 75 stakes devoted more than 5,000 hours of service to place 150,000 red, white and green lights in the trees and shrubbery on the temple grounds. New this year were curtains of dazzling white lights covering the front of the visitors center.

Church leaders on the dais included Michael J. Fairclough, president of the Los Angeles California Stake and priesthood adviser to the Southern California Public Affairs Council, who welcomed the visitors, and his wife, Leigh.

Others were Glen H. and Willa Rae Walker, Los Angeles Temple president and matron; Pres. Milo LeBaron of the Los Angeles mission, and his wife, Donna; Nile Sorenson, director of the Los Angeles Visitors Center, and his wife, Charlene; Lowell T. Patton, director of the family history center, and his wife, Mary Lou; and James B. Jacobson, chairman of the Southern California Public Affairs Council.

ST. GEORGE, UTAH

The stark white walls of the St. George Temple create a stunning contrast to the red rock hills that line the city. Visitors who come to the temple grounds often express the pleasure they feel when entering the valley and seeing the temple rise above the area as if it were standing guard.

The annual display of Christmas lights is a community affair where members from throughout the area spend a Saturday morning stringing lights along walls and through bushes.

Several thousand spectators lined the long sidewalks Nov. 28, to participate in the lighting ceremony. During December, various school and community singing groups will perform Christmas music on the grounds of the dazzling white temple.