Chileans prepare for temple's return
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Waiting more than a year to attend the temple was apparently too much to ask the members of the Arica Chile Stake.
Their country's sole temple in Santiago remains closed for reconstruction until early next year. So the Arica members recently opted to travel west to Bolivia via rail to attend the Cochabamba Bolivia Temple. The trip was not without risk. Amid tensions between the bordering nations, trains carrying Chilean payload had sometimes come under attack in Bolivia.
Recognizing the danger, the Arica members prayed for safety, then traveled to the temple without incident, said Elder M. Gonzalo Sepulveda, an Area Seventy in Chile.
"It's obvious that people are thirsty to attend the temple again," Elder Sepulveda said.
Now members throughout the South American nation are eager for February to arrive. After undergoing extensive refurbishing, the Santiago Chile Temple is expected to be rededicated Feb. 26 to once again serve the more than half million LDS Chileans. The temple was originally dedicated in 1983 by President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor in the First Presidency.
Besides being enlarged, the temple is also undergoing improvements to its exterior. The temple baptistry is also being renovated and a new font, supported by a dozen sculpted oxen, is being installed, Elder Sepulveda said.
While the Arica members traveled to Bolivia for temple worship, other LDS Chileans have made excursions to the Buenos Aires Argentina Temple. Thousands of other faithful Chileans have simply crossed off the days and prepared for their temple to once again open its doors.
"When we learned that the temple would be closed for remodeling, we suggested to the Chilean members that this would be a great opportunity to remodel our own lives in harmony with the principles of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ," said Elder Francisco J. Vinas of the Seventy and president of the Chile Area.
Even as Chilean members prepare for the time when they can return to the temple, they are also using the rededication of the Santiago Chile Temple as a vehicle to share the gospel with others. Elder Sepulveda said many are excited to bring friends and relatives to the temple's open house beginning Jan. 21. Church public affairs officials in Chile will also be working with local media to spark attention for the temple.
A Chilean cultural celebration is also being planned at a 14,000-seat stadium in Santiago on Feb. 25, a day before the dedication ceremony.
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
