'Places that really touch hearts'
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MESA, ARIZ.
Making the holidays brighter is the annual Christmas lights display at the Mesa Arizona Temple.
"Celebrate the Birth of Christ in Lights and Music" features hundreds of thousands of colorful lights in stunning displays, including illuminated palm trees and flower gardens; a beautifully crafted Nativity scene, life-like figures of Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem and nightly concerts by local groups.
The annual celebration kicked off Nov. 26 when Arizona Cardinals players Max Hall and Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui flipped the switch at the official lighting program. Both LDS football players are graduates of local high schools.
Mesa Arizona Visitors Center Director Wesley White said many attended the opening night and missionaries inside and outside the center received 50 referrals from individuals or families wanting to know more about the gospel.
He encourages everyone to bring their friends to visit the lighting display in the temple gardens and then come inside the adjacent visitors center to see the holiday exhibit of international Nativities; watch "Luke II," a 10-minute film depicting the birth of Christ; or go through the 15-minute presentation titled "God's Plan for His Family."
"These are places that really touch hearts," Elder White said.
"The majority of the missionary work takes place inside the visitors center," he said. "It's the right environment and that's the main role of the visitors center — to facilitate missionary work for the members."
He pointed out that sister missionaries are on hand to answer questions. "You can see the light of Christ in their eyes and feel their testimonies."
The sister missionaries also know a lot about the more than 70 Nativities on display this year, including many large sets as well as miniatures and other artistic renderings, all made in the tradition of artisans representing various countries.
"Take time to look at the display and then ask the missionaries to point out interesting facts," he said. "There's a lot to learn about them."
The display continues through Dec. 31.
