Temple Visitors Center Dedicated by Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

It's been about three years since residents knew about a massive makeover and a mixed-use 4.8-acre commercial and luxury residential development on the SEC of Mesa Drive and Main Street that was a small-scale version of the 23-acre Civic Creek in Temple Square in Salt Lake City. . .“This landmark in the shadow of our magnificent temple right on Main Street enriches what is the diverse and dynamic downtown Mesa. This beautiful new building will be a point of pride to the city and our church for years to come and serve as a gathering space for those who want to learn more about Jesus Christ and discover their family history,” said Julie Spilsbury, a member of the Mesa City Council and a Latter-day Saint.

Look inside the new Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center designed for youth and young adults

By Trent Toone Aug 13, 2021, 11:36am MDT

Deseret News

Elder Ulisses Soares of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the new visitors’ center on Aug. 12

When does the Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center open?

The visitors’ center will open to the public on Saturday, Aug. 14, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit MesaTemple.org.

Visitors’ Center Features

Individuals and families will be able to immerse themselves in the story of Mesa’s history, engage through interactive experiences to learn about the temple, and discover their families at the new visitors’ center.

Guests of all faiths are invited to select one of several Mesa Friends from Mesa’s early days to learn about the city’s diverse history and spiritual heritage built by Native Americans, Hispanic migrants and Mormon pioneers. After learning about Mesa’s history, visitors may want to learn more about their own family heritage. Kiosks, computers and trained volunteers are available to help community members see if they are connected to some of Mesa’s early residents, discover their family tree and record their own stories.

The original visitors’ center was dedicated in 1951 and replaced by a larger building north of the temple in 1958. That building was later expanded, but it was torn down to make room for the new facility.

The new location provides a clear view of the temple from Main Street. The building is part of the church’s effort to redevelop 4.5 acres of land along the Main Street light rail corridor in Mesa.

The new Mesa Temple Visitors’ Center, located on the southwest corner of LeSueur and Main Street, across the street from the Mesa Arizona Temple grounds in Mesa, Ariz., is pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021. Image: The Church if Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints          

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has designed a new visitors’ center experience with youth and young adults in mind as part of the Mesa Arizona Temple renovation.

The new Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors’ Center, located across the street from the temple grounds, was dedicated Friday by Elder Ulisses Soares, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, according to a news release.

“The objective for this new temple visitors’ center is to provide for our guests a new experience, through interactive multimedia, that immerses them in Mesa’s rich spiritual heritage and focuses on learning more about Jesus Christ,” Elder Soares said in the news release. “The visitors’ center was designed to help young adults feel a spirit of belonging. A variety of comfortable spaces have been developed to provide opportunities for them to gather or have a private moment to meditate.”

The addition of a new visitors’ center is part of an extensive renovation to the Mesa Arizona Temple. The 94-year-old temple has been closed since May 2018. . .

Families and individuals of all faiths can learn about Mesa’s history, the temple and discover their own family history at the new visitors’ center. Experiences are available in both English and Spanish.

“The displays in this visitors’ center teach us that there is hope and an individual plan for everybody,” Elder Soares said. “We hope that every person who comes and sees will understand that our life has a purpose and come away hoping to fulfill his or her purpose.”

• Mesa’s history: Guests can select one of several “Mesa Friends” from Mesa’s early days to learn about the city’s diverse history and spiritual heritage built by Native Americans, Hispanic immigrants and Mormon pioneers.
• Mesa Temple: Guests can examine a scale model of the temple with cutout views of each room.
• Family history: Visitors can learn more about their own family history using kiosks and computers. Trained volunteers are also on hand to assist if needed.
• Play areas: The visitors’ center has play areas for children. One part features a desert art wall for coloring. There is also a chalk wall that invites guests to share their thoughts in response to different questions.

A public open house for the Mesa temple is scheduled to start Saturday, Oct. 16, and run through Saturday, Nov. 20, except for Sundays.

President Dallin H. Oaks, of the church’s First Presidency, will preside at the rededication of the temple in several sessions on Sunday, Dec. 12.