Originally this blog was meant to discuss just Mormon temples, but I have found the need to bring up church buildings as well. Regular Mormon church buildings (sometimes called 'meetinghouses', 'chapels', 'ward houses', or 'stake centers') are different than Temples. A church is where regular Sunday worship happens.
(Click here to learn more about the difference between the two!)
There are several thousand Mormon church buildings around the world. Churches are very similar in purpose to any other Christian church - they are used for Sunday worship, Sunday School, weekday activities, scout troops, youth groups, service projects, community events, weddings, funerals, etc. In areas with a larger Mormon population, one church building is often shared by two or three congregations. Churches are almost always open to the public, and tours are available anytime if you are interested, simply contact the local members or missionaries. (I will be posting a virtual tour in the future)
Here are examples of Mormon church buildings (a.k.a. meetinghouses, chapels, etc)
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| A Mormon church in the United States |
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| A Mormon church in Guatemala |
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| A Mormon church in the United States |
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| A Mormon church in Ireland |
Temples, on the other hand, are quite rare. There are only about 150. They are rarely open on Sunday (currently only the Hong Kong China temple opens on Sunday). They are only open to members who have been recommended by their local leaders. They are only used for small ceremonies, not large worship services or classes. They are considered the most sacred places on earth for Mormons.
Here are examples of Mormon Temples:
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| Mormon Temple in Ghana |
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| Mormon Temple in Brazil |
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| Mormon Temple in Taiwan |
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| Mormon Temple in Denmark |
*Photos in this post courtesy of the LDS Church (
https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/)
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