In Which We Visit a New Temple and an Old One

Utah has long had 17 operating temples, and in recent years, so many new ones have been announced, that in the next couple of years there will be 28 temples!

I have been following the progress of these temples, including taking photos of them as they near their opening dates.

This weekend, I captured the Layton Temple. This temple is not entirely finished, but it's mostly landscaping that needs to be completed. Still, they would not let me onto the property yet for safety reasons. So I settled for capturing this temple at the top of a small hill which approaches the temple. I pulled off to the side of the road, where flowers were still blooming, to get my first shot of Layton's upcoming temple. My only frustration was the telephone wires everywhere. Hopefully next year I'll be able to get some better shots with nothing obstructing the view!

Meanwhile, I spent the weekend in Vernal, Utah, and that started with sunset shots of the Vernal Temple.

The Vernal Temple was originally the Uintah Stake Tabernacle, and was built in the mid-1900s. It was converted to a temple in the late 1990s.

The red brick exterior is a rarity among LDS temples, which tend to be white or cream, or at least a soft neutral color. There are a few with a bit more color, though, and Vernal is one of them.

It's a small temple, for sure, but it's absolutely charming!

I stuck around for twilight, to see the temple all lit up to shine out during the night.

Two temples in one day is always a plus for me, and the Vernal temple is the next to last one I need to fill my checklist for the current Utah temples! (That is, of course, until all the others open LOL.)