The Temple report

Dear Elder Walker:

The April renovation of the Spokane Temple is completed.  I am writing this letter to let you know how happy we are with the work that was done.  Everything that was done was done by artists who put their best efforts into the project.

The additional lighting and movement of the sound speakers in Ordinance Room “A” enhanced the already beautiful room.  With the new lighting we see colors and details that were obscure before.  When one sister went into the room for the first time she said: “Oh look, they replaced the murals!”

The new tile floors are beautiful and worthy of a temple.  The workers who performed the work were exceptional.  If we ever do tile work again in the temple, I want the same tile workers to return.  I do not know how they accomplished what they did.  They worked six days a week for three solid weeks. 
They came to the temple at 8:00 AM or 9:00 AM in the morning and worked until 1:00 AM or 2:00 AM in the morning – straight through.  They were on their knees bending over their work the entire day.  They finished their work Saturday evening at 11:00 PM of the third week.  Not only did they work long hours but they were exacting in what they did.  I watched one of the workers work for over an hour placing one piece of border tile that was about 6 inches long and an inch and a half wide.  He shaved, sanded and cut until the piece fit perfectly.

The initiatory is gorgeous and beautiful beyond belief.  When I open the temple in the morning I go into the initiatory just to look at it.  The wood work and the fountain are beautiful.  They have to be seen to be appreciated.

The painters and wall paper hanger put the finishing touches into the work.  The detail and time they took to finish their projects were admirable.  Because the painters could not work until other work was completed, they were the last to complete their work.  They came into the temple on Monday morning of the fourth week and worked through the night until 5:00 AM Tuesday morning.  As I locked up the temple Tuesday morning I met another member of the Temple Presidency who was coming to open the temple to start ordinance work.

I tried to describe the work that was performed above but there was another part of the project that especially impressed me.  Every one of the workers was temple worthy and held a current temple recommend.  Each was dressed in white as they worked in the temple.  They were as quiet as they could be, treated the temple as a sacred place and brought a good spirit into the temple.  We did not have that before.  I appreciated each one of them and was glad to see them each day.

As the work progresses in the future, I hope these same workers will return to the Spokane Temple.

Thank you for all you do and what you have done for the Spokane Temple.  I appreciate everyone in Salt Lake for their support and effort.  The Spokane Temple is more beautiful than it was before.  Everyone who works and all the patrons who come to the Spokane Temple are impressed with what was done and appreciate the blessing the temple is in each of our lives.

Sincerely, your brother;

Charles H. Recht

Temple President

Way to go Jared.  We seemed pretty sure that we wouldn't want to do anymore work on temples if it meant more traveling and all the long hours, but last week at the temple Jared said he was having the feeling that he really wanted to go work on another one.  So we'll see, hopefully it won't be anytime this year.  I guess it's like any other passion, it may stress you out and is lots of work but the pay off makes it worth it.