Minnesota's first Mormon temple comes to the people
St Paul MN Pioneer Press 16Dec99 D1
By Clark Morphew: Staff Writer

ST PAUL, MINNESOTA -- The open house for the Minneapolis Temple starts Saturday and continue through year-end, giving thousands in the Minneapolis - St Paul metropolitan area and in the region the opportunity to see it prior to dedication. Currently the only Temple between Chicago and Denver, the Temple will serve Church members in Wisconsin, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, as well as the 22,000 Church members in Minnesota. Dedication is scheduled for January 9th.

The 11,000 square-foot building is located on 17 acres of land in Oakdale, Minnesota, alongside another Church building and Church offices. Serving as Temple president will be Kayland Call, a retired commercial airline pilot from Burnsville, Minnesota. He will oversee the 1,400 volunteers necessary to run a 'smaller' temple. Temple sessions will be available in Hmong, Laotian and Spanish in addition to English.

According to Elder Hugh Pinnock, interviewed by the Pioneer Press, the Church has been in Minnesota for 160 years, and it is growing faster there than the worldwide average growth rate of 5 percent a year. This means that Minnesota adds two new wards or branches each year. Elder Pinnock told the Pioneer Press that while the Church's mission generally focuses on helping others, the Temple also gives benefits to members, "Most of our resources are focused on the poor and the needy, on lifting the burdens of other people,'' said Elder Pinnock, "But this temple will give us assurances that family covenants will last beyond this life. It's a wonderful reminder of how the heavenly father wants us to live.''