"It Is Thy House, A Place of Thy Holiness"

Chrisanne Serafin
Kirtland Temple Visitation (2024)
Digital art
Used with permission of the artist

Upon its completion, the Kirtland temple became the first House of God built in this dispensation, and was immediately home to multiple angelic visitations and prophetic manifestations. Jesus Christ, the prophets Moses, Elijah, and Elias, and hosts of angels all appeared in this temple.

In Kirtland Temple Visitation, artist Chrisanne Serafin portrays the moment the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery inside the newly dedicated Kirtland Temple (Doctrine and Covenants 110). Written along the border are the words of D&C 109:8 that could be interpreted as both instructions and blessings: “A house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”

As you see the radiance of Christ’s presence fill the temple in this image, you might think about how temples are places where heaven and earth meet. One can only wonder if the early saints realized the powerful place that the temple would be as they constructed it. Just as early Saints felt the power of His presence, we too can experience His glory and direction in the Lord’s house today.

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For Children & Youth

Hi. This picture shows Jesus Christ appearing in the Kirtland Temple after it was dedicated. His light filled the room and Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery saw Him. The prophet Joseph prayed that the temple would be a place where the Lord’s glory could always rest upon His people. This reminds us that temples are places where we can feel close to Jesus and know He loves us.

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