The trip we took to Utah taught me so much. It stretched me in many ways and simultaneously produced a lot of fruit. This immersive experience opened my eyes to the need for Latter-day Saints to be reached with truth, the power of the Christian gospel, and God’s work behind the scenes. One of the many moments that particularly stood out to me was our tour of the Salt Lake City temple mockup.
From the moment we arrived in Utah, we received a lot of exposure to the LDS faith. On the afternoon of the first day there, we visited Temple Square and walked around the temple. For me personally, this experience was very odd and hard to wrap my head around. The architecture and design of the temple were beautiful and seemed really majestic. However, there was a constant sense of unease in my soul. In all honesty, at times the temple felt captivating; the secret sliding walls, the heavenly room, the dimmed lights, and calm ambient music in the background…it seemed enticing.
Even so, there was a continual dark feeling of emptiness and deceit that became more noticeable with every step we took further into the temple. A thought that kept coming to mind as we toured and saw so many portraits of Jesus was that nothing about the temple and the beautiful things that filled it were actually honoring and glorifying to Him.
Because it lacks the true Jesus at its core, everything about the LDS faith is based around a false idol.
This was harsh to recognize. One of the saddest parts about this was realizing that the passion and devoted lifestyles of all our LDS friends and tour guides are built upon an empty lie. Every encounter we had with the LDS (especially those close in age to us) was heartbreaking, but at the same time highly impelling to share the gospel in all clarity and boldness. At times, this was the most loving thing we could do.
Though the first day at the temple was difficult to process (the harsh exposure to deceit, emptiness, and vanity despite its beauty and
appeal), it lit a burning desire in me to point to the true author of beauty. That moment instilled in me a mindset I carried throughout the rest of our time in Utah and into every conversation with our fellow LDS friends.
Eden Darnell, Class of 2027
We believe that when a student is rooted in truth, they become a catalyst for the Kingdom wherever they go. Help us continue to forge disciples who possess the resolve to stay faithful and the tools to make disciples. Your investment in the Multiply Fund makes this transformation possible.