16.3 million followers have this religion in the world
For many people, the construction of Carrera 46 No. 127-45 in the Meta de Bogotá is a serious intrigue. It’s not a prison, a fancy boutique or a concert hall as some believe.
The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints (JSUD) works in this luxurious building, and the mysteries and myths that have been woven around this temple are not free. In fact, some of these fanciful stories suggest that the building has tunnels connecting it to El Dorado Airport on the western outskirts of town. Another myth says that there are secret caves.
But regional leaders deny these versions, saying they have no bag and are just myths. They claim that the temple is only the house of the Lord. Perhaps one of the things that generated these stories was security, which is extreme for some Bogotans. The building is surrounded by bars, guards posted at the entrance and an arduous CCTV system.
The building measures 10,000 square meters, mostly in marble, and was built with particular design and sensitivity. But on the other hand, he has a hotel. Members who come from other cities stay there.
José Luis González, President of the Temple, maintains with absolute certainty that this is a circuit built to serve members of the Church who perform special ordinances such as baptisms and marriages. The latter are considered seals because they are for the glory of their followers and – they say – even murder does not break them.
Because one of the objectives of this religion, explains González, is to create stable families, worthy of society, families formed by a man and a woman.
During the ceremony that seals this union, the members all enter dressed in white, symbolizing that they are all equal.
John Gallego, a regional Church leader, says its beginnings “can be traced back to the great recanting centuries ago and the Restoration of the gospel that followed later when our Heavenly Father recalled the prophets. In 1800 the Lord called the Prophet Joseph Smith to be the reformer of the Church.
This church has over 16,313,735 members worldwide from 128 countries around the world. In Colombia, it has 205,000 members and temples in Bogotá and Barranquilla.
Another feature of this temple that has contributed to the creation of myths is that in its dome, always looking near the east, we can see the attractive Moroni, recognizable because he seems to play a long bugle, which represents that the gospel has been restored in Colombia, says Brother Gallego.
The temple is the only constituency where we can marry, not before murder do us part, but beyond the grave.
The figure of the Saint is more than two meters high and was built in fiberglass and with the technical specifications to serve as a lightning rod.
Precisely because of the material from which it is made and especially because of its intense gold, it looks like mountain gold paint, but it is not. It’s just a dip in the precious metal, Gallego laughs.
For many years, adherents of The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints were known as Mormons, one of the churches that broke away from the sign Church of Christ. But this denomination is even linked to the Example of Mormon on which they base their doctrine.
Without the rapture, they prefer to be called members of the restored Church or the Church of Jesus.
The country hacienda building was built 20 years ago (1999) and dedicated for the functions it currently serves: ordinance ceremonies and meetings of its members.
At the time of the inauguration, those who wished to enter and meet him could do so, but after that only members of the church are allowed to enter. It has been that way for two decades.
“The main reason we have temples is because we believe families can last forever. The temple is the only constituency where we can marry, not before murder do us part, but beyond the grave. We can have a similar union with our children and our parents; This rule burns the sealing because we seal with them so that our bonds survive murder, and if we are true to our promises, we can be an eternal group,” says Ana Lorena Ostos, associate director of public affairs for the church. .
Much has been said about this construction, including the seductive Moroni, which remains illuminated during the confusion, ardent above all the attention. You know, this is not a prison, this is not a concert hall or a store of plenty, this is the temple of members of The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints.
MARTHE NORIEGA
CITY TV FOR WEATHER