For a century, water seeped into and damaged the pioneer-era Manti Utah Temple’s walls and the plaster under the historic temple’s cherished murals by masters like Minerva Teichert and C.C.A. Christensen. Now, that threat is gone, a church historian said after a tour for journalists Monday morning at the third-oldest temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After a 29-month renovation that included intense water mitigation as well as restoration and preservation work, the church is ready to welcome the public over the next three weeks to the first open house at the Manti Temple since 1985.
The Manti Utah Temple renovation plugged the water leaking into the temple. It also included high-level conservation work on the treasured temple murals of Minerva Teichert, C.C.A. Christensen and Robert L. Shepherd.
MOSES LAKE — Not everyone gets to step inside a temple of the Latter-day Saints. Even within the church, only members with recommendation cards known as “recommends” are allowed inside.