By Lauralee Budd
The newly remodeled Papeete Tahiti Temple, which serves all of French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, will open to the public Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006, for an open house that continues until the temple dedication on Nov. 12.
The temple, built 23 years ago, was smaller then most, and in the summer of 2005 construction workers began the process of enlarg-ing the building.
?In September [of 2005] when we left [Tahiti], the building was taken down,? said Tekehu Munanui, the temple president when the structure was closed for remodeling. ?Almost everything was taken down. It was just the bare walls. I?d like to see how it looks now.?
Before the remodeling, an estimated 1,000 people attended the temple monthly, Munani said.
Munani and his wife, Henriette, currently live in Salt Lake City, but like other Tahitians in Utah, they will return for the temple dedi-cation in November.
?I missed [the first temple dedication;] that?s why I am making sure I go to this one,? said Aremi Mataoa, an interpretation event manger for the church, who will translate temple dedication into French.
The two temple dedications ? translated into French and Tahitian ? and the member meeting and cultural celebration on Nov. 11 will be broadcast to New Caledonia, BYU Hawaii Campus, Tahiti and Salt Lake City for members who cannot attend the session live.
Tahiti native, Victor Cave and his family will go to one of the satellite broadcasts in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. Cave lived in Tahiti when the first temple was built and dedicated.
?The temple has been a blessing to the people and has opened the door for missionary work,? Cave said.
