Editor’s Note: This story was part Universe Live’s October magazine show for The Daily Universe Magazine.
COVID-19 changed just about every aspect of worship, including worship inside temples. Daily Universe reporter Ingrid Sagers joins Universe Live anchors Amy Griffin and Emily Jones for an interview about the story she wrote for The Daily Universe October magazine.
Griffin: Can you give us a brief overview of the different phases the Church created to reintroduce temple worship during the pandemic?
Sagers: Phase 1 allows living sealings for husband and wife to be made by appointment. Phase 2 allows for all livings ordinances to be made by appointment. Phase 2B allows proxy baptisms to be included as well. Phase 3 allows for all living and proxy ordinances to be done by appointment and Phase 4 will allow all ordinances to be done without any limitations at all.
Jones: We heard you had the opportunity to talk to a temple worker who worked through these different phases. Can you tell us a bit about their inside look into all of these changes?
Sagers: I interviewed a woman named Jade Rogers and she began her time as a temple worker right before the pandemic started. During the pandemic she was in contact with the temple presidency through Zoom or email or newsletter but when she returned in July of this year to be a temple worker, she said it was a little difficult to rededicate that time, that temple time. All of those hours in the temple, but that has been a very big blessing ever since.
Griffin: We’ve also noticed changes surrounding the angel Moroni statue, can you tell us a bit about that?
Sagers: The Church has released many new renderings for many of the temples that they have been announcing. Many of those renderings do not include the angel Moroni statue to be included on the top. The Hong Kong temple is an example of a temple that is currently under reconstruction and renovation but when it is reopened it will actually no longer have the angel Moroni statue on top.
Copies of The Daily Universe Magazine are available on racks around campus throughout the whole month of October.
