The Salt Lake Temple Telestial Room
The Telestial Room of the Salt Lake Temple is the third of four ordinance rooms that are used to present the temple endowment to patrons. It is located just off the grand staircase on the floor above the Creation Room and Garden Room. From the outside, the Telestial Room is located behind the first row of arched windows on the Southwest face of the temple. Behind the Southeast arched windows are the sealing office.
The Telestial Room, also called the World Room, represents the post-Fall world we live in now. This is depicted in the murals through scenes of fallen trees and of animals fighting. The altar in the room is a symbolic representation of Jesus Christ. As patrons kneel at the altar, they are figuratively kneeling before The Savior.
In the Telestial Room, patrons learn about Adam and Eve after they were driven out of the Garden of Eden. Through liturgy and symbolism, patrons receive lessons in this room about redemption, building faith in God, discipleship in Jesus Christ, resisting temptation, personal integrity and exercising fidelity.
In the temple ordinance rooms, patrons make covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus under the direction of the holy priesthood. In the Telestial Room, patrons make covenants to keep and obey God’s commandments regarding chastity, benevolence, and striving to live Christ-like lives. Since a covenant is a two-way agreement, there are corresponding blessings that are promised for honoring these covenants. These include the blessings of increase in gospel knowledge and eternal life with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
The Salt Lake Temple is an example of one of 12 temples that were built with the four-room progressive style design. Contemporary 21st Century temples are built with a two-room progressive style design. The first room in the two-room style temples has murals reflecting the local landscapes and scenery of the temple’s location. These rooms correspond with the Telestial Room, or World Room, in the four-room style temples.
The Telestial Room is a reference to the Telestial Kingdom. In LDS theology, the Telestial Kingdom is the lowest of God’s Three Kingdoms of Glory. In the scriptures its glory is compared to the glory of the stars. We believe that after the resurrection, those people who didn't accept Jesus Christ and His atonement, lived sinful lives and were unrepentant will receive this lesser glory after they’ve paid the price of justice for their own sins in spirit prison.
