THE first Australian temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Carlingford has celebrated its 30th anniversary.
The temple on Pennant Hills Road opened to the public on September 20, 1984, and has served the Mormon community within NSW and Australia since.
More than 1000 people gathered at Baulkham Hills Chapel on Sunday, September 21, to celebrate the anniversary with a meeting presided by senior church leader Elder Andrew O'Riordan.
Each attendant was given a commemorative copy of the Dedicatory Prayer, which was also handed out when the temple was first opened.
"It is a sacred source of spiritual strength for the thousands of Latter-day Saints in NSW"
- — Matthew Parsons
Temple member Matthew Parsons married Jenni Parsons there 25 years ago.
"It holds a special place in our hearts and those of thousands of other couples from throughout Australia who have been married there," he said.
"It is a sacred source of spiritual strength for the thousands of Latter-day Saints in NSW."
In a video released by the Mormon community this week, 94-year-old Mary Clark reflected on her memories of the temple.
"The thought of having [the temple] only a bus ride away was very, very thrilling,"she said.
Mormon temples are different from the chapels or meeting houses where week-to-week worship takes place.
At temples Mormons take part in the highest ordinances such as marriage, or baptisms on behalf of those who have died.
Until the second Australian temple was built in 2000, the Mormon community travelled to Sydney from all over Australia.