In an attempt to figure out why the City of Cedar Park, TX kept scraping up sections of a nearby road that were quickly patched with rectangular asphalt patches, I discovered that a Mormon temple was going to be built behind the chapel that was constructed nearby 10+ years or so ago.

I suppose it'll be another "mini temple" like the one they built up in Lubbock, TX (behind a small stake center chapel); these smaller "mini temples" kind of remind me of gas stations that double as fastfood joints... Not as impressive, or busy (or as well utilized) as stand-alone fast food restaurants.

It's going to be pretty close to the nearby high school's FFA animal holding pens, so, those visiting (when it's up and running around 2026) might be treated to some interesting livestock smells.

Seems to be a poor allocation of funds considering the proximity of so many other chapel / temple combos in Texas.

Would have been cheaper to just take over the spot recently vacated by Church's chicken at a nearby Exxon/Church's chicken location up the road.

There also doesn't seem to be a sufficient Mormon population to operate another temple in central Texas. If Church's chicken couldn't make it in this town, a Mormon temple probably won't do much better.

There's one main driving force behind all this: Russell Nelson's ego.

I sometimes wonder about the church's endgame. Do they want temples to be nearly as common as ward buildings or stake centers? They certainly have the money to pull that off. But at what point will it dawn on them that the "if we build it, they will come" philosophy is not quite panning out as they expected?

It seems to be working so far.
Temple attendance is constantly hammered into your head at church.
Those without a Temple recommend are relegated to 9th class status.

Would have been cheaper to just take over the spot recently vacated by Church's chicken at a nearby Exxon/Church's chicken location up the road.

The church is cheap even though $$$ is no object. They don't want to pay a higher price for a lot zoned for commercial business. The church used to be hell bent on purchasing lots (especially hillsides) that were visible to passing motorists, airplane fliers etc but that was GBH's mantra of being a beacon to the world.

I don't have to remind everyone that Nelson has all but abandoned every GBH policy and church practices due to his extreme disdain for Hinckley.

The church also used to approach cities and municipalities (outside the Morridor) with the selling point that LDS temples are infrequently used, well hidden from the road and pose no nuisance to existing neighbors. Now I think the church has a clause stating that they can and will build as many buildings on existing church plots with or without consent from local zoning laws.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2024 09:50AM by messygoop.

>build as many buildings on existing church plots with or without consent from local zoning laws.

You have been paying attention to controversies in places like Cody, WY and Heber, UT. right?

Ignoring local zoning laws is not an option. Those laws have teeth. Pressuring zoning boards and city councils to grant a waiver is an option, but ignoring the laws is not.

You can buy laws with money apparently.

True, but that is neither new, nor exclusive to Mormons. And even that doesn't always work. It took years and considerable arm-twisting to get the zoning for the Belmont, MA temple approved. The fact that Mitt R was the local stake president at the time didn't seem to help the Mormon request.

But yes, the Mormon establishment has enough money and power that they can wiggle and squirm and just plain hang on forever, so that they will eventually get enough of what they wanted to be satisfied.

> they can wiggle and squirm and
> just plain hang on forever, so
> that they will eventually get
> enough of what they wanted to
> be satisfied.


You have described my third wife reattaching herself to her first husband.  Surely there's an opera based on this theme!

IIRC, Belmont held firm on the height restrictions. It's a wealthy community, and they likely had the resources to fight the church.

"Originally, the church had proposed a 124-foot steeple, then reduced it to about 100 feet.

"In the end, a compromise by the church to lower the steeple’s height to 90 feet saved the proposal, said councilman Steve Bromberg, who helped resolve the neighborhood feud in his district."


https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-14-me-mormon14-story.html