Boise Temple Celebration: Treasure of Light

(Photos came from the Idaho Statesman Newspaper.)

 

Saturday night, November 17th was the Boise Temple Cultural Celebration. The youth in our area have been practicing for months in order to perform for our dear Prophet, Thomas S. Monson.

 

The celebration for the re-dedication of the Boise Idaho Temple was held in the Taco Bell Arena and broadcast throughout the valley to local church buildings.

 

During the celebration, we enjoyed singing and dancing to honor both the Boise valley's culture and the importance for the temple in the lives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint members.

Saturday evening, before the re-dedication of the Boise temple the youth presented a wonderful celebration.

9,200 young women and young men from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took over the Taco Bell Arena in a celebration called "Treasure of Light".

 

  Hundreds of young women and young mean filled the arena floor with a rousing square dance as quilts were fluffed skyward and wagon wheels spun, depicting the Mormons' migration to the west.

 

Ninety fiddlers played.

 

Other young women and young men paid tribute to the computer chip - a mainstay of the Valley's economy- by doing a synchronized dance in black pants and tops with brightly colored pick, green and yellow slits down their sleeves. They tumbled and pulled a few break dancing moves.

As the theme to “Chariots of Fire” played, they came on in blue and orange T-shirts symbolizing Boise State University and pulled off a couple of slow-motion plays as the audience broke into a spontaneous wave.

Youth cultural celebrations centered on building and rededicating LDS temples,“It shows our prophet that we really appreciate our temple and shows him that we know the true meaning of the temple and why it’s there,” said Tanner Myler, 17, who danced as part of the stream that wound around Lexie’s and other girls’ maypoles.

 

 The celebration means that the temple is opening and we get to celebrate our heritage of our community." "It was amazing, a once in a lifetime experience."

Thomas S. Monson, told the young people that he often reminds other church leaders “these are the events we ought to have.”

“I’m not easily put down,” he added, as the arena packed with young people, church leaders and other adults erupted in laughter.

They roared approval when he raised both his arms in jubilation after the performance.

And they returned their respect by waving thousands of yellow flags at the final hymn. Yellow was meant to symbolize the light of Christ, but it’s also Monson’s favorite color.