For those interested in seeing the new Payson Utah Temple, the open house will open to the public this Friday, April 24, and run through Saturday, May 23, 2015. It will be available every day except Sundays, April 26 and May 3, 10, and 17. The temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Sunday, June 7. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast only within the Payson Utah Temple district, which will take portions of the Provo and Manti Temple districts.
The opening of the new temple is creating some growing pains for some of the nearby temples. I have heard that the new temple will pull about 1/3 of the 3000 temple workers out of the Provo Temple district, which in turn is pulling about 1100 temple workers out of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, Utah. This has both temples scrambling for new temple workers. I don’t know how it is affecting the Manti Temple District.
Even though temple workers are trained in Mt. Timpanogos, they will automatically be released at the beginning of May if they live in any of the 22 Orem, Utah stakes. (Yes there are at least 22 stakes in the city of Orem!) Temple workers wishing to continue service in the Provo Temple need to get a bishop’s recommendation, who will then forward a request to the stake president, and then the Provo Temple president will call them in for an interview. This is one of the few callings in the church where one can request a calling. So, if you’re interested in serving in the temple and have a valid recommend, go talk to your bishop! Typically in these larger temples, volunteer workers are asked to serve one (or more) 6-7 hour shift(s) each week, and are asked to serve for about 2 years, but many people serve much longer.
While a temple president and counselors, as well as the few employees who work in the cafetaria or laundry can live outside the temple district boundaries, volunteer temple workers must reside within the temple boundaries. It seems kind of silly to go through all these steps when the person has been serving faithfully for all these years. I wonder why these temple volunteers aren’t just simply transferred to the new temple. Apparently the temple president will need to set apart these 2100 workers by laying on of hands, as well as the estimated 1000 new temple workers needed to staff the temple. Doesn’t this seem like redundant work? Why do you think these steps are necessary?
Wheat & Tares 
I note that when set apart for callings the ward and stake is also specified. I would imagine that setting apart to serve in the temple is much the same, and would specify the temple/ temple district. If I’m correct, then the workers being transferred would need to be set apart for the new temple/ district.
Because callings, for the most part, are unique to the organizational unit. A young men president doesn’t move out of Ward A into Ward B and automatically insert himself and begin to function as a young men president. A temple district is a unique geographical area composed of certain stakes. Therefore, once a new temple district is formed, everything starts fresh. Just be thankful there are thousands of available workers. In the mission field it is much tougher to find, train and keep temple workers.
I understand, but this seems silly when you’re talking about thousands of people, not a handful in a ward.
Set apart the 1000 and let the 2100 simply start serving. While the setings apart are going on, let someone outside the presidendcy preside over the workers premeetings. In other words, let’s get going.
Similar things happen with new Wards and Stakes. If you are part of the new ward, everyone is released from their callings, then they are called and set apart individually, even if they are going back into the same position. Same thing for Temple workers. I was set apart to work in the San Antonio temple, I was instructed that I could not work in other temples unless I was called and set apart to work in them.
Don’t forget to shave and get rid of your small children.