Thanks, Mormon Temple Construction Workers!

As the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues construction on their temple on Route 4 in Farmington, members of the Church from many different congregations find ways to tell the construction crews how thankful members are for the fine work being done there.

One way is for different groups across southern New England to bring treats – such as cookies, brownies, or candy – to the workers on the site. Teens and children who visit attach personalized, handwritten notes to each treat. Once or twice a week, the treats are handed out to the workers, usually by the senior married couple volunteering for 2 years from Utah as temple construction missionaries, Elder Kent and Sister Sherrie Holbrook. As a young man, Elder Holbrook served a mission in New England and went on to have a long career in construction. Both of them love the workers and this mission they serve.

A typical example began on Sunday, October 19th, when over 40 children in the Madison, CT, congregation, led by Primary president Carol Covell, prepared treats and wrote their own notes. On the following Saturday, some 30 children drove with their families and a few teachers to the temple site and presented many treats with notes to the construction missionaries. Elder Holbrook told the group, “We are just glad we can participate in giving the treats to the workers because they really love it. And they love it when the kids do the notes. Sometimes the child will write ‘thanks’ and they can’t get the ‘ks’ on, so they’ll put it down under the ‘n’. The workers love that because they know it’s genuine and from the heart.”

After the plan for a temple in Connecticut was announced in October 2010, the many children of this congregation, and so many others, began to fervently pray for the success of the plan. As it has gone forward, through site approval and the 2013 groundbreaking and now construction, the children have watched every stage with enthusiasm.

The workers evidently are affected by the experience, as well. In an email, the Holbrooks wrote: “As much as they appreciate the treats, they also look forward to the notes attached to the treats, and many have commented that they have hung the messages on their refrigerator or other places in their homes. They are so appreciative of the generosity of the members. They comment often that they are never treated in this manner at other job sites.”

Once the temple is completed the public will be allowed to go through the temple during a week or two of open houses. Elder Holbrook explains that the very “first day of the open house is for the workers and they get to bring their families, their friends – whoever they want to bring to the open house on that first day.” Besides seeing all the areas in the temple, they’ll be able to see any “areas where they’ve worked. They get to show it off to their family and friends.” After this first day for workers, there will be open house days for dignitaries and people in the neighborhood and then for the public at large. This will be a rare opportunity because, after the open house phase, the temple will be dedicated as sacred space and open only to members in good standing.