M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
The Laie Hawaii Temple One Beautiful Morning
A Photographic Essay by Scot Facer Proctor
As I contemplate writing the first line of this essay, I hear the tune of the beautiful primary hymn coming to my mind:
I love to see the temple.
I’m going there someday —
To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray.
For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.
I’ll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.
Those simple words stir my soul so deeply. I truly do love to see the temple — any temple. I love to be on the temple grounds and to partake of the peace that is so prevalent there. I love to feel the Spirit as I am around the temple. Anyone can feel the Spirit around the temple, whether that person is of our faith or not. They can even feel the Spirit just viewing pictures of the temple.
Since part of our doctrine states: “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things,” [1] I felt like I would like to take you to a few temples and let you feel the amazing peace that truly dwells around the House of the Lord. These temples truly are lovely and praiseworthy and I want to share some beautiful photographs of them with you.
Maurine and I are blessed to be able to travel a great deal. Whenever we are near a temple, save a few exceptions, I schedule in the time it takes to shoot a photo essay of that edifice. This very week, one year ago, we were in the islands of
I will not only take your around the temple site with my camera but with my stream of consciousness.
Click on all photos to enlarage
The light would come any second to touch this place.
There are few temples in the world that can match the breathtaking setting of the
The moon was still setting as the light first touched the eastern façade of the temple.
It was first announced October 1, 1915 and was dedicated November 27, 1919. To put it in perspective, Joseph F. Smith had died just one year before. Heber J. Grant was now the President of the Church. Young Gordon Hinckley was nine years old. Tommy Monson would not be born for another nearly eight years.
Flowers abound in this beautiful place, including this stunningly beautiful hibiscus.
If I were to picture what paradise really looks like, I think I would have to start by imagining the setting of the
The first light caused beautiful shadows to be cast on the walls around the temple lot.
I love what happens to my mind when I am walking around the temple.
The bird of paradise grows prolifically here.
It is as if the verse from Section 121 of the Doctrine and Covenants just naturally comes to bear — “and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon they soul as the dews from heaven.” [2]
The Psalmist wrote: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” [3]
No matter what direction I would turn with my camera around this beautiful edifice, I would capture wondrous pictures.
[1] 13th Article of Faith.
[2] D&C 121: 46.
[3] Psalm 24: 3,4.
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
The Laie Hawaii Temple One Beautiful Morning,
Part 2
A Photographic Essay by Scot Facer Proctor
I’ve seen pictures of this temple my entire life but I had never been here before this trip. I continued to be filled with joy as I walked around the grounds.
I do enjoy looking at a temple with my camera from every angle.
This temple is magnificent. Two other temples were built in this same period with similar architectural style — Cardston Alberta and Mesa Arizona. I’ll soon be doing a photo essay on the Mesa Temple. If you think about these three temples, they all look like they are related.
This view gives you an idea of the setting of this temple.
I loved the way each tree, each sidewalk, each fountain; each landscape feature bespeaks a holy place. I love the fact that in our ever-changing world, there are anchors. The temples are anchors for me.
Even the trees testify of a Divine Creation.
I’m sure the natives in Hawaii would tell me that being here the first week of March the flowers and foliage were not as full and beautiful as at other times of the year. I felt like I was getting the full show of beauty.
There is truth in landscaping. The angles and curves can help lead us closer to our Maker.
I love lines that lead us heavenward. This place seemed to be full of them.
The columns and the trees seemed to be in harmony with each other.
I could see taking some beautiful pictures of a lovely bride and handsome groom here in this setting.
The closer I started looking at this temple and the grounds the more I saw intimate details. I will now continue through the essay with photo captions only.
We arrived here before the fountains came on.
There are some advantages to being here early.
Everything about this place spoke peace to my soul.
Click here to go to Part 3 of The Laie Hawaii Temple One Beautiful Morning
M E R I D I A N M A G A Z I N E
The
Part 3
A Photographic Essay by Scot Facer Proctor
I was certainly drawn to this artwork.
I loved the depictions of this piece.
Before long the water was turned on and provided for some beautiful pictures.
I loved all the relief work around the top of the temple. I haven’t been to Cardston, but I know the same kind of design is around
Scenes from the Restoration are displayed here as well as other significant events important to the islands of
It’s amazing how the color of light (or the temperature as we say in photography) changes rapidly with each passing minute in the morning. Now the temple was looking quite brilliant and white against the beautiful blue skies.
I love these two phrases on every temple: The House of the Lord — Holiness to the Lord. They inspire reverence and awe in me.
I look at this picture and I think of Isaiah and Micah and the phrase: “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” [i] Just hearing those words makes me want to be a better person.
Yes, through all the beautiful architecture and landscaping, there is an entrance to the temple.
[i] See Isaiah 2: 2, 3; Micah 4: 1, 2.
The
Part 4
I noticed a BYU-Hawaii student coming here to do some studying and pondering of the scriptures.
I thought that was such a great idea. The BYU-Hawaii Campus is located only a few blocks from here.
Here you can see a depiction of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.
I loved looking across this through the fountain to the beautiful
senior couples like to come here on a mission? It’s a rough assignment,
but someone has to do the work here too!
I hated to leave this place. The draw for us to stay was very powerful.
The blooming flowers were so delightful.
Even some of the trees were blooming with
delicate, gorgeous flowers.
This shot, I know, is a bit more predictable, symmetrical and straightforward. It kinds of looks like a postcard
and the caption on the back would say the same thing as the words on the front.
I couldn’t resist pulling out my big lens and getting a couple of shots through the fountain towards the temple.
I love shooting moving water. It always reminds me of “living waters.”
Again, the angles, the upward motion of the water, the
beautiful architectural lines of the temple — all pointed my
soul towards the heavens. For some reason I couldn’t help thinking about
“Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.” [i]
As we drove away and looked back at this amazing temple,
I thought, “I have truly been blessed to have been here
this morning.” I hope you have been too.
Click here to go to
[i]
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