READERS RESPOND: How would a Mormon temple affect Newport Beach?

We have visited many of the Mormon temples and are always impressed

with the beauty of their architecture.

Likewise, we find the grounds surrounding them to be immaculately

manicured and landscaped beautifully with flowers and shrubs. The Los

Angeles temple has become a landmark of the city, and we find it

difficult not to look upon the splendor of the San Diego temple whenever

we drive past it. Wherever the temples are built, they add greatly to the

beauty of the neighborhood.

We believe that it will be a great honor to have a similar edifice in

our community. The Latter-day Saint people are, for the most part, a very

law abiding, civic-minded and generous people.

RICHARD AND SHERRY KETTLEY

Newport Beach

A temple will enrich our community in many ways. For worthy members:

1. It heightens our sense of eternity and our commitment to Jesus

Christ. It reminds us of our divine nature and purpose.

2. It strengthens our moral compass in a world of moral decay and

confusion. It helps us live with more integrity and compassion.

3. It reminds us that marriage is sacred and families are eternal.

A temple is a place of refuge and peace. Anything that increases

spirituality and strengthens families will be a positive influence in the

community.

STEVE AND MARIANNE EASTMOND

Costa Mesa

I do not believe the city of Newport Beach should be the city of

groundbreaking for the proposed Mormon temple. Newport Beach is known for

its fundamental conservatism and seems an inappropriate site, despite the

Irvine Co.’s eagerness to court the religion’s unlimited assets and to

encourage the construction of the grandest, largest temple rivaling that

of San Diego’s temple.

It seems that a more appropriate city in which to construct the

Mormon’s Orange County capital would be either Costa Mesa or Irvine,

cities renown for their liberalism and open-arm approach to any and all

religious faiths or lack of. Since Costa Mesa is not known for

stockpiling wealth, Irvine should be the foundation of choice.

Irvine thinks grand and great in all they do: great universities,

great schools, great villages, great work centers and great parks. A

great temple would fit right in the culturally diverse city. As for

Newport Beach, such a temple would stick out like a sore thumb and should

be given a thumbs down by the City Council.

RUSSELL NIEWIAROWSKI

Santa Ana Heights

I believe a new Mormon temple would have a profoundly positive effect

on Newport Beach for several reasons. Foremost is that it would draw

faithful Latter-day Saints from Orange County to our city for the purpose

of worshiping in a manner intended to make them better Christians and

unite their families.

If one were to visit any one of the scores of Mormon temples around

the world, they would find beautiful buildings surrounded by attractively

landscaped grounds. They are indeed a place of peace and an asset to any

community in which they are established.

J. DONALD TURNER

Corona del Mar

Every time the church has announced plans to build a temple, there has

been opposition from those in the surrounding community. Without fail,

many of those critics have come to later say they were mistaken.

Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are built

by people who love the Lord and desire to build beautiful houses of

worship that exceed the beauty of their chapels. The building of the

Bonita Canyon chapel had its share of critics. Neighbors have since

commented on the beauty of that building.

The beautifully landscaped grounds of the temples of the church are

open to the public and offer a place of peace and quiet meditation.

Members of the church desire to be good neighbors.

We participate in community service events. There was a Red Cross

blood drive at that building just this month. Our genealogy libraries are

open to the public for its own personal research. Musical concerts are

held monthly, and the public is always welcome.

On a community level, the temple can only be seen as positive. On the

spiritual side, having a temple built will add a great spiritual

dimension to this city.

Those who will be responsible for the design and architecture of the

building are aware of the concerns of the community. Many people who live

in the nearby community are homeowners in the neighborhood, and they have

no desire to do anything that would detract from the beauty of Newport

Beach.

LUANA WELLS

Costa Mesa

It should be a good thing for the Orange County community for the

following reasons:

* Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints make good

neighbors.

* There will be no significant increase in traffic because the

facility is going to be half the size of the Newport Beach stake building

adjacent to it and will probably accommodate no more than 100 individuals

at a time for the sacred services that will be conducted there.

* More people from the community at large will become familiar with

the family history facilities the Mormon Church makes available to

everyone for conducting genealogy research.

* It will be a beautiful, serene and sacred edifice.

TED BOSLEY

Santa Ana Heights