Can you tell me about the pulpits and the Assembly room in the Salt Lake Temple?

Question

Dear  Gramps,

You have answered some questions about the Kirtland temple pulpits, and I am wondering about the Salt Lake temple pulpits. If they still hold solemn assemblies in the top floor, who sits currently in which seats? Thank you in advance, you have a great site.

GM

Answer

Dear GM,

The pulpits in the Assembly room of the Salt Lake Temple are the same in number and purpose as those in the Kirtland Temple though not of the same design as those in the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temples.  Those in the Kirtland Temple had initials imprinted on them designating who was to sit there.  The First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, High Priests, Presidency Elders, Presiding Bishopric, Presidency Aaronic Priests, Presidency Aaronic Teachers and  Presidency Aaronic Deacons.  These designations are the same for those in the Salt Lake Temple.  A few of the other temples have assembly rooms in them,  including the Washington D.C. Temple.

The assembly room in the Salt Lake Temple is used for various meetings.  Solemn assemblies which have been called as the Lord has revealed or as His spirit has indicated are held in this room.  Those who attend are invited by the First Presidency.  Normally these meetings are for Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders.  There are rooms in the Salt Lake Temple where the First Presidency meet, where the Quorum of the Twelve meet, and where the Presidency of the Seventy meet.  When determined by the First Presidency, all of the General Authorities will meet in the assembly room to receive instruction.

Before the Missionary Training Center in Provo was built, missionaries would spend a week at the Mission Home located across the street from Temple Square prior to leaving for the mission field.   While there they had the privilege of meeting in the Salt Lake Temple Assembly room where a member of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve or Temple Presidency would speak to them.  Elder Bednar of the Quorum of Twelve,  indicated that it was President Lee who spoke to them in the Assembly room prior to his departure into the mission field.

President Hinckley stated in conference:

“While preparing the ordinances for use in more modern temples, I have spent hours and days working in the magnificent fifth-floor Assembly Room of the Salt Lake Temple.”

He went on to describe how beautiful the room is and that nothing was spared to make the Temple a worthy House of the Lord.

President Woodruff dedicated the Salt Lake Temple from the Assembly Room.  The following is his description of this wonderful event.

“The Heavenly Host were in attendance at the [first] dedication [service].  If the eyes of the congregation could be opened they would [have] seen Joseph and Hyrum [Smith], Brigham Young, John Taylor and all the good men who had lived in this dispensation assembled with us, as also Esaias, Jeremiah, and all the Holy Prophets and Apostles who had prophesied of the latter day work. … They were rejoicing with us in this building which had been accepted of the Lord and [when] the [Hosanna] shout had reached the throne of the Almighty,”they too had joined in the joyous shout.”

Gramps