Before its creation, members of the central Texas district gathered at the temple in Dallas. Plans for the Houston temple were announced in late 1997 by the First Presidency of the Church. Groundbreaking services were held June 13, 1998. They'll have more of a chance to reflect on the teachings, and will hopefully realize that the most important thing isn't just to go to work every day, but to be a good father and mother, husband and wife. The building consists of 34,000 square feet of floor space and includes a Celestial Room, two ordinance rooms that seat 50 people each, two sealing rooms and a baptistry.
Church members change into simple, modest, white clothing before taking part in temple ceremonies.
Unlike meeting houses or chapels, the temple is closed on Sundays and is used only for sacred ordinances that bless individuals and bind families together for eternity. Kuttler said he has visited about 15 temples, but was struck by the perfection of the Houston temple. But more importantly, there's a beautiful feeling inside.