Guam, adorned with fragrant flowers and ocean coasts, is now blessed with a newly dedicated Temple.
Marlo Oliveros Lopez along with his companion Memnet Panes Lopez have been called as the president and matron of the Yigo Guam Temple.
Temple presidents are called to oversee all activities performed at the temple. They serve voluntarily, usually for a period of several years.
Now that the temple is dedicated and receiving patrons, temple President Lopez and Matron share a few thoughts and feelings as they oversee these special temple sessions.
President Lopez tells of his experience facilitating the different temple sessions saying, “The Temple is truly a beacon of light on the island of Guam and its neighboring islands. We feel the excitement of members including our youth in performing ordinances for both the living and the dead. We are also seeing a greater interest in family history work. My wife and I are truly blessed to serve with our temple workers and patrons. The spirit of love, kindness and respect permeates to all who come to the House of the Lord. We are eternally grateful for Elder and Sister Danielson who provided the necessary training and start-up of our administrative office including the clothing and laundry department. They have made our temple operation more efficient and relevant to our local needs.”
The temple offers an opportunity to welcome many young elder and sister missionaries to do proxy ordinances as well as some to receive their own endowments that they were unable to receive prior to their serving. Local temple worthy members are starting to carpool for temple sessions. We are grateful for the support from temple worthy members that are called as ordinance workers, as well as senior missionaries to back up as ordinance workers as needed.
Youth are getting together taking their newfound family names to the temple so they can do proxy baptisms for them.
The borders of the Federated States of Micronesia, now closed, are expected to open August 1st with some restrictions, giving hope of those members being able to travel to the Yigo Temple in the near future.
Speaking of his calling, President Lopez expressed, “Since the temple was dedicated, we felt the mantle of our calling as president and matron of the Yigo Guam Temple rest upon us. We felt the weight of our sacred responsibility to ensure temple ordinances are properly administered and patrons have positive and uplifting experiences.”
This beautiful temple of the Lord, dedicated May 22, 2022, will give the people of these islands an opportunity for blessings found nowhere else.
Speaking of special experiences where he has received inspiration or revelation, President Lopez states, “One of the highlights of beginning our temple operation is the manifestation of unity and the dedication and the sacrifice of our workers. There is so much joy in learning together and supporting each other. A feeling of true sisterhood and brotherhood permeates among us. One experience I had of receiving inspiration, a personal revelation, was when I acceded to the decision reached by my counselors, temple recorder and assistants to the matron to channel all special request proxy baptisms into our online regular Saturday morning shift schedule only. I could not sleep and had a stupor of thought. Then a personal revelation entered my mind, supported by my strong feelings that our local leaders need to understand better the words “we bring the Temple closer to the members.” It is more of bringing the sacred ordinances closer to their schedule rather than just having the “sacred building” close to them. We currently accommodate all ordinance special requests outside our online regular shift schedules. We just do all we can to make it work for our patrons and ordinance workers.”
Matron Lopez shares her feelings in these words, “Serving the Lord in His Holy House as a matron is pure joy, spiritually uplifting, and soul healing service unto the Lord.”