Why and What is the Temple?

The past 3 months I've tried to discover words to describe the way I feel while in Historic Nauvoo. I don't think there are words in Webster's that do it justice. For those of you who have visited here please share your thoughts and words to help me out!

There is a unity, a peace, a quietness that isn't caused because it's in a small midwest town. It isn't created because it's beautiful or because of the colorful 

sunsets on the Missippippi,

 or because the birds sing all day.

Folks come here because they want to.

 It's not on the way to anywhere else. 

It's the destination because of the history of our people and the recreation of the period to portray the story and to teach that the Lord instructed the people that it was necessary to build a Temple in the latter days. They built one in Kirtland, Ohio, but were forced to leave. They tried again in Independence, Missouri but again had to leave. This time in Nauvoo they succeeded in building one just long enough to complete necessary covenants to the Lord for themselves and their families before they were again forced to flee.

There are now over 150 Temples throughout the world. What a blessing that is.

 Nauvoo, the city, was built in order to build a Temple, a house of the Lord. Nauvoo was established so earthly & Eternal lives could be connected through the Temple covenants. 

  I feel the presence of the early saints and pioneers very strongly here in the Temple.

I hope I'm a better person because of what I've learned in the Temple. I love being there. I feel more focused  because it reinforces my perspective of what this life is really about and why I'm here on earth.

 I hope you enjoy the photos of the inside and outside of the Temple here and the brief descriptions of the purposes of each room in a Temple.

* The notations are condensed from the pamphlet "Nauvoo Illinois Temple" dedicated June 27, 2002.

THE WHAT: 

 These interior photos were taken before the Temple was dedicated and I downloaded them from the internet so the quality is compromised.  The Church has published articles with these photos so don't think that I took my camera inside such a sacred place! This is the Assembly room. I was able to play the organ here, and the beautiful piano. The piano has inlaid sunburst on the music stand and unique leg carvings created for this Temple.

 The Assembly Room

The Front Foyer is patterned after the 1840's Period. This is the house of the Lord-the most sacred place on earth. It is a spiritual haven where we can feel a special closeness to God. It is a holy place dedicated to our highest forms of worship and is a spiritual environment set apart from the outside world.

 THE WHY:

In the Temple we receive answers to the profound questions most of us have asked: Who am I? Where did I come from? Why am I here on earth? What happens to me when this life ends? This is the creation room where we as members are taught about God's eternal pre-mortal life with a loving Heavenly Father and of His plan of happiness for us during our mortal life.

In this, 2nd of 4 rooms, the garden room, we are taught of man's earthly beginnings and how those events relate to our eternal happiness. We learn about the relationship God had with Adam and Eve, our first earthly parents, in the Garden of Eden. We learn of the fall and particularly of God's infinite love for all His children in providing a Savior-His own son, Jesus Christ.

In the 3rd room, the world room, we are taught more fully about the Savior's love for us and especially about His Atonement in our behalf. As we move from one instruction room to another, we progressively increase our understanding and commitment to live a life of integrity and service, according to the Savior's gospel, with the goal of one day returning to live again with our loving Heavenly Father.

All of God's children will have the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel in this life or the next. Thus the grace of Jesus Christ is extended to everyone, and eternal life in our heavenly home will be granted to all who accept that grace through their faithful obedience.

The Celestial room helps to reminds us of our ultimate goal of living a life fully in accordance with God's commandments to allow us to return and live again with Him. Everything done in the Temple-ordinances, instruction, promises, worship, & prayer-is done in the name of Jesus Christ because the Savior and His atoning sacrifice make possible every promise and blessing of the temple. Paintings, murals, and other artwork throughout the temple reflect the life & teachings of the Savior.

John 1:10 is the Lord's invitation to all: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Skylight in the Celestial Room 

 The 5  story  spiral staircase reminds me of eternity.

A striking contrast on a late night. Angel Moroni blows his trumpet on the top of the steeple.  President Hinckley said that Nauvoo faces West and the Salt Lake Temple faces East making them bookends. 

 View from the replanted grove on the West side.

The view from the original David Cluff farm property

Windows from the lower level where the Baptistry is. The large baptisimal font rests on the backs of 12 oxen

When Jesus Christ sought out John the Baptist to be baptized by him, He taught us that baptism is an essential part of accepting His Gospel that must be performed on this earth. But what about those who lived and died without the opportunity to hear & accept that gospel? 

We perform baptisms in the temple in behalf of our ancestors who died without having the opportunity to embrace the Savior's gospel.

 (1 Corinthians 15:29) 

Deceased individuals for whom baptisms are performed have the freedom in the hereafter to choose whether to accept this ordinance, just as we have that same choice during our mortal lifetime.

I just had to throw in another pose with a cute model. She turned 8 and was baptized last May.

The view from across the Mississippi

The  glass Star windows.

Wrought Iron Fence Post

The size of the stones around the windows replicate those in the original 1846 Temple.

Sunset on the West Front. The flag is half mast for the tragedy in Dallas.

Our daughter took all of the Temple photos

Just a few family pictures from the 4th of July

Devar was the Keynote speaker for the flag raising ceremony 

DOUBLE CLUFF STUFF

Can you tell they are brothers! It's wonderful to have Devar and Becky serving a mission in Nauvoo with us. They are historic site missionary and work with the physical facilities. He just completed building a new door for the historic Cultural Hall and installed it a week ago. It looks like the original.
Mike loves his Father's Day shirt from the kids!