At the Provo Tabernacle, April 2012
(Eliot 4 1/2, Zachary 9 months)
Our little family is watching with great anticipation the building of the "Provo Tabernacle Temple" (what we're calling it; not sure what the official name will be). The area of south Provo where the former tabernacle/future temple stands is where our life began as a married couple. Grant and I lived in that very humble neighborhood for nearly five years, from when we were newlyweds in a scary little apartment where the Backman metal foundry, railroad tracks, and freeway overpass all intersect. It was a pretty shady place to live, that's for sure, but it was a wonderful, memorable time in our lives. There we were, as young newlyweds, high on life and full of hope, both fresh off our missions and ready to be put to work in one of the most poverty stricken neighborhoods of Utah. And put to work we were! We got to work right in the trenches, me as the Gospel Principles teacher, ward missionary, Young Women camp director, and eventually as a counselor in the Relief Society Presidency, Grant as Ward Mission Leader, Employment Specialist (a big calling in that particular ward, where a large percentage of the members were facing severe economic hardship), and then as counselor in the bishopric.
To say that we loved our time in that ward would be a gross understatement. I cannot think of that time in my life without filling with emotion and being so grateful that Heavenly Father led us to an area where we were truly needed. It was the best thing that could have happened to us as a newly married couple. To this day, I am convinced that those circumstances, though not ideal as far as safety, aesthetics, or convenience were concerned, were absolutely ideal for building the foundation of our marriage and family. We got to serve and work in an area where most of the members of our ward were truly downtrodden. And we got to do so alongside some of the most Christlike, pure-hearted people I have ever met. I cherish our memories in the Provo South Stake.
One of the tender blessings of living in south Provo was getting to attend stake conference in the Provo Tabernacle. There we were uplifted and encouraged to press forward by President "Buddy" Richards, our humble and magnificent stake president, who was a childhood friend of my mother's. At Christmas time, our stake was blessed to host the Living Nativity outside the Tabernacle walls, and Grant and I were fortunate enough to portray Mary and Joseph in 2005. Some of the most prized memories of our first years happened right in that humble little pocket of Provo. So it seems only fitting that our family, now growing with two little boys, will get to watch the tragically burned Tabernacle be converted into a temple. We feel deeply that this temple will be such a gift to that troubled yet wonderful little area of southwest Provo. We hope that its presence will be a light and a blessing to the people there. We plan to take our children for many more photo ops and teaching opportunities at that sacred site. Because, after all, that holy ground is part of the special place where the foundation of our family was built. We hope that our children will feel a respect and reverence for that place. It means so much to Grant and me. I will never forget when President Monson announced the plans to convert the Tabernacle into a temple at General Conference. Grant and I were both speechless and looked at each other with tears in our eyes. Our hearts are filled with joy to watch this miracle be built in a place that is so dear to us.
I'm so glad we caught this in time. This is the foundation of the original Provo Tabernacle. Apparently, a different one was there before the current one was built. You can see a picture of what it looked like below (on the "Provo Tabernacle" sign). The Church has had it excavated to dig up artifacts and do some research, but I guess they're going to cover it up again (we think they should have turned it into step-down garden, but I don't think they're taking suggestions ...)
We're excited to watch "our temple" be built up from this historic site that means so much to our little family!
(Side note: the gentleman you can see in this picture was such a fascinating person! He's a real history buff and photographer, with a special interest in photographing Church historic sites. He said he has over 9,000 photos of the Mormon pioneer trail! Amazing!)
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; ... to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; ... And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. ... And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; ... For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
-- Isaiah 61:1-4, 9-11
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