A part of history.

[bladespark]

Tonight I had a unique opportunity to be a part of something historic. Most people out there have never heard of Nauvoo, but if you're a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (To give it it's full name) it's a name you know well. Nauvoo was a city built by the early LDS people in the 1830's and 40's. It was the site of our second temple, begun by the Prophet Joseph Smith, the first leader of the church, though he was martyred before he ever saw it completed. In 1846 the church members were forced to abandon the city and the temple, less than a year after the temple had been completed. Several of my own ancestors helped with the work of building, and they, like most of the LDS people at that time, sacrificed what little money they had, or if they had no money they gave the labor of their hands to build the temple. It's hard to explain what temples mean to someone who isn't of my faith. They're a visible symbol of faith, a place that's as near to heaven as we can get on earth. Building the Navoo temple was a way my ancestors could express their own faith. When the intolerance of their neightbors drove them out of Navoo on the journey that eventually ended more than a year later in what was to become Salt Lake City Utah, they had to leave that symbol behind. The temple was deliberately desecrated and eventually destroyed. A few years ago all that remained on the site were a few foundation stones showing where the temple had stood. Then in 1999 it was announced that the Nauvoo temple would be rebuilt. A few months ago the construction was completed, and today the building was dedicated. I couldn't make it to Navoo itself, and even if I could have, there are so many hundreds of thousands of church members who wanted to go I don't know if I could have made it in, but the dedication was broadcast over the church's satellite system and I was able to watch it live and participate. It was just the neatest thing. We've reclaimed a part of our history, and I've made a kind of connection with some of my own ancestors. It's something to tell my kids about. (If I ever have any, *grin*)