{Temple Fireside Series} Susan Easton Black

Tonight Brad and I the opportunity to attend a fireside, a first in the series of firesides celebrating the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. We are looking forward to attending this series with speakers like, John Bytheway (wow! we have all his talk tapes), Richard and Linda Eyre, Sheri Dew, Jack Welch and more. Nearly each week until the dedication of the Temple on August 14-16th we will be able to attend these firesides. How lucky is that? Tonight we heard from Susan Easton Black. Long Longhurst (Mormon Tabernacle Choir Organist) was our organist, he's in the stake, and LDS recording artist David Toll provided the musical number.

The topic of the evening was the "Salt Lake Temple." This is what I learned: Temple means "palace." In 1847 Brigham Young was determined to build a Temple. He wanted it to have 3 spires that were taller representing the Melchizedek, and three shorter spires representing the Aaronic Priesthood. He also made a promise that the Temple would last throughout the Millenium. The people didn't want to build the Temple because they were afraid that the persecution would come again. So on February 14, 1953, Brigham Young dediced that he would build the Temple himself, and if anyone wanted to talk with him, they would know where to find him. After digging a foundation and then having to cover it up to hide it from the Army, and then digging it back up after four years, they discovered that they would have to start the foundation over because there was a crack in the red sand stone. This stone can be found on the Assembly Hall and the imperfect Granite Stone that they couldn't use for the Temple was used for the Assembly Hall and the Tabernacle.

The moons that are carved on the Temple is the April Moon. President Young asked Orson Hyde to campout on Temple Square in April and draw the moon.

Brigham Young didn't live to see the Temple completed. 39 years after he started the Temple, he died.

Wilford Woodruff commissioned Cyrus Dallin to build the Angel Moroni. President Woodruff asked all the Temple workers to come on April 6, 1892 for a surprise. There were 30,000 people there and 20,000 were surrounded on their roofs. Everyone had hankerchiefs and said the Hosana Shout, "God save us now." Then Pres. Woodruff uncovered the Angel Moroni and gave a prophecy - the persecution that the saints have knows will end if they finish the inside of the Temple in one year. It took one year - April 6, 1893, and it was completed and ready for dedication.

There was three weeks for the dedication. Everyone wanted to be in the 1st session. They received tickets. A pregnant woman, Sister Bennett, started labor while Pres. Woodruff was speaking. The baby came so fast and he was delivered. A BABY WAS BORN INSIDE THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE DURING THE 1ST DAY OF THE DEDICATION. Eight days later Sister Bennett came back to attend a deciation. She brought her eight day old baby and asked if he could receive a name and a blessing. Joseph Fielding Smith did they and the baby was named, "Joseph Temple Bennett." "Temple Bennett" was what he was called throughout his life. This was the only baby ever born inside of a Temple. Wow!

I thoroughly enjoyed this fireside and feel so blessed to be living here so I could attend a special fireside such as this.