Temples throughout the Latter days Sharing time

Temples Throughout the Latter Days Sharing time

Pioneers have sacrificed much to help establish the church as we know it today. They followed the prophet as they were told to follow their faith, leave their homes, build temples and help build the kingdom of God. We are going to learn about some of the early temples and the sacrifices that were made in order to be able to recieve the blessings of the temple. We will move these Pioneer children and have them walk and walk and walk and learn about these temples. We will move on each space. On the back of each space, there is an evelope that has a fact about the temple they are traveling to. When we get to the temple, you will see a picture of what it looked like during the building and construction. Let's begin!

Kirtland temple facts in the envelopes- source- “Lesson 25: The Kirtland Temple Is Constructed,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997),133

The Kirtland Temple is located in Kirtland, Ohio

The Kirtland Temple was the first temple built in this dispensation (D&C 88:119; 95). In this temple, Joseph Smith saw a vision of the celestial kingdom.

On 3 April 1836, the Savior appeared and accepted the temple as a place in which he would reveal his word to his people (D&C 110:1–10). Following this appearance, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received visits from Moses, Elias, and Elijah, all of whom gave them certain priesthood keys and important information (D&C 110:11–16), gave permission to do temple work.

Some said the temple should be built of logs. But Joseph Smith had a vision and saw how the temple should be built.The Saints crushed glass and chinaware into the stucco applied to the exterior walls of the Kirtland Temple,which glittered in the sun. During construction, the Kirtland Temple was guarded at night to protect the building from threatening mobs and people that wanted to hurt it.

This temple served the Saints for some two years before they had to flee Kirtland because of they were driven out. Temple marriages and Baptisms for the dead were not performed in this temple. This temple is owned now by the Community of Christ church.

Show construction picture of Kirtland temple to children

Nauvoo temple facts in envelopes- source- "Lesson 35: The Nauvoo Temple Is Used for Sacred Ordinances," Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997)

“Lesson 33: The Saints Work to Build Nauvoo, the Beautiful,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997),186

The Nauvoo temple was 55 feet taller than the Kirtland Temple. On the outside were carved figures of the sun, moon, and stars, representing the three degrees of glory. Over the doors in gold letters was written The House of the Lord, built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Commenced April 6th, 1841. Holiness to the Lord. The finished temple was one of the most beautiful buildings in the area.

Tithing money was used to pay for building materials, and members also paid whatever else they could to buy supplies. Women of the Relief Society each contributed a penny a week to buy glass and nails, eventually collecting fifty thousand pennies (five hundred dollars). These pennies weighed 343 pounds! Men contributed and labored their time building the temple. The women cooked meals and sewed clothing for the men building the temple.

Rooms in the Nauvoo temple were dedicated and used as soon as they were completed. Because the baptismal font was in the basement of the temple, it was ready for use before the rest of the temple was completed. Baptisms for the dead were begun in the temple in November 1841, when the outside walls of the temple had not yet reached the first-story windowsills. Almost six thousand members of the Church received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple.

In September 1846 a mob of fifteen hundred enemies of the Church took over the temple and ruined it. They gambled, drank liquor, and smoked inside the temple. They destroyed the furnishings and walls and made fun of the sacred temple ordinances. Soon lightning struck the steeple and broke the shaft that held the figure of an angel on top of the temple. Later, enemies of the Church paid a man to set fire to the temple. Everything burned but the outside walls, which were made of stone. Two years later a tornado blew down three of the walls. The temple has now been restored and ordinances are done there.

Show the children the picture of the Nauvoo temple being built on back of the finished temple.

Salt Lake City temple facts in the envelopes- source- “Lesson 44: The Salt Lake Temple Is Constructed and Dedicated,” Primary 5: Doctrine and Covenants: Church History, (1997),263
It took almost 40 years to build the Salt Lake City, Utah temple.

The huge granite blocks for the temple were cut at a quarry in a canyon twenty miles from the temple site. The blocks weighed several tons each and had to be transported in wagons pulled by ox teams. It sometimes took four days to get one block from the canyon to the temple site. Often the wagons would break down or the heavy blocks would fall off the wagons and crack or break. When the railroad came to Utah in 1869, and that made it easier to move many blocks during a day. Then the blocks were carved and shaped. (show picture of the stones cut from quarry and the oxen carrying the stone.(available on lds.org) Use "Don't break the ice" game blocks to help the kids visualize the difficulty of this temple's construction)

It took fourteen years to complete the bottom layer/foundation of the temple. They worked for five years and then had to almost start over because the foundation wasn’t strong enough and the temple might have cracked or fallen.

Cyrus Edwin Dallin is the artist of the angel Moroni on top of the Salt Lake temple .He was not a member of the church. It is a 12-foot-5-inch statue and most temples around the world have this symbol on top.(lds.org)

Show the Salt lake City construction site picture on back of finished Salt Lake City temple

Houston temple facts in envelopes- source- (lds.org/newsroom)

Don Hand was the owner of the land that the temple is now built on. During a time when people were struggling and didn’t have enough money, he prayed to God that if he would help him not lose all his money, he promised he would pay Him back someday. The Lord wanted the temple built on Mr. Hand’s land, but Mr. Hand wasn’t interested in selling it. But when he was told that the reason for the land was to build a temple to the Lord, he remembered his promise and sold the land and even helped with the building construction of the temple.

Share a memory, experience or feeling that you have about the Houston temple?

Show construction site of Houston temple to children

Path leading to Jesus picture with children at the temple-

There are over 134 operating temples all around the world. How blessed we are to have one close by us.

(D&C 34:11–12).And verily, verily, I say unto you, I come quickly” (D&C 34:11–12). The Savior will come again to His temple.

He will come to the holy temple and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.