Out of the Ashes

This past conference, in the Saturday Morning Session, President Thomas S. Monson announced the building of new temples. Among those new temples mentioned in South Africa, Columbia, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and France...a murmur was heard coming from the crowd as President Monson Announced: That the Provo Tabernacle in Utah....would be restored and would become the second temple in Provo, Utah due to the high demand currently being placed on the first Provo, Utah temple.

I was frankly, Overjoyed. I was overcome with tears. I was literally crying in happiness when I heard this news. Why? Because they were going to rebuild the Tabernacle!



You see, I loved to go visit the tabernacle. It was a very cool building with its towers and awesome interior. 

My family would come to the Tabernacle about once a year and sit and listen to the music of the Utah Premiere Brass Band because I had an Uncle who played in this band. There was always a unique feeling to being inside the tabernacle, even though the benches were somewhat uncomfortable...I enjoyed sitting and looking. I always wanted to sit on the balcony because I had basically never seen that before in a church. -because I viewed the Provo Tabernacle as a church. Sadly, I never got the chance. :(

In December of last year, Fire broke out. And all that was left basically were the exterior walls. Priceless items and architecture were lost that night. Though luckily no lives since it happened in the a.m. hours of the morning. 

It was heartbreaking to see the devastation. All those beautiful stain glassed windows were destroyed. Though I was happy to see that the four towers still stood...it was depressing to look at. A great treasure of Provo...lost. 

Every time I had to drive past this now gutted building, I mourned. And I wondered. What was going to happen to this once beautiful building? Was the rest of it going to be torn down, and something else built up in its place? Or were they going to rebuild the tabernacle, and try to bring it to its former glory? 

I seriously didn't know. But I heard from someone, somewhere...that the braces they had -you know the construction platforms that cover buildings under construction? yah those...the ones they had...were basically the strongest things out there. And the person commented, that they wouldn't have gone through the effort of placing in those braces if they weren't going to rebuild. So hope nestled in a tiny corner of my heart. They would rebuild. 

But then. Oh joy! The news that they were going to rebuild it finally came! I know of many people who cheered when they heard the news. Some cheered so hard, that they missed the next part of the announcement. It was going to become a temple. The second temple in Provo. 

I literally cried from joy.

And I had this flash of inspiration come to me...an...analogy..metaphor...something like that.

The Tabernacle before the fire...could be thought of as the world before Christ comes again.

But then the cleansing fire will come to 'get rid of the impurities'

And will emerge in celestial glory. As a temple to the Lord. Where saving ordinances can be done.

It was a heart pounding moment when I realized this. That the Tabernacle had basically achieved celestial glory.



I can't wait to see the progress of the building of the temple (artist's rendering pictured above) over the next couple of years. For I still drive by the site every now and then. I definitely can't wait to go inside those walls once more. Though it will have a different purpose, I still look forward to going inside. :)

But that was not the end of my joy.

For another temple was announced that I didn't mention in the beginning of this blog post.

And it brought another thrill of excitement to my soul and made me hyper with joy and yes...more tears of happiness were shed.

For there will be a Temple built in Star Valley, Wyoming.

Some of you may be wondering why this is significant to me.

Well one...it will be the First temple in Wyoming.

And two....its a childhood home of mine. :) My mom grew up in Star Valley, and we would spend many a Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, and other vacations up there visiting cousins and the grandparents, while eating peas and berries outside.

So it was awesome to hear that there would be a temple built in my Mom's hometown :)

Because since my grandparents died...our visits up there have been far and few in between. For there isn't much to do in Star Valley....besides be with family and hike around. lol :) So perhaps the building of the temple up there will mean a few more trips back up there. ;) For I do, some days, find myself missing the place.

It was even more awesome when my mom commented...that there had already been a spot dedicated in Star Valley years and years ago for the building of a temple.  -I think it might have been back when the valley was first settled. And that she was happy to know that the temple there would be built in her lifetime. :)  It will be interesting to see if the spot chosen to build the temple is the same one that is dedicated.

Overall...my heart was overflowing with joy and my eyes were overflowing with tears, and I had a huge smile on my face the rest of Saturday. lol and I admit that I was soo

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi