Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Church President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the temple on April 22, 2001.

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple is the 104th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Winter Quarters is considered hallowed ground for the members of the Mormon Church. It was the site where early members of the Mormon Church settled after they were driven out of Nauvoo, Illinois. It was also where many Mormons, including many who came from Europe, encamped before crossing the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. The area is home to many graves of the Mormon Pioneers who died on their journey. More than 2,000 members of the Church died at Winter Quarters due to heavy storms, scurvy, malaria, and inadequate food and shelter.

The new temple was built next to a Mormon pioneer cemetery and visitors' center. During the groundbreaking ceremony conducted by Elder Truman F. Clawson on 28 November 1999, Elder Clawson commented, "Now today," he said, "on this end of the hill, we will take shovels in our hands to dig not a grave but the foundation of a special building, a temple." [1]

In preparation for the open house members of the Church and the community of Florence, Nebraska worked together creating handcrafted flowers for storefronts and decorating historic sites and markers with balloons. Over 61,000 visitors toured the Winter Quarters temple during its open house.

Members all over the United States and Canada watched via satellite broadcast as Church President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple on 22 April 2001. During the dedicatory prayer President Hinckley recognized the sacrifice of the Saints and the great spiritual and historical significance of having a temple at Winter Quarters.

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple has a total of 16,000 square feet, two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.