During the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, converts experienced intense religious persecution from many people.

They fled west after the governor of Missouri issued an extermination order, their leader Joseph Smith was killed, and their temple in Nauvoo, Illinois was burnt by mobs.

These early “saints” as they were called settled in the Salt Lake Valley in Utah and began building a temple soon after.

Fun Facts

• The pioneers left Winter Quarters in Missouri in the spring of 1847 and arrived in Salt Lake on July 24, 1847.
• The pioneers were very tired after their journey. They had come through hot, dry weather in wagons and on foot. Many of them were sick with mountain fever. They began plowing the land to plant crops and building cabins.
• Four days after they arrived in the valley, their leader Brigham Young chose a site to build a temple. A temple has special religious significance to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
• The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to build. Men took time off from farming to haul granite from a nearby canyon for the walls of the temple, which are 9 feet thick.
• The temple is beautifully ornate with towering buttresses and carvings of stars, the sun, and the moon.
• On the temple grounds sits the old tabernacle, which was used as a primary meeting place for many years. Concerts and events are still held here. The grounds are large and very well-tended with sculptures, a pool, and beautiful flower gardens. People love to visit at Christmas time when the grounds are lit up with lights.
• Around the corner from the temple is the Lion House restaurant and the Lion House Museum, where Brigham Young once lived with his family.

  

Vocabulary

1. Saint: someone who professes to follow Jesus Christ
2. Persecution: mistreatment, bodily harm, or even death
3. Extermination order: troops in Missouri were ordered to remove or kill Mormons from the state
4. Ornate: detailed

 

Questions and Answers

Question: Can anyone visit the Salt Lake Temple?

Answer: Only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints can go inside the temple, but anyone can walk on the grounds. Docents are there to answer questions. In 2020, the temple was closed for a major renovation. It is expected to reopen in 2024.

 

Learn More

Look at pictures of the Salt Lake Temple and other temples.