Nauvoo Temple Dedication
Dear Paul and Kate, Melanie and Jared, Bridget and Justin, Sara, Ben and Sarah, Heather, Audrey, Rachel, and Matt via hardcopy,
cc: file, Tony Hafen, Pauline Nelson via mail,
Sara and Des Penny, Diane Cluff, and Maxine Shirts
Welcome to "Thoughtlets." This is a weekly review of an idea,
belief, thought, or words that will hopefully be of some benefit
to you, my children, with an electronic copy to on-line extended
family members. Any of you can ask me not to clutter your mail
box at any time.
"It's already Tuesday, and I'm just getting around to writing
last week's Thoughtlet. I'm too busy when I'm too busy to
write in my journal (and share it with you kids). In terms
of my week, the highlight was definitely the Nauvoo Temple
Dedication, which was broadcast to over 3.5 million Church
members in 72 nations, as the largest meeting in the history
of the Church.
In terms of why I'm late, it was one of those rare Sundays
that happens every few years, where I worked on Sunday. Just
before we left for China the Shell contract came through to
create a Best Practice on Real-Time Well Planning. I
contacted Roger Anderson, since he ran the Glomar Challanger
and is in charge of borehole research at Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory, and knows so much more about this stuff
than me. He gave me direction, and I contacted Mark Zoback
at Stanford and Geoff Dorn and University of Colorado at
Boulder. Bottom line is that when we got back on Friday
night there were messages waiting from all the other two,
and so I knew I would be able to create a credible Best
Practice for Shell. I'm really pleased with how it turned
out. The only problem is I woke up at 3:00 Wednesday morning
and since I couldn't get back to sleep I started working on
the Best Practice. Then Thursday night, after the Nauvoo
Temple Dedication, I worked until 2:30 Friday morning. This
was repeated on Saturday night, and so I was really tired
when it came to teaching Gospel Doctrine on Sunday morning.
Actually, Saturday night I was printing some of the 220+
pages included in the Best Practice, and ended up getting
up every 30-45 minutes to babysit the printer. When we
got to church my eyes were seeing everything through the
blue color of the MacIntosh screen. Then I didn't even
make it to bed at all Sunday night. So the Thoughtlet
didn't make the cut until now. If there are any of you
interested in the Real-Time Drilling Best Practice, let
me know and I will give you specific instructions as to
how to get access to it over the web. Of course, none of
you are drillers, so I'don't expect there to be much
interest in this topic.
Another thing that happened was I received a letter about
the material I sent in about Mountain Meadow's Massacre
(0223.html). I quote:
<![CDATA[ `Dear Brother Nelson:
Thank you very much for the information that you recently
sent us regarding the Mountain Meadows Massacre. We
did not have a copy of Bengt Nelson's personal history.
It provides valuable information about difficulties
encountered by some of the earliest settlers in Cedar City.
I will also pass along to the authors of the forthcoming
book a copy of your letter containing familiy and local
stories relating to the massacre, together with appendix
11 from A Trial Furnace.
Interestingly, another person sent us a copy of relevant
pages from `The Life Story of Helen Forsha Hafen' just a
few days before we received them from you. We were
previously unaware of this source.
We certainly appreciate your help
Sincerely
Brian D. Reeves
Senior Archivist']]>
So maybe it wasn't so outspoken as letters in the past have
been. Certainly it did not raise the concerns brought up
by the U.S. Ninth District Court decision in San Francisco,
where an athiest was offended to see `In God We Trust' on
his money in Florida six years ago, and started filing
lawsuits against the government for injecting religion
into public life. Using his 8-year old daughter for legal
standing after he moved to California, Michael Newdow
convinced the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
that forcing her to recite `one nation under God' amounted
to government endorsement of religion. I wonder how the
athiest who got prayer thrown out of public schools feels
now that she has been murdered and is on the other side of
the veil. I feel sorry for these folks, and find it scary
how they pervert simple truths. And then I recall there
are those of my kids who might or might not read these
Thoughtlets and who might or might not be interested in
Heavenly Father right now, and realized how those I love
the most can feel these Thoughtlets add to the injection
of religion into any aspect of a relationship with me.
Oh well! Time will certainly demonstrate to all of us the
better path.
I have been looking forward to the dedication of the
Nauvoo Temple ever since the fact it was being built was
announced. I recall how special it was when my first
family visited Nauvoo. I was going to take a digital
photo of the 3-D photo of Ben in front of the model of
the Nauvoo Temple, and I can't find it. Oh well! There
were several things interesting about that visit, and
which showed our family roots ties to Nauvoo. The Snow
Ashby house was built by one of my Grandma Hafen's
ancestors, Nathaniel Ashby. It shows how bad my record
keeping is, but I believe he died two days out of
Nauvoo when the pioneers left and crossed the Mississippi
when it was frozen over in what Dr. Larry Cathles at
Cornell University calls a mini-ice-age. There is a
William Atkin ancestor that also had a son named after
him, and I think he came to Utah later pulling a handcart.
Of course, I'm now married to a descendent of Hyrum Smith,
brother to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Patriarch for the
early church. His death was 22 miles away in Carthage.
So there are deep family ties to these early days of the
restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sunday the 23rd, Andrea, Matt, Philip Nelson (Paul's
friend and neighbor who is on an internship at a Patent
Law Firm in Houston and is living with us for a few
weeks), and I went to see a member of the Bishopric and
to get our ticket to attend the Nauvoo Temple dedication.
Even given our current financial status, that little green
ticket is worth more to me than all the money anyone would
ever be interested in passing to me. It's value is much
different than money. It represents having exercised
daily prayers most of the time since I was 18, having
attended church meetings virtually all of the time since
I was 18, and having strived to live the commandments to
the best of my ability ever since Corvallis (../9715.html).
Daily righteous acts consistently repeated build spiritual
strength. What a wonderful, and what a true principle.
Matt lost his green ticket, and so he was not able to go
to the Nauvoo Temple Dedication with Andrea and me on
Thursday evening. Probably just as well as he would have
sat by himself anyway. He went with Philip and Alison on
Sunday evening, sat with them, and seemed to enjoy it.
There was a bit of a cloud over us when we got to the
Stake Center because Matt could not find his ticket. Oh
well! It is the only way we learn. Half of the gym was
opened into the chapel, and most of the seats were taken.
So Andrea and I sat on the 5th row of metal chairs in the
overflow area. There was a very spiritual hushed feeling
in the room. I wish you each could have been there with
us. It really felt good. Then it started and they turned
out all of the lights. I attempted to take notes, having
in mind using them for this Thoughtlet. My notes are
pretty criptic because it was so dark, so they are
supplimented with the words from hymns and the D&C, and
attempts to paint pictures with words that captures the
spirit I felt. Hopefully there will be a time in each of
your lives when you prayerfully take the time to feel this
experience from my point of view. It is too easy to get
caught up in skimming e-mails between phone calls and
worldly messages. So find a quiet time when you will not
be interupted, say a prayer, take a deep breath, and
picture the inside of a pure white room full of good people
who love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of their heart,
might, mind, and strength, and who do their best to show
it to those around them every day of their lives.
<![CDATA[ `The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang `Come, Come Ye Saints:
Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
but with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
'Tis better far for us to strive
Our useless cares from us to drive,
Do this and joy your hearts will swell -
All is well! All is well!
Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we thing to earn a great reward
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we'll have this tale to tell -
All is well! All is well!
We'll find the place which God for us prepared,
Far away in the West,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the Saints will be blessed.
We'll make the air with music ring,
Shout praises to our God and King;
Above the rest these words we'll tell -
All is well! All is well!
And should we die before our journey's through,
Happy day! All is well!
We then are free from toil and sorrow, too;
With the just we shall dwell!
But if your lives are spared again
To see the Saints their rest obtain,
Oh, how we'll make this chorus swell -
All is well! All is well!' Hymn 30, 1985 Hymnal
`President Hinckley read John Taylor's account of the
martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, pointing out that
he was in the room when the mob broke in, and that it
was 158 years ago this hour and this day when this
atrocity happened.'
`To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of
Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith
the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They
were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June,
1844, about five o'clock p.m., by an armed mob -
painted black - of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum
was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a
dead man! Joseph leapt from the window, and was shot
dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They
were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal
manner, and both received four balls.
John Taylor and Willard Richards, two of hte Twelve,
were the only persons in the room at the time; the
former was wounded in a savage manner with four balls,
but has since recovered; the latter, through the
providence of God, escaped, without even a hole in
his robe.
Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has
done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men
in this world, than any other man that ever lived in
it. In the short space of twenty years, he has
brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated
by the gift and power of God, and has been the means
of publishing it on two continents; has sent the
fullness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained,
to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth
the revelations and commandments which compose this
book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise
documents and instructions for the benefit of the
children of men; gathered many thousands of the
Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a
fame and name that cannot be slain. he lived great,
and he died great in the eyes of God and his people;
and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times,
he sealed his mission with his own blood; and so has
his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and
in death they were not separated!' D&C 135:1-3
`The Mormon Tabernacle Choir then sang `A Poor Wayfaring
Man of Grief, which, as a last request of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, was sung in Carthage Jail by John Taylor
shortly before the mob arrived:
A poor wayfaring Man of grief
Hath often crossed me on my way,
Who sued so humbly for relief
That I could never answer nay.
I had not pow'r to ask his name,
Where to he went, or whence he came;
Yet there was something in his eye
That won my love; I knew not why.
Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
He entered; not a word he spake,
Just perishing for want of bread.
I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
And ate, but gave me part again.
Mine was an angel's portion then,
For while I fed with eager haste,
The crust was manna to my taste.
I spied him where a fountain burst
Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
The heedless water mocked his thirst;
He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
I ran and raised the suff'rer up;
Thrise from the stream he drained my cup,
Dipped and returned it running o're;
I trank and never thirsted more.
'Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
A winter hurricane aloof.
I heard his voice abroad and flew
To bid him welcome to my roof.
I warmed and clothed and cheered my guest
And laid him on my couch to rest;
Then made the earth my bed, and seemed
In Eden's garden while I dreamed.
Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment - he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.
In pris'n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor's doom at morn.
The tide of lying tounges I stemmed,
And honored him mid shame and scorn.
My friendship's utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chilll,
But my free spirit cried, "I will!"
Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named,
"Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto me"'
Hymn 29, 1985 Hymnal
`Thomas Monson, 1st Counselor in the First Presidency
then talked. His first visit to Nauvoo was 25 years
ago on October 14th, 1977. He recounted the story of
a convert named Stephen (can't read the last name)
who arrived in Nauvoo as the building of the Nauvoo
Temple was at a critical stage. The Prophet Joseph
asked for anything that could help, and after the
meeting he came up and donated a bag of gold he had
brought with him as the sum of everything he owned.
Two years later he sold his house, moved his family
into a tent, and gave all of the proceeds to the
Prophet Joseph Smith to help him move into a better
place. And it was because of Stephen's commitment
to the things of eternity. Think of these words:
"I now pronounce you husband and wife for time and
for all eternity." Temples are built to unite
families for all eternity. This is accomplished
through the priesthood and through Christ.'
`A David Burton, Presiding Bishop talked. We are not
called on often to make sacrifice like our forefathers.
Our sacrifice is to keep the light on.'
`Margaret Nadauld, the Young Women's President talked.
Bathsheba Smith swept her house in Nauvoo for the
last time, placed the broom behind the door, and
faced her future with faith in God. She recorded that
as we left Nauvoo we owe a great debt of gratitude to
those who went before us. When we are in the temple
we are in God's house.'
`Ben Banks, Presidency of the Quorum of 70 talked.
Just before the martyrdom, Joseph Smith taught we
need the temple more than anything else. Problems
are solved in the temple faster than anyplace else
in the world. He prayed we will rededicate our lives
so we are worthy to come to the temple. That we will
teach our children and our grandchildren to be worthy
of this, the greatest of all of God's gifts.'
`The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang The Seer:
The Seer, the Seer, Joseph, the Seer!
I'll sing of the Prophet ever dear,
the prophet ever dear;
His equal now cannot be found
By searching the wide world around.
With Gods he soared in the realms of day,
And men he taught the heavenly way,
And men he taught the heavenly way.
The earth Seer! the heavenly Seer!
I love to dwell on his memory dear;
The chosen of God and the friend of man,
He brought the priesthood back again;
He gazed on the past and the future, too,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view.
Of noble seed, of heavenly birth,
He came to bless the sons of earth,
to bless the sons of earth;
With keys by the Almighty given,
He opened the full rich stores of heaven;
O'er the world that was wrapped in sable night,
Like the son he spread his golden light,
Like the sun he spread his golden light.
He strove, O how he strove to stay
The steam of crime in its reckless way!
With a mighty hand and a noble aim,
He urged the wayward to reclaim;
'Mid foaming billows of angry strife,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life.
The Saints, the Saints, his only pride!
For them he lived, for them he died;
he lived, for them he died;
Their joys were his, their sorrows too.
He loved the Saints; he loved Nauvoo.
Unchanged in death, with a Savior's love,
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
The Seer, the Seer! Joseph the Seer!
O how I love his memory dear!
The just and wise, pure and free,
A father he was and is to me.
Let fiends now rage, in their dark hour -
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power,
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power.
He's free! he's free! The Prophet's free!
He is where he will ever be,
where he will ever be,
Beyond the reach of mobs and strife,
He rests unharmed in endless life.
his home's in the sky; he dwells with the Gods
Far from the furious rage of mobs,
Far from the furious rage of mobs.
He died, he died for those he loved.
He reigns; he reigns in the realms above.
He waits with the just who have gone before
To welcome the Saints to Zion's shore.
Shout, shout, ye Saints! this boon is given;
We'll meet our, we'll meet our martyred Seer, in heaven.
We'll meet our, we'll meet our martyred Seer, in heaven.'
Hymn 296, 1948 Hymnal
`President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum
of the 12 Apostles spoke. This is a sacred occasion.
We came to restore that which is most sacred, even the
fullness of the priesthood in the temple. In Section
84 of the D&C we are taught that without ordinances
the keys of the power of the priesthood are gone. The
gathering was to build a temple for these ordinances.
Else the whole earth will be smitten with a curse if
the hearts of the children are not turned to the fathers
as it states in Malachi 4:5-6.
Wilford Woodruff was ordained an apostle on one of the
cornerstones for the temple at Far West. He understood
we are rejected if we don't build a temple for baptisms
for the dead. Therein are the keys of the Priesthood.
This is a sacred temple.'
`The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang Praise to the Man:
Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus annointed that Prophet and Seer.
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him, and nations revere.
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.
Praise to his memory, he died as a martyr;
Honored and blest be his ever great name!
Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins,
Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame.
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.
Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.
Ever and ever the keys he will hold.
Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom,
Crowned in the midst of hte prophets of old.
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.
Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;
Earth must atone for the blood of that man.
Wake up the world for the conflict of justice.
Millions shall know "Brother Joseph" again.
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.'
Hymn 27, 1985 Hymnal
`President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke. This is a
emotional day for me. It is a day of rememberance
of failures and of the promise of the future. The
construction of the original Nauvoo temple continued
after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Sawmills 500 miles away in Wisconsin cut the wood
which was floated down the river to Nauvoo. In
those days members were tithed on their assets, on
their income, and on their time. It was a great
time of consecration. It was a great winnowing
process. Worthless chaff was blown away. He has
never forgot that his Grandfather lived and worked
here. Today he feels the presence of Heavenly
Beings, of the Father and of the Son, he feels the
presence of the Prophet Joseph. There is a great
unseen audience looking on with some compensation
for their tears and their indescrible sacrifices.
An arsonist burned the temple in 1848. Wilford Wood
bought the first part of the lot. His daughter Mary
was pointed out in the audience.
President Hinckley talked about Thomas Ford's history
of Illinois. He has an original copy, and he has a
more recent reprint. The original is too valuable to
take away from home. President Hinckley read from it.
`Joe Smith is the most counterfeit man in these times.
He could not establish a system which could last. Yet
Christian sects may have reason to fear the growth of
Mormonism. Some orator may make Joseph's name as
famous as Christ.' President Hinckley went on with:
`Tom was a lawyer and a democratic politician. He was
a judge, and at the death of a candidate for Governer
he was recruited to take his place and became Governor.
Joseph's shadow has grown great and wonderful. Tom
Ford left office in 1846. He went to Peoria to
practice law. His law practice dwindled until he
came to poverty. His wife died of cancer at age 38.
He died a few months later. His estate to give to
5 children was $138.06. His estate got $750 for his
History of Illinois. One daughter married and had
8 children. The second daughter married 2 times.
The third daughter never married. His two sons took
on the name Smith, after the man who raised them.
Both were hanged as horse thieves in Kansas. You cannot
turn your back on this work and prosper. Brigham Young
was already on the trail west when Orson Hyde and other
apostles dedicated the Nauvoo Temple.
President Hinckley then described the Hosannah Shout,
and the Hosannah Anthem. The Spirit of God was written
by William W. Phelps and was sung for the dedication of
the Kirtland Temple.'
`The meeting closed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and
the audience singing The Spirt of God:
The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!
The latter day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning;
And angels are coming to visit the earth.
We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
The Lord is extending the Saint's understanding,
Restoring their judges and all as at first.
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o'er the earth is beginning to burst.
We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
We'll call in our solemn assemblies in spirit,
To spread forth the kingdom of heaven abroad,
That we through our faith may begin to inherit
The visions and blessings and glories of God.
We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
How blessed the day when the lamb and the lion
Shall lie down together without any ire,
And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion,
As Jesus descends with his chariot of fire!
We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!'
Hymn 2, 1985 Hymnal]]>
I realize words can never make up for conversation,
for song, for the spirit of the moment. And yet, for
those who were not able to join with us in spirit, I
do hope my notes provided you a glimpse of the
glories of heaven and the eternities which I felt at
the Nauvoo Temple Dedication."
I'm interested in sharing weekly a "thoughtlet" (little statements
of big thoughts which mean a lot to me) with you because I know how
important the written word can be. I am concerned about how easy
it is to drift and forget our roots and our potential among all of
distractions of daily life. To download any of these thoughtlets
go to http://www.walden3d.com/thoughtlets or e-mail me at
rnelson@walden3d.com.
With all my love,
Dad
(H. Roice Nelson, Jr.)