When the pioneers first gazed upon the enormous expanse of the Salt Lake Valley, stark emptiness met their eyes. It stretched 25 miles north to south, 22 east to west.
Where to build? Where to settle this handful of people, and the thousands who would follow? They would begin to draw plats for Brother Joseph's City of Zion plan under the point beneath Ensign Peak, as Joseph had advised. And four days after entering the wilderness of this valley — on this day, 28th of July, 1847 — Brigham Young stood on a spot, struck his stout cane into the ground, and announced, "Here we will build a temple to our God."
Brigham had worked as a carpenter on the Kirtland temple, superintending the painting and finishing work at Joseph's request, thus having the opportunity to add the imprint of his own spirit upon the splendid building, and at the dedication he spoke briefly in tongues. The poverty of his family that winter bit hard, though not hard enough to force him to accept the church assistance which Joseph had offered to the Twelve. His independence was apparent, but also his straightforward dependence upon the Lord. …"Who supported my family? God and I," he stated. "Who found clothing? The Lord and myself."
Brigham worked on construction of the Nauvoo temple, and after the death of Joseph and Hyrum he "inquired of the Lord whether we should stay here and finish the temple. The answer was, we should."
The work was moved with all speed forward, second-story blocks and the first large sunstones laid by the fall of 1844. But there were still the capstones and trumpet stones to position, the roof to raise, the interior to finish, a stone basin and oxen carved for the baptismal font — yet plans were made for a dedication on April 6, 1846. During the whole of that winter Brigham was at work night and day in the temple. As the spirit of persecution increased, the temple seemed the only place of refuge left for the Saints. They gathered there to praise the Lord in song — and in dance. "The spirit of dancing increased," Brigham wrote, "until the whole floor was covered with dancers, and while we danced before the Lord, we shook the dust from off our feet as a testimony against this nation."
On Monday, February 14, 1853, the Saints assembled on the Temple Block in Salt Lake. Snow covered the ground, but the day was sunny and clear. "It is but seven years since we left Nauvoo," President Young told the people, "but we are now ready to build another temple."
Brigham's testimony of temples and his commitment to their building was absolute. He wanted for his people the power and the perfecting, the refinement and personal revelation which service in the House of the Lord would bring.
When Johnson's army invaded in 1857, the foundation of the temple was obscured so that no vestige of the work of years remained, until after it was safe to begin operations again.
The foundation was first filled with stone from near Fort Douglas, but when Brigham discovered it was little more than rubble, he ordered it all taken out and granite blocks cut. Truman O. Angell was the main architect; Brigham the main planner.
The site of Temple Square covers 10 acres; the building itself 385,000 square feet. It was the only building dedicated by President Woodruff, three years before Utah became a state in 1896 — and one day following the actual completion of the work! It is the first temple with a standing angel Moroni atop its spire, and original plans called for two such statues — one on the east central spire, one on the west. The walls are nine feet thick at the base, six at the top, and when the architect, distressed, apologized to Brigham for failing to work adequate chimneys for heating into the design, the President paused a moment then responded, "Go on, Brother Angell. When the time comes to heat it, there will be a way provided!" So it transpired: a central heating plant, something entirely new, built two blocks away, was able to provide the necessary heat.
The Salt Lake temple was 40 years in the building, and the walls only 25 feet high when Brigham died. But he lived to participate in the dedication of the first temple in St. George on January 1, 1877, the last year of his life. On April 25 he also laid the cornerstone and dedicated the site of the Manti Temple; on May 18th the temple in Logan.
At Manti he told Warren Snow, "Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can't move it from this spot."
The Saints were safe in the hands of Brother Brigham — and so were we — generations yet to come. "I scarcely ever say much about revelations or visions," he told the assembly that February day, "but suffice it to say, five years ago last July, I was here and saw in the spirit the Temple not 10 feet from where we have laid the chief cornerstone … I have never looked upon that ground but the vision of it was there … "
Today, as per current church statistics, we have 133 temples in operation, seven under construction, 12 more announced. Brigham clearly saw and prophesied of our time. He also said on that February day: "We dedicate this … to the Most High God. May it remain in peace till it has done its work, and until He who has inspired our hearts to fulfill the prophecies of his holy prophets, that the House of the Lord should be reared in the 'tops of the mountains', shall be satisfied, and say, it is enough."
With what joy he must look down on the temples in the valleys of these mountains today, and cast his eye with satisfaction across the expanse of continents to witness the dedication, growth and power of the work in the temples of the Lord!