Conference moments: 'Life for evermore'
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The Kirtland Temple was built "with very little capital except brain, bone, and sinew, combined with unwavering trust in God," wrote Eliza R. Snow.
Great spiritual manifestations accompanied the dedication of this, the first temple, in a solemn assembly March 27, 1836. Both the Kirtland Temple and later the Nauvoo Temple, were erected with great sacrifice. Both were abandoned in the face of persecution. Left behind also were the opportunities of blessings for which members so earnestly sought.So nearly half a century later in the remote expanses of the arid Southwest, the saints looked eagerly forward to the dedication of the St. George Temple. President Brigham Young and his counselors placed such importance on the event that they decided to dedicate the temple on April 6, 1877, during the first session of general conference.
Church leaders including the First Presidency, Council of the Twelve and the Presiding Bishopric traveled to St. George, holding meetings in the colonies along the way.
The setting in St. George was reminiscent of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple 41 years earlier. The Melchizedek Priesthood quorums, led by the First Presidency, were seated in the front stand. Presiding Bishop Edward Hunter sat in the opposite stand, along with several bishops and presidencies of Aaronic Priesthood quorums in the area.
President Daniel H. Wells of the First Presidency offered the dedicatory prayer. (Portions of the temple had been dedicated earlier.)
The temple was dedicated "that the blessing, even life for evermore, may be commanded here from heaven, even from thy presence, and may flow through the ordinances, . . . unto us thy children."
Several speakers at conference admonished the members to prepare their hearts "for the privilege of entering in to a temple to worship the God of Israel," said Elder Joseph F. Smith, then of the Council of the Twelve.
Elder Wilford Woodruff, also then of the Council of the Twelve, declared, "Let us go to with all our might, to work out our own salvation, and to redeem the generations of the dead."
Work among the living was also emphasized as Elder George Q. Cannon read a list of 33 brethren thereby called to serve missions in Europe, and another four to serve in the United States.
