Nauvoo open house tours begin
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NAUVOO, ILL. — Things were "running smoothly" after the first two days of public tours of the new Nauvoo Illinois Temple, according to Durrell N. Nelson, vice chairman of temple open house and dedication committee and president of the Nauvoo Illinois Stake.
"We are seeing a lot of happy people leaving the temple," said President Nelson May 7.
The public portion of the three-week open house began Monday, May 6. News media representatives were among the first groups to tour the temple on May 1, followed by local community leaders and then citizens of Nauvoo, "the ones who have had to put up with all the construction and inconveniences," said Robert Reeve, area director in the Temple Department.
On May 2-3, various civic, government and religious leaders from a broader area visited the temple, followed by neighbors from surrounding communities on May 3-4, including Qincy, Fort Madison, Hamilton and Carthage.
According to Temple Department figures, 21,980 people had toured the temple by May 7. Reserved tickets have been issued to about 350,000 people for the open house lasting through June 22 except Sundays. Tickets are distributed via a distribution system on the Church's Internet site, www.lds.org.
Among those touring the temple on May 2, was Lura Lynn Ryan, who, as the wife of Illinois Gov. George H. Ryan, is the first lady of Illinois. According to the Church Public Affairs Department, she commented on the high quality of construction, furnishings, art work and decor, saying that everything was clearly "done with care and loving." She also said the temple is "a wonderful addition to western Illinois" and that citizens "should be honored that [the temple] was brought back to the area."
Open house visitors begin their tours at the Joseph Smith Academy building across the street to the west, where they view an exhibit and a motion picture about the temple, before proceeding to the front doors covered by the temple's distinctive portico on the west. They are shown the baptismal font in the basement which appears to be supported on the backs of 12 hand-carved stone oxen. They then proceed to other areas, viewing the ordinance instruction rooms with their distinctive murals representing the creation, Garden of Eden and the world. They are shown the Celestial Room, Sealing Room with its facing mirrors that evoke a feeling of eternity, and the Assembly Room, with its rostrum on each end.
The temple is to be dedicated Thursday, June 27, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith in 1844. Nine other dedicatory sessions will follow with three each on June 28, 29 and 30. Sessions on Thursday and Sunday will be transmitted via satellite to meetinghouses in many parts of the Church, where they may be attended by members 8 years and older who obtain recommends from their bishoprics or branch presidencies.
