The upstairs rooms, however, once served as the headquarters of the church. The School of the Prophets met there — and the Word of Wisdom was inspired in part by the spittoons and debris they left — a story any Primary child has learned. Other sacred things took place there, too, and have left a tangible feeling of peace.

Other sites in the little village include a replica of the John Johnson Inn, now a museum with interactive exhibits. The original inn was where Egyptian mummies were once displayed and where the apostles left for their missions.

An authentic 1834 sawmill, operated entirely by water, shows how lumber was created for use in the temple. The original sawmill was operated by Joel Hills Johnson for that purpose.

Behind the sawmill is the only restored ashery in North America. In those days, asheries produced potash, which was used to manufacture glass, soap and gun powder. Ash was so useful it was a cash staple of the American frontier. This one was owned by Newel K. Whitney and was used to help finance the building of the temple.

Across the way is the one-room schoolhouse, originally built in 1819 and used by the community and the church. Joseph Smith was a frequent speaker there. Now there are skits and programs that tell more of the history.

Detailed information about the early church members in Kirtland is found at the Saints of Kirtland center. You can look up ancestors or other folks you want to know more about.

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Now a National Historic Landmark, the Kirtland Temple still has a majestic presence in the town. The Community of Christ church got title to it in the late 1800s — largely because no one else claimed it. (The body of the LDS Church had, by then, moved on to the Salt Lake Valley. ) It has preserved it and tended it with love and care ever since.

From the outside, it looks much like other early American churches, but inside it is very distinctive. If you happen to get a tour guide like Dwight, he will tell you about the "distinctives" — the fact that there are pulpits on both sides, with pews in the middle; the fact that an elaborate system of pulleys lets curtains be dropped down to section off rooms; the fact that even interior rooms have windows.

Beautiful windows let in beautiful light. Carved decorations embellish the lower floor. The upper floors are enhanced with fretwork designed by Truman O. Angel. You can fall in love with the building for this fretwork alone. It says so much about the need for beautiful things, even in a frontier setting.