Nauvoo the beautiful

NAUVOO, Ill. — Standing on the spot where early Latter-day Saints finished their temple but never had the chance to enjoy it, President Gordon B. Hinckley told reporters that those who built the first temple here would be present at dedicatory services scheduled later Thursday.

Speaking in front of the reconstructed temple steps with a view overlooking the Mississippi River, President Hinckley said he doesn't want to dwell too much on the hardships of the church's past, but he is sure that church founder Joseph Smith and other early leaders will be "among a large unseen audience" that he plans to mention during the first of 13 dedicatory sessions.

"This is a significant day for those of us who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," paying tribute to early Latter-day Saints who took five years to build the first edifice at tremendous personal sacrifice, he said.

No expense has been spared in reproducing the original building, with minor modifications to make it a working temple, the church president said.

With emotion coming through his voice, he said church members have returned to Nauvoo "contrary to all predictions made when we were driven out of here. We came back with strength and membership and capacity to do that which we believe deserved to be done."

Thousands gathered on the temple grounds, some lining up as early as 6 a.m., for the ceremony that included placement of a time capsule inside the southeast corner of the building.

Members of the church's Quorum of the Twelve and their wives were on hand for the service, as were Jon M. Huntsman and James L. Sorenson, both multimillionaire Latter-day Saints whom President Hinckley invited to the dais to put mortar around the coverstone.

Asked during a press conference following the ceremony whether the two men were among those who had contributed to the funding of the temple, President Hinckley smiled widely and said, "I'm not telling you."

Though the church has declined to release figures on the cost of the temple, estimates are about $30 million. President Hinckley emphasized that much of the funding had come through tithing donations to the church as well as many small gifts from church members and children.

Noting his own keen interest in the details of the temple construction, President Hinckley affirmed that he had visited the building several times as it was being built, and its completion was "very emotional" for him.

Bright sunshine and blue skies greeted participants in the ceremony, who watched as President Hinckley placed a variety of items in a time capsule, including a set of LDS scriptures and two of his own books, including the best-selling "Standing for Something." Trowels used in the construction of the building, a scrapbook detailing its reconstruction and a copy of the Deseret News Church Almanac and The Church News were also included.

Dedicatory sessions will take place at 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in addition to the first session at 5 p.m. MDT.

President Hinckley thanked the mayors of Nauvoo and surrounding towns for their support.

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