The Winter Quarters Temple (HD) - Mormon Temples

Making this video was an emotional experience for me. I went to the Winter Quarters Temple and memorial to get some quick shots for this film and I did not expect to feel the Spirit as strongly as I did. I started to cry as I read one of the graves:

"Jacob Chopper 29 years, 7 months, 18 days
Farewell my husband dear, farewell.
Farewell but not forever.
There is a place beyond the grave,
Where death will not us sever."

Winter Quarters is considered hallowed ground for the members of the LDS Church. It was the site where early members of the LDS Church settled after they were driven out of Nauvoo, Illinois. It was also where many Mormons, including many who came from Europe, encamped before crossing the plains to the Salt Lake Valley. The area is home to many graves of the Mormon Pioneers who died on their journey. More than 2,000 members of the Church died at Winter Quarters due to heavy storms, scurvy, malaria, and inadequate food and shelter.

The new temple was built next to a Mormon pioneer cemetery and visitors' center. During the groundbreaking ceremony conducted by Elder Truman F. Clawson on 28 November 1999, Elder Clawson commented, "Now today," he said, "on this end of the hill, we will take shovels in our hands to dig not a grave but the foundation of a special building, a temple."

In preparation for the open house members of the Church and the community of Florence, Nebraska worked together creating handcrafted flowers for storefronts and decorating historic sites and markers with balloons. Over 61,000 visitors toured the Winter Quarters temple during its open house.

Members all over the United States and Canada watched via satellite broadcast as Church President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple on 22 April 2001. During the dedicatory prayer President Hinckley recognized the sacrifice of the Saints and the great spiritual and historical significance of having a temple at Winter Quarters.

The Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple has a total of 16,000 square feet (1,500 m), two ordinance rooms, and two sealing rooms.

**Not all of the names read in this video represent people that passed away on the trail. They are people that sacrificed on the trail.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Winter
• Quarters
• Temple
• Mormon
• Temples

[bookerz312]

I am totally going here on saturday!!

[SethAdamSmith]

Awesome! I loved it.

[bookerz312]

I can't wait! It will be my first trip to that area

[SethAdamSmith]

Take your time while there. It's not something you want to rush.

[RainbowManification]

That's my home town temple.

[exenrontexas]

I went to school in Florence, NE and walked through this cemetery on the way home. It had a water fountain and it was nice to get a drink on the long walk home. I used to look at the worn and faded tombstones and wondered about the lives of those buried there, their passions, their labors and their mistakes. Rest in Peace.

[ulisscarple]

Emma Smith stayed in Nauvoo & lived out her life in comfort & relative peace.

[cagodsdaughter2008]

Thank you for this memorial to a valiant people. Their courage and sacrafice was significant and needs to be remembered, mostly so when we are called to go beyond what we think is our endurance we too will give our all and then some! Praise God for valiant and brave people throughout the ages that have given us so much so we might have opportunity to discover the reason they gave everything they had. It is still available today. (see LDS.org)

[2funkytown]

Thank you for making this video. I came across it on google- (searching for the temple's phone number because I am going today) and it was the perfect inspiration to get me ready for tonight. What a nice tribute. Thanks for the inspiration.

[pilottim79]

He my Great Great Grandfather's name in on here. Charles C. Rich. He was an Apostle too.  :)

[exenrontexas]

I used to stop in this place every day on the walk home from the old Florence School. One day, Frank Pilant, walked home with me and he stood on top of the statue of the pioneer man and woman at their childs grave and urinated in his face. That sort of thing was common for the Pilants as they were the boogeymen of the neighborhood. I regret and ashamed now that I was too much of a coward to punch him in the face. But I did do that later.

[jlt413]

I live in Omaha so this temple and cemetery are even more special to me. We adopted our youngest son from Ukraine and he was the first child to be sealed to his parents in this temple! We followed its progress from an idea to dedication. Our bishop at the time was even the architect in charge so we would hear special stories while it was being completed. He is now our Stake President. Winter Quarters is a special place for sure. Thanks for the beautiful video.

[LDSfire]

:O i have the CD this track came from, i love it.

thank you so much for making this video, it touched my very soul and brought tears to my eyes. to think that those saints gave up so much for their faith, for their will to do what God asked them to do...

Thank you Seth, thank you for creating such a beautiful video for us to watch.

[jpccats]

Another great video!