NAUVOO, ILLINOIS — The Nauvoo Illinois Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has welcomed more than 100,000 guests since a public open house began on 6 May 2002.
One of those 100,000 open house visitors has a unique connection to the reconstructed temple. Vern Thacker, while serving as a Latter-day Saint missionary in California in the late 1940s, met Leslie Griffin, a descendant of William Weeks, the architect of the original Nauvoo Temple.
As Thacker’s missionary labors neared completion in 1948, Griffin gave him a collection of drawings and plans, mostly exterior views, of the original Nauvoo Temple. The plans had been in Mr. Griffin’s family for a hundred years, but he felt strongly that they should be given to the Church.
After returning home to Utah, Vern Thacker delivered the irreplaceable historic documents to the Church historian’s office for safekeeping in the archives.
Roger Jackson, architect of the new temple, had the monumental task of reconstructing the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. For exterior design, he relied heavily on the plans Leslie Griffin gave to Vern Thacker to return to the Church. "Our charge was to make it as exactly like the original building on the outside as we physically could," said Jackson. "The plans given to the Church have been useful in the reconstruction effort."
On 8 May 2002, Thacker joined several of William Weeks’ descendants to walk through the reconstructed temple.
After seeing the new temple and admiring its carved limestone walls, Vern Thacker commented: "I felt kind of a tingling in the fingers. It was exciting to realize that the outside of the building was the direct result of these plans."
Other open house guests have marveled at the craftsmanship they see in the reconstructed temple. One visitor commented, "It’s a beautiful building, painstakingly done with every attention to detail you can imagine."
Other guests speak of the peace and reverence they sense. "The serenity of the building is quite impressive," said one visitor. "You can feel it as soon as you walk in."
Another visitor noted, "If you have any faith, any belief in God or the hereafter at all, you would have been impressed by this no matter what religion you are."
Recounting his own observations of visitor reactions, Vern Thacker said: "As people came out of the temple, they were quiet and reflective. They couldn’t get enough. As they would come out of the door they would look up, always."
An estimated 350,000 are expected to visit the Nauvoo Illinois Temple during the six-week open house concluding on 22 June. Following the open house, the temple will be dedicated under the direction of Church President Gordon B. Hinckley in 13 sessions over four days beginning on 27 June.
Those planning on attending the open house for the Nauvoo Illinois Temple are reminded that tickets are required and must be obtained in advance. For ticket availability, please see the Church Web site at www.lds.org/nauvoo or call 1-800-537-8097.
Open house visitors are reminded that they should be prepared to walk and climb several flights of stairs during the approximately 45-minute tour of the temple. Wheelchairs, elevators and other accommodations for people with disabilities are available.
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