If it had not been for
the faith and knowledge that was bestowed upon us in that
temple [Nauvoo] by the influence and help of the spirit of
the Lord, our journey would have been like one taking a leap
in the dark, to start out on such a journey in the winter as
it was, and in our state of poverty, it would seem like
walking into the jaws of death. But we had faith in our
Heavenly Father, and we put our trust in Him, feeling that
we were His chosen people and had embraced His gospel; and
instead of sorrow we felt to rejoice that the day of our
deliverance had come.
Sarah Rich Autobiography, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Spirit, Power, and
Wisdom of God reigned continually in the Temple and all felt
satisfied that during the two months we occupied it in the
endowments of the Saints, we were amply paid for all our
labors in building it.
Erastus Snow, Journals, Church Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.
We knelt around the altar, and dedicated the building to the Most High. We asked His blessing upon our intended move to the west; also we asked Him to enable us some day to finish the Temple, and dedicate it to Him, and we would leave it in His hands to do as He pleased; and to preserve the building as a monument to Joseph Smith. We asked the Lord to accept the labors of His servants in this land.
History of the Church, 7:580.
