logan utah temple

as the ms ride was on saturday, we decided to take friday off and drive up to logan and enjoy the day together. we had a picnic lunch, and then headed to the temple. this is the first "pioneer" temple we've gone to, rather than a "modern" temple--it is full of history.

the logan temple was dedicated in 1884, after taking seven years to complete. it is built with siliceous limestone, a hard and compact stone, just right for load-bearing--it isn't simply "glued on" for cosmetic appeal. when they wanted to have finer details etched into the outer architecture, they used sandstone, a softer stone for carving and molding. the limestone was originally whitewashed so the temple would be completely white on the outside, but the paint was allowed to chip off, and today we see the beautiful original rock texture and face. the windows are still the original pioneer design and wood, but the glass has been updated. instead of a moroni on the top spire, there is a weather vane.

we learned two things from this temple. first, we liked the idea of using two different types of stones. the harder, denser, load-bearing limestone vs. the softer, easily-shaped sandstone. the Lord definitely needs us to be like both these stones. when we have a testimony, we need to remain firm in it, putting our foundation in Christ. we need to be load-bearing so that when we are converted, we can then strengthen our brethren, as Christ admonished during the last supper (luke 22:32). we also need to be like the sandstone. we need to be teachable, moldable, shapeable, allowing the Lord to improve us and use us in the right time and right place. demonstrating the ability to be shaped (humility) is the ultimate reflection of Christ in our hearts.

second, we liked the pattern in the windows. this pattern--the overlapping "v" shaped lines--was repeated throughout the temple. it may have been a traditional pattern in the 1800s, but it reminded us of the godhead. It was especially neat to see the keystone at the top of this pattern. the godhead is composed of three separate beings--God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. their mission/wills/powers intersect and intertwine, and they are capped by the power of the atoning sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. without that keystone, we would crumble.