6 Kirtland Temple Pictures: Scenes from LDS Church History

The Kirtland Temple has a significant place in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was the first of an ever-growing hundreds of temples to be constructed and provided a spiritual refuge for many of the early saints. They gathered there to worship and administer the sacrament. They prayed and fasted together and received instruction from the scriptures.

Personal sacrifice is part of what made the Kirtland Temple so significant to those early saints. Many gave large amounts of time and practiced talent to its completion. Entire buildings, including a sawmill, were constructed specifically for the temple’s construction and William W. Penn authored the words to the beloved hymn: “The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning” for its dedication. Even children played an important role by hunting down discarded pieces of china and other crockery in order to add some sparkle to the temple wall finish. 

Perhaps due in part to their personal sacrifice, great miracles unfolded on the day of its dedication. Many in attendance recorded feeling an immense outpouring of the Holy Spirit, confirming to them that they were a part of something of great importance to God’s work. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery even beheld another vision in which they saw Jesus Christ and several of the prophets from the Old Testament.

Just as God promised, the temple allowed the early saints to receive additional direction from heaven. They become instructed on matters of the priesthood power and the sacred ordinances so commonly performed in temples today. They were able to expand their knowledge of the gospel which would later provide them with strength in the trials that were ahead.

Like God’s followers in the Old Testament who constructed tabernacles, these families now had a consecrated place where they could come to draw closer to Jesus Christ. 

However, many were not able to enjoy the temple for long. Tempers began to rise in the local community against church members and soon violence--and even an attempted burning of the building--ensued. Leaders of the Church and many members soon fled the area for safety while those who remained continued to meet together in the beautiful building.

There is far more detail to this building’s history than we can cover in one blog post, which is why we wanted to share our collection of Kirtland Temple pictures. Photos have a way of communicating deeper messages than words are capable of, which is why we are so grateful for the dedication of our artists and photographers in capturing as many LDS temples as possible. 

Tragic as the event was, it certainly was not a final defeat. With over 100 operating temples across the globe today, and with more announced, God’s work in gathering Israel continues to move forward.

We hope you enjoy these professional LDS Temple pictures. May they serve as a reminder that, like so many that came before us, we can persevere through trials and trust God’s plan for our individual lives.

Photos have a way of communicating deeper messages than words are capable of, which is why we are so grateful for the dedication of our artists and photographers in capturing as many LDS temples as possible. 

Our collections are always growing. Be sure to check back at our full collection of Kirtland Temple pictures

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