PHOTO ESSAY

Kansas City Temple Coverstone Ceremony

By Meridian Magazine · May 8, 2012

Photography by Scot Facer Proctor. Text by Maurine Proctor.

The Kansas City Temple Dedication was a day never to be forgotten. As Elder William R. Walker said, all those who attended will tell their children and grandchildren about it. This is not only because the early Saints would have scarcely comprehended that there could truly be a temple in western Missouri, but also because every temple dedication represents a cascade of light into the souls of those attend.

The temple in Kansas City, this weekend, was dedicated in three sessions by President Thomas S. Monson with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder Donald L. Hallstrom and Elder Walker participating, but preparations for the event have consumed the members for months in the temple district that includes 45,000 members in 126 congregations in Missouri, Kansas and parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Long-time members of the Church in this area remember when there was only a handful of branches in western Missouri.

Nearly 2,000 members volunteered to be guides for the open house. Over 3,000 youth sang and danced in the cultural celebration the Saturday night before the dedication. Bishops visited with thousands of members so they could receive their temple dedication tickets.

One stake presidency member said he had worked on the temple dedication full-time for eight weeks, putting his outside job on hold.

Such commitment to the Lord yields a spiritual outpouring and people wept during the dedication because the Spirit was so strong and the sense of the Lord’s love was so sweet.

In these photographs, we take you to the temple the morning of the dedication. Things begin stirring early as people arrive hushed and excited. Some hope they can catch a glimpse of the prophet. Children congregate on the front row, hoping the prophet will invite them to come up and let them put some mortar in the coverstone. Choir members find their place on the risers.

“We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet.” The crowd who came early is rewarded to see the President Thomas S. Monson arrive, escorted by Elder Walker.
President Monson points a gesture of hello to someone in the crowd who catches his eye. He loves to take time to greet the Latter-day Saints and often makes a kind comment.
On this morning of dedication for the 137th temple of the LDS Church, President Monson beams. He has a vision of extending the opportunity for more Latter-day Saints to have a temple close to their homes so they can enjoy temple worship.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and his wife, Pat, share a moment with the crowds.
Elder Holland waves in greeting to a well-wisher.
Joy and excitement wash across the faces of those coming to participate in the morning’s dedication.
The dedication attracts families, including younger children who can’t attend the service itself. Their parents and grandparents want them to be part of the event so it will be forever imprinted on their hearts.
Those who attend the dedication bring white handkerchiefs so they can participate in the Hosannah shout. “Hosannah, Hosannah, Hosannah to God and the Lamb.”
Little children in their Sunday best blossom like flowers at the entrance to the temple this morning.
In the early 70’s, many Latter-day Saints of Samoan descent moved to Missouri and one of the exciting moments in the cultural celebration the night before was a series of Polynesian songs and dances representing them.
Conrad, Tatiana and Connor Nicholls wear shell leis to honor the importance of a temple dedication. Their father, who sang in the coverstone choir, was born in New Zealand and their mother was born in California. Now, Missouri is their home. They also wear these shell leis every Sunday to church, because that, too, is always a special occasion.
Caught on camera before he goes into the temple, a man gives a friendly look.
The coverstone is in place and then, at the beginning of the first dedication, President Monson, other General Authorities, members of the temple presidencies and their wives come out to add some mortar to the seams. Here a trowel lies gleaming in the sun. Because the mortar can be a bit goopy, Elder Neal A. Maxwell once quipped that this is done by “trowel and error.”
Janeen Aggen is the multi-stake public affairs director. She and the rest of the public affairs team have been building relationships for years with members of the community, so that Latter-day Saints are regarded with friendship and respect in western Missouri.
The Joshua and Margie Boswell family arrived at the dedication two hours early so they could have a front row seat. Margie said, “We wanted to be here early because we love the temple. Our family always watches the world report between sessions of General Conference and they wanted to be part of a coverstone ceremony.” Because Joshua works for himself, the family could live anywhere, but five years ago they came on vacation to Missouri and had a strong feeling they should come. “Everybody loves it here,” Joshua said. Left to right their children (all with Biblical or Church history names) are Esther, Miriam, Jared, Hyrum, Isaac, Fern Andersen (grandmother), Mary, Sariah, Joshua, Brigham and Enoch.
These little girls had to get up at 4:45 a.m. to look this pretty so early.
Four choirs were created for the temple dedication–three for each of the dedication services and one to sing at the coverstone ceremony,
As people enter the temple for the dedication, Young Women slip coverlets on to their shoes to protect the pristine carpet inside. Apparently, from this picture, it is clear that they like the job.
It is a kind service to slip the coverlets on the shoes of those heading into the temple.
Rachel Marble of the Shoal Creek Valley ward sang in the coverstone ceremony. They sang “High on a Mountain Top” and “Holy Temples on Mount Zion.” Rachel said, “It is a privilege to be here today and a testimony to me that God lives and that he loves us.
Choir member Brighton Terwilleger from the Cameron Ward in the Liberty Stake said, “We’ve lived here 32 years, and I grew up two miles south of the temple. I grew up playing soccer right down the hill. I never dreamed there would be a temple here. I was the only active member of the Church in my high school. Now you can see the temple from everywhere.”
Jill Dietrich, who represented the Kearney Third Ward in the choir, moved with her family to Missouri from Utah when she was 12 years old and it has been her home ever since. She, too, was the only active LDS student for part of the time in her high school, and she will admit that it was difficult. “There was a lot of anti-Mormon sentiment, at first,” she said, “but as people got to know me that changed. “When they announced this temple, I just bawled my head off. We didn’t dream that it would be so close to where we grew up.”
Cathy Blanch of the Blue Springs Second Ward said, “I have never felt so atttached to a temple before. It is like it is my own temple. When we took people through the open house, I was surprised at the acceptance people had of our beliefs. Their questions were respectful and inquisitive. I came through five different times with groups of friends and led tours on two different days and it still wasn’t enough. My friends were almost speechless. They had emphasized in the training that the people wouldn’t remember what you said, but they would remember the feeling they experienced. I had one friend who came, but clearly didn’t want to be here, and I watched a complete turn around in his feelings toward the Church.
This handsome young boy will take the memories from this day on his mission.
The Independence, Missouri area has one of the largest populations of Polynesians in the world outside of Polynesia–and many of them are Church members.
Members were all smiles just before the dedication. There was an excitement in the air.
This sweet young girl is radiant on this dedication day.
The work of senior missionaries is an important support in every mission in the world. We need many more of them!
One child holding another–with love.
Jacquelle Reeder and her baby enjoy the fountain that stands just before the temple entrance.
Do these girls have a familiar look to them? Emily and Ada are the great granddaughters of President Gordon B. Hinckley.
Children line up on the stairs waiting for President Monson to appear in his white suit for the cover stone ceremony.
When this good brother wasn’t contemplating the sacred nature of the day, he waited in his car and read the scriptures.
Behind this cover stone is a box containing items representative of the Church, its history, and the Kansas and Missouri area. The box will be sealed into the corner stone and become a permanent part of the temple.
Children gather behind the ropes waiting for the prophet to emerge from the temple for the cover stone ceremony.
President Monson gets his first view of all the children who have been waiting to see him.
The prophet studies each child, perhaps thinking about the wonderful people they will grow up to be.
The prophet adds the first bit of mortar to the cover stone while Elder Walker watches.
Next it is Elder Holland’s turn to try his hand with the trowel.
Pat Holland adds her bit of mud to the coverstone like a pro. President Monson said to her, “That is so neat. You do a good job.”
President John Hardy, the new president of the Kansas City Missouri Temple was once a missionary who served under President Monson in the Toronto, Canada mission. President Monson tease him about wanting a transfer.
It is the custom at these coverstone ceremonies to invite a child or two to also come up and add some mortar to the cover stone. Every child is thinking, “Pick me. Pick me.”
Isaac Boswell and Sydney Bond are chosen from the crowd of children to come up by President Monson and add some mortar.
Sydney’s family with father Ben, mother Michelle and siblings Sierra and Zachary are dressed in color coordinates that Michelle made–including Dad’s and Zachary’s ties.
President Monson smiles at Zachary, “That’s some tie.”
President Monson also invited Fern Andersen up to add some mortar. A recent widow, Fern started to laugh when President Monson put his arm around her and said, “Best job yet.”
The choir earned a smile from the prophet making all their practice worth it.
The choir’s song was an anthem to the new temple.
Just as the ceremony ended and true to Missouri’s weather, a slight drizzle turned to rain just as President Monson was leaving to return into the temple to finish the dedication.