The Nauvoo Temple
was the first in which ordinances such as eternal
marriage and baptism for the dead were performed. This
temple, which was such an integral part of the Lord's
work, was not completed before Joseph Smith died a
martyr.
Construction of
the Nauvoo Temple began in the spring of 1841 on a
hilltop overlooking the Mississippi River. The Saints
eagerly labored to receive the blessings promised by
the Lord. In the baptismal font, dedicated nine months
later, the Saints performed proxy baptisms in behalf
of the dead.
Work on the
temple continued at great sacrifice after the death of
Joseph Smith, and portions of the temple were
dedicated as they were completed. Between December
1845 and February 1846, nearly 6,000 Latter-day Saints
received their endowments in this house of the Lord before
moving west. The temple was dedicated in the spring of
1846.
After the Saints
left Illinois, the temple was destroyed by fire and a
tornado. The Church reacquired the temple lot in 1937 and
rebuilt the Nauvoo Temple on its original site in
2002.
