Glorious Gila!

Congratulations to the saints who will be blessed to attend the newly dedicated Gila Valley Arizona Temple.

We fellow Temple Chasers know a little bit about how exciting it is to get a new temple in your area.

Here in KC, there is still movement at the temple lot.  The roads are one step away from being paved into the development.  It's great being a Temple Chaser!  

You can find me here today.

Go the temple.

Often.

Goings on

Nothing to report from the temple lot this week.  Other then the evidence that hundreds of people were there a couple of weeks ago...is gone.  Rain is washing away a lot of the hill.

But an open house is exciting....even if it's not for us....

Go here for more info.

"Let the Mountains Shout for Joy!"

I have many pictures to post.

It was windy and cold, I am covered with dust.  And yet I am so happy.

May 8, 2010 10:00 am

Kansas City Missouri Temple Groundbreaking Service


Presiding:  President Ronald A. Rasband, Presidency of the Seventy


Conducting:  Elder William R. Walker, Executive Director of the Temple Department


Welcome:  Elder William R. Walker


Hymn:  "High on the Mountain Top" - printed on the back of the program


Invocation:  President Michael A. Murphy, Platte City Missouri Stake


Speakers:  Elder Donald D. Deshler, Sixth Quorum of the Seventy, Sister Vicki V. Walker, Elder William R. Walker, Sister Melanie T. Rasband


Choir:  "Let the Mountains Shout for Joy" - The Mormon Chorale


Remarks and Dedicatory Prayer:  Elder Ronald A. Rasband


Hymn:  "Now Let Us Rejoice" - The Mormon Chorale


Benediction:  President Kendal S. Ross, Olathe Kansas Stake


Groundbreaking

Elder William R. Walker, Executive Director of the Temple

Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Presidency of the Seventy

Unveiling of Rendering of Kansas City Temple

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Fellow Temple Chasers

The Temple Chaser and her husband....groundbreaking....

Interesting article about today's groundbreaking....dated yesterday, here.

It was a glorious day.  I will never forget it.

Not pictured....my tears of joy!

This is the Place

Southwest entrance on Searcy....

Northwest entrance on Searcy...

So much has happened to get ready for this groundbreaking....I hope last nights storms didn't damage all their hard work.

The Difference a Day Makes

A visit to the site last night revealed the completion of the curbing added to the southwest and northwest entrances.  There's even some pavement in!  Do you know how hard it was not to etch...."the Temple Chaser was here?"...in the new concrete?  Don't worry, I won't do it but I will admit to wanting to!

This is the entrance to the south of the development, across from the police station on Pleasant Valley.  While a lot of machinery goes through here, I believe this isn't the principle entrance to where the temple will be.


Southwest entrance

This poor guy was apparently the man voted to stay late and work on the pavement at the southwest entrance by himself!
Southwest entrance

I will go out again on Thursday evening to double-check, but it appears as though these two west entrances may form a loop, with the actual temple lot being at the back.  That's what it looks like to my untrained eye!
Northwest entrance

The northwest entrance is shaping up nicely as well.  Curbing is in and pavement has begun being laid.  When I went earlier in the day they hadn't even finished laying the curbing, so within a few hours they were able to get a lot accomplished.  Have I mentioned how many men there are out there during the day?

And there is the Temple Chaser!


I also spent some time in the LDS bookstore....Eden, in Liberty today.  It is located about a block and a half south of the Liberty Jail.  I noticed something I'd never seen before when I parked on the street.  There were two signs indicating the home site of Alexander Doniphan and his involvement with the members of our church.  There is also a park with a picnic gazebo located there in his honor.  I had no idea this area even existed and I've been to the Liberty Jail dozens and dozens of times.  It would be a great place to stop and picnic while on a church history tour.

I love it when I find new things about the history of our church and this area.
Maybe everyone else knew about this site, but it was new to me!
I think I'd like to me this man someday.  He sounds like a man of great integrity.

Temple Chaser out for now.

Curb Appeal

Curbing has gone in on the west entrance to the lot.

Looks like more will be going in soon.....

It's getting close!

Now would be a great time for me to say that I am so grateful for this temple. Ever since the electric charge that literally shot through my spine the day the of announcement to today....less then a week to groundbreaking, I still am overwhelmed.

I think of those who have broke ground, so to speak, in this area. Those pioneers who inhabited the land many years ago and those who have been here since Kansas City opened it's first Stake.

I am awed and moved by their sacrifices and how much this temple must mean to them. How surreal it must be. I try to comprehend the circumstances that have brought me to live here and now in this place, only minutes away from this long awaited temple. Me, a western mountain raised girl brought to the rolling hills of Missouri, a land rich in church history. I feel so privileged. So grateful. So humbled.

When I started this blog, I did so because I felt that I needed to journal and document my experience. I knew that this was a way that I could feel a part of this journey....a part of the building of a temple. My chase began. It has been a year and a half since I began. I have come to understand that this online journal has benefited me more then it has anyone else. It has been my personal journey....my chase.

I welcome anyone who would like to continue chasing with me. However, I know that it is just that....my chase and I'm just grateful if anyone enjoys the ride.

My testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith and the living Christ is greater then ever. I'm grateful to be here, at this time, in this place where one of His Holy houses will be....and will continue my Temple Chase.

"Shall we not go on is so great a cause?"

She's got a ticket to ride....

See you on May 8th!

By the way....much is going on at the temple lot! Hills are vanishing and reappearing in different places. Roads are being defined.

Keep on chasing!