Groundbreaking Rocks

Today is the one year anniversary of the Groundbreaking of the Kansas City Temple!

Go here for last year's post.

In one year the construction has gone from this...

To this...

The blessings of heaven invoked that day, have poured out upon this holy land.

The morning of the Groundbreaking, I picked up three stones, used to create a path to the top of the hill. I thought it would be a good idea to save these as mementoes of this sacred event for my three daughters, who were not able to attend.

They remind me that the Lord, is my Rock and that the temple is my "high tower and my refuge". 

2 Samuel 22:2-3

It's been since the fall of 2008, that the building of the Kansas City Temple has been chronicled and shared on this humble blog. Today is a blessed day of reflection on the wondrous gifts given to us, especially the privilege and gift of having one of His Holy Houses being built in our midst.

Happy Groundbreaking Anniversary Temple Chasers!  

"When we act in obedience and always remember Him, we are built on the rock of His gospel.  We are blessed as we live His commandments."

Elder David B. Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, "Remembering the Savior's Atonement," Ensign, Apri. 1988, 9.

May we all keep chasing and building upon His Rock.

Rome Temple Groundbreaking Witness

I still remember the thrill of witnessing thegroundbreaking of the Kansas City Temple. I can only imagine how it felt to be in Rome, when President Monson spoke and dedicated the site for the building of the temple.

A walk down KC Temple memory lane...



You can go here...to Sarah's blog called, Casteluzzo and read her account and her special witness to the Rome Temple Groundbreaking.





Thank you Sarah, for being a fellow Temple Chaser and for sharing your priceless experience with us.

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?"

Another Resource

One of my favorite resources for information about all the temples is:

www.ldschurchtemples.com

I've posted photos on there before.

Here is the link to the latest info about our temple on their website.

It's nice to have a buddy in the online temple chasing business.