A Picture of the Savior

We express our deepest regret for the terrible fire that destroyed the historic and beautiful Tabernacle in Provo, Utah build by early Mormon pioneers from 1886 to 1898. It had been renovated several times over the years. Local residents collected money to pay for a beautiful pipe organ that was also destroyed by the flames. The damage totaled well over a million dollars.

BYU, the LDS Church, and local musicians also lost millions of dollars of electronic and musical equipment that was positioned in the Tabernacle for the Christmas performance the previous night, and the night of the fire. It's hard to explain why such a tragedy would be allowed to happen by our loving Father, but we know that in His wisdom He doesn't often interfere with such natural disasters.

However, firemen examining the remains of the fire later made an amazing discovery, a picture of the Savior depicting His second coming. The entire picture was charred by the fire, except for the Savior himself, which was unscorched. Apparently, the thought of our Father seeing the picture of His beloved Son burnt in the fire was more than He was willing to bear. May this stand as a reminder to us of the eternal love our Father has for His only begotten Son - and for His love for each of us through the salvation His son brought us through His atonement and resurrection. (photo - KSL News)

Update!!! LDS Church President President Thomas S. Monson has announced that the Church will restore the Provo Tabernacle and they will reopen it as the Second Provo Temple! What a fitting honor this is to the legacy of this magnificent historic building!


The historic Provo Tabernacle before the fire


The artist's conceptual drawing of the Second Provo Temple