“Chapter 59: Endowments Are Performed in the Nauvoo Temple: November 1845–February 1846,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories (2002), 209–10
“Chapter 59,” Doctrine and Covenants Stories, 209–10
Chapter 59
Endowments Are Performed in the Nauvoo Temple
November 1845–February 1846
After the death of Joseph Smith, the Saints continued working on the Nauvoo Temple. The Lord had told them to build the temple, and they wanted to obey Him. The Saints did much of this work while they were being persecuted and knew they would soon have to leave Nauvoo.
As each part of the temple was finished, the Saints dedicated it and began using that part. Baptisms for the dead had been performed in the temple since 1841, when the basement was finished. In November 1845, several of the upstairs rooms were finished and dedicated for the Saints to receive the sacred ordinance of the endowment (see also chapter 50).
The Saints were so eager to receive their temple ordinances that they used the temple day and night. During the last few weeks before the Saints left Nauvoo, Brigham Young and others gave all their time to helping them receive these ordinances. By the time the Saints left, almost 6,000 of them had received their endowments in the Nauvoo Temple. These ordinances were a great blessing to them as they endured the difficult trials of the following years.