When the reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple was announced in 1999, it was an exciting event. But even more exciting was the fact that the plans for the original Nauvoo Temple were accessible, allowing the temple to more closely and accurately resemble its historic predecessor.
The plans, however, were not always available to the Church.
Sandy Griffin Hardy, the great-great-grand-daughter of the original Nauvoo Temple architect, William Weeks, shared the story of their discovery:
In 1948, Mr.and Mrs. Leslie Griffin-who were not members of the Church-developed a friendship with two missionaries who had been out knocking on door. Mr. Griffiin told Elder Thacker and Elder Gifford that he was a grandson of William Weeks. During one of their final visits before Elder Thacker returned home to Utah, Mr. Griffin went to the back of his house and returned with a roll of papers held by a rubber band. He gifted the papers to Elder Thacker, instructing him to give them to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
"These are the original architect's drawings for the Nauvoo Temple," he explained. "They have been in my family for 100 years, handed down from my grandfather, William Weeks."
Those yellowed but readable plans were delivered to Church historian A. William Lund, who kindly sent a letter of appreciation to Mr. Griffin!!!
Wow! What a story!!
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