Worth braving a blizzard...
A hearty storm blew in for the March 1998 groundbreaking of the Billings Montana Temple, taking Church members and visiting dignitaries by surprise. The 4,800 people in attendance, including guests from 12 states and two Canadian provinces, braved freezing temperatures, fog, and snow to be there for the occasion. Teeth chattered as a 700-member youth choir sang...
"Now Let Us Rejoice."
The spring snowstorm had caught the majority of attendees off guard, and, lacking a sufficient number of shovels, many used inverted music stands to push away the snow and ice.
The weather worsened as each hour passed. One loyal sister in her 60's had arrived two hours early to ensure she would have a front-row seat. Swathed in a blanket under an umbrella, she sat on a lawn chair for more than four hours. When she rose, the perfectly dry ground beneath her chair was ringed by snow five inches deep!!
Later, Church members learned that a large anti-Mormon organization from northern Wyoming had planned to disrupt the groundbreaking ceremonies. Not one protester was able to reach the temple site because of the hazardous weather and traveling conditions.
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