The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchases Kirtland Temple, historic Nauvoo Buildings, and artifacts for $192M

LDS Church Purchases Kirtland Temple, Historic Nauvoo Buildings, and Artifacts for $192M

Historic Purchase

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has acquired significant historical assets, including the Kirtland Temple and various Nauvoo buildings and artifacts, for $192 million.

Kirtland Temple Reopening

• The Kirtland Temple, the first temple built by Joseph Smith’s followers, closed temporarily and will reopen to the public on March 25 as a historic site.

Property Transfer

• Alongside the Kirtland Temple, other historic sites in Nauvoo, Illinois, such as the Smith Family Homestead, the Mansion House, and the Red Brick Store, were included in the acquisition. These properties will also reopen for free public tours after the temporary closure.

Artifacts and Documents

• The purchase includes valuable documents and artifacts, such as manuscripts of the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, letters from Smith to his wife Emma, and original portraits of Joseph and Emma Smith.

Community of Christ Collaboration

• The agreement was made in collaboration with the Community of Christ, with both organizations affirming their commitment to preserving religious and cultural heritage.

Significance of the Kirtland Temple

• The Kirtland Temple, dedicated in 1836, holds historical significance for early Latter-day Saints, believed to be the site of important events in LDS Church history.

Community of Christ’s Plans

• The transaction will enable the Community of Christ to fund its missionary efforts worldwide through increased endowments.

Acknowledgment and Gratitude

• Both organizations express gratitude for the stewardship of these historic sites, emphasizing the importance of preserving religious and cultural heritage for future generations.

Today Community of Christ shared an announcement about a historic investment in our future. This was made possible through the sale of the Kirtland Temple, the Joseph Smith Historic Site in Nauvoo, and other manuscripts and artifacts to the LDS church.
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*big exhale*

Back in 2014, I attended a lecture/Q&A with John Hamer at the Salt Lake library. I asked what “the church” (meaning those who didn’t follow Brigham Young to Utah) did between the bulk of the people leaving for Utah and the Reorganization in 1860. John’s answer was simple and true, and for whatever reason has stuck with me for the last decade.

It turns out they simply kept being the church. In the middle of change, families and friends splitting up, in the midst of big theological questions and doubts for the future, they simply kept “being the church”. They did what they knew how to do. Gather, ask questions, and listen for where they believed they were being called to go.

I’ve thought about that a lot over the last month or so. I have wondered what it means for our little denomination to “keep being the church”. A lot of my community is mourning today, another part of my community is celebrating. There are so many who feel completely split—just like I do. Literally split in two as these two worlds that are or have been ours are colliding in a highly emotional way. I’ve thought and cried (trust me…my colleagues have seen me cry…) and even laughed over my experience of hearing and processing the news. These places and the people (past and present) they represent mean a lot to me. I’m still convinced Lach Mackay was my tour guide at the Kirtland Temple when I visited way back in 2005. He has a distinct voice and look. I recognized it when I met him in the summer of 2014. I just visited Nauvoo for my 5th time. This feels personal to so many people, me included.

So here we are. Suspended between past and future. A dichotomy that feels deeply jarring right now. What are our options? How do we ensure a future of Community of Christ for the next generations? I think we do what we’ve always done and keep being the church. We keep looking toward the future and keep reimagining what it means to be “the church”. What a gift our ancestors—mine included—have given us. Our people are pioneers. Not only the prophetic impulse, but the ability to picking up the pieces when all hope feels lost. We sing, we dance, we rebuild. I’m grateful we have the flexibility to literally move beyond the walls and be the church in a way that makes sense in today’s world.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m trying to be overly hopeful for social media. Reality is brutal. When I looked for a picture to include in this post, I realized I hardly took any on last week’s Nauvoo trip. I was trying to soak it all in, I guess. I also think I was in a little bit of shock. Still, I do know that how we tell our stories matters. It’s been an emotional ride being part of the team that has put together the plan for how we would collectively tell this part of our story. I hope you take time to really read and watch what Community of Christ has on our website relating to this. I hope you join us for the online gatherings we are planning. Through all of this planning there have been a lot of tears, but also glimmers of hope that have truly sustained me. https://cofchrist.org/news/faithfully-funding-our-future/
If you have any interest at all in this story, at the very, very least please go watch Lach’s video reflecting on the sale. It’s worth it no matter how you’re feeling today.

I trust my Facebook friends will know that if there are comments on this post, I expect them to be ones that are respectful. Gone are the days where I allow arguments on my wall. The amount of sleep I have lost stressing over how this conversation is going to play out over social media is absurd. Please be kind, my friends.

So back to Community of Christ…Let’s keep being the church, okay? Remember that “collectively and individually (we) are loved with an everlasting love that delights in each faithful step taken.” And to quote President Designate Stassi Cramm, Onward!