RING OF FIRE - RED IN THE MORNING, SAILORS WARNING (2023 Solar Eclipse)

Here are a few photos of the Solar Eclipse that I took on Saturday in Central Utah that occurred on October 14, 2023. It was spectular to witness the totality. 

There is an old adage that says:

Red sky at night, sailor's delight,
Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

We know this old saying has been around for some time. It might have some truth to it. In Matthew 16: 2-3, Jesus replied to the Pharisees and Sadducees that wanted to "test" him by asking Jesus to show them a sign from heaven.  He said "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times."

How many of us are interpreting the signs of the times that are appearing in the heavens.

When we were driving south early in the morning to observe the eclipse, the sky was flaming red. I couldn't help but think that it was foreshadowing or portent of the "Ring of Fire" we would witness a few hours later. Here a photo of the sky with the Payson Temple at the base of the mountains at the bottom of the photo. 

Here is the location we witness the eclipse. Meadows Hot Springs just south of Filmore that used to be the capital of Utah.

CHEAP IMITATION OF THE ORIGINAL

Last week just before General Conference, the Church released more updated photos of the Salt Lake Temple. Below is one of those photos which highlights one of the newly built spires that are the crown jewels of the Temple. I am sure is it not finalized and hopefully they adhere at least a granite rock to this metal riveted façade. In my opinion this looks like a cheap imitation of the original Temple spires. It looks like something I would see at an Ivory Home construction site or even worse, a new ornamentation I would see being built on a casino in Vegas. 

I don't think this is even close to what the pioneers built or even an attempt to preserve the integrity of the beautiful granite temple that took the Saints 40 years to build.

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HISTORICAL INFORMATION OF THE ORIGINAL TEMPLE SPIRES:

The construction of the original temple spires, like the rest of the temple, was a remarkable engineering feat considering the time and resources available. The six spires are the spectacular visual culmination of the building as well as a symbol of the heavenly aspirations to reconnect with Heaven. The spires were fine pieces of architectural artwork. 

The construction of the Salt Lake Temple, including its spires, required a great deal of labor, skill, and dedication. It is a testament to the faith and determination of the early pioneers and craftsmen who built it and continues to be a symbol of the LDS Church's heritage and beliefs.

Here is a general overview of how the original temple spires were constructed:

• Materials: The spires were built out of granite stone. Granite blocks were quarried from Little Cottonwood Canyon  and then transported to the construction site. These blocks were often massive, with some weighing several tons. Skilled stone masons and craftsmen worked on carving and shaping the granite blocks into the desired shapes for the spires. This required precision and attention to detail
• Hoisting and Placement: Cranes and hoists were used to lift the granite blocks into place. The stones were carefully positioned to create the intricate designs and details of the spires.
• Decorative Elements: The spires feature decorative elements, including pinnacles, statues, and other ornate designs. These were also carved from granite and placed on the spires to enhance their aesthetic appeal.
• Finishing Touches: Once the spires were constructed, the final finishing touches were added, including cleaning and polishing the granite and ensuring that all elements were secure.

The six spires of the temple represent the power of the priesthood. The three spires on the east side are a little higher than those on the west: they represent the Melchizedek, or "higher priesthood", and the Aaronic, or "preparatory priesthood" respectively.

TRAGIC CHANGES:

The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was announced by President Russell M. Nelson on April 19, 2019, during the church's General Conference. President Nelson revealed plans for a significant renovation project that would modernize and "preserve" the historic temple.

The renovation of the Salt Lake Temple  officially began on December 29, 2019, with a groundbreaking ceremony that marked the start of the extensive renovation project. The ceremony was attended by church leaders and officials and marked the beginning of the significant renovation and restoration effort for this historic and iconic temple.

Three months later, Salt Lake City experienced an earthquake on March 18, 2020. The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.7, was felt in the Salt Lake City area and resulted in minor damage to the temple and other buildings in the vicinity.  One of the most significant and symbolic results of the earthquake caused the trumpet held by the Angel Moroni statue to detach and fall to the ground. This earthquake was a significant event for the temple, as it marked the first time in the temple's history that the Angel Moroni statue lost a part of its trumpet. 

Photo of the Angel Moroni no longer holding the trumpet after the earthquake.

Here we are now 3 1/2 years later replacing the beautiful original granite temple spires.