Two Invitations

I received two invitations this morning.

The first was to tour the new Payson Temple.

The second was to visit the 9th floor of the Nu Skin building...

With these guys, Craig and Nick.  Lucky me!

Mr. Engineer-Husband and I had a delightful morning in Payson.

This is a beautiful temple.

Local artist Jeff Brimley is also an admirer.

The Payson Temple has a very modern fountain.

Our new temple has a fountain, too.

I keep pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.

Provo used to have a fountain.

It stood at the intersection of Center and University Avenue.

While studying the fountain pictures from Tuesday, I noticed the beautiful Victorian floral designs. 

They reminded me of photos I have of the tabernacle interior.

Eva Persson Bingham took this photo and the next one shortly before the 2010 fire.

I cropped out the people who were receiving awards so we could focus on the woodwork.

This picture is from Tuesday.  Notice the design next to the rim.  The similarities are interesting.

This is a picture of the tabernacle interior from the 1950s, when white was a fashionable color for woodwork. There were several styles of newel posts in the tabernacle. Notice this one.

That post has been replicated at the top of the fountain.  Enough woodwork was salvaged after the fire for craftsmen to recreate the pioneer designs.

When I took this picture this morning, I knew it would help if I could get my camera into the Nu Skin building.

I was right.

This picture is from February 23rd. This is the base where the fountain now sits.

The fountain has come a long way.

This temple fountain is unique.

A pump was at the site when I arrived.

I was not complaining that it was in the way.

I am very happy these forms are being poured.

The pump cooperated so I could get a picture of the windows. I was thinking about the Payson Temple. An instruction room will be behind this east gable window. The Payson Temple has three instruction rooms, but the rooms are not progressive.

The Provo City Center Temple also has three instruction rooms.  Patrons will begin in one of two instruction rooms on the lower east side.  They will then take the stairs in the towers to one larger instruction room on the second level.

The Payson Temple's interior is magnificent, but I was completely lost.  Its seven sealing rooms are breathtaking.  Mr. Engineer-husband and I were speechless, a rare event for either of us.

The Provo City Center Temple has five sealing rooms.

Three large sealing rooms are in the north, west and south gables.  There are two smaller rooms.  One is just to the left of this south gable window.

I keep thinking I'm going to understand the geofoam at the south entrance.

How they can possibly be bringing in more is mind-boggling.

I don't know where it's going.

Seeing this area from another angle helps a little bit, though.

I like the new beehive posts on the east side.

The window installation is progressing on the pavilion.

There were plenty of new things to see, such as lights on the north side.

I saw a small assembly of men waiting on the north porch.

Their turn with the pump was next.

The design of the walkways is interesting to see from this perspective, as is the track for the dirt-moving machines.

A statue will rest on this stone in the center of the planter. 

The focus of this planter will be a Victorian urn.

Painters are still working on the fences.

Masons put mortar in the planters at the corner of Center and University.

I was surprised to see styrofoam rope between the stones, but after a minute it made perfect sense.

I tried to figure out what the men on the scaffolding have been doing.

My perspective gave me no advantage.

Progress on the temple and its grounds is wonderful to see.

A lot has happened since I was up here last.

I could see many details, such as dirt going in the south planter.

Masons are still working on the west planters.

The entrance to this garden is almost complete.

Sandstone is going in the stairwells.

I asked about the decorative fence around the steeple deck.  It's on the list.

It was a great morning for invitations.

An invitation up. 

And an invitation to look up. 

The Nauvoo Temple was originally dedicated in April, 1846, 169 years ago this month.  One of my ancestors, Joseph Fielding, was in Nauvoo and wrote about it.  He said, "Since the death of Joseph and Hyrum, the Building of the Temple has gone on rapidly, and contrary to the expectation and Prophecy of Sidney Rigdon and others, the Roof has been put on, the Spire put up and beautifully ornamented."

I made my first meme out of his next sentence.