An impromptu crowd of about 4,000 people gathered Thursday afternoon, Sept. 26, as news spread by word of mouth that the statue of the Angel Moroni was to be hoisted atop the east tower of the Vernal Utah Temple.
Construction of the temple is about 65 percent completed. Work for the new temple, which is being constructed within the walls of the existing Uintah Stake Tabernacle, got underway after President Gordon B. Hinckley broke ground for it May 13, 1995. The original tabernacle was dedicated by President Joseph F. Smith in 1907. The new temple, the 10th in Utah and 51st in the Church, is located about 180 miles east of Salt Lake City.Announced for the day's work Sept. 26 were the placing of two towers atop the temple and the installation of a new cupola on its roof. That work took a 30-member construction crew most of the day. As the crew worked, word spread that the statue also would be placed while the construction crane, used to hoist the towers and cupola into place, was on the site.
The 8-foot-tall fiberglass statue stands on the temple's east tower, the larger of two towers. The east tower measures about 18.5 feet in diameter and rises 100 feet above the ground. The west tower is 16 feet in diameter and is about 65 feet above the ground. The laminated aluminum towers were manufactured in Garland, Utah. Both tower domes are copper. The cupola, which looks like a small building atop the temple, was set between the towers.
It took about 45 minutes for the statue to be lifted and set in place, according to Lloyd Hess, project manager for the Vernal temple's construction.
Gayle F. McKechine, vice chairman of the Vernal Utah Temple local committee, said, "There has been an outpouring of excitement and thankfulness on the part of the people of the Uintah Basin for the blessing of having a temple close to us. I seldom go to a meeting where a prayer is said in which people do not offer thanks that a temple is being built in eastern Utah.
"Up until now, most of the work has been taking place on the interior. During the past few months, they've been starting to build and add on to the exterior; it's starting to take shape and is now something that we can see. There are people who take a lunch to work and go sit some place near the temple site nearly every day just to watch the progress."
It's no wonder, then, that a crowd gathered early Sept. 26 as the construction crew began putting the towers and cupola in place. Jeanne Anderton, a member of the Vernal 7th Ward, was among the spectators. She said as word spread that the statue was going to be put in place, people started calling friends and relatives. "It was one of those momentous occasions that we didn't want anyone to miss."
By 3 p.m., when the statue was finally airborne, cars were parked all along roads accessing the temple. "There were lots of cheers when the statue was hoisted," Sister Anderton said. "The whole thing was spectacular."
Although many were privileged to see it, many missed the event. "I didn't know they were going to put the statue up that day, so I wasn't there," said Pres. McKechine, whose responsibilities on the temple committee are primarily with planning the open house and dedication, which will be held possibly next fall. "I've seen a video of it, and even that was thrilling.
"Having a temple here is a dream that we never dared dream. We're grateful."
