Brigham Young's 1862 Prophecy Concerning the Temple and the Millennium

In August 1862, President Brigham Young toured the Salt Lake Temple lot with Wilford Woodruff and Isaac Morley while the foundation was being inspected. Standing at the unfinished foundation, Young declared: "I expect this Temple will stand through the Millennium & the Brethren will go in and give the Endowments to the people." He then told the two men, "I do not want to quite finish this Temple for there will not be any Temple finished until the one is finished in Jackson County, Missouri pointed out by Joseph Smith. Keep this a secret to yourselves lest some may be discouraged." The statement, recorded by Woodruff in both his personal diary and the historian's office journals, impressed upon Woodruff the millennial significance and prophetic destiny of the Salt Lake Temple, a destiny fulfilled when the temple was completed and dedicated 31 years later.