A Blizzard Protected the Billings Temple Groundbreaking from Anti-Church Protesters

In March 1998, a fierce spring snowstorm struck the groundbreaking of the Billings Montana Temple. More than 4,800 people from 12 states and two Canadian provinces braved freezing temperatures, fog, and deep snow to attend. A 700-member youth choir sang 'Now Let Us Rejoice' as teeth chattered.

Many attendees lacked snow shovels and used inverted music stands to clear snow from their paths. One faithful sister in her sixties had arrived two hours early to secure a front-row seat. She sat on a lawn chair under an umbrella for over four hours. When she finally stood, the ground beneath her chair was perfectly dry — ringed by five inches of snow on all sides.

A young man remarked that 'the Lord blessed the groundbreaking today with snow to make this temple ground white and pure.'

Later, Church members learned the full significance of the storm. A large anti-Latter-day Saint organization from northern Wyoming had planned to disrupt the groundbreaking. Not one protestor was able to reach the temple site due to the hazardous weather and road conditions. The storm that inconvenienced the Saints protected them completely.

Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in Chad Hawkins, '6 Temple Miracles You've Never Heard Before,' LDS Living, September 16, 2022.):

A hearty storm blew in for the March 1998 groundbreaking of the Billings Montana Temple, taking Church members and guest dignitaries by surprise. The 4,800 people—from 12 states and two Canadian provinces—in attendance braved freezing temperatures, fog, and snow to be there for the occasion. Teeth chattered as a 700-member youth choir sang “Now Let Us Rejoice.” The spring snowstorm had caught the majority of the attendees off guard; and lacking a sufficient number of snow shovels, many used inverted music stands to push away the snow and ice. The weather worsened at the passing of each hour. One young man displaying an optimistic attitude remarked that “The Lord blessed the groundbreaking today with snow to make this temple ground white and pure.” Later, Church members learned that the spring snowstorm was a blessing indeed. A large anti-Latter-day Saint organization from northern Wyoming had planned to disrupt the groundbreaking proceeding. Not one protestor was able to reach the temple site because of the hazardous weather and travel conditions.