Heber C. Kimball Builds a Good House in Nauvoo with "Scarcely Anything to Begin With" — and Ends with a Span of Horses, a Wagon, and a Yoke of Oxen

When the Saints were commanded to build the Nauvoo Temple, Brigham Young told Heber C. Kimball to go and build himself a good house. Kimball testified in 1860: "I had scarcely anything to begin with; but when I got through building I had a span of horses, a wagon, and a yoke of oxen. I could prove this, if it were necessary; for many others did similar things; and the more we built, the more means we had to build the Temple with." His prosperity while giving his substance to the Temple stood, in his own telling, as a witness that the Lord provides for those who obey His commandments.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

For instance, in Nauvoo we were commanded to build the Temple; and in order to accomplish that, we had to build a great many big houses. Brother Brigham told me to go and build a good house. I had scarcely anything to begin with; but when I got through building I had a span of horses, a wagon, and a yoke of oxen. I could prove this, if it were necessary; for many others did similar things; and the more we built, the more means we had to build the Temple with. It is just so with this people; the more they do for the building up of the kingdom of God, the more they have to do with. If you will go to work and build up the kingdom of God, and let your hearts be set upon the building of the Temple, and the gathering of the Saints, and the building up of Zion, you will find that you will have more means than you know what to do with.