Was there a prophecy about groves and fish ponds on church buildings?
Question
Dear Gramps,
In the first session of the April 2000 Mormon General Conference President Gordon B. Hinckley said that Brigham Young had prophesied that he saw the Mormons constructing buildings that had trees and fish ponds on the roofs. The new conference center has trees and waterfalls on top of it and President Gordon B. Hinckley said that they didn’t know of this prophecy until after the new center was built. My question is, can you help me find where Pres.Young’s prophecy can be found? (is it published or somewhere on the Internet?) Thanks.
GM
Answer
Dear GM,
President Hinckley could have been referring to the prophecy of Brigham Young in which he spoke of seeing in vision the Mormon Salt Lake Temple years before it was built. The pertinent paragraph by Brigham Young is a follows:
This I do know-there should be a temple built here. I do know it is the duty of this people to commence to build a temple. Now, some will want to know what kind of a building it will be. Wait patiently, brethren, until it is done, and put forth your hands willingly to finish it. I know what it will be. I scarcely ever say much about revelations, or visions, but suffice it to say, five years ago last July I was here, and saw in the spirit the temple not ten feet from where we have laid the chief cornerstone. I have not inquired what kind of a temple we should build. Why? Because it was represented before me. I have never looked upon that ground, but the vision of it was there. I see it as plainly as if it was in reality before me. Wait until it is done. I will say, however, that it will have six towers, to begin with, instead of one. Now do not any of you apostatize because it will have six towers, and Joseph only built one. It is easier for us to build sixteen, than it was for him to build one. The time will come when there will be one in the centre of temples, we shall build, and, on the top, groves and fish ponds. But we shall not see them here, at present (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.410).
Gramps
More to the point than Brigham’s comments is the fact that those architectural features on the roof of the Conference Center are symbols vital to an understanding of scriptural metaphors and temple rituals. These symbols were obviously placed there for one purpose, just as the symbols on the temple were placed there: to announce to the world that this church has the fullness of the gospel, because that is what they mean, speaking of all temple symbolism collectively. Most see these symbols as colorful icons with little relevance to our religion. I see them as sermons in stone, just as the ancients who first invented them did. Such symbols convey truths in graphic images. They are mute testaments to the validity of the Restoration.