Provo's next Mormon temple gets an angel on high

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
People watch from nearby buildings as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
People photograph as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
People photograph as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

1 of 11

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune People watch from nearby buildings as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune People photograph as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune People photograph as construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014. Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Construction crews work to attach the Angel Moroni statue after a crane lifted it to the top of the Provo City Center Temple in Provo, Utah, Monday, March 31, 2014.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· April 2, 2014 9:40 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Now, it looks like a Mormon temple.

Construction crews labored Monday to put a golden Angel Moroni statue atop the city's historic Provo Tabernacle — soon to become the Provo City Center Temple.

A devastating fire gutted the tabernacle in December 2010. Months later, LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson announced that the building would be restored to its original appearance — including a center spire that was removed in 1917 — and repurposed as a temple.

Many LDS temples boast iconic Moroni statues. Mormons believe Moroni was the last contributor to the church's signature scripture, the Book of Mormon, and later appeared to church founder Joseph Smith.

When the Provo City Center Temple is completed — expected in 2015 — the Utah County city will become the second municipality in Utah — and the world — with two Mormon temples, the first being South Jordan, home of the Oquirrh Mountain and Jordan River temples.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints see temples as houses of God, places they take part in their faith's highest sacraments, including eternal marriage.