Vision
King Solomon once wrote that “where there is no vision, the people perish. Vision stands paramount as one of the chief cornerstones of our faith. It was Joseph Smith’s first vision that led to the foundation of our church. Vision of the redemption of Israel is what sustained him amid vile persecution. Vision of God’s glory is what spurred the Saints in building the Kirtland Temple . Vision is what bore them up between the long and difficult road that led from Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake Valley . Vision is what propelled those pioneers to build a Temple , a monument to Mormon perseverance, in the middle of a desert. Vision is what every missionary carries in his heart when he places his first Book of Mormon. Vision of prophecy fulfilled is what thrilled us all so deeply when President Hinckley announced his own vision of having one hundred Temples of the Lord operating by the year 2000.
Nauvoo
But there is one vision that has faded from the sight of the Saints. In Illinois , at a swampy bend in the Mississippi River , there is a simple city named Nauvoo. In its prime, the bustling city once boasted a population that rivaled that of Chicago . Now, with a stagnant population of 1,100, the city remains relatively quiet.
Nauvoo was purchased in 1839 by Mormon refugees that had just survived an extermination order issued by the Governor of Missouri. Joseph Smith was the first Mormon to set foot in Nauvoo and he quickly laid out the plans for what the swamp was to become. Among those plans were designs to build a Temple and a University. The Temple , through much toil and sacrifice, was completed, but the University was never fully formed.
While living in Nauvoo, the Prophet stated that their names: “will be handed down to future ages; our children will rise up and call us blessed; and generations yet unborn will dwell with peculiar delight upon the scenes that we have passed through, the privations that we have endured, the untiring zeal that we have manifested, the all but insurmountable difficulties that we have overcome in laying the foundation of a work that brought about the glory and blessing which they will realize; a work that God and angels have contemplated with delight for generations past; that fired the souls of the ancient patriarchs and prophets.”
Indeed, those early Saints passed through many privations in laying the foundation of a great work. In 1844, Joseph Smith was martyred and shortly afterwards the Saints turned their hopes and hearts towards the setting sun and abandoned Nauvoo to build up Zion in Salt Lake City .
It seems to be a pattern with the Saints. We can transform swamps and deserts if we but have the right Spirit and the right vision. Such spirit and vision caused renewed interest and thrill when we returned to Nauvoo to rebuild the old homes and the Temple .
A Vision of Nauvoo University
There are present plans by private investors to reestablish and rebuild the University of Nauvoo . While these investors are acting independently of the Church, they have agreed to make the school LDS-oriented.
As a member of the University’s Board of Advisers, and working closely on the project itself, I have been caught up in the vision of what Nauvoo and its University could become if fueled by the passion and vision of the Latter-day Saints. Long ago, Joseph Smith stated that Nauvoo University was destined to become one of the great lights of the world.
With that in mind, may I share with you the vision that I have of Nauvoo University ?
I see a grand educational center in the mid-west available to all men and women seeking pristine knowledge and learning. I watch as majestic and distinguished buildings for the University rise up near the Nauvoo Temple , reflecting the idea of two universities: a House of God, where man may study the spiritual, and a house of man, where he may study the secular.
In my mind’s eye, I observe as industrious people (of all faiths) flood to Nauvoo to lovingly fill it with buildings, homes, gardens, commercial goods, and services. I observe with satisfaction at how the developing University creates vibrant economic growth that ripples through all of Nauvoo’s enterprises. With this grown, the University begins to produce its own newspaper, which discusses local news and other things of interest. They name it ” Our Times and Seasons.”
I witness the university and local community work hand in hand to put on year-round concerts, plays, and musicals that are the envy (and joy) of the surrounding cities and towns.
I see the students of the university rendering service to the community and leaving a legacy of faith for others to follow. I see them living up to high standards and values in an enriching environment and building friendships with each other, their teachers, and the local community. I see them taking initiative and clean-up parks, buildings, the school, and helping to discover, maintain and rebuild the historic sites.
I listen as the students discuss whether or not to develop something like the Polynesian Cultural Center at BYU Hawaii—a place where the students themselves get involved in the historic sites. Such a program would help to pay for their college expenses, but also give them greater appreciation and understanding of their heritage.
I watch with jubilee as the city of Nauvoo and its university put on fantastic seasonal celebrations for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and the Fourth of July, while weddings, receptions and everyday celebrations are not uncommon. I also see that in time the Nauvoo Temple Square has become something akin to Salt Lake City ‘s Temple Square . During Christmas people come for many miles to marvel at the lights and festivities and enjoy the spirit that lingers there.
As the city and university grow, I learn that the Nauvoo Temple has regained its once lost title as “the Jewel of the Mississippi .” For by the time that the University is up and running, tens of thousands will have come to Nauvoo and witnessed the miracle that is taking place there.
In short, Nauvoo (and its university) will become a “light on a hill,” a beacon of holy heritage, education, and faith to all people throughout the world. I hope that you will, in whole or in part, share the vision that I have of Nauvoo and I hope that you will join me and others in contributing to Nauvoo University and, like the pioneers before us, make that vision a reality.
History of the Church, 4:609
Nauvoo University -the Loveliest Place