Lessons on the Temple
Lesson No. Thirty-Eight
The Salt Lake Temple and Grandma Maggie Cottam Petty
The blessing of a wise and righteous grandmother – I had a grandmother who has greatly blessed my life in the most important ways. The following quotes are from Grandma Petty’s journal: “I was born in St George, Utah on September 21, 1886...I was the seventh child of twelve children...all of whom were married in the temple....Both my parents were pioneers to "Dixie", Washington County, Utah. My father came to St George in January 1862 and was there through all its development and did a great deal of work on all the public buildings, especially the Temple and the Tabernacle....The prophet, Wilford Woodruff had a true and loyal friend in my father, and many times I sat on the knee of the Prophet when he stayed in our home.”
A devoted ordinance worker in the Salt Lake Temple for 25 years – "I was set apart as a temple ordinance worker on the 8th of June 1950...it is the grandest work in the church. I have enjoyed it very much and esteem it a great honor and privilege to be called to work in the House of the Lord. We find some of the best people in the world there to work with and we learn to love each other very much. I have also done many endowments for my dead kindred as well as working in the Genealogy Library getting our names, arranging for my grandchildren to do baptizing, and my family to do the sealings and the endowments."
Her example and devotion instilled in me a love for the temple which endures.
Grandma Petty’s lasting gift to Temple Square – In 1949 Grandma Petty traveled to the Holy Land. Being an avid gardener and growing up taking care of plants and trees she was interested in the horticulture of the Holy Land particularly the Cedar of Lebanon. This tree has precious and fragrant wood, and the fact that Cedar of Lebanon was used prominently in Solomon’s Temple made this tree especially interesting to her.
She acquired two 8 inch long seedlings which she carried on her lap on the airplane going home. She gave one to her cousin Walter Cottam, a world renowned botanist at the University of Utah and the other to the head gardener on Temple Square who planted it near the southeast corner of the Salt Lake Temple. From a small seedling this Cedar of Lebanon has grown to a height of 70 feet and its branches spread horizontally for about the same distance.
This Cedar of Lebanon is the best known tree on temple square. The history of this tree has appeared in the Church News at least twice. This tree is covered with brilliant red lights every other Christmas season in order to better preserve the tree. (See accompanying picture)
I believe the Salt Lake Temple and this Cedar of Lebanon tree will welcome the Savoir at His Second Coming and be in place during the millennium – The Salt Lake Temple is being preserved in a massive seismic update that will take over five years to complete. The significance of Grandma Petty’s Cedar of Lebanon is best shown by the fact that is also being preserved at considerable effort and cost. (See accompanying picture) The normal life span of a healthy Cedar of Lebanon is up to 300 years, however there are recorded cases of a Cedar of Lebanon living 1,000 years. I believe that the Lord has inspired President Nelson to do what is necessary to ensure that the Salt Lake Temple and this Cedar of Lebanon will welcome Him at the time of His Second Coming and will stand through the millennium.
Grandma Petty’s life is a testimony of the great influence of a righteous woman – She never sought prominence, and always taught by example. She loved and magnified her roles as a wife, mother, and grandmother, and in doing so she had a powerful influence on her family and many others. I and my two brothers are examples of the influence Grandma Petty had on her grandchildren. We had wonderful and loving parents, but they were not active in the Church during our growing up years. It was the teaching, example, and love of Grandma Maggie Petty that was the spiritual motivator in our lives.