Dear Sister Soutas:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Missouri Independence Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

We are so excited for Jenessa!!! I have actually thought she might be called to Independence since her papers were submitted. It crossed my mind several times. I thought what if she replaces Courtney Baggett?

She will have an amazing experience sharing the gospel. It's so crazy that currently Ty is only about 2 hours for there, serving in Columbia Missouri. My brother, Tony lives in Kansas City and we will be moving Jordan, Alex and Baby RubyJane there in July!!!! We feel like our family is getting an early start on the "Trek" to Missouri for the 2nd coming. :) Seriously we just bought a house there for the kids. haha

Missouri here we come!!!

This map has marks to locate all my kids. Ty is currently in Columbia

Jenessa will be in Independence and Jordan/Alex/RubyJane will be living in Gladstone.

I'm doing my research on the Church History Sites there. I am so excited to visit them in July when we move the kids back. I've heard there is an extra special spirit at Liberty Jail.

And Independence is the Site of the New JERUSALEM Temple. Is this just a coincidence? Is this meant to be for a reason? Jenessa and Ty are both of Judah.

My dream is to go to Jerusalem, but for now I guess we are meant to be in NEW JERUSALEM

Independence Temple

Site dedicated but temple not constructed

Location: Independence, Missouri, United States.

Announcement: 20 July 1831
Site Dedication: 3 August 1831 by Joseph Smith, Jr.

Temple Locale

The site of the Independence Temple, or Temple Lot, is located southwest of the intersection of Lexington Street and River Boulevard in Independence, Missouri. On site is the headquarters of the Church of Christ. East and south of the Temple Lot are the Community of Christ (former Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) Temple and Auditorium, respectively. And southeast of the Temple Lot on Walnut Street is the visitors' center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Also on Walnut are the Missouri Independence Mission office and the Independence Missouri Stake Center.

Temple Facts

The Independence Temple was the first temple commanded to be built in this dispensation.

The Temple Lot is located in Jackson County—revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith to be the location of the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve were driven out, they dwelt in Adam-ondi-Ahman.

Bishop Edward Partridge paid $130 for the original 63.27-acre parcel that constitutes the larger Temple Lot.

In a revelation given on July 20, 1831, the Lord designated the location for the Independence Temple and declared Independence as the center place for the city of Zion.

In obedience to a commandment received the day before, twelve men representing the twelve tribes of Israel laid a symbolic foundation for the city of Zion on August 2, 1831, and consecrated the land for the gathering of the saints.

Joseph Smith presided over the dedication of the Independence Temple site on August 3, 1831, and laid the northeast and southeast cornerstones (or corner markers).

Joseph Smith revealed his plan for the City of Zion in June 1833, which featured a complex of 24 temples in the center of a city with wide streets crossing at right angles.

A mob attacked the settlement of the Saints in Independence on July 20, 1833, destroying their press. Persecution increased in the ensuing months and by November, the Saints were forced to flee and locate temporarily in Clay County and then in Caldwell County where they established Far West.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began purchasing property in Independence in 1904, eventually acquiring nearly 20 of the original 63 acres.

While excavating for the foundation of a temple in 1929, the Church of Christ discovered the northeast and southeast cornerstone markers. The Great Depression set in shortly thereafter, and the temple was never built, but the stones are now on display in the Church of Christ's visitors' room.

In 1971, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated a visitors' center, which offers insight into the significance of the past and future of the area.

Prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, a magnificent edifice—the New Jerusalem Temple—will be erected on the location of the Temple Lot.

This 1900 newspaper was a fun read :)

Vol. ? Chicago, Illinois, Sunday, August 19, 1900. No. ?

MORMONS PLAN TO RETURN
TO OLD HOME.
________

Temple Greater than That at Salt Lake City to be Built
at Independence to Fulfill Prophecy of Joseph Smith.

Elders of the Mormon Church of Utah are working vigorously in Missouri to fulfill the prophecy of Joseph Smith, made many years ago, that Independence was the Zion of the church, and that from it was to rise the great temple of the Mormons. There are twenty-four of these Mormon elders...

Jackson County, Mo., is the spot where man first saw the light of day, according to the Mormon belief. Joseph Smith, after his people had been driven out of Nauvoo, Ill., prophesied that Independence was the city in which the new Jerusalem of the church was to be built. They moved to Missouri, and there is little doubt that Independence would have been today what Salt Lake City now is, had not the Mormons been driven out at the point of the bayonet. And ever since that time the Mormons still have been trying to get back to the little Missouri city.

The Mormon Church of Utah has ever been working to get a foothold in Kansas City and Independence. For the last four years the elders have been working in this vicinity for converts. The church is meeting with success, and the elders are enthusiastic....

Utah will not be forsaken when the Mormons come to Independence. "Of course," said an elder, "a great many will come here from Utah, but we will have our churches out there, all of which will be under control of the Independence church. Just when we will come to Independence will be hard to say. But that it will be soon is a certainty. We are in Independence to lay the foundation of the work which will culminate in the building of the temple certainly to come. When we come we expect to buy all the land needed for our city, the new Zion. We will work hard from now on in Kansas City. We do this to prepare the people for the coming."

The day is not far away when the Mormons expect to begin building the new Jerusalem at Independence. The pilgrimage to that city, which is the Mecca of the church, is already on foot. Four years ago there were only four Mormon families in Independence -- now there are hundreds.

ZION