Some time long ago Dalene traded the lush greenscape of the Pacific Northwest for the comforting mountains of the Wasatch front where she lives with her third-grade teaching husband and their four mostly fun kids. With a forever-ago degree in English and French from BYU, Dalene once worked for a local newspaper, has dallied in freelance work and in 2005 took up blogging as a legitimate way to avoid housework and to keep a journal of sorts. In her other life she wants to be excellent at a number of things, but in this one she’s settling for baking a mean sour cream lemon pie, keeping most of the points in line on her quilt blocks, being a loyal friend and aspiring to moments of goodness as a wife and mother. Dalene is the newest member of the Editorial Board and she’ll be sharing her stories with us throughout January. And of course, if you want to read more about her, you can look at her fantastic blog Compulsive Writer. Thanks Dalene!
In September of 2006 I stood with my husband outside a church in Tampere, Finland; a building he had helped construct over 25 years earlier, during his mission. After posing for a few photos, we went into the chapel with our tour group, sat in the choir seats and sang “Finlandia” (you may be familiar with the Jean Sibelius tune as “Be Still My Soul”) together. It was a deeply touching experience toward the end of what had been a surprisingly spiritual tour through the beautiful country of Finland.
This past Sunday, just after returning home from our church meetings, I stood in disbelief as my husband showed me video of that very same chapel as it was destroyed by fire.
Police suspect arson.
Just one day after the fire, members of the church met in numerous homes to hold sacrament meeting and discuss their plans to rebuild. My heart goes out to these dear saints who have felt so blessed by the building of the Helsinki Temple, but are now saddened by the loss of their chapel in Tampere.
Having served a mission abroad, I understand having a place to meet for church is not something to be taken lightly. Actually owning their own building is a rare blessing for many saints throughout the world. One we often take for granted–especially here in Utah, where there is practically an LDS chapel on every corner.
I still can’t believe it really. But the feeling evoked as I watched the flames burn through the roof of the Tampere chapel brought to mind the stories of so many people–people of all faiths–around the world who have suffered such a deeply personal loss as the intentional destruction of their places of worship. Where they go to seek God, find faith and feel peace.
Perhaps because we had just had a Relief Society lesson on the life of Joseph Smith, my thoughts also turned to the lives of the early saints. I can’t remotely begin to imagine what it must have been like for them–some of them my own ancestors–to have witnessed and experienced such persecution and personal loss. It wasn’t just their churches. Their crops, their livestock, their farms, their homes, and even their temple were brutally taken from them or destroyed. And, as if that weren’t enough, so many endured torture or were murdered.
All for an opportunity to worship God as they chose.
It’s always seemed a bit beyond me to fully appreciate their sacrifice without better understanding their losses. But Sunday as I watched giant flames pour out of a meeting house in whose chapel I once stood, I believe I caught a tiny glimpse.
I am both deeply sorry for all who have felt the pain of such loss and forever grateful for what they endured so I could take such blessings for granted.
After seeing the Joseph movie for the first time a couple of weeks ago….I was once again brought to tears and humble gratitude of what he and the early Saints went through and sacrificed. Thanks C-dub, beautiful post.
How sad. I hope that the church plans to replace the building. We really are blessed.
Being a saint means different things in different places and situations (dah). And the church building is a home for those saints to be fed and to feed others. I’m so sad for those members and hope they can rebuild with hope, garnering strength from each other until they have a new place to rest and worship.
I remember as a child “helping” (as much as a child could) to restore an old Protestant church our branch had acquired. We ripped out, re-built pews and rooms and stages, painted, sewed curtains — man, my parents were at that church every spare moment they had for over 18 months. But when it was finished, the strong feelings we had, even as a child, for that building were enormous. My family still thinks about that building tenderly.
What a sad story. I hope they will rebuild. I can imagine how they must be feeling, especially if it was arson.
I went to the news article link, and it said the building was not insured. What?!??
A couple years ago we were in a ward where we had to help clean the chapel every month or so. We hated that job. Everyone hated that job. It partly had to do with the person in charge, but I think we also lacked what the saints in Findland have, a connection to our place of worship.
This post is a reminder that even though I see one on every corner, a chapel is a beloved, sacred place for a saint no matter where in the world.
Thanks Dalene.
Oh my gosh, that is so sad. Our building was set on fire just a few weeks ago. What’s been amazing is the strength of the members and their attitudes about the whole ordeal.
It’s really been awesome because it just goes to show that the church IS the same everywhere. Building or no, we still meet every week and learn the gospel and it’s really brought our ward and stake together…. just the opposite of what the arsonist intended.
When we lived in Boston, our ward found itself without a place to meet, and we eventually were able to rent space from a middle school. What a nightmare. I have never been so grateful for a chapel in my entire life.
Yes, we also were stunned to hear the building was not insured. I keep hoping that information is incorrect–I really can’t imagine someone overlooking such an important detail.
Caroline, I am sorry for your loss as well. Isn’t it amazing how adversity can strengthen us not just individually, but also as congregations. I hope your building is restored soon.
jeans - If you have a large supply of money to replace buildings due to fire, you probably don’t need insurance. The insurance would probably cost a lot more than replacing the buildings.
I remember how proud the members in Ecuador were of the chapels they built. We are blessed to live in a time when there’s enough financial stability in the Church that we don’t have to fund each building as a ward, much less work on them. But I agree that we are missing out on that sense of ownership.
Last month, I stayed and helped clean up after a ward party. I stayed until the building was completely clean and everything was turned off and locked. For the first time in my life, I began to understand what it feels like to really respect and value our meetinghouse. As I swept, my mind kept turning over and over the primary song “This is God’s house, and He is here today.”
You’re right, Dalene, we often take this particular blessing for granted. My heart goes out to the ward in Finland, and to your husband, who is surely feeling shock and sadness over the tragedy.
Julie–your comment reminded me about a Primary lesson I taught a few months ago. One of the points was that we show our love for our Heavenly Father and our Savior when we show respect and reverence for–and take care of–our chapels. I had never seen things in quite that way before.
I remember having zone conferences in that building. I served in Finland about 13 years ago. That makes me really sad. Maybe it will have some weird effect on missionary work, like people feeling sympathetic and then learning about the church! I’m sure Heavenly Father will bring about some good because of it.
My heart and prayers go out to the people of Finland who lost their place of worship. Beautful post. Thank you, Dalene.
This brings two things to mind. First, we are so devastated here in Utah when fire burns through our mountains, yet I’ll never forget my dad telling me one time after a fire that was in the mountains near our home, that in the end, the fire nourishes the soil, and prepares it for new life and beauty. Second, growing up, our little chapel in Spring Lake was started on fire twice, and we had to relocate while the damage was being repaired. Each time, it was mostly restored to it’s original design, but with a few much needed improvements. I don’t know what it is, I can’t pin it down exactly, but all I know is that every time I have the opportunity to go visit that building, I feel such warmth and reverence, I’m brought to tears. I’m sure it’s mostly because of the many memories I have that make it feel like I’m coming home, but I wonder if in part it’s because of the building itself. That small, outdated building, almost destroyed twice, still stands, and in the end, is better for it. It’s symbolic to me. Like these two buildings, sometimes lives are in need of repair, and other times we have to rebuild, but the end result adds quality and newness, and renews strength, and beauty. It is good for the soul.
Reading post #6 brought to mind some things I have been thinking about lately. We also have the opportunity to clean the chapel and the rest of the building (we rotate with the other two wards that share the building) and how hard it is sometimes to find people to sign up. Sometimes I think we don’t knw how blessed we really are, or maybe, how much we miss the blessings we used to have.
I remember as a kid, my dad spending several weekends building a meetinghouse on a nearby reservation. I also remember not too much later the whole stake pitching in on the remodel and expansion of our stake center. I remember branding calves on the stake ranch and changing sprinkler pipes on the fields.
It may be more efficient, or more cost-effective to manage church properties this way, but I think we lose a connection, both spiritually and physically, with our places of worship (and yes, I think a stake ranch can be a place of worship!). Those of us who can remember those times have a special bond for a project we may have complained about then, but enjoy blessings of fellowship and remembrance now.
I hope the saints in Finland get their building back soon and I hope they get the chance (like your husband on his mission) to help invest time and sweat in its building.
As a side note, recently a multidenominational church in our mostly mormon community decided to construct a new building. Lacking the monetary resources to comeplete the project, imagine their surprise and gratitude when on two consecutive Saturdays six different construction crews (all LDS) showed up and framed and roofed the entire building.
Am’n2deep, thanks for sharing such a beautiful perspective.
John, you make an excellent point. As for your side note, I love it when people come together like that–I believe that’s when we are best fulfilling the measure of our creation.
Beautiful post and comments. And I love Am’n analogy. I’m with her—these kinds of burnings often serve to invite more beauty into the spiritual landscape, and purge the weeds.
I for one noitice a sweet feeling when I stick around to clean up our meetinghouse after gatherings. Those times when I’ve been the last one in the building, I’ve heard the Spirit whisper, “This is the Lord’s house. This is your house too.” And for those reasons I feel happy to love and take care of it.
Once I had the chance to do some work on the temple grounds, and that was also a tremendous feeling. Mulching for the Lord? Sign me up!
I hope your Finnish friends will be beautified and strengthened by their experience. I believe they will be.
Beautiful, thoughtful, thought-provoking. Mostly, it’s a gift to learn of something so simple, so sad and profoundly meaningful and so far away. I can add my prayers on behalf of those who have lost their “home.” I would never have even known about it, had you not shared it here. Thank you. I’ll look forward to reading more.
I am so proud of you. You do a great job with your writing. You represent our family very well. I am equaly sadened by the loss of one of our chapels. I know those people in Finland have worked hard for the opportunity to have a their own place to worship. Love, Barbara