From Ashes to Altars: Finding My Miracle in the Provo City Center Temple by Jared Harding Wilson

by Jared Harding Wilson

In a world that often feels like it’s swirling with turmoil, storms, and disasters, we all need a place that points us toward something higher. For me, that place is the temple. Temples are more than just beautiful buildings; they are beacons that point us toward our Heavenly Parents—a Father and Mother who love us—and remind us that our families are eternal.

When I step through those doors, the noise of the world fades. But while I love all temples, there is one that holds my heart above all others: the Provo City Center Temple. It’s also where my new life began with my wife and being married there in sealing room number 2 facing the water fountain:

To many, it’s an engineering marvel. To me, it is a parallel of my life.

The Night the Music Stopped

For over a century, the Provo Tabernacle was the heart of its community. Built in the late 1800s (construction began in 1883), it was a place of Christmas concerts, graduations, and shared memories. My own wife remembers singing there as a child; a dear friend of mine, whose father actually worked on the building, grew up with the Tabernacle as the backdrop of his childhood.

But in December 2010, the unthinkable happened. A four-alarm fire gutted the historic treasure. For 38 hours, the flames raged. By the time the smoke cleared, the roof had collapsed, the intricate woodwork was gone, and only the outer brick shell remained—standing like a hollowed-out ghost.

Historical Photos of the Tabernacle & The Fire:

That same year, my own world came crumbling down. Through my own choices, my life caught fire. Everything I had built felt like it had burned to ashes and cinder. I looked at my life and saw exactly what people saw in downtown Provo: a shell of what used to be, seemingly beyond repair.

The Phoenix and the Prophet

I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, and I’ve always been moved by the concept of the Phoenix—a creature that, at its end, bursts into flames only to be reborn from the wreckage. In Harry Potter, Fawkes the Phoenix proves that “burning days” are not the end; they are the beginning of something new.

In 2011, during General Conference, President Thomas S. Monson “came to the rescue.” He announced that the Tabernacle would not be torn down. Instead, it would be transformed into a temple.

The engineering was nothing short of a miracle. To preserve those original brick walls, crews had to excavate 40 feet down, placing the entire 7-million-pound structure on metal stilts. It was a literal “rising from the ashes.”

During the process, archaeologists discovered the foundations of the original 1867 meetinghouse and a hidden baptistry, proving that even when we think we know everything about our history, there is always more to discover beneath the surface.

Archaeology and Reconstruction Footage:

• Provo Tabernacle Fire Investigation

• Provo Tabernacle Site Excavated by BYU Archeology Students

• Tabernacle to Temple: Underpinning & Engineering

A Monument to Redemption

I used to work in construction—framing and masonry. I know that you don’t build anything great alone. It takes a team. To rebuild the Provo Tabernacle, it took architects, historians, and laborers working in unison.

To rebuild my life, it took a team of family, friends, and therapists. But most importantly, it took my Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the Master Architect. He didn’t just patch me up; He is transforming me into something more beautiful than I ever was before the fire.

There is a quote by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that I carry with me in my heart:

“It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.”

And as President Boyd K. Packer once taught:

“Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness.”

Fun Trivia & History

• The Sagging Steeple: Did you know the Tabernacle originally had a massive central tower? It was removed in 1917 because the weight was causing the roof to sag. When they built the temple, they restored that beautiful central spire to the original design!

• The Saved Pulpit: Incredibly, the original hand-carved wood pulpit was salvaged from the fire, restored, and is now back inside the temple chapel.

• The “Christmas Miracle”: After the fire, a painting of the Savior was found in the debris. While the frame was charred and the glass was cracked, the image of Christ remained virtually untouched by the flames.

Why I Tell This Story

If your life feels like a “burning day”—if you feel you’ve made choices that have turned your world to ash—please know there is always hope.

Can you lose it all and start over? Yes.

Can you be renewed and transformed? Absolutely.

My life is a miracle, not because I was perfect, but because I have a Savior and a community who helped me rise. With what tiny limited amount of time we have in the short window of mortal life we have a choice every day: 1. Spend your life, dragging others down, which invariably will drag your own life down or 2. Spend your life helping to lift others up, helping them to grow. We are all works in progress, and given enough time, any life can become a monument to God’s love.

There is always hope. I believe that with my whole soul.

We all have ‘burning days’ in our lives, but they don’t have to be the end of our story. Have you ever seen a miracle rise from the ashes of your own life, or is there a ‘foundation’ you are currently working to rebuild? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below. The Provo Tabernacle holds so many memories for so many people. What does this building (or your own favorite temple) represent to you?

With the exception of the black-and-white photo and the photos of the temple on fire or on stilts all other photos are by Jared Harding Wilson. All rights reserved.