At the end of each performance of the Nauvoo Pageant, President Gordon B. Hinckley’s voice is heard saying,

“Today, facing west, on the high bluff overlooking the city of Nauvoo, thence across the Mississippi, and over the plains of Iowa, there stands Joseph’s temple, a magnificent house of God. Here in the Salt Lake Valley, facing east to that beautiful temple in Nauvoo, stands Brigham’s temple, the Salt lake Temple. They look toward one another as bookends between which there are volumes’ that speak of the suffering, the sorrow, the sacrifice, even the deaths of thousands who made the long journey from the Mississippi River to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.”

As we hear that familiar quote, known as President Hinckley’s “Bookend Quote”, the lights illuminating the temple are turned on at the end of the Pageant each night. It is one of the most heartfelt and spiritually electrifying moment during the Pageant performance.

This particular night as the lights came on, there was a low-hanging cloud just beyond the temple and when the lights hit the temple at their upward angle, it projected the silhouette of the temple on those clouds. When this happened those who were in attendance began oohing and aching at the unusual sight. Cell phones and cameras came out and clicked away.

I had my camera in hand and ran to the top of the stage. Luckily I had my 50mm 1.4 (very fast, low-light Canon lens) attached.  Here is the result……