Calm As A Summer's Morning

A musical profile of the prophet Joseph Smith

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In 1999, President Gordon B. Hinckley revealed plans to reconstruct the Nauvoo Illinois Temple "as a memorial" to those of the pioneers who erected the original structure along the Mississippi River. In the vicinity of this new temple, a poignant statue of Joseph and Hyrum Smith is situated, capturing a moment as they headed toward Carthage, Illinois.

Despite Joseph's somber prophecy of their fate, they are depicted in mid-conversation, embodying tranquility. He famously reflected on their situation, stating, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter, but I am calm as a summer's morning."

The sculpture, a collaboration between Stan Watts and Kim Corpany, was placed in Nauvoo in December 2003.