AFTON – A little community in western Wyoming doubled in size on Saturday as members and non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made their way to Afton to be part of a historic event for Wyoming.

Those converging on the one access road town on Saturday were in for a surprise as cars were lined up for several miles on the usually peaceful stretch of pavement. In 2013, Afton’s population only had 50 people to go to hit 2,000. This is about 1,000 less than the number of antlers in the world’s largest Elk Antler Arch which stretches across the one road as you hit downtown.

As attendees got closer, families could be seen walking to an empty field which was quickly becoming its own community. This field, which sits in the shadows of the mountains of the Bridger-Teton National Forest, will soon become the home of the first LDS temple in the state of Wyoming.

Not only were folks walking to the several acre field with one tent, several also came by horseback. While to those who traveled from Utah and other communities may have thought this was a little strange, those who know Afton did not blink an eye to see such a sight.

So why horses? One man who sat on the back of the powerful animal said organizers asked residents to carpool or walk to try to avoid a massive parking issue. As he said this you could hear the many people start unfolding chairs. The man also pointed out event goers were also asked to bring their own chairs.

“We are killing two birds with one stone,” he smiled “That and we are elevated so we can see over the crowd.”

As the field began to fill up, numbers like 4,000 to 7,000 people were thrown out. There was even the estimate of 60 people across and 100 rows deep which is another estimate Wyomingites are very familiar with. Anyway you put it, it is still an incredible amount of people to converge on the sleepy town of 2,000.

Among those in the crowd were Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Cynthia Lummis who made their way from Washington D.C. Addressing the large crowd, Barrasso said as he came in he was greeted by local Wyoming State Senator from Lincoln County Sen. Dan Dockstader who asked him how Washington D.C. was.

“It is always better in Wyoming,” Barrasso replied to the question. “Always.”

When it was announced a temple would be built in Star Valley, it was announced with four other sites which will welcome these new buildings. They included Paris, South Africa and Columbia. Barrasso said the choice of Afton and Star Valley was “perfectly appropriate.”

He said he admired and respected the folks of Star Valley because they are rugged individuals who built the community with their own hands and continue to live by the code of the west which is live each day with courage.

“Your faith has provided with you the vision, the heart and the courage to do remarkable things in this great state of Wyoming. Because you know it’s not government, it’s faith and family and friends. It’s church, it’s community, it’s charities that make all the difference,” Barrasso reverently spoke. “So this groundbreaking today is about you, your family, your faith and your future.”

Those who have heard the Senator speak can always expect to hear the same – but heartfelt – conclusion to all his speeches.

“God bless you, God bless Wyoming and God bless the United States of America,” he closed.

Chairman of the groundbreaking committee McKell Allred also addressed the large congregation and spoke a little about the past of the valley.

In 1879, a group of Mormon pioneers entered the valley and dedicated it as a LDS settlement. Allred said these pioneers were rugged and faithful people who raised their families in one-room log cabins. They survived hunger, bitter cold and long winters but continued to build the community into what it is today.

“I feel the presence of many of these pioneers here today,” he said.

LDS President Thomas Monson made the announced of the new temple on Oct. 11, 2011, during the church’s general conference. It was also when he announced the other three. During his announcement Monson said “I think I’ll dedicate that one. There’s good fishing up there.”

Allred said since this announcement, the valley has not been the same as a deeper religious spirit has “permeated” the valley. Allred also spoke about the importance of the construction process. He said the construction needs to be the very best whether it is seen or unseen and if it is not it needs to be removed.

“This is symbolic of our lives,” Allred said. “How we act when no one sees our actions determines our true character.”

Member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy Elder Kent F. Richards and his wife made their way from Salt Lake City to oversee the groundbreaking ceremony. He opened by explaining as much as we look backwards and honor the pioneer past, the building of the temple isn’t really “a monument of the past. It’s a new beginning.”

It’s a beginning of faith and courage of your generation and your children and your future,” Richards continued. “And they will look back at your faith and they will remember the day that you were here for the beginning of this temple.”

Richards’ speech focused on the importance of the temple and how everyday, members should spend their lives preparing to go to the temple.

Elder Craig C. Christensen, Presidency of the Seventy, also spoke to the crowd. He also referred back to when President Monson made the announcement in 2011, He said Star Valley was announced last and remembers hearing an audible noise go throughout the crowd. He said you could feel the excitement and it was like people never thought something like this would ever happen. He also pointed out if you look at temples they are in high concentration of members or urban centers.

“To think Afton Wyoming this is a unique thing,” he explained. “To me it’s a gift, it’s a gift of God to the great heritage that’s here.”

As the speakers concluded and the choir finished, dignitaries turned the earth. After the dignitaries finished, anyone who wanted to could also go to the spot, take the golden shovels and take part in the groundbreaking. It was said before the ceremony, officials would stay there until midnight to make sure everyone who wanted to could take part in the groundbreaking.

At midnight, the crowds were gone, it was once again quiet in the little valley with only a tent remaining. Soon, this spot will start to see the beginnings of what will be the first temple in Wyoming.