John R. Moyle

The following story is taken from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk entitled "As Doves to Our Windows" (Ensign, May 2000, 75). This is another account from those early, faithful builders of the Salt Lake Temple.

Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish Essayist (1775-1881) once said, “Conviction is worthless, unless it is converted into conduct.” This man had true conviction and believed in what he did, despite unbelievable suffering and inconvenience.

John R. Moyle lived in Alpine, Utah, on a 160 acre farm, about 22 miles as the crow flies to the Salt Lake Temple, where he was the chief superintendent of masonry during its construction and a stonecutter by trade. Like those who worked with him, he volunteered his time, with no earthly compensation. To make certain he was always at work by 8 A.M., Brother Moyle would start walking about 2 A.M. on Monday mornings. He would finish his work week at 5 P.M. on Friday and then start the walk home, arriving there shortly before midnight.

Each week he would repeat that schedule for the entire time he served on the construction of the temple. Once when he was home on the weekend, one of his cows bolted during milking and kicked Brother Moyle in the leg, shattering the bone just below the knee, so that the bone protruded through his pants leg.

With no better medical help than they had in such rural circumstances, his family and friends took a door off the hinges and strapped him onto that makeshift operating table. They then took the bucksaw they had been using to cut branches from a nearby tree and amputated his leg just a few inches below the knee, without anesthetic.

When against all medical likelihood, the leg finally started to heal, Brother Moyle took a piece of wood and carved an artificial leg. First he walked in the house. Then he walked around the yard. Finally he ventured out about his property. When he felt he could stand the pain, he strapped on his leg, walked the 22 miles to the Salt Lake Temple, climbed the scaffolding, and with a chisel in his hand hammered out the declaration "Holiness to the Lord." He was 77 years old.