Clay County Missouri

When the LDS saints were violently evicted from their homes in Jackson County, Independenc Missouri, they fled and were welcomed by the residents of Clay County. Clay County is directly to the North of Jackson County and includes Liberty, Missouri. Perceiving the injustice inflicted on the LDS community by the Missourians, Clay County residents permitted LDS refugees to stay in Clay County for a period of time while they appealed to the State government to have their lands restored. The lands in Jackson County were not restored and eventually it became necessary for the Saints to relocate out of Clay county.

In a compromise deal, the State legislature created two new counties north of Clay County where the saints could settle. These counties are Caldwell County where the saints settled Far West, and Daviess County where the saints settled Adam Ondi Ahman.

On October 4th, 2008LDS Church President Thomas S Monson announced the building of a temple in the greater Kansas City area. Not knowing what "greater Kansas City area" really meant, we waited for additional information. On October 7th, the official LDS church website posted on their newsroom the following....

"For the temple serving the greater Kansas City area, the site will be in Clay County, Missouri, on residential land within the Kansas City limits that is already being developed by the Church. The development is known as Shoal Creek."

This land is located on 152 highway between US I35 & US I435, located in the Liberty Missouri Stake. Perhaps the residents of Clay County are being rewarded for their kindness to the saints over 170 years ago. The new temple will certainly bring great blessings to the area and opportunities for increased missionary work and interfaith dialogue between the LDS church and other denominations and members of the community.