The St. Louis Missouri Temple is the 50th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the early days of the Mormon Church, when the Church was centered in Missouri, members experienced great spiritual manifestations as well as intense persecution. The members had planned to build temples in Far West and Independence, Missouri but the distrust and persecution from those around them made it impossible to do so. After an extermination order was given from Governor Boggs and the Prophet Joseph Smith and other leaders were arrested, the members of the Mormon Church were forced from their Missouri homes at gunpoint in the middle of winter.