From Deseret News archives:
Mark left on temples, ordinances
Leader had the most dedications and reshaped the ceremony
"I think President Hinckley will be remembered as the builder of temples in the dispensation of the fulness of times," Elder David E. Sorensen, then of the Presidency of the Seventy and executive director of the church Temple Department, said in 1999.
When President Hinckley was born the LDS Church had four operating temples. When he became church president there were 47 temples around the world. Today there are 124. He dedicated more temples 85 than any other general authority in the history of the church. He also rededicated five others after remodeling projects.
Several were built (or, in the case of Nauvoo, rebuilt) in historic locations, including the Palmyra New York, Winter Quarters Nebraska and Nauvoo Illinois temples.
In an assignment from President David O. McKay, he shaped the ceremony to accommodate the growing number of languages spoken by church members.
President Hinckley believed in the vital importance of temples and the ordinances conducted in them.
"Every temple that this church has built has in effect stood as a monument to our belief in the immortality of the human soul, that this phase of mortal life through which we pass is part of a continuous upward climb, so to speak. And that as certain as there is life here, there will be life there," he said in a 1999 interview.
The temple, he said, "is concerned with things of immortality," in particular the eternity of the family.
"All of the ordinances which take place in the house of the Lord become expressions of our belief in that fundamental and basic doctrine," he said."The temple, therefore, becomes the ultimate in our system of worship. And, therefore, is of great and significant importance to us."
President Hinckley had a significant role in the proliferation of temples around the world.
Recent comments
The author omitted several other important changes to the temple made...
IJ | Feb. 6, 2008 at 9:40 p.m.
- TCU moves into 4th place in BCS 3:16 p.m.
- Alcohol suspected in Roy shooting 2:36 p.m.
- Chaplain seeks prayers for meaning 2:36 p.m.
- La. Gov. declares state of emergency 2:34 p.m.
- 'SuperFreakonomics' just as fun 1:42 p.m.
- Beck is the new Oprah for thrillers 1:34 p.m.
- Zemeckis on his 'Christmas Carol' 1:34 p.m.
- 'The American house next door' 1:10 p.m.
- Make a printed-palm tree 1:09 p.m.
- Snakeskin makes fashion statement 1:03 p.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
213 - Dirk does dirty work in Dallas
190 - House passes health care bill
180 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
146 - Speed has never been BYU's game
136 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
108 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
101 - Provo company innovating engines
98
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
Matheson has officially gone over to the dark side. I hope he stops...
Come on utah fans, why are you snipping at us for a 52-0 win over wyoming...
Ouch. This game will get ugly real quick. I actually want Utah to win so...
You did it!!! Unbeaten 5A champs! Greatest team in Utah HS history. Now lets...
actually there is no need to wait until next week - the bcs standings just...
Let's see. How many states switched from GOP to Demo in '08 vs '04? And we're...
Wyoming? Isn't that the team that almost beat Utah in SLC. Wow, Utah must...
Get their healthcare over in Switzerland and use Gold and Silver. The paper...
I am SOOOOOO sick of hearing about another player having another career night...
We may not need the knicks pick this year because we may get a higher pick or...

