Youths celebrate Vancouver Temple dedication

LANGLEY,

British Columbia — In the moments before a huge production — staged by

more than 1,200 youths in British Columbia to celebrate a new temple of

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — President Thomas S.

Monson told the crowd they were gathered together to enjoy Canada.

"I am here," he said, "because I make the assignments."

The

celebration marked completion of the Vancouver British Columbia Temple

— the LDS Church's 131st operating temple worldwide and the seventh in

Canada.

Gathered from eight stakes

in British Columbia and one stake in Washington state, some of the

youths drove more than 14 hours to participate in the event.

Jalae

Brophy, 17, and Sabrina Blackmore, 17, took a 15-hour bus ride from

Prince George to Vancouver. "This is the best experience ever,"

Blackmore said.

Brophy said

participating in the celebration is something she can do to be part of

the temple dedication. "We are doing this big celebration because of

the temple. It is like we are a part of it."

The

Vancouver Temple Youth Celebration, titled "A Beacon to the World,"

highlighted the land, history and people of British Columbia.

Earlier

in the day, Elder Paul D.M. Christensen, an Area Seventy and chairman

of the local temple committee, addressed the youths.

Standing in front of the temple, he said, "Behind me is a gift."

He

said church leaders had used the finest material to construct the

28,165-square-foot temple. "This is the best we can do ... to show our

Heavenly Father how much we love him."

Shelley

Morley, temple youth celebration director, said church leaders asked

her to write the production "for the youth." They wanted them to make

memories, enjoy spending time with other Latter-day Saints and learn

about the Vancouver temple.

"These kids feel it is their temple," she said. "They really feel this incredible ownership."

E-mail: sarah@desnews.com