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Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple: We thank Thee for Thy many sons and daughters of Tonga who have similarly served with great devotion

Following is the complete text of the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple dedicatory prayer offered by President Gordon B. Hinckley. The temple was dedicated Aug. 9-11, 1983.

Our Beloved Father in Heaven, Thou great Elohim, our Eternal God, we reverently come before Thee in prayer in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. We give thanks unto Thee for Thy many blessings so generously bestowed upon us. We thank Thee for the marvelous restoration of Thy great work in this dispensation, with all of the keys and authority appertaining thereto, through Thy chosen instrument, the Prophet Joseph Smith.

We thank Thee that Thou didst reveal Thyself and Thy Son unto him, and that there followed thereafter visitations of others to bestow divine authority. We thank Thee for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon with its record of the forebears of the people of Tonga. We are grateful for the strength of Thy work in these friendly islands. We thank Thee for the missionaries who for many years have come here to bring the glad tidings of the restored gospel. We thank Thee for their faith, for their consecration, for their willingness to face the perils of the sea and long absence from their homes to serve as Thy messengers to Thy people. We thank Thee for Thy many sons and daughters of Tonga who have similarly served with great devotion.

We are thankful that Thou hast touched the hearts of many by the power of Thy Spirit that they have accepted the truth and have walked in faithfulness. We thank Thee for all of Thy faithful saints in these beautiful islands and invoke Thy blessings upon them that they may be blessed with love and peace in their homes, that their lands shall be productive, that they shall be prospered in their righteous undertakings, that they shall be protected from the storms of nature and from the conflicts of men if they will walk in obedience to Thy commandments.

Now we are met together, Father, on this most glorious occasion in the long history of Thy work in these beautiful islands, to dedicate unto Thee and unto Thy Son this sacred temple. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the authority of the holy priesthood in us vested, and under assignment from him whom Thou hast appointed as Thy prophet at this time, President Spencer W. Kimball, we dedicate this, the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including all of the structure, its facilities, equipment and furnishings, the grounds which surround it and the ancillary buildings associated with it.

We ask that Thou wilt accept this temple as the gift of Thy people presented unto Thee with love for the accomplishments of Thy holy purposes with reference to Thy children. It is Thy house. It is the house of Thy Son. We pray that Thou wilt sanctify it by the power of Thy Holy Spirit and that Thou wilt look upon it with favor and visit it according to Thy divine will.

May it always be held in reverence by Thy people. May they regard it as a most holy place for the administration of divine ordinances that are offered only in these sacred houses under the authority of the everlasting priesthood. May all who come here be worthy to enter these portals to receive the great blessings here to be given—their washings and anointings that they may become clean from the sins of this generation, the sacred endowment that they may enter into eternal covenants with Thee, their sealings that they may be joined together as husbands and wives, as children and parents, by that authority which binds in the heavens as it binds on earth.

May Thy watch care be over this sacred house, Father. May the grounds and the structure be preserved by Thy power and always be acceptable in Thy sight and beautiful in the sight of all who shall look upon this sacred structure and its surroundings.

Father, may Thy Holy Spirit dwell herein and may it radiate from this sanctuary that its influence may be felt with such power that even the passerby may regard it as a special and holy place.

We invoke Thy blessings upon Thy servant President Spencer W. Kimball, who is unable to be with us on this sacred occasion but who, in the authority of the priesthood he holds as prophet, broke ground for this structure. Wilt Thou bless him and extend his life according to Thy eternal plan. Bless those associated with him of the First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, the First Quorum of the Seventy, and the Presiding Bishopric. We invoke Thy blessings upon the temple presidency who shall serve here, and all the workers who will be associated with them. We ask thy favor upon the regional representatives, the presidencies of stakes and missions, the bishoprics, the missionaries, and all who hold responsibility in Thy work in these islands.

We invoke Thy blessings upon the king and queen of Tonga, and upon the government of this kingdom of Tonga and those who serve therein that they may look with favor upon Thy people always and assist them in the accomplishment of the purposes Thou hast set before them to teach the gospel to all of Thy children and to build Thy Church for the blessing of Thy sons and daughters.

Now, dear Father, accept of our thanks and hear our prayers as we dedicate this house to Thee and rededicate ourselves to Thy service.

Thou art our God. We love Thee and look to Thee. Thy Beloved Son is our Redeemer and the author of our salvation. Hosanna to God and the Lamb, now and forever. We praise Thee. We worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Please look with mercy and love upon us Thy children. Increase our faith. Add to our knowledge of things divine. Make us effective in Thy service we humbly pray in the name of the Redeemer of mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

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