President Gordon B. Hinckley returned to the Atlanta Georgia Temple Nov. 14 to rededicate a portion of the baptistry that had been constructed to replace the original.
The Atlanta Georgia Temple was originally dedicated in June 1983 and was the first temple President Hinckley dedicated as a counselor in the First Presidency.President Hinckley and his wife, Sister Marjorie Hinckley, arrived at the temple at noon Nov. 14, following a flight from Mexico. At the temple, they were met and escorted by temple Pres. James E. Hill and his wife, Betty, and Pres. Hill's counselors, Heber S. Branham and Clifford E. Carroll, and their wives.
Later, President Hinckley met with 37 stake presidents and their wives who had been invited to participate in the rededicatory services.
The Atlanta temple district includes 38 stakes including Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, and the panhandle of Florida.
The district has been reduced in territory since the dedication of the Orlando and St. Louis temples. Still, "the temple is always busy," explained Ted Hall, assistant temple recorder.
The original baptistry offered limited seating capacity and dressing facilities. An enlarged baptistry will accommodate a constantly increasing number of members who come to perform baptisms.
"Members traveling from New Orleans, which is the most western point in the district, travel for 10 hours," Brother Hall continued. "On the day following the rededication, groups were here back-to-back all day to perform baptisms. The first group was here at 6:30 a.m."
The Atlanta temple was closed in July for renovations within the edifice, which included work on waiting rooms, and for construction of the baptistry and offices.
The temple re-opened for endowment work on Oct. 28, and, following rededication services, began baptismal work as well on Nov. 15.
The baptistry is now a wonderful improvement for the temple, explained James E. Hill, president of the temple. He said the font, placed on the replicas of 12 oxen, fulfills a promise made by President Hinckley during the original dedication that the baptistry would one day be enlarged.
