DRAPER, UTAH
A temple dedication is one of the most looked-forward-to events in the Church. The dedication of the Draper Utah Temple lived up to every expectation — and then some.
While some commented on the "miracle" in the hills of Draper in the form of unexpectedly calm and pleasant weather, more repeatedly spoke of the greater miracle that transpired in the form of the dedication of yet another house of the Lord March 20-22.
President Thomas S. Monson presided over all 12 sessions held to dedicate the temple; he delivered addresses or made remarks and offered the dedicatory prayer in each session.
His counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, each attended six sessions and took turns with President Monson in conducting the sacred meetings and delivering addresses.
President Monson's wife, Sister Frances J. Monson, accompanied him to the temple each day, as did their daughter, Sister Ann M. Dibb, who serves as second counselor in the Young Women general presidency.
"There is nothing like the dedication of a temple to bring out the best in people," President Monson told the Church News after one of the sessions. "When a building is dedicated for its holy purposes it reflects a welcome sign to all who are worthy, 'Come, here you shall find peace, here you shall find a formula for happy families.'?"
There are now three temples in the Salt Lake Valley: the Salt Lake Temple, Jordan River Utah Temple and Draper Utah Temple. A fourth, the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, will be dedicated in August. Nearby are the Bountiful Utah and Mount Timpanogos Utah temples. There are temples also in Logan, St. George, Ogden, Provo, Monticello, Manti and Vernal. Why are there so many temples in Utah?
"In building temples we realize there is a need for many temple workers, and in order for a temple to be fully staffed, it requires many helping hands," President Monson said. "When we have a high density of membership we look to see if a closer temple to large groups of faithful members might not enable the work to go forward more rapidly. Where there is growth, temples follow."
President Monson's desire for the Draper temple is straightforward. He said that he wants members who qualify to "come frequently to the house of the Lord." He said they are welcome in the temple, and he urges all to do the work for those who otherwise cannot progress without the efforts of the members.
He expressed a desire that the young people who attended the temple dedication, and others who are age 12 and older, will "come back, do the work in the baptismal font for those who have gone before, and then come to the house of the Lord for their sacred endowment and temple marriages."
President Monson said, "We will have happier homes. We will have more productive lives because we will have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us."
Members were excited not only to attend the dedication inside the temple, but also to see President Monson in person. The feeling seemed to be mutual; it was obvious that he was grateful to see the members inside and outside the temple. Throughout the dedicatory events, he paused to shake hands with some. He hugged countless others.
He was drawn especially to children. The youngest who could attend were 8 years old, some recently baptized.
Jacob Pehrson, 8, and his sister, Melinda, 10, were among children President Monson greeted. Before one session, he stopped, shook their hands and quietly spoke to them. At the end of the day, the youngsters were outside the temple gates where a small crowd had gathered to say good-bye to President Monson. The Church leader spoke to the small gathering. He began singing, and invited the crowd to join him: "So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye," from "The Sound of Music."
As President Monson got into his car to leave, Jacob exclaimed, "Oh! I could fly to the moon!" After one session, President Monson spoke to Matthew and Stephen Behunin. Putting his hands on the shoulders of each of the boys, he said, "You are the kind of men that the Lord needs to serve as missionaries." He conversed a bit longer with the boys.
Later, Matthew, 11, said, "It is amazing that President Monson would choose my brother and me, and said that we represent the kind of men that the Lord will need in the mission field."
President Monson hugged David Rowbotham, 10, and said, "Be a good missionary."
Later, David told the Church News, "It was a cool experience. I was just really, really happy. I know he is a prophet of God."
Attending 12 dedicatory sessions, each lasting approximately 90 minutes over a three-day period, and offering the dedicatory prayer and delivering addresses or making comments in each session is enough to exhaust anyone, even those who are years younger than President Monson's age of 81. Yet, he seemed to be filled with renewed strength and energy. To the very end, he continued to reach out to colleagues and members. He smiled, shook hands or waved. Surely, everyone who saw or met President Monson felt they had been personally welcomed to the house of the Lord by a prophet of God.
