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A time of thanksgiving: President Monson rededicates Hawaii temple

Temple was originally dedicated on Thanksgiving Day in 1919

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LAIE, HAWAII

President Thomas S. Monson rededicated the Laie Hawaii Temple on Sunday, Nov. 21, saying it was a privilege to be in the historic House of the Lord that has been refurbished and renewed.

It was on Thanksgiving Day of 1919 when the temple was originally dedicated. The fact that it was rededicated just a few days before Thanksgiving Day 91 years later was significant to many who attended the three special sessions held for the rededication. Time after time, members attending the rededication said they were thankful that the renovation work on the temple had been completed and that President Monson had come to Hawaii to reopen it.

With the stately Laie Hawaii Temple in the background, President Thomas S. Monson, center right, is
With the stately Laie Hawaii Temple in the background, President Thomas S. Monson, center right, is accompanied by Elder William R. Walker, from left, President Henry B. Eyring and his wife, Kathleen, and Elder Quentin L. Cook and his wife, Mary, right. | Gerry Avant, Church News

President Monson spoke and offered the prayer rededicating the temple in all three sessions.

President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, conducted the sessions and spoke. Also participating were Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder William R. Walker of the Seventy and executive director of the Temple Department.

President Thomas S. Monson, pauses after arriving at the Laie temple to greet the members as they wa
President Thomas S. Monson, pauses after arriving at the Laie temple to greet the members as they wait to enter the temple. | Gerry Avant, Church News

President Monson said, "At the end of December 2008, this historic and beautiful temple was closed for extensive remodeling and refurbishing, including structural upgrades and mechanical upgrades to strengthen the temple, as well as making it accessible to disabled patrons. Now, nearly two years later, we have come to rededicate this renewed House of the Lord.

"On Nov. 27, 1919, this temple was originally dedicated by Church President Heber J. Grant. It was the fifth temple completed by the Saints after the exodus to the Rocky Mountains — the first built outside the continental United States and, indeed, the first built outside of Utah. We now have 134 operating temples, with another 23 in some phase of planning or construction. How fortunate we are to have so many temples throughout the world and available to those who are worthy to receive the blessings found therein."

Members patiently wait in long lines formed on the majestic Laie Hawaii Temple grounds prior to rede
Members patiently wait in long lines formed on the majestic Laie Hawaii Temple grounds prior to rededication services. | Gerry Avant, Church News

In offering the prayer of rededication, President Monson said, "This beautiful temple has been a haven of peace. It has been the House of the Lord to all who have entered and have felt of its spirit and partaken of the blessings found here. We thank Thee for it and for the accomplishment of Thy divine purposes through it. It has served well.

"Showing the effects of such service, it became necessary to improve it, both inside and out. Now the entire structure has been renovated and renewed in an undertaking that makes it more efficient, more attractive and more convenient than ever before."

The Laie Hawaii Temple was originally dedicated in 1919, the fifth temple completed by the Church. N
The Laie Hawaii Temple was originally dedicated in 1919, the fifth temple completed by the Church. Now fortified and modernized, it was rededicated by President Monson. | Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News

President Monson had a full weekend while in Hawaii. On Friday, Nov. 19, he visited the Church-owned Polynesian Cultural Center adjacent to the BYU-Hawaii campus and near the temple. On Saturday evening, he attended a cultural program held in the Cannon Activities Center on the campus of BYU-Hawaii.

President Eyring described the experience of participating in the events surrounding the dedication as "wonderful."

"The Saints here have such faith that it made everything just shine," he said. " The cultural program was incomparable, mostly because of the young people and the families that must have worked with them by the hour. It was above professional; it was heavenly."

President Eyring commented on watching President Monson interact with people throughout the dedicatory events.

A view of the reflecting pools as seen from the temple. The beauty of the setting matched the sereni
A view of the reflecting pools as seen from the temple. The beauty of the setting matched the serenity of the spiritual occasion. | Gerry Avant, Church News

"I think he didn't pass a person he could have touched to shake a hand, to smile or tousle the head of a child. He was just remarkable," President Eyring said. "He was on his ground here, being among the people. He loves people and people love him. You could feel it everywhere we went."

Of the experience in participating in the rededication of the temple, President Eyring spoke of Church Presidents Joseph F. Smith and David O. McKay, both of whom had long and special ties with the Church in Hawaii.

"You could feel the spirit of Joseph F. Smith. You could feel the spirit of David O. McKay. All of the people were looking back to the wonderful prophets and then putting President Monson among them for the prophets who love Hawaii."

And President Monson does love Hawaii. In a conversation with the Church News, he spoke of his call in 1963 by President McKay to the Quorum of the Twelve. One of President Monson's early assignments as a young apostle was to supervise the missions in the South Pacific, among other areas of the world.

"In the years that I had assignments in the far Pacific — Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Tahiti and all the other islands of the South Pacific — I would sometimes be gone for five weeks at a time. Hawaii would be my stopping point," he said. "Being here is like coming home to me. You fall in love with the Polynesians. I love this part of the world."

gerry@desnews.com

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