LANGLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA — President Thomas S. Monson said he had one word to describe the newly constructed Vancouver British Columbia Temple: "Beautiful."
For President Monson, seeing the temple -- located some 30 miles east of Vancouver -- is the fulfillment of a prophet's vision.
"I helped pick the site, and now see a lovely temple here," he said upon arriving at at the temple Saturday around 1 p.m. "Now to see a lovely temple here. It couldn't have been created for a more noble purpose."
In December of 1995, President Monson came to the Vancouver area with President Gordon B. Hinckley, to whom he was then serving as first counselor in the First Presidency, to select the site for the temple.
"We came with a prayer in our hearts," President Monson said. "You look, first of all, at what the Lord has given: the terrain, the grasses, the trees, the setting. Then you figure if the Lord can do all that, the best you can do is build a temple to grace the land He has pointed out. The best we can do is build a temple."
President Monson said he was looking forward to Saturday evening's cultural program performed by some 1,200 young people from throughout British Columbia.
The temple will be dedicated Sunday, May 2, in three sessions. The dedicatory events will begin with the sealing of a symbolic cornerstone at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
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