During the first visit of a Church president in nearly 20 years to Colombia and Peru, President Gordon B. Hinckley emphasized the importance of temple worship as he addressed some 35,000 members on Nov. 8-9.
President Hinckley's visit to these two countries is part of six-nation South American tour.Following visits to Colombia and Peru, President Hinckley broke ground for a temple in Cochabamba, Bolivia, on Nov. 10, and spoke to gatherings of missionaries and members in Santiago, Chile, and in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Nov. 11-12. He was to spend the remainder of the trip in Brazil, visiting the cities of Porto Alegre, Sao Paulo and Campinas before traveling to Recife to break ground for a temple there Nov. 15. He was to conclude his visit to South America Nov. 16 by stopping in Manaus, a city deep in the interior on the Amazon River basin. (His visits to these places will be covered in the Nov. 23 Church News.)
Latter-day Saints in Colombia and Peru viewed the president with tearful excitement. Many traveled great distances - usually by bus - at significant personal sacrifice. It would be difficult to overstate the impact in their lives of this visit.
In Colombia, President Hinckley inspected the temple under construction in Bogota, met with missionaries, and held a member fireside for the Saints from various parts of Colombia. He was accompanied by Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve, and joined in Bogota by Elder Francisco Vinas of the Seventy and Elder Carl B. Pratt, an area authority, both counselors in the South America North Area presidency. Sister Marjorie Hinckley and the wives of Elders Vinas and Pratt also participated.
It was the first visit of a president of the Church to Colombia in 19 years. The last time was when President Spencer W. Kimball presided over an area conference in 1977. The Church has grown dramatically in this nation, with approximately 125,000 members currently. Nearly 500 missionaries serve in four missions in Colombia.
An air of excitement prevailed at the temple site in Bogota when President Hinckley arrived to inspect the progress of the temple. Ground was broken three years ago, but unforseen delays caused the actual construction to be deferred. The patron housing complex is now nearing completion, and the temple is coming out of the ground. Cesar Davila, the project manager for the temple, took President Hinckley and his party on a walking tour of the temple - now scheduled to be completed in mid-1998 - and described its progress. President Hinckley seemed pleased with what he saw and encouraged those involved to move ahead as expeditiously as possible.
Some 306 missionaries from the Colombia North and South missions as well as those presently at the Missionary Training Center in Bogota attended a meeting with the visiting authorities in the afternoon of Nov. 8. They heard counsel from Elder Scott and President and Sister Hinckley, particularly related to the importance of proper conversion of newly baptized members and ensuring their long-term activity in the Church.
"It is so important to see that they are converted," President Hinckley said. "They must be touched by the Holy Spirit. I cannot emphasize this too strongly. We must teach them in such a way that they will never leave the Church."
Giving those present his love and encouragement, President Hinckley reminded the missionaries, "We are in very deed the ambassadors of the Lord."
The prophet took time to shake hands with each missionary following the meeting, much to the delight of the elders and sisters.
That evening, some 7,100 Saints and friends gathered in the Estadio Deportista, a large special events facility in downtown Bogota to hear from the prophet. They had lined up as early as 3 p.m. for the 7 p.m. meeting. There was great anticipation as word spread that President Hinckley had arrived, and all stood and sang, "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet," as he entered the meeting area. His earlier visit to the temple site became the focus of President Hinckley's remarks that evening.
"You are the very cream of the people of Colombia. You are Saints of the Most High God," he said as he began his remarks. "You ought to be the very best people of Colombia because you know the truth. You have been baptized, and with that comes a great blessing and responsibility."
President Hinckley's voice raised noticeably as he declared: "We've been to see the temple today. I'm excited to see it - you have waited so long for it. In less than two years it will be completed. Now is the time to get your lives in order that you may be worthy to go to the House of the Lord. Get a temple recommend - get it now.
"You may not be able to use it, but hopefully you might get to the Lima Peru Temple once or twice before then. You prepare yourselves with a temple recommend for the opening of a temple in Bogota. If every man and woman in this hall tonight would make that resolution and go to work to hold a temple recommend, your lives would be blessed, your homes would be blessed, and you would feel the spirit of the Lord in your homes."
To emphasize his point, President Hinckley continued, "Now, I repeat, now is the time to qualify for a temple recommend. When the temple is ready to dedicate, you will be there to participate in great and sacred ordinances. You will be there to participate in the great dedicatory prayer. And so, my beloved brothers and sisters, I hold out an invitation to qualify well in advance."
Turning his attention to the impact the Saints can make in their home country, President Hinckley counseled, "The Church cannot go forward in Colombia unless the people live the gospel. If they will live it they will be happy, they will be blessed, they will be magnified for good."
He acknowledged that many of the Saints suffer from economic stress. "I know that many of you have a difficult time - that there is simply not enough money. Now is the time for you, in faith to pay your tithes and meet every requirement for a temple recommend."
He also encouraged them in observance of the Word of Wisdom, sustaining their leaders, respect between husbands and wives, kindness to children, and individual testimonies of the Godhead, the Prophet Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel.
As he concluded his address, President Hinckley admonished the Saints, "Let us leave here tonight with resolution in our hearts to be a little better, a little kinder, a little more generous and thoughtful, and let our thanks be to God for His marvelous blessing - the gift of His beloved Son to all the world through a great atonement."
Before departing the building, President Hinckley waved warmly to the congregation, who returned the affection in tears with the waving of white handkerchiefs.
In Lima, Peru, President Hinckley met with 380 missionaries of the four missions headquartered in Lima, as well as those training at the Missionary Training Center in Lima, and held two member firesides for those in the 27 stakes in the greater-Lima area, which were attended by an estimated 28,000 Saints. He was accompanied by Elder Scott and Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Seventy and president of the South America North Area. Also participating were Sister Marjorie Hinckley and Elder and Sister Pratt.
At the missionary meeting in Lima, President Hinckley observed, "I haven't been here for eight years. To see what is happening is wonderful. There are 27 stakes in Lima, 75 in all in this nation. I'm glad. I remember when the first stake was organized here. It was wonderful to see the first stake. To think there are now 75 stakes here is marvelous. The stakes here will grow in strength and the people will grow in strength also. There will be a tremendous future for the Church in Peru."
The two firesides were held at the Coliseo Amauta, a large events center in Lima. The Saints were thrilled to see and hear from their prophet. In his remarks, President Hinckley made reference to the temple in Lima, encouraging them to attend regularly. "If we are a temple-going people, we will be better fathers and husbands, better wives and mothers. I know that your lives are busy, that you have much to do, but I make you a promise," said President Hinckley, "that if you will go to the House of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you. Please, please my beloved brothers and sisters, avail yourselves of the great opportunity to go to the Lord's House and thereby partake of the many blessings that are yours to receive there."
President Hinckley spoke of the temples currently in South America and announced that during his current tour, he would break ground for new temples in Cochabamba, Bolivia; and Recife, Brazil. "We will have temples all across this land, and the people will have the blessings of the Lord as they use those temples, and the temples will shine light and goodness on the nations where they are found," said the prophet.
Looking over the large congregations in both sessions, President Hinckley commented on the ancestry of the people. "As I look into your faces, I think of Father Lehi whose sons and daughters you are. I think he must be shedding tears today, tears of love and gratitude as he looks down on this vast congregation," he said. "This is but the beginning of the work in Peru. This work of the Almighty will go on and grow and grow. It is God's holy work. Let us live the gospel. Let us follow its divine truth. There is nothing you cannot do with help of the Almighty," said President Hinckley.
As the meetings ended the members waved and then broke out into spontaneous applause as they looked upon their leader with love and appreciation for the effort he had made to be among them and leave his blessing upon them.