ANCHORAGE -- President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the 54th operating temple -- and the northernmost such edifice -- of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here Saturday and Sunday.
In frigid, overcast weather, 6,291 members of the faith, some from as far away as the Yukon Territory in Canada, gathered in Anchorage for the much-anticipated event, lining up at the doors of an adjacent LDS meetinghouse as early as 6:30 a.m. Saturday for the 8 a.m. cornerstone session and first of seven dedicatory sessions.The new temple, the second of many smaller temples the church recently began constructing throughout the world, is 6,700 square feet and will serve 24,000 church members living in Alaska, the Yukon and the Northwest territories.
Accompanying the LDS Church president to Alaska were his wife, Marjorie Hinckley; Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Mary; and Elder F. Melvin Hammond of the Seventy, who is also president of the church's North America Northwest Area, and his wife, Bonnie.
Just before the symbolic sealing of the cornerstone, President Hinckley stood quietly, listening to the cornerstone choir, made up of local members. Because of the cold, the area where the cornerstone is located was enclosed in a covered structure. As the choir finished the last notes of a hymn to begin the proceedings, the church president proclaimed, "Thank you, very much. Wonderful."
Then, turning toward the cornerstone, on which was engraved, "Erected 1999," he added, "All right, let's proceed." He then placed the traditional mortar in the cornerstone of the flecked gray and white granite edifice. Afterward, he invited others to come forward, including three local children and members of the temple presidency, President Merrill D. Briggs, and his counselors, Keith J. Anderson and R. Dan Farr. Also placing a bit of mortar in the cornerstone were matron Janet Briggs, and assistant matrons, Emily Anderson and Deborah Farr.
President Briggs told of the church members' joy at finally having a temple. "It was a common note of anticipation and excitement among all people," he said, describing the atmosphere leading up to the dedication.