The following is the text of the Conference Center dedicatory prayer, given by LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley Sunday morning:
O God, our Eternal Father, with thankful hearts we approach thee in prayer on this historic Sabbath when we dedicate this magnificent Conference Center.
It has been erected to thine honor and thy glory. It is another in a complex of great structures dedicated to the accomplishment of thy purposes and the on-rolling of thy work. It is neighbor to the sacred temple which our forebears labored in building over a period of 40 years. It looks upon the historic Tabernacle which has served thy people so well for more than a century of time. Nearby is the Assembly Hall, whose uses are many and varied.
Not far away are the Church Office Building, the Administration Building and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. Also nearby are the Lion House and the Beehive House, both of which are historic in character. In the other direction are the Museum of Church History and Art and the Family History Library.
This great structure overlooks them all and complements their variety, utility and beauty. Together they become a testimony of the strength and vitality of thy work, the headquarters of thy church, and the fountain from which truth rolls forth to fill the Earth.
We thank thee for the very many dedicated and highly skilled men and women who have worked long and hard to bring it to completion. May they have a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
As we are assembled in this great general conference of thy church, with these services carried to people across the Earth, we bow our heads in reverence before thee.
Acting in the authority of the holy priesthood which comes from thee, and in the name of thy Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate and consecrate this, the Conference Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dedicate it unto thee, our Father and our God, and unto thy Beloved Son, our Redeemer, whose name thy church bears.
We dedicate it as a gathering place for thy people where they may assemble to hear the word of the Lord as it is spoken by thy servants who stand as prophets, seers and revelators and as witnesses unto the world of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose name is the only name given among men whereby they may be saved.
We dedicate it from the footings on which it rests to the top of its tower. We dedicate this magnificent hall, unique in its design and size, constructed to house the thousands who through the years will gather here to worship thee and to be entertained in a wholesome and wonderful way.
From this pulpit may thy name be spoken with reverence and love. May the name of thy Son be constantly remembered with sacred declaration. May testimony of thy divine work ring forth from here to all the world. May righteousness be proclaimed and evil denounced. May words of faith be spoken with boldness and conviction. May proclamations and declarations of doctrine ring forth to the nations.
Though the Earth tremble may this magnificent edifice stand solid and safe under thy watchful care. May no evil voice ever be lifted in this hall in derogation of thee, of thy Son, of thy restored church, or of its prophets and leaders who have presided through the years. Protect it from the storms of nature and the desecrating hand of the vandal and destroyer. Preserve it from conflict and acts of terrorism. May all who pass this way, whatever their religious persuasion, look upon this structure with respect and admiration.
May this great hall be a place of dignified entertainment, a home to those arts which are uplifting and which amplify the culture of the people. May there never be anything presented here which is lacking in dignity and which does not portray that beauty which is of thy divine nature.
We dedicate the great organ, the beautiful halls and other rooms, the parking area, and all other features and facilities pertaining to this structure. May it be a thing of beauty to the beholder both inside and out. May it be a house of many uses, a house of culture, a house of art, a house of worship, a house of faith, a house of God.
May it give expression to the declaration of thy people that if "there is anything virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Now, Father, as we dedicate this Conference Center, we also dedicate the theater which adjoins it. It is a beautiful structure, designed to serve as a meeting place, as a home for the performing arts, and for a variety of uses, all dignified and created to cultivate the beautiful and ennobling. Protect and bless it as we have prayed concerning the Conference Center.
We likewise on this day dedicate the parking facility built under Main Street and all the improvements made to the area immediately in front of the House of the Lord, the temple of our God.
May this area be looked upon as a place of peace, an oasis in the midst of this bustling city. May it be a place where the weary may sit and contemplate the things of God and beauties of nature. It is adorned with trees and shrubs, flowers and water, all combined to create an island of quiet beauty in the midst of this great thriving community. May the desire of the people of thy church to improve and beautify this area be appreciated by all who pass this way.
We pray that favorable expressions may prevail and grow until there is universal acceptance and appreciation for what has been done. We invoke thy blessings upon this community and this state. This is the area to which thy people came seeking asylum from the oppression they had known. Now this has become a great cosmopolitan society to which people from all over the nation and the entire world have gathered. May all who live here and all who come here recognize a community environment that is unique and attractive. May we of thy church be hospitable and gracious. May we maintain the standards and practices for which we are known and accord to others the privilege of worshipping "who, where, or what they may" (Articles of Faith 1:11).
Bless us to reach out as good neighbors and be helpful to all. May we lift up the hands and strengthen the faltering knees of any in distress. May we all live together in peace with appreciation and respect one for another.
Almighty God, how thankful we are for thy wondrous blessings upon us. Accept of our gratitude. Keep thine ancient promises concerning those who contribute their tithes and offerings which have made all of this possible. Open the windows of heaven and shower down blessings upon them.
We love thee and thy divine Son. We seek to do thy will. We praise thy holy name. We lift our voices in anthems of worship. We testify of thee and of our Redeemer, thy matchless Son. Majestic is thy way, glorious the tapestry of thine eternal plan for all who walk in obedience unto thee.
Wilt thou smile with favor upon us, we pray in the sacred name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.