WASHINGTON, D.C.— Elder Dallin H. Oaks presided at the re-dedication of the Washington D.C. Visitors Center Tuesday, Nov. 28, and the dedication of its new theater.
About 500 invited guests, including LDS members of Congress, bishops, stake presidencies and mission presidents from the greater Washington, D.C., area were in attendance. Also present were Northeast Area Authority Seventies, Elder J.W. Marriott Jr., Elder Ralph Hardy Jr. and Elder David Ferrell.
The Washington D.C. Temple, a well-known landmark in the nation's capital, was dedicated in November 1974, 26 years ago, by President Spencer W. Kimball. The Washington D.C. Temple Visitors Center was dedicated a year-and-a half later, in 1976, also by President Kimball. More than 66,000 people toured the visitors center in the first five months after its dedication. Since that time, more than 4 million people have visited the facility.
Elder Oaks described the larger purpose of visitors centers: "Our visitors centers have a two-fold mission. First, and most obviously, they strengthen the faith of our members. They do this by teaching about our doctrine and informing about our history. We locate visitors centers near temples and places of particular interest in the history of the Church.
"As a second purpose, our visitors centers are among the forerunners in our outreach to persons not of our faith. Our visitors centers are appropriately staffed by men and women of faith and knowledge who answer questions, make new friends and reinforce friendships. As a result, this and other visitors centers produce thousands of golden referrals for our missionaries to contact throughout the world."
Elder Oaks said that because of its position in the U.S. capital, the Washington D.C. Visitors Center "is pre-eminent in our mission of outreach to the entire world. To this visitors center come ambassadors and other representatives and citizens of almost every nation of the world. Especially for those who see only small numbers of members of our Church in struggling small branches in their own nations, it is especially important to sense the position of this Church in the capital city of the leading nation of the world."
Elder David E. Salisbury, director of the Washington D.C. Visitors Center, explained that visitors centers throughout the Church are unique in that they serve the public seven days a week, 365 days a year. "We have felt since we arrived here that the visitors center should give life to that declaration with which we are all familiar — 'if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.' "
In addition to the new 544-seat film and performing arts theater, which will show both "Legacy" and "Testaments," renovations on the visitors center included extensive remodeling, redecorating and the installation of many new state-of-the-art exhibits.
Elder Oaks petitioned for blessings of peace and refuge in the dedicatory prayer.