HONG KONG — President Gordon B. Hinckley, leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, met Tuesday with members in Taipei, Taiwan; and in Hong Kong, dedicating new church buildings in each place, as he continued his global journey this week.
After a quick tour of three church sites Monday morning in Seoul, Korea, President Hinckley flew to Taipei, where he dedicated a new building containing offices, a chapel and other facilities for church members.
A similar building was dedicated by President Hinckley on Tuesday evening in Hong Kong. The 95-year-old church leader had also dedicated temples in both cities. The new building in Taipei is near the temple.
Arriving for the meeting in Hong Kong, President Hinckley first took a quick tour of the church administrative offices, three chapels, classrooms and other facilities he would dedicate.
During the meeting, he said he thought the most significant thing he ever did in Hong Kong was conceive the design for the high-rise Hong Kong China Temple. It has regular church offices, classrooms and a chapel on floors between the baptismal font on the bottom of the building and the other temple rooms on the top.
"We followed the same pattern in New York City," he said, referring to the Manhattan New York Temple, which was dedicated in 2004.
President Hinckley also talked about Kom Tong Hall, which he helped purchase in 1960. It was used for church meetings and administration until it was sold to the Hong Kong government in 2004 to be used as a museum.
"It was the home for the church in Hong Kong for many years. This building will take its place, and it will be preserved, for which I am grateful," he said before dedicating the new building.
President Hinckley is scheduled to continue his trip with a visit to Delhi, India, before going to Kenya and Nigeria in Africa.
E-mail: ghill@desnews.com