In the heart of
"Treasure Valley," President Thomas S. Monson rededicated on Sunday
morning the Boise Idaho Temple — a structure local members of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here consider to be a priceless
treasure.
The temple, originally dedicated in 1984, closed 15 months ago for extensive renovation.
The evening before the
rededication, President Monson told a group of 9,200 young people,
gathered for the youth cultural celebration, that the temple "shines as a
beacon of righteousness to all who will follow its light."
"We treasure that light, and
we thank our Heavenly Father for the blessings this temple and all
temples bring into our lives," he said.
President Monson — accompanied
by Elder David A. Bednar of the Church's Quorum of the Twelve, Elder
Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy and Elder William
R. Walker of the Seventy and executive director of the temple department
— then praised the young people for their goodness, asked them to never
forget the feeling of standing together with other Latter-day Saints,
and left them with a special blessing.
"My young brothers and
sisters, I pronounce a blessing upon you tonight, that you may feel the
love which we have for you," he said. "May you know, also, that our
Heavenly Father loves you. I bless you that you will ever have a desire
to serve Him and His son Jesus Christ. I bless you that you will always
walk in truth and treasure the light of the temple."
The program highlighted the
many things Church members in the Boise Idaho Temple district treasure:
the light of faith, heritage, industry, families, youth, liberty,
service and the gospel. In a grand finale, as they sang "True to the
Faith" and "Carry On," the youth then celebrated the greatest light in
their lives — the light of Christ.
On Sunday, Elder Bednar said
there was enough energy during the program "to power every home in the
United States for six months."
The production was less about
dancing and more about preparing for the temple, said Gary Walker, Youth
Cultural Celebration sub-committee chairman.
Walker said substantially more
youth participated in the event than expected. Because of the large
number, the youth filled the Taco Bell Arena on the campus of Boise
State University and their families and others gathered in remote
locations to watch the program, which was broadcast to stake centers
throughout the temple district.
-desert news
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